Eva Loves... Eva

By Sergio Buracchini

Eva loves… Eva, is the story of two young women who are desperately searching for a love out of the ordinary that could fill the void they feel in their life since they were little girls.

Giulia, a young woman of twenty-two, traumatized by her mother’s experience, who had her when she was only sixteen years old, and by the absence of a father she has never known, falls in love with Natalia, a woman of twenty-seven years old who owns an art gallery. Natalia, born from a surrogate mother, has always known she was a woman who likes other women while Giulia is still a virgin.

Giulia goes to work at Natalia’s art gallery where she meets Roberto, an old friend from secondary school who is now the CEO of his father’s firm. Giulia is torn between the attraction she feels for Roberto and the love she feels for Natalia who has done so much to improve her life.

At the end, they both find the love that gives them the peace of mind they always longed for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Youcanprint
• Release date: Jan 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9788892648173

Book preview

daughter

The first encounter

Bye dad, I’m going to the shop. I’ll see you later.

All right darling, see you later.

After Natalia’s mother died, her father slid into a severe depression. He had only recently returned home after almost a year of intensive therapy. It was a beautiful spring day and Natalia felt confident but also a bit anxious to be returning to work full time after having taken care of her father for so long.

She parked the car next to her art gallery and walked inside. Her assistant, Marco, greeted her warmly.

Good morning Natalia, how is your father?

Much better thank you, I think that I’ll be able to return to my apartment soon.

It will cut your commute in half.

Yes, my father has a beautiful house but it takes me more than an hour with the car to come here from the countryside.

I admire your strength; I don’t think I would have the stamina to do what you have done.

It has been a difficult year. I had almost lost hope that my father would ever be able to come home again. Now that my mother isn’t with us anymore, he is the only family I have left. In any case, he is doing much better.

I’m really happy for you. Listen, I don’t want to change the subject, but have you found someone to replace me? You know I’m leaving for Rome next week.

I know, I’m sorry, but I haven’t found the right person yet. Could you stay for just another week?

Natalia, I told you I was leaving a month ago.

I know, and I’m really sorry, I haven’t had much time to look for the right person.

I can only promise you that I’ll stay another week, after that I really have to go.

Thank you, I promise I will find someone by then.

The door of the gallery opened and a young woman with a large bag came in.

Good morning, is this the place where artists can exhibit their works? I am Giulia.

Good morning Giulia, nice to meet you. I am Natalia and this is my assistant Marco. Yes, this is the place, are those your pieces in that bag?

Yes, but I only brought two of my drawings to give you an idea of my style. Giulia reached into her bag and got out two long rolls of drawing paper.

Let me have a look… You sure know how to draw. I personally prefer the realistic style, but your drawings are not bad at all. Where did you learn to draw so well?

I don’t exactly know; I have had a passion for drawing since I was a little girl.

So, you would like to exhibit your works in my gallery?

Yes, if you think I’m good enough.

I believe you have great talent. I’ll leave you with Marco and we can talk more about it later if that is alright with you.

Yes, thank you. Is there a fee to be paid?

No, when your artworks are sold the gallery will keep twenty percent of the selling price. If after a month nothing is sold we can take photographs of your drawings and put them in a catalogue. Natalia pointed to the catalogues on the reception desk. You will of course have to pay for the images, but the sum depends on how many pieces you would like photographed.

I understand.

Well then, I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Marco.

Natalia smiled as she went to greet a client who had come into the gallery while she was talking to Giulia. Meanwhile, Marco gave Giulia a piece of paper.

Giulia, here is the form, you can sit at the table in that corner if you like. When you’re ready you can bring it back to me.

Thank you, Marco.

She walked over and sat down to fill out the form. Natalia looked at her from the other side of the room. She could not help thinking about how beautiful she was. Since she was a teenager she had felt this attraction to girls, but had only officially come out of the closet a year ago. At the Academy of Fine Arts, she had had an affair with a girl, but it was mainly physical and she came out of it with a sense of emptiness inside. Giulia had finished and went back to the reception desk where Marco was busy browsing a book on modern art. He smiled upon seeing Giulia return the form so quickly.

That was fast, did you fill the form out completely?

I am very bad with forms—they make me a little nervous.

Marco looked at the document. Let’s see… You have forgotten your phone number, we need it in case we have to call you.

Sorry, as I said, I’m very bad at this.

It’s okay, I’m used to it. I’ll scan the form and then you’ll be officially registered as an artist at this gallery.

I’m so happy, this is the start of my career in the arts!

Marco waved to Natalia, who came quickly to the reception desk.

I’m done. If you have any more questions for Giulia…

Thank you, Marco.

Natalia smiled at the young woman. Giulia, would you like to sit down and chat with me for a while? I’m very curious about your work. Would you like some tea? Or some coffee?

I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your kindness.

Not at all, at this time of the day there isn’t much to do at the gallery and I have plenty of time to get to know a new talented artist like yourself.

Then I’ll have some tea, if you don’t mind.

I’ll be right back.

Giulia looked around her. She felt at home in this gallery, and loved everything that had to do with art. A few minutes later Natalia came back with two cups of tea.

Tell me something about yourself. What do you do besides drawing?

There isn’t much to tell. I had to quit school to go to work after my mother lost her job, but every day it gets harder to find employment.

I understand. Can I see your drawings again?

Giulia took them out of the bag.

Two drawings are not quite enough to see if you have a style of your own.

I thought these two could give you an idea.

They’re very good, don’t misunderstand me, but to make the right choice about what to exhibit we would need at least six or seven drawings.

I have at least another twenty drawings at home.

Very good, if you bring them tomorrow we can make a choice. We haven’t got much space to spare in the gallery, so you can only exhibit three of your pieces. Is that all right with you?

Yes, it is. It has been very nice meeting you and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Okay Giulia, I’ll see you tomorrow.

When the young woman had disappeared out of the door, Natalia turned to Marco. She is a darling.

You like her?

Yes, she is just the person I’m looking for.

Have you asked her?

Not yet, she’s coming again tomorrow, I’ll ask her then.

Giulia came out of art gallery with a sense of joy and hurried back home to tell her mother. The sun was shining on her lovely face and she felt like dancing.

When she opened the door, her mother came to greet her.

How did it go?

Very good mom, I can exhibit three of my artworks.

Have you made your choice yet?

Not yet. Natalia, the owner of the gallery, likes realistic works.

Do you have any?

Yes, I think so.

Do you have to pay?

Don’t worry mom, I’ve saved some money making portraits at the market.

The mother looked at her daughter with pride. She had had her when she was only sixteen years old and had quit school to take care of her, something that she had never regretted.

The following day Giulia went to the gallery. Natalia greeted her with a big smile.

Good morning Giulia, how are you today?

Very well, thank you. I’ve brought ten drawings, I hope it’ll be enough to make a choice.

Let’s have a look. Come with me into the other room, it’s much quieter.

Natalia took the young woman into the room behind the reception desk. Giulia got out her drawings and Natalia put four of them on the large table, keeping the sheets unrolled with some weights.

Of these four I would choose these two, what do you think?

I agree, I would have chosen those two as well.

Natalia laid another four drawings on the table.

This is one is very special, when did you draw it?

I like this one too. I was going through some bad times and expressed all my sadness in this drawing.

It’s beautiful, I’ll put it with the other two. You have two more drawings, right?

Yes, the last two.

Natalia looked at the final drawings for a few minutes. Giulia, these two are not very interesting, do you mind?

Not at all, I brought them because you said you liked realistic works.

I would go with the three drawings we have already put aside, do you agree?

Yes.

Now you should think about the frames, they are very important since they enhance the intensity of the drawings.

I wouldn’t know what to choose.

We can do it for you if you like.

Are they expensive?

For the three of them it would cost about 150 euros.

I’m okay with that.

Fine, then we’re done.

You’re very kind Natalia, you really make me feel at ease.

Listen, would you like to come to my place and see the paintings I made when I was a student at the Academy of Fine Arts?

Yes, I would like that very much.

It isn’t far.

Well, let’s go then.

Coming out of the room, Natalia told Marco she would be back within the hour.

There’s not much traffic at this hour, we’ll be at my place in five minutes.

It’s okay, I don’t work at the moment so I have time.

It isn’t easy to find work nowadays, is it?

I know, I’ve never worked more than three months in one place and my mother hasn’t found any work in a long time.

I understand. You know what? Don’t worry about the frames, you’ll pay me when you sell your works.

You are too kind, I don’t want to take advantage.

"Don’t worry, you’re very talented and I really want to exhibit your pieces