8. (WE PARTY TONIGHT!)

Martina got home and parked her car in front of the house. She walked to the other side of the car and carried the cage and her other stuff.

She headed for the door and pressed the doorbell, waiting for Caterina to open up.

“How you are back home early,” Caterina said sarcastically after she checked who was at the door through the small opening on it. 

She opened the door and Martina walked inside, Caterina didn’t bother to look at her when she came in, she dragged her feet to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

“At least you would help me with what I bought for dinner, are you mad at me?” Martina asked and Caterina sighed, she turned to look at her and was almost speaking up when her mouth wide open in awe.

“Oh my… Is that a chow chow?” She asked with a very wide smile on her face. She was so happy, and she ran back to Martina and bent down to look at their new pet.

“Oh God, it is a she or he?” Caterina asked excitedly.

“Will you at least get these off me?” Martina asked tiredly and Caterina bobbed carrying the bags from her.

Martina placed the cage next to the couch and she slammed on the couch.

“Have you given the dog a name?” Caterina asked running back to where Martina laid.

“Not yet, it’s a She. I have thought of a perfect name for her.” Martina expressed exhaustedly.

“Let’s call her Rosa… you like the name right?” She asked opening the cage so she could carry the dog.

“Caterina, I’m not saying you shouldn’t play with Rosa, but can we eat? Or I should eat without you?” Martina asked looking at Caterina.

“You bought dinner for the both of us, we are supposed to eat it together.” Caterina grumbled and Martina let out a sigh.

She stood up and dragged her feet to the kitchen. She unpacked the dinner she ordered for the both of them and began to set the dining table.

“Did you buy dinner for Rosa too?” Caterina asked carrying Rosa to the kitchen. She kept running her hands through her fluffy hair, she loved the way it felt.

“I got her dinner.” Martina said bringing out the formula she got for Rosa.

“Wow, the Lucy Pet formulas for life.” Caterina read out and Martina nodded.

“I came back late because of the food, I had to look for it because I want the best for my dog.” Martina told.

“Our dog Martina… since you came late because of Rosa, then I forgive you.” Caterina uttered and Martina scoffed.

“Does it look like I care if you forgive me or not? I’m your elder sister remember? I am doing all these for us.” Martina told and Caterina pouted her mouth.

“Fine.” She responded and Martina nodded. She searched for the perfect plate for Rosa and she got one.

She put it on the floor and poured her food inside it. She put Rosa on the floor carefully and moved the plate to her mouth. Rosa sniffed the food cutely and began to eat afterwards.

“Let’s eat too.” Martina said to Caterina sitting on the chair. Caterina stood up, and also sat on the chair.

They began to eat in silence and they kept looking at Rosa every minute. Martina’s phone began to ring all of a sudden and it dawned on her that she left it by the zinc. She stood up to get the phone, and she saw it was Alberto calling.

She picked up the call and walked back to the dining table.

“Alberto… Hi.” She greeted smiling widely.

“Hi Martina, are you home now?” He asked and the ladies exchanged looks.

“Yes. Why do you ask?” Martina enquired staring at Caterina.

“I just wanted to make sure you are home safely. You know you are the talk of the town now, eyes are on you.” Alberto told and she chuckled.

“I am quite aware but you don’t have to worry okay? I’m doing very fine. I saw Roberto today.” She said and Caterina raised her head abruptly and looked at Martina with her eyes wide open.

“What? Where? Did he see you? What happened?” Alberto asked in fear making Martina laugh.

“Calm down Alberto, he didn’t see me okay? I’d tell you about it in full details tomorrow. I’m starving right now and I need to eat.” She confessed.

“Sure, I’ll call you first thing tomorrow morning, You’ve put me in suspense already.” He said and she smiled.

“I’ll call you when I’m awake you don’t have to call me first. Thank you so much for your concern Alberto, and good night.” She gave her word and hung up.

She looked at Caterina and saw she was still staring at her, and her mouth was still open in shock.

“You are slobbering already sister.” Martina mocked and Caterina shut her mouth immediately, biting on her lower lip.

“You weren’t going to tell me?” She asked and Martina picked up her cutlery.

“I was going to tell you, that was why I brought it up during my conversation with Alberto. If I didn’t want to tell you, I’d have just told him tomorrow when you are at school.” Martina let out as she took a bike from her chicken.

“True. So tell me what happened, I can’t wait to hear it.” Caterina responded in excitement.

“I was at the pet shop, I bought Rosa already and I was about leaving the store when I saw these cars pull up right in front of the store. I waited to see what was going on and who it was, and it happened to be Roberto.” She narrated and Caterina bit her lower lip again and enlarged her eyes like she wanted them to pop out of her skull.

“Oh No… tell me more.” She said dropping her fork which had chicken stuck on it.

“I was so scared, I knew if he saw me it would be the end of me. So I hid, under the counter. Thanks to the owner of the store, I wasn’t discovered.” Martina further narrated and Caterina sighed in relief.

“That is such a great relief.” She muttered.

“Though I also got…” Martina said but got interrupted by another phone call.

“Alberto is finding it hard to sleep?” Caterina asked humorously but she became more serious when she saw the look on Martina’s face when she checked the caller.

“Who is it?” Caterina asked in an anxious tone.

“It’s Carlo.” Martina responded in discomfort.

“What? What the f**k does he want?! Why do you still have his contact?” Caterina asked in fury.

“We haven’t talked for years, I don’t know why he is calling all of a sudden.” Martina said staring at the phone as it kept ringing.

“Do you want to answer it?” Caterina asked calmly and Martina sighed.

“I don’t know Caterina, but I want to know why he is calling me.” She uttered and Caterina nodded.

“Let me handle it then.” Caterina said trying to reach her phone, and she quickly moved her phone away from her reach.

“What are you planning?” Martina asked narrowing her gaze at Caterina.

“Trust me, I wouldn’t do anything stupid.” Caterina assured and Martina gave her the phone reluctantly.

But as soon as it got into Caterina’s hand, it stopped ringing.

“Perfect.” Caterina aired smiling widely. But then she noticed something was different.

“Wait a minute… is this your phone?” Caterina asked taking a closer look at the phone.

“Yes, I got a new one today because the other one got damaged.” She told.

“Oh God, how many incidents happened today? How did your phone get damaged? When you were trying to hide from Roberto?” She asked and Martina shook her head.

“No. When I was at Colosseum, a woman ran into me and my phone fell from my hand because I was making a video at that moment.” Martina made known.

“What? You went to Colosseum?? Without me? Tell me what else you haven’t told me.” Caterina stated pretty pissed at her sister.

“Caterina you were at school and I would be bored home alone, I had to give myself a tour. Is that a bad thing?” Martina asked and Caterina exhaled keeping calm again.

She was about responding when Martina’s phone began to ring again.

“Carlo?” Martina asked and Caterina answered the phone and put it on speaker.

“Martina?” They heard him call softly and Martina shut her eyes tight. Caterina looked at her and then at the phone again.

“She left her phone at home. What do you want Carlo?” Caterina asked in anger.

“Caterina! So nice to hear your voice after years.” Carlo replied.

“I don’t care how you feel, why are you calling my sister? After what you did to her? Have you no shame?” Caterina queried.

Martina stood up all of a sudden and walked away from the dining table. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“I know you hate me, and your sister hates me too. But please can you tell her to call me? I really need to talk to her.” He told and Caterina scoffed.

“It’s never going to happen!” She blurted and hung up the phone immediately.

She sprang up to her feet and ran to meet Martina.

Martina laid on her bed and was sobbing quietly, it was like that call went ahead to open the wound she had been nursing for three years.

“Are you okay?” Caterina asked sadly approaching Martina. Martina sat up and stared at Caterina with tears in his eyes. Catering felt her heart shatter seeing Martina like that after years.

“What does he want? Why is he calling me now?” Martina mumbled in tears. Caterina sat next to her and pulled her into a tight hug, she felt her eyes water too.

“It’s okay sister.” Caterina consoled as they both sobbed.

                 THE NEXT MORNING

Martina opened her eyes and saw Caterina laying next to her. She looked at the ceiling and let out a sigh.

She remembered what happened last night and she clenched her jaw.

She sat up bowing her head, and after minutes she felt Caterina touch her shoulders.

“How are you?” Caterina asked in a sleepy tone and Martina faked on a smile.

“I’m fine, good morning.” She responded looking at Caterina.

Caterina also sat next to Martina and observed her for minutes. She was oddly quiet and she knew she wasn’t happy at all.

“You are not happy.” Caterina revealed and Martina furrowed her brows.

“What? No, of course not. I’m happy.” She lied and Caterina smiled. She reached for her hand and creased it carefully.

“I understand you Martina. I can imagine how you feel right now and you need to know it’s totally normal.” Caterina asserted and she nodded sadly.

“I’m not happy at all Caterina, I’m feeling so hurt right now.” Martina explained in a shaky voice trying not to break down again.

“I know Martina. This isn’t easy but I can help you.”  She boasted with a grin making Martina giggle.

“How do you want to help me?” Martina asked.

“Simple… We party Tonight!” Caterina yelled joyfully.

“Nah… I don’t think I want to.” Martina responded.

“C’mon, you can’t sit at home and sulk all day. It will be fun, trust me. It’s a lady's night.” Caterina told.

“And who are those that organized this party?” Martina asked humorously.

“A friend of my classmate… it doesn’t matter. Let’s just go and have fun, trust me you’ll enjoy yourself. It’s been a long time since we both partied.” Caterina said pouting her mouth and Martina exhaled.

“I’ll think about it.” She replied and Caterina leaped for joy.

“That is a yes! I’ll do your make-up!” Caterina yelled happily and Martina nodded giggling.

“If you don’t do it who wants to?” She asked and Caterina shook her head.

“Only me! I’ll also pick the outfit we’d wear. You will look sexier than ever, even the great Roberto will fall in love when he sees you.” Caterina teased and Martina nodded.

Then she remembered she was yet to call Alberto.

“Shit… I haven’t called Alberto.” She said picking up her phone from the bed.

“I’ll go and prepare for school now,” Caterina said walking out of the room happily.