The Scent of Rome

by Lise Gold

  It was far from a fancy affair, but she couldn’t have wished for a better place to end the day and to be thankful that they would never have to see Matteo again. Barbara was talking to Anton, her lawyer, and Matilda, the journalist, who Nadine had also invited. They were laughing as they clinked their cups together. The article Matilda had written had now been published, and there would be a follow-up tomorrow. It had sparked other publications to do the same, and with that came the expected media storm, plastering Matteo Romano’s name all over Italy’s newsstands. His name was tainted, and Rome could imagine him sweating and praying that no one else would come forward. He had a long, impressive résumé, and there was no doubt that he’d harassed women in previous companies he’d worked at.

  “I’m glad you found your place in life. And I’m glad you found love.” He paused and looked down at the empty cup in his hand. “I know I’ve never said this before, and I’m very sorry for that, but I need you to know that I’m proud of you, Rome. I’m so incredibly proud. What happened to you when you were younger—when your mother left—was horrible, and I probably didn’t deal with it the right way, especially not when it came to you.”

  “It’s fine. I know you were hurting, too, and…”

  “No, wait, Rome. I need to say this,” her father interrupted her. “You are the strongest person I know, and I wish I could take credit for that, but I can’t. You’ve accomplished so much at such a young age and knowing you did that all by yourself makes me sad. I should have been there for you, but you never asked for help. Not even financial help. Barbara told me how you’d struggled for years.” He took a deep breath and continued. “Promise me you’ll call me next time you need help, okay? I’m your father and I’m here for you.”

  Rome nodded, doing everything in her power not to cry. Not tonight. “I will,” she whispered. His words meant everything to her, and it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, like the air had suddenly cleared. He was right; she’d never asked him for anything. Going through life entirely alone was the only way she’d been able to function, but she’d learned it was okay to get help, and that only relying on herself wasn’t a guarantee for a stable life, or happiness. She was glad to see Nadine approach as she had no idea how to continue their conversation.

  “I like your father.” Nadine handed them both another drink and placed a soft kiss on Rome’s temple. “He’s no-nonsense, to-the-point and very smart, like you.” She gave him a wink.

  “And I like your partner,” Rome’s father said, and shot Nadine a goofy smile, still emotional from their conversation and a little tipsy from the cocktails. He rarely opened up or let his hair down, and Rome realized it was the first time they’d had a drink together. They’d drifted apart over the years and perhaps it was time they got to know each other again. “Is partner the correct term?” he asked, clumsily shuffling on the spot.

  “Partner is fine.” Rome gave him a pat on his shoulder, still not entirely sure how to interact with him. The week ahead would surely take away some of the distance between them and Rome was looking forward to some free time with her father, Barbara and Nadine. There was no way she could express how grateful she was to the woman who was responsible for two of the most important people she loved and had missed, being here tonight. She’d clearly already charmed the hell out of her father, and it was almost amusing to watch him interact with her, all smiles and laughs.

  “What’s going on over there?” Nadine gestured to the corner of the room, where Eliza had sneaked behind the bar. She and Angelo were standing close together while she helped him make more drinks, and she giggled as he whispered something in her ear. They were an unusual pair; Eliza slightly taller because of her platform shoes, outrageously dressed in something that looked like a black version of a wedding dress, and Angelo in his torn jeans and old T-shirt, his shaggy hair sticking out from underneath his beanie that was permanently attached to his head. But the way they looked at each other made total sense, and Rome put an arm around Nadine’s waist as they stared at them.

  “I don’t know, but they look good together and there’s definitely some romance in the air tonight.”

  “Rome…”

  Rome turned around and narrowed her eyes, surprised to see one of Nero’s board members standing behind her. “Rob? I didn’t expect…”

  “I apologize for just showing up,” Rob said. “That’s my wife over there, she’s just saying hi to your lawyer. She’s very grateful for your donation and she wanted to meet you in person. Anton called her regarding the transaction and told her you guys were having a little get-together here.” He hesitated. “I hope my presence doesn’t put anyone off, I just wanted to show my support. We won’t stay long.”

  “No, it’s fine.” Rome gave him a warm smile. “Thank you for coming and I’d love to meet your wife.” She looked around the room, noting some curious glances as the other women spotted Rob. “I can only speak for myself, but at the end of the day, we all have to be back at work tomorrow and continue with our roles and responsibilities, so I’d say it’s a positive thing that you’re here to show your support. It might take away some of the awkwardness going forward.”

  “I really hope so.” Rob cleared his throat. “Flavio sends his regards. As you can imagine, he was in two minds about coming along tonight, and just like me, he wasn’t sure if he would be welcome. He’s got a lot on his plate at the moment… we both do,” he added. “But he wishes you the best and asked me to tell you he’s looking forward to continuing working with you.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that.” Rome saw his eyes widen as he spotted Nadine, and quickly stepped in to clear the air. “This is my father, and you’ve already met Nadine. Nadine and I bumped into each other at a shopping mall after we had dinner together, and we got talking.” She shrugged and smiled as if it was no big deal that Flavio’s alleged girlfriend was here. “And now we’re dating.”

  Rob greeted Rome’s father, then frowned and looked from Rome to Nadine and back. “You’re dating?” Although his confusion was mildly amusing, Rome didn’t flinch.

  “Yes. Flavio knows about it, so don’t worry about him. We’re actually moving in together. Weird how things can turn out, right?”

  “Right…”

  Nadine saved her from having to explain further by taking Rob’s arm and guiding him toward the bar. “It’s so great to see you again, Rob. How about we go get you a drink? Anyone else?”

  Rome shook her head and shot her an adoring smile. The music was turned up and the laughter and animated chatter in the room grew louder, making her heart swell. There was a wonderful sense of support and comradery among them that Rome had never experienced before. She wasn’t a loner anymore, she was a part of a community, of this wonderful group of women who had helped her to create a safer work environment. She had new friends, who she cherished, and she was a part of the neighborhood she lived in, and of the city she loved. But mostly, she was a part of Nadine, and Nadine was a part of her.

  64

  “Shall we take the scooter?” Rome asked as she closed the door behind her. “I think I can manage not to crease my dress, if I’m careful.”

  Nadine looked at her phone and typed something in, then shook her head. “No, let’s walk. It’s a nice evening.”

  “But we’re going to be late and I’m wearing heels…” Rome frowned as she glanced at Nadine’s screen. “Hey, what are you doing there?”

  “I’m recalculating my carbon output,” Nadine said with a grin. “I’ve already managed to reduce my carbon footprint by twenty-nine percent this month, so I don’t want to ruin my efforts by driving tonight.”

  Rome rolled her eyes and laughed. “Come on, I’m starting to regret ever inventing that app.”

  “But I want to show your colleagues how well I’ve done,” Nadine protested, her eyes widening as Rome took her purse and searched for the key to her scooter.

  “Zero-point-zero-one percent is not going to make a difference to
how impressed they are going to be,” she said, placing a soft kiss on Nadine’s cheek before she got on and beckoned her to hop on the back. “You’re amazing and everyone will see that.” Rome was aware of how out of place they looked on a scooter, with her wearing a long, navy blue silk off-the shoulder gown and Nadine a sparkling black jumpsuit, but a taxi was not an option in the rush hour traffic and despite Nadine’s protests, she certainly wasn’t going to walk anywhere in her designer heels.

  Nero had gone all-out for the Carbon app launch party, giving Rome and her team everything she had asked for and more. It was a month after the soft-launch, which meant they were able to share initial live-time results with their guests on a big screen they’d placed in the middle of the grand hall of the Savoy. So far, the app was already widely used and proven to be a successful tool in making consumers more mindful about their choices, and as expected, they liked to share the results, which had led to more downloads and card orders. Rome was delighted with the reactions from collaborating companies, the general public and the key opinion leaders they were working with, and the free advertising from celebrities who had been endorsing it on their own accord was invaluable.

  “This is unbelievable.” Nadine said, gasping as she looked around the beautifully decorated space. Over six-hundred people dressed in formal eveningwear were parading around the hall and surrounding areas, among immaculately dressed waiters, journalists and the Nero team. Champagne was flowing, canapés were being served and on the stage at the back of the hall, a jazz band was playing old tunes. “Wait, is that…?”

  “Uh-huh.” Rome took her hand and felt herself shaking. Even though she’d known what to expect, it was overwhelming, and the thought of getting up on that stage and speaking in front of everyone made her feel instantly nauseous. A famous Italian actress—one of the VIP’s who had accepted the invite, along with a handful of other international stars—was leaning on one of the standing tables, talking to Flavio. “Want to meet her?” she asked, raising her voice in an attempt to sound confident.

  “My God, Rome. Not yet, I’ve got helmet hair.” Nadine stopped and brushed a hand through her dark locks, then turned to her. “How do I look?”

  Rome took her hand and licked her lips while she looked her up and down. “You look scrumptious and even though this is the biggest night of my life, I really wish we were alone right now. You know? Just for fifteen minutes,” she added with a chuckle.

  “Really, fifteen minutes?” Nadine pulled her in and shot her a sexy smile. “Well you are the most beautiful woman here tonight, and I couldn’t be prouder to be by your side. Are you nervous about your speech?”

  “Yes.” There was no point lying about that; Rome had been running around like a headless chicken all day, doing nothing in particular. She’d practiced her speech over a hundred times throughout the week, but even if it went wrong, it wasn’t going to define the course of the Carbon app’s success. “I’m so nervous, I think I might throw up any moment.”

  “Don’t worry babe, you’re going to be amazing,” Nadine assured her. “But you might want to delay the throwing up part, because Flavio is waving you over.”

  “Oh God.” Rome laughed and was grateful for Nadine holding her clammy hand. She’d always been good at staying composed but being here and realizing this was all her doing was like being thrown into the deep end all over again. She’d been on good terms with Flavio and Rob since the settlement, and although some of the employees had decided to leave after receiving their pay-out, the majority had stayed. “Please don’t let go of me tonight.”

  “I’m right here, honey, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  Rome painted on a smile as she greeted some of her team members while they slowly worked their way through the crowd. She’d become a high-profile figure in Rome, after numerous newspaper and magazine interviews, and even a TV appearance, and as a result, sexual harassment in the workplace had been a trending topic on social media. Being an introvert at heart, Rome didn’t necessarily like that all eyes were on her right now, but she was very happy with the growing awareness around the topic, and proud to be a part of such a change.

  Several weeks had passed since the settlement, and Matteo had been expelled from the office and from interacting with Nero staff in general. He was in the process of buying himself out, and Rome suspected his funds were drying up as more and more cases came to light. The HR department had worked with his victims to compensate them in their own way by creating a more open culture when it came to reporting sexual harassment, and the PR department’s hard work had ensured Nero survived the scandal. Tonight’s launch would help with saving their image too, and Rome was pleased that the company was now open to invest in green start-ups, building on her success.

  “Flavio. Congratulations,” she said, greeting him and his movie star table companion.

  “I believe I should be congratulating you instead; this is your night. Good job with the launch, it looks great and it’s been going very well for us so far.”

  “Thank you. I’m very pleased with the results, too.” Rome turned to the woman next to him. “This is my girlfriend, Nadine. She’s a big fan of your work.” Seeing Nadine blush was a rare sight and incredibly cute, and she focused on Flavio so Nadine would have a chance to talk to her.

  “I heard you two recently moved in together,” Flavio said, shooting Nadine a quick glance. He was clearly still a little hurt after learning Nadine was gay, but there was no bad blood between them. They hadn’t told him the whole truth, and intended to keep it that way.

  “Yes, we have. And I’m in the process of buying her neighbor’s house. Now that I’ll be staying here, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t invest. Nadine will be buying her own apartment too, and we’re thinking of converting them into one big home. It’s exciting.”

  “That sounds exciting indeed.” The band stopped playing, and Flavio flinched as a technician moved the microphone stand to the center of the stage causing a loud beep to echo through the room. “I think that’s our cue.” He looked at his watch. “I’ll get up there and announce you. Good luck.”

  Rome gave him a nod and felt her stomach turn. “I’m on,” she whispered to Nadine, and shot her a quick smile before she followed Flavio to the front. Her hands were shaking as she pulled her notes from her purse and stepped onto the stage after Flavio said a few words to introduce her. Staring over the crowd, she took a moment to compose herself. It felt daunting, but she reminded herself that they were with her, and not against her.

  “Thank you, Flavio, and thank you everyone, for being here tonight to celebrate something very special with us,” she said, hoping the nervous tremor in her voice wasn’t obvious. “The Carbon app and card are not only a product and service, they’re a movement. A collective of people willing to make small changes in everyday life, and as a result, big changes will happen. I want to thank you all for caring, for supporting us and for endorsing this movement. As you can see on the screen, the half-million current users have already saved the equivalent of a forest after cutting down on the purchase of paper towels and switching most of their correspondence from paper to digital, and simply replacing their lightbulbs to energy saving ones, has had an effect similar to removing a hundred thousand cars from the road. Imagine what we could do if the whole world started doing this. But you were the first, and you should be very proud that you got to stand at the beginning of a positive revolution because we’re making history here.” She paused. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the course of the past months, is that we’re much stronger together. A very special person taught me that.” Rome locked her eyes with Nadine, who was standing in front of the stage, looking up at her. Seeing the tears in Nadine’s eyes, she took a deep breath and continued before she got too emotional to say another word. “I used to be a loner. I liked being a loner. But things have changed because I’ve realized we’re all a part of something bigger, whether we want it or not. And as a part of this planet; a cou
ntry, a city, a community, or even a neighborhood or a household, we have a responsibility to make better choices. For ourselves, and for the next generations.” She cleared her throat and looked out over the crowd once again, then turned to the group of journalists and photographers like she’d been instructed to do. “So, thank you, again. Let’s start a new chapter.” She shifted her gaze to Nadine. “Together.”

  The applause that followed made Rome burst into tears, but she didn’t care. Almost blinded by the flashes from the camera’s, she searched for her handkerchief in her purse and chuckled in relief as she wiped her tears. Although she’d dreaded being up there, she gave herself a little more time to appreciate the love and support in the room, because she knew there would never be another moment like this.

  Epilogue

  “Merry Christmas, beautiful.” Nadine pulled Rome in as they met up in town after Rome had finished her last day of work for the year. The city was glowing in brightly colored lights and the abundance of Christmas decorations made every little street seem even more enchanting than before.

  “Merry Christmas.” Rome got on her tiptoes and pulled down Nadine’s scarf before she kissed her. “Looking forward to some time off?”

  “I certainly am. What about you?”

  “Honestly, I can’t wait. I’m loving my new job and all the challenges that come with it, but I’m also tired.” Rome smiled. “Two whole weeks spent with no one but you is a dream come true.” She put an arm around Nadine as they started walking. “I’m excited to see the St. Peter’s Square Christmas tree; it’s supposed to be spectacular.”

  “It will be spectacular.” Nadine gazed over the snow-covered streets and took a moment to reflect on how lucky she was. Just over a year ago, she’d been walking the same route, alone. She’d been happy and content, or at least she thought she was happy, back then. After seeing the tree, she’d rushed home and gotten changed for her ‘date’. Most girls at the agency didn’t work over Christmas, so she’d been extremely popular, even though generally, business wasn’t carried out over the holidays in Rome. She’d had one-to-one dinners with rich, lonely men who wanted someone to accompany them, then enjoyed a glass of wine by herself after she got home. Now, she had the love of her life by her side, she was a homeowner, and she ran a successful business. Frankly, she was astounded by how much had changed for her this year.