The Empty Room Read online

  “You’re such a Phil,” Karen repeated laughing.

  As Jeff, must have heard us and let us in.

  “Hey you two we shouldn’t be long, Lisa’s just getting out of the shower,” Jeff said.

  “That should give us an hour then,” Karen said.

  As we walked in and grabbed a seat on the couch.

  “So, where’s the other two?” I asked, as Georgia knocked on the adjoining door and Jeff walked over to let them in.

  “Where’s Lisa?” Georgia asked, as she walked in with Nick.

  “She’s just getting out of the shower,” Karen replied.

  “Oh right, that should give us an hour,” Georgia laughed.

  While four of us laughed, Nick just grabbed a chair and chilled out.

  “Hey, I heard you guys,” Lisa declared.

  Walking out still drying her hair.

  “What are you guys wearing tonight?” Lisa asked, looking at her sisters.

  “It’s just a dinner we don’t have to get dressed up do we,” I replied.

  “No, I was just wondering,” Lisa added.

  “I’d keep the door locked on your side tonight Nick,” I said.

  As Karen chuckled on a mouth full of coffee, coughing up a little bit, but taking another sip, before telling me to cut it out.

  “Alright, we might go back to our hotel and get changed, just pop over in half an hour and we’ll pop around to the restaurant,” I said.

  “Yeah, sounds good Phil,” Lisa replied.

  With everyone else agreeing, Karen and I left and slowly strolled around to our hotel.

  Once there I had a word to the manager who had booked us a table, to confirm the booking and let us know everything was sorted. Also, he’d phone up to our room to let us know the restaurant was open. As we headed up to our room to have a shower and get ready, we opened the bottle of wine that was in the fridge and relaxed and waited for everyone to arrive.

  Only getting a quick sip in before the knock on the door.

  “Hey, do we have any other glasses?” Karen asked.

  “Yeah in the cabinet next to the fridge, there’s another bottle in there as well,” I said.

  “Oh cool, I’ll open it up so we can have a glass before heading around,” Karen mentioned.

  “Okay, I guess I’m getting the door,” I said, laughing as Karen was trying to give me her death stare.

  “Hey guys come in,” as I answered the door to everyone.

  “Hey this place is massive,” Jeff said.

  “Yeah, it’ll do for a couple of nights I guess,” I replied.

  “Hey, I’ve opened some wine and Karen’s tracking down some glasses for everyone,” I added.

  “Oh cool,” Georgia and Lisa said,

  “Sorry guys, no beer unfortunately,” I added.

  “That’s okay Phil, we can drink wine,” Jeff replied.

  “All right come in and make yourselves comfortable,” Karen commented.

  Handing everyone a glass then heading over to sit near her sisters.

  As the phone rang and I go to answer it.

  Just before hanging up,

  “Cool, we’re all sorted to go eat in thirty minutes, hey do we want another bottle?” I asked.

  “Yeah but just one,” Karen replied.

  Then asking to get another bottle sent up I hung up and go join everyone else.

  “So we were thinking maybe try and get to the Vatican early then go to the Colosseum,” Lisa said.

  “Yeah that’s probably a good idea the lines can get huge,” I replied.

  “Hang on how earlies early?” Georgia asked.

  “Probably head over at seven,” Jeff said.

  “Sounds good to us,” Karen said.

  “Nick what do you think bro?” I asked.

  “I’m just going with the flow, either or,” Nick replied.

  “Oh okay,” Karen said, looking at me winking.

  Just as room service knocked on the door with our bottle of wine.

  Walking back in I put it on the table after I opened it up,

  “So do we want to dress up and go somewhere for dinner tomorrow?” Karen asked.

  “Yeah sounds good,” Lisa said.

  We stayed their till we finished the bottle had rung Tara, then headed around to Piazza Novona, just as the sun started to go down and they were turning the lights on in the fountain, it was a great dinner. Karen and her sisters laughed most of the night. We all tried different dishes and shared parts of them, then got a massive pizza and made our way through a few bottles of wine. When we had dessert the laughter all of a sudden, stopped.

  “Oh no,” Jeff said.

  “What, what’s going on?” I asked.

  “So where are you guys heading after this?” Georgia asked.

  “We’re heading up to Switzerland for a few nights before flying out to China,” I said.

  “Oh wow,” Lisa said.

  As Karen was starting to get pretty-sleepy by this stage.

  “Yeah catching up with my flatmate and old house mate there,” I mentioned.

  “Oh cool,” Georgia replied.

  As I started to notice Karen yawning, I started to think up ways to head off.

  “All right well, I’ll see you guys back at ours in the morning,” I said.

  “Yeah will do,” Karen yawned.

  Her sisters just smiled as we made our way out past the waiter as I paid for dinner we stood outside for a second.

  “Hey do you think Georgia might want to come to Switzerland with us?” I asked.

  “I hope not,” Karen said.

  “Fair enough,” I replied.

  As we walked off to our hotel, I took a quick selfie with the fountain in the back ground. When we got to the hotel I left a note at the front desk, thanking the manager, for helping organise such a great night.

  13

  The Sixtenth Chapel

  Waking up pretty-early, I walked out to the lounge and ordered some room service, while checking the time, we still had ages till, Karen’s sisters were turning up so I let her sleep and turned the TV on, not that I spoke Italian but watched a few American shows with subtitles.

  “Hey your up early, what time is it?” Karen asked

  As she had rolled over and noticed I wasn’t there and woke up.

  “It’s just after six, I’ve ordered some room service.”

  “Oh awesome, I might have a shower,” throwing a pillow at my head.

  “Hey what’s up?” I asked.

  “I’m gonna have a shower,” Karen replied.

  “Oh okay cool, I’m gonna wait for room service or I would have joined you,” I declared, smiling back.

  “Wow, your weird,” Karen whispered, laughing as she made her way to the bathroom.

  Could have sworn I heard, Douchebag.

  Smiling, I opened-up the door as room serviced arrived and set everything up.

  I could still hear the shower running, so I took off all my clothes and jumped in and joined Karen.

  “Hey room service is here,” I declared.

  “I think that’s the worst pick up line you’ve ever used on me,” Karen replied smiling.

  As I lightly nudged her out of the way and stepped under the water.

  “So what’s on the cards today?” Karen asked.

  “Well,” I said, rubbing myself with soap and getting all soapy.

  “I think everyone’s coming here in about an hour or so what do you want to do?” I said, winking at Karen.

  “Cut it out,” Karen whispered, as she kissed me and stepped out of the shower.

  “I’m gonna have some breakfast and get ready,” Karen added.

  “Yeah, I won’t be much longer,” I replied.

  Rinsing all the soap off and turning the shower off and joining Karen out in the lounge. Luckily still wearing my towel cause our four guests had arrived early and snuck in and were helping themselves to my breakfast and coffee.

  “Wow, I didn’t even hear you guys co
me in,” I said.

  “Help yourselves to my breakfast though, won’t you?” I added, in an annoyed tone.

  Stepping back into the bedroom as Karen was stepping out,

  “Hey, I had a feeling they were outside so opened the door.”

  “I’m just happy I wrapped the towel around my waist,” I joked.

  “Ha, so am I,” Karen laughed.

  “All right I’m gonna get changed I won’t be long,” I said.

  As Karen left the room she shouted back, “I’ll get you a coffee.”

  “Yeah thanks,” I remarked back.

  Getting ready, it doesn’t take too long to head back into the lounge and Karen greets me with a coffee,

  “Morning you lot, hang on a second,” I said, before taking a sip of coffee.

  “Ah that’s better, how’s everyone feeling this morning?” I asked.

  “Yeah good thanks Phil,” Lisa replied.

  “So you guys want to finish your breakfast, then we’ll head off?” Georgia asked.

  “With you all watching us?” Karen remarked.

  “Ha, yeah get out of here,” I said, back laughing,

  “Yeah, there’s a cafe just downstairs, we’ll meet you guys down there in what, twenty minutes,” Jeff mentioned.

  “Yip, sounds good thanks Jeff,” Karen replied.

  As everyone left, Karen and I sat down to enjoy what the others had left us to eat, laughing as we drank the last of the coffee and ate the muffins they had left,

  “Oh well let’s get stuck in then head down,” I said.

  Laughing, luckily Karen saw the funny side as well, which was handy as it didn’t take us that long to finish everything off and head down to the cafe. Only to run into them standing around watching people walking around enjoying a coffee.

  “So let’s head over to the Vatican?” I commented.

  “Yeah sounds good, Jeff knows the way,” Lisa replied.

  “That’s good, at least one of us does,” Karen joked,

  “Hey Lisa did you know Phil here thought it was the Sixtenth Chapel, when he first came here a few months ago,” Karen said smiling.

  “Wow, I never thought you’d open with that story,” I remarked, wrapping an arm around Karen’s shoulder as we both walked with the others laughing.

  It took us around about thirty minutes to stroll over to the Vatican and the line wasn’t that big we were just on the other side of the first corner so probably about thirty minutes once it opened.

  “So you’ve been here before then Phil?” Jeff asked.

  “Yeah a while ago, I did a Contiki and we eventually made it to here,” I said.

  “Oh cool, so you know your way around?” Jeff asked.

  “Not really, I basically went straight to the Sistine chapel waiting for my mates then left and wandered around for a while,” I said

  “Cool can’t wait to check it out, even have my camera ready,” Georgia said.

  “You know you can’t take photos while you’re in there right,” I said.

  “What do you mean?” Georgia asked

  “You probably shouldn’t take photos, but once you see the mural, you should try and squint, it makes it look almost 3D and alive,” I said.

  With Karen just looking at me trying not to laugh,

  “What do you mean 3D?” Karen asked.

  “You’ll have to wait and see its pretty impressive. We should check out some of the different museums also,” I said.

  As they just looked at me like I was crazy,

  “I’ll be happy to see the Sistine Chapel,” Lisa said.

  “You mean the Sixtenth Chapel,” Karen said, beaming at me.

  “Yeah, that’ll do you,” I muttered to Karen smiling.

  “Wait till you see it, how much time do we have till it opens?” I asked.

  Checking his watch Nick said, “Around about just under an hour.”

  “Oh cool I’m gonna try and find a place to buy some bottled water,” I said.

  Wandering off luckily I find a dairy not too far down an alley way.

  Purchasing enough for everyone I made my way back to the group, only to nearly get into another altercation with an American accusing me of pushing in line.

  “Hey man calm down its started to get warm so I left my group here and went and got us some water,” I said.

  “Nah man, you’re pushing in line don’t be a dick and go to the back of the line,” The American said

  Laughing at him I told him and his friends that’s not happening as the line starts to move and we take a drink and give the bottles to Georgia who’s carrying a back pack.

  Unfortunately, the guy and a group of his friends walked up to me as the line goes around the corner and he can see the door to Vatican.

  “Wow, your lucky man,” He told me.

  “Ha, I’m lucky okay, relax man we’re at the Vatican and you and your buddies were thinking what?” I asked.

  “Yeah that’s what I thought,” I said. As they said nothing and walked back to where their friends were saving their spots and I heard another American accusing them of pushing in line, laughing we all stepped through the door and paid and walked into the Vatican, as Karen grabbed my hand and I squeezed hers back and turned and saw her smiling at me.

  [If I close my eyes I can see still feel that day and see that smile. It was a good day]

  “We had your back there Phil,” Jeff said.

  With Nick nodding his head in agreement.

  “Ha,” Karen said.

  As I thanked them both, “But I’m a lover not a fighter,” I said.

  “All right ladies and gentlemen, where too first?” I asked.

  “Let’s make our way past the Egyptian museum and then head to the Sistine Chapel,” Jeff suggested.

  “Yeah sounds good to me,” Lisa said.

  “Me too!” Karen said.

  “I’m easy,” Georgia said.

  As we all started laughing at her.

  “Wow, anyway,” I said,

  “After you Jeff,” I added.

  “Cool people, follow me,” Jeff said, and took the lead on showing us around,

  Finally, after walking around in circles for what seemed like an hour we finally stopped following Jeff.

  “Dude, we’ve been in this hallway three times,” Nick said

  “Yeah but what a hallway,” Karen said laughing.

  “Phil, take over the tour guide job,” Karen added.

  “No, it’s okay, we’ve only walked past the entrance four times to the Sistine Chapel and it’s just over there,” I said, smiling.

  “Wow, you could have said something,” Georgia said.

  “Why?” I said.

  As Karen looked at me shaking her head,

  “Anyway let’s head in,” I said.

  As the rest of them followed me towards the chapel. While we single filed it down the stairs I remembered how tight they were and opening into the chapel I looked around as the others walked in and tried to find the out stretched hand of god.

  “It’s over there,” I said.

  Pointing up to the part of the ceiling I knew they would want to see.

  “Thanks Phil,” Karen said, as she walked up to me and grabbed my hand and led us all to the spot on the floor.

  As we looked up.

  “Hey guys don’t forget to squint a little,” I said.

  “It will make it look a little 3D,” I added.

  “Yeah thanks Phil, that’s awesome,” Lisa said.

  As Karen just laughed,

  “I thought you were kidding,” Karen said.

  “Let’s go and have a look at the rest of the ceiling,” I said.

  As I see Georgia take out a camera and take a quick photo of the ceiling I just stood there and laughed at her.

  “You’re not suppose, to take photos,” I said.

  “Well, I’m a rebel,” Georgia said.

  “Yeah okay,” I said, walking off to get a better look at the rest of the ceiling with Karen. />
  We were probably in there for about a half hour till Lisa wanted to leave as it slowly started to fill with more and more people. We had a great day and headed out to St peters Basilica, where I walked over to the post office and sent a few postcards off.

  “Hey do you lot want to sign this postcard before I send it,” I said.

  “Why would we want to do that?” Georgia asked.

  “Okay anyone else apart from Georgia want to sign this postcard heading to your mother,” I said.

  Laughing Karen and Lisa quickly signed it before Georgia tried and I sent it off.

  “All right let’s head over to the Colosseum and grab another coffee,” I said.

  Leaving the post office seeing Georgia shaking her head at me.

  “Hey you had your chance,” I said.

  “Well okay, anyway I could go a coffee as well,” Georgia said, laughing.

  We had broken the ice yesterday so in her eyes I wasn’t leading her sister a stray, which meant a lot.

  Finally coming across a cafe that had a street sign next to it, pointing the way to Piazza Novona, we decide to grab a coffee and something to eat there as it was getting pretty-close to lunch.

  “Oh wow, how was the Vatican? So, good to have you guys here,” Karen said, to her sisters.

  “Yeah good idea Lisa,” I said.

  “Yeah thanks guys, but this pizza is awesome, tuck in everybody,” Lisa said.

  As it was decided to try a few different pizzas it was one of things I miss the most about Rome or Italy as a whole, the pizza.

  “Hey where do you guys want to go for dinner tonight?” Jeff asked.

  “You guys can decide,” Karen said.

  “Okay then let’s finish these pizzas off then walk it all off on the way to the Colosseum,” I said.

  “Yeah, sounds good,” Karen said, yawning.

  “Hey none of that sis,” Lisa told her.

  “This has been a great day so far let’s keep it going,” Georgia said.

  “Yeah I’ll be all right, just a small yawn,” Karen said.

  Taking another slice of pizza and laughing.

  “This pizza is awesome,” Karen said.

  As I smiled back,

  We hung out there only ordering a few take away coffees as we were about to leave and walk off lunch on the way to the colosseum. All up it probably took us about two hours to finally get there and it was hot when we got there, walking up and paying to get in.