The Empty Room Read online

  “Yeah grab us a soda, if that’s okay” Lisa said.

  As I walked over to the fridge and grabbed everyone a soda. Walking back into the lounge and dropping them off on the coffee table and grabbing a seat.

  “So where’s Jeff and Nick?” I asked.

  Just as Karen got off Georgia’s back and grabbed a soda and a sat down next to us.

  “Um, they’re just at the hotel, we thought we’d come and see you guys,” Lisa commented.

  “And?” I said.

  “Yes, what else Lisa?” Karen asked.

  Getting up and walking into the room, to grab some clothes before coming back out.

  “Hey you three I’m just gonna jump in the shower, then we can head off,” Karen said.

  As Georgia sat next to me.

  “Hey, how is she?” Georgia asked.

  “You know the answers to that,” I said.

  “Yeah but how is she really?” Lisa asked.

  “Yeah, she’s good, she struggles walking for long periods of time and is a terrible stair climber, but she’s doing really-well,” I replied.

  “She seems like she’s having a great time, Mum was saying,” Georgia mentioned.

  “Cool, what else?” I said. A little more annoyed in the tone I was going for.

  “She’s not being selfish, she’s not spoiled in any way, she’s your sister who loves her three sisters, her niece and nephew but needed a trip away,” I declared, a little angrier than I should have.

  “We don’t know what to do Phil?” Lisa said.

  “Well, here’s an idea, be her sisters, laugh and have fun, you did that in Barcelona, Lisa, and now you both have a chance to do it again, we’re here for a few nights so we don’t have to rush and see everything today, we have time,” I insisted.

  “You mean you have time,” Georgia declared.

  With them both staring at me I started to laugh.

  “Ha, I have had no time, this is all I get and I’m taking advantage of it,” I replied.

  “I understand Phil,” Lisa said

  “Do you, what am I supposed to do, your amazing sister, who I’ve known for most of my life is dying. What am I supposed to do?” I asked.

  “Yeah, calm down Phil,” Lisa insisted, turning to her sister.

  “Georgia we had a great time in Barcelona, we should try and be that way here, she’s our sister,” Lisa declared.

  “I’m still not sure,” Georgia said.

  “Well, I don’t care anymore, I’m gonna go have a shower and get ready, also I’ve booked us into a restaurant around the corner at seven,” I added.

  “Ah, cool thanks Phil,” Lisa replied.

  Still not seeing eye to eye with Georgia, I left the room and walked into the bedroom to grab some clothes, then walked into the bathroom just as Karen got out of the shower.

  “How the hell is Georgia so tall?” I asked.

  Karen just laughed at me as I wrapped a towel around her and she walked into the bedroom as I started the shower back up. Quickly jumping into the shower and dressing so Karen’s sisters can’t attempt to kidnap her.

  I did hear Karen yelling at Georgia a bit while I was in the shower. Getting out and changing really-quickly.

  “Hey you three ready?” I asked.

  As I joined them all in the lounge, seeing Karen sitting on Lisa’s lap trying to use her awful death stare on Georgia.

  “Hey Karen, are you ready?”

  Sticking a finger on the tip of my nose and rubbing my stomach.

  “You two are idiots,” Lisa laughed.

  Laughing and getting up as Karen and Georgia are now heading towards the door.

  “Hey we’ll follow you guys to your hotel so we can get your men,” Karen said.

  As she wrapped an arm around mine.

  “So Georgia, where did you meet your new fella?” Karen asked.

  “Yeah Georgia you haven’t told us, we haven’t even met him before you bought him on this trip, at least we’ve known about Phil,” Lisa said,

  Stopping as we got to the reception foyer, Georgia turned around and looked at me.

  “Hey are you that Phil?” Georgia asked.

  Karen grabbed my arm a little tighter and turned to me beaming.

  “Well, I guess that’s a yes, wow.” Georgia commented.

  “Bout time you came around,” Lisa laughed.

  “Hey let’s go, I could go a beer, while we hear your story Georgia,” I said.

  “Yeah, I could go a beer too,” Karen added.

  “Yes, then we can tell the story of the time Karen was little, playing outside,” Lisa said.

  As Karen turned to her.

  “NO, WE WILL NOT TELL THAT STORY!” Karen yelled back, slightly embarrassed.

  Georgia and Lisa just laughed as we left the hotel and headed the two blocks to where they were staying.

  “Babe, it’s okay I already know the story,” I whispered into Karen’s ear.

  “How do you always know,” Karen said, laughing.

  “The grass eating story?”

  “You told me,” I added.

  Karen just told me to shut up as we were joined outside her sister’s hotel by their partners.

  “Hey you two all settled in,” Jeff asked.

  “Yeah, where too first?” Karen asked.

  As we all started laughing and I whispered in her ear.

  “Babe, turn around,” I said.

  “Why?” Karen said back.

  With her sisters smiling at her shaking their heads,

  “You know that’s the Pantheon right?” I said.

  “Well, no I didn’t,” Karen replied.

  “Ha, let’s go guys and check it out, the Spanish steps and the Trevi fountain are on the cards today, then a massive dinner and then head back to our hotels and check out the colosseum tomorrow, okay,” Jeff commented.

  Yip sounds good, we all agreed.

  “Hey we’ve booked in somewhere for dinner,” I mentioned.

  “Yeah we’re all sorted Jeff,” Lisa said.

  “So come on then let’s go check out the Pantheon,” I said.

  As we all turned around and had a look around the place, finding a shop that sold bottled water then a little further along the street we had the chance to really kick back, even finding a gelato shop along the way to the Trevi fountain, walking through a piazza.

  “Damn it, I left the book on the train,” Karen said

  “Oh well, it’s okay it wasn’t ours anyway,” I replied.

  Finally walking through some tight lanes, we came out at the Trevi fountain, which seemed a lot smaller than I thought it would be, even though I had been here once before it still surprised, even thinking the buildings around it were really close. Yet knowing this place as a pretty bad area for pick pocketing, I made sure when we left it, I still had all my things on me. We ended up taking heaps of photo’s I noticed the sad smiles on Lisa and Georgia’s faces when Karen, turned her back and flicked a coin over her shoulder into the Trevi fountain. It wasn’t lost on Jeff or Nick either. But they took their turns and we all laughed and had a great time.

  “Hey guys we done here?” Lisa asked.

  “Yeah, let’s head around to the Spanish steps for more Pictures,” Georgia said.

  “No doubt more gelato for Phil,” Georgia added.

  As Karen laughed along with her sisters, seemingly having a great time. We took our time, walking around to the Spanish steps. I think, Karen’s sisters noticing that she was starting to huff a puff a bit and were more than happy to slow down, which wasn’t lost on Karen and she started to get peeved.

  “Hey I’m okay, so we don’t have to walk like an old lady, okay,” Karen snapped.

  “Yeah well we’re in no hurry,” Lisa replied.

  Trying not to look concerned.

  Just as we came across a gelato store and I made everyone stop to have some.

  “Hey, who wants what flavour?” I asked.

  “No, we’re all good, just grab one
and we’ll get our own,” Lisa teased.

  “Oh okay,” I replied.

  Smiling at Karen, who’s now touching her nose and rubbing her stomach, making us both laugh.

  “What are you two up too?” Georgia asked.

  “Nothing,” I replied.

  Catching the look on Lisa’s face as she comes up to me lining up to get some gelato.

  “So do you even like gelato?” Lisa asked.

  “Ah, cottoned on then have we,” I replied

  “Yeah nice one Phil,” Lisa said smiling.

  “Hey you can’t just push in line aye, you’ll have to go to the end of the line,” I mentioned, laughing at Lisa.

  As I reached the counter and ordered a couple of double scoops for Karen and I. Staying away from the strawberry and pistachio. Lisa just shook her head at me, telling Jeff something who just nods and smiles my way. Finally heading back to Karen and grabbing a seat next to her and passing her some Gelato.

  “Thanks Phil, it’s starting to get hot, great call,” Karen said.

  “Yeah, no worries,” I replied.

  Chilling out eating Gelato as everyone walked over with theirs and sat around at the table I scored quietly.

  “Hey how far are the Spanish steps?” Georgia asked.

  “Not far,” I said.

  Looking to the left, I could see them just up the walkway. Yet we were all enjoying the gelato and I knew Karen really-appreciated the rest stop. Even Lisa thought it was a good idea, anyway we were in no hurry. As Georgia and Nick came over.

  “So where-abouts are we having dinner tonight?” Georgia asked.

  “Oh there’s a restaurant near us, in the Piazza Navona, so we got the Matrie de at the hotel we’re staying at, to book us in,” I said.

  “Yeah and there’s a neat fountain their as well sis,” Karen added, shrugging.

  “The four rivers fountain, right?” Nick asked.

  “Yeah that’s the one,” I replied.

  “Oh okay cool,” Lisa said, with Jeff agreeing.

  “All right oldies, ready to head off to the end of this lane?” Karen asked, pointing up to the left.

  “Yeah whys that?” Georgia asked.

  “The Spanish steps are actually right there,” I commented.

  Pointing in the same direction as Karen,

  “Oh cool, we’re ready,” Lisa said.

  Getting up, we all started to head off and took more pictures when we reached the steps, even got a local to take a picture of us doing a pyramid. We did have to tip him to get the camera back though.

  Making Karen laugh. Which actually-made her sisters more at ease with everything that Karen was going through. It was the ice breaker they needed to forget or get around the fact their sister wasn’t doing so well and they could just laugh and have fun, or Georgia could finally relax around me and seemed less worried about Karen, Lisa was already there. Nick was still pretty-quiet, not wanting to get in the way and Jeff who had known Karen for ages and had never seen her happier.

  Kicking back on the steps we all took a moment knowing that this time would possibly never be repeated, we must have stayed there for about two hours just watching the people walking by, I even saw a dude pick some other dudes pocket and pointed it out to Karen, who thought that was disgusting.

  “How could you pick someone’s pocket, wow?” Karen whispered in my ear.

  Just as the cops grabbed the guy, as the guy who had his pocket picked, noticed it happening and checked his pockets. He looked gutted but went over to the police and saw his wallet and went with the police to obviously sort out the paper work of getting it back.

  “Poor bloke,” I whispered back at Karen.

  “Yeah all that and its right there, I’m surprised they didn’t just give it back then,” Karen said.

  “Hey what are you two talking about?” Lisa asked.

  “I’m feeling a little tired, but we still have a few things to see,” I replied.

  “Yeah, let’s go grab a coffee somewhere,” Georgia suggested.

  “Yeah, sounds good, maybe when we’re there, Nick might say something,” Karen declared.

  To silence, which made her blush with embarrassment.

  “Ha nice one,” I whispered, to Karen.

  “Yeah, you could have laughed,” Karen replied.

  “I would have if it was funny.”

  Making the others laugh. Karen just grabbed my arm as we went for a walk around finding an outside cafe not far from the Spanish steps. Grabbing enough seats for everyone.

  “So are you guys keen to go to the Vatican while we’re here?” Nick asked.

  “Yeah, possibly tomorrow after or before the colosseum,” I replied.

  “Okay, sounds good do we want to meet at your hotel Karen?” Lisa asked.

  As Karen touches her nose and rubs her stomach.

  “Ha, that’s awesome, how bout we meet at your hotel,” I replied.

  Getting a thumb’s up by Karen.

  “Yeah okay you two,” Georgia added.

  As Lisa was still laughing,

  Finally, the waiter came over and we all order a coffee trying to speak in Italian, which was an awful idea. Luckily we got the orders right and it wasn’t long till we were drinking and watching the people walk past again. Noticing a few hot ladies this time, not going unnoticed by Karen.

  “You should have worn your glasses,” Karen commented

  “Yeah, but I’d be staring at you, not wearing them I’m trying not to make you feel awkward,” I replied.

  “Terrible save,” Karen laughed.

  Over hearing this Lisa and Georgia found themselves agreeing with Karen and laughing at me also. Not wanting to take either Nick or Jeff down with me, as I had seen them looking as well.

  I just sat there and took it.

  “Well, it’s true,” I said.

  “So what’s the plan for the rest of the day?” Nick asked.

  “Have a look around and then we’ll all go back to our hotel to get ready then we’ll go to Phil’s and Karen’s,” Lisa said.

  Only for Georgia, Karen and myself, to put a finger on our noses and rub our stomachs.

  “You’re not funny, you three,” Lisa declared.

  “That’s what we’re doing, we need to phone Tara as well,” Lisa added.

  “Oh, okay,” Karen replied.

  While I told Nick that Tara had two kids was married and still lived in Sydney, she was a couple of years younger than Lisa and a year older than Georgia.

  “How do you know all of this,” Nick asked.

  “I’ve known Karen for a while,” I replied.

  Just as Karen over heard me,

  “Phil’s known me for ages,” Karen said, to Nick.

  “Anyway, lets head back to yours after we find another spot that does a good coffee on the way,” I said.

  “Yeah sounds like a plan,” Georgia agreed.

  “Or gelato, no doubt,” Jeff joked.

  “Yeah, whatever we find first will be good,” I shrugged.

  “Yeah no hurry,” Karen said, smiling at her two sisters.

  Finally, as we get up to leave she walked over to both of them. Smiling and they stood there hugging each other for a while, people walking past started to stop and stare.

  It was all pleasant till, Nick turned to me and Jeff and tried to move in for a hug.

  “No,” I said.

  “Pull your head in,” Jeff commented laughing.

  As we walked off we waited for the three sisters now arm and arm to catch up.

  “Thanks Phil,” Georgia said, as she walked up and hugged me.

  “Bout time Georgia,” I replied.

  “Yeah I know,” Georgia agreed.

  While Karen and Lisa just laughed.

  “All right let’s get some coffee,” Jeff insisted.

  As we headed off towards their hotel, Karen walked up to me and thanked me again, wiping her teary eyes on my shoulder.

  [I’d proudly go back in time to wear those te
ars as a badge of honour again.]

  “Ha, I’ll have to buy some new shirts when we get to China,” I said.

  “Yeah you should,” Karen replied.

  Leaning in I kissed her and we both started to laugh.

  “Hey you two, hurry up!” Lisa yelled.

  “Ha, let’s go and enjoy the rest of our time with your sisters in Rome,” I mentioned.

  “Thanks Phil, you’ll have to tell me how you know someday,” Karen replied.

  “Yeah, sure it’s easy,” I added.

  Now wrapping my arm around Karen’s arm as we left to follow the others, laughing as we walked behind her sisters. Till we made it to their hotel.

  “Hey guy’s swanky hotel,” I said.

  “Yeah well it’s nearly as good as yours,” Lisa replied.

  “Anyway more importantly, how’s their coffee facilities?” I asked.

  “Yeah come up to the rooms and we’ll make one for you,” Jeff said.

  “Oh okay,” I replied, looking at Karen as she laughs and points just down the road across from them and the Pantheon to a cafe.

  “Hey guys we’re just going to get an actual coffee then we’ll head up okay,” Karen commented.

  “Yeah, well we’re in room six Karen, come up when you guys are sorted,” Georgia replied.

  Getting a weird look from Lisa, who was enjoying being able to hang with her sisters like this,

  “Hey we’re just gonna grab a couple of takeaway coffees so we won’t be long,” I said.

  “Yeah okay,” Lisa agreed.

  “All right we’ll see you both shortly,” Jeff added.

  Taking Lisa’s hand and walking into the hotel followed by Nick and Georgia while Karen and I finally head over and ordered a couple of takeaway lattes.

  “So what do you think about Nick?” Karen asked.

  “I think he’ll come out of his shell and Georgia will make the best decision for her,” I replied.

  Smiling at Karen, while the barista hands us our coffees and we head back.

  “Ha, you’re such a Phil,” Karen said

  “That’s what I’m calling it, when you make a lot of sense,” Karen added, now laughing.

  “Wow, that’s really terrible,” handing Karen her coffee,

  “Let’s head back anyway,” I added.

  “Yeah, I’m looking forward to dinner,” Karen commented.

  As we made our way back and up to her sister, Lisa’s room.

  “Bags not knocking,” I said, as we got to their door.