Coco Chanel Saved My Life

by Danielle F. White

“Yes. My family is originally from Spain and they used to be very wealthy, until about a century ago. They also owned slaves.”

  “Slaves?” I asked, perplexed.

  “Yes, unfortunately the abolition of slavery is recent in my country. Crazy, right? It’s also for this reason that I do a certain type of theatre. I’m doing this to somehow redeem my ancestors, to let people know our history, so that nobody will ever forget. Sometimes I think art may succeed where politics fails.”

  Smiling, I nodded. A bicycle passed us at high speed, ringing its bell. Cristian grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him, out of its path. His movement was so fast that all of a sudden we were very close to each other, on the edge of the canal. I smelled his scent again and my heart started beating fast. Slowly he let my arm go, but we remained close. He brushed away my hair and caressed me on the cheek. I hoped he would kiss me, but he moved away and, looking into my eyes, said: “You are beautiful, Rebecca.”

  I thought of all the compliments I was receiving recently, more than I had ever received in all my life, but they seemed so useless!

  He continued to talk with his deep and sensual accent. “I would love to spend more time with you and get to know you. I would like to learn how you live, what you do, what you like and what you don’t…”

  “I would like to know you better too!”

  “But unfortunately we don’t have much time. I will be leaving in two weeks, and I don’t know when I’ll be back again. I can’t promise you anything. You’re so beautiful, elegant, funny and sweet. Your eyes seem to tell many stories. You should have a man at your side, a man who is able to read your mind, who knows your heart, your fragilities…”

  I decided to stop him… I was deeply touched. This stranger, that destiny on a random evening had put into my life by chance, had understood me! He knew what I was looking for.

  I pulled him closer to me and tightly embraced him. Then I lifted my face to his, closed my eyes and he kissed me. It was a long, passionate kiss. When he put his hands on my hips and sweetly drew me even closer, I lost myself in the moment.

  We began to feel the first rain drops, but we didn’t move. We let the rain fall. Then Cristian took my face into his hands and I opened my eyes. His smile was splendid. “Maybe we should find shelter…”

  We started to run in the rain, laughing, looking for any sort of cover. Completely drenched, we found a structure shaped like a castle in a children’s playground. Cristian, smiling like a kid himself said, “Please, Princess, you first.” We crawled inside and continued to kiss, while lightning and thunder were lacerating the sky.

  In the early afternoon we parted. He went to the theatre for rehearsals and I went back home. I lay down on my sofa and began to dream about what had just happened, until my phone rang.

  “Hi Coco, what’s up?” It was Emma. Knowing her, I was sure she had just got out of bed.

  “Hi! I am on the sofa and I’m falling in love.”

  “Whaaaat?”

  I told her what had happened and she, without even letting me finish my story, exclaimed: “It’s fantastic! How is he? When I will get to meet him? And when is he leaving?”

  “Well, I prefer not to think about it. We only have two weeks, and I have decided to enjoy every moment without thinking of tomorrow.”

  “I think it’s a wise decision. Last night your destiny gave you a beautiful Bolivian actor; my destiny is giving me a terrible hangover today! I had too much to drink last night.”

  We both laughed like little girls.

  “Emma, there is something about this guy that it’s so appealing. It’s not only the physical attraction, there is something deeper…”

  “Will you make love to him?”

  “Oh yes! At least, I really hope so.”

  “Coco, you know I’m always straightforward with you, especially about feelings. Don’t fall in love with this guy. You won’t be able to go through another loss. I’m sure about this.”

  “Don’t worry, Emma. This time I’m prepared, and have no expectations. I know it will end soon. I just want to live these two weeks like a dream.”

  “Do you know what Claudio would say? That you’re living your The Bridges of Madison County fantasy.”

  “I love that film. But Cristian is much more beautiful than Clint Eastwood!”

  “Seriously? I definitely need to meet this man. You know that you can’t have a relationship without my approval!” She laughed. “When will you see him again?”

  “He promised to call me tonight after the show.”

  “You have a really good excuse for staying up late…”

  “Absolutely!”

  We said goodbye and I promised to call her on Monday to give all the details of a night that promised to be unforgettable.

  I was so excited about this new encounter and the beautiful day I had spent, that I didn’t realize that for almost twenty-four hours I had not thought of Niccolò for one minute!

  It’s curious how the brain works: suddenly it replaces a face, a name, feelings and even a smell. For weeks it has caused you to obsess about repetitive thoughts, always the same, against your will. You find yourself thinking and dreaming about things that make you suffer deeply and you can’t stop doing it. Yet, all of a sudden, something changes. An encounter, a song, a film, or a sunny day can derail your train of thought. You begin to fantasize about different things, you have new ideas, and slowly you start to remove your old thoughts, leaving room for new things to happen.

  Living is an interesting experience. At times you feel that all is lost, that happiness will never come back, and that your balance and your serenity have been destroyed forever by lost loves and failures. Then this feeling changes and beautiful new things come. We only need to be open minded enough to recognize and embrace them.

  I made a fruit salad for myself (I had skipped lunch – too much kissing!) and then I lay down on my bed to rest for a little while. But I fell into a deep sleep, relaxed and happy.

  The phone ringing awoke me up. When I opened my eyes it was already dark. I looked at my cell phone display and my heart started racing… Cristian had finished his show, and had called me.

  “Hey Cris, how are you?” I tried to be as natural as possible.

  “Hi Rebecca, did I disturb you?” he asked with his irresistible voice.

  “Not at all! I was doing a few things around the house, nothing important…” I continued my performance.

  “I thought of you all afternoon. I want to see you, right away. I can’t wait. Can we meet for a glass of wine near your place?”

  “Sure!” I didn’t pretend to resist very long.

  “In about half an hour I should be there. Do you want to meet at Moma?”

  “Perfect. I will see you there.”

  “I’m on my way”

  The passion that Cristian seemed to put into everything puzzled me. I felt desired, wanted. I was the object of someone’s desire, someone I felt crazy about.

  I had half an hour to transform myself into a knockout! I quickly got out of bed and started to explore my closet. I wanted something sexy. At last I opted for a pair of tight pants, a striped black and white t-shirt with a tiny black sweater and ballet flats with a camellia on the toe. It was a sexy look, but not too elegant, casual enough for a glass of wine in the neighbourhood. But underneath I had on very special underwear that I had bought a while ago and never had the occasion to wear. This was the moment to have it pay for itself! I put on some lip-gloss, brushed my hair, and I was ready.

  I knew how the evening would end. The tension and attraction between us was too powerful; we would make love, and nothing could spoil my very special night. Everything seemed to be on my side.

  I put on a few drop of Chanel No 5, grabbed my trench coat and handbag, and closed the door behind me.

  *

  I found Cristian outside the bar holding a glass of wine.

  “Have you been waiting long?” I kissed him lightly on the lips.


  “All my life!” He warmly and passionately embraced me. I know his words may sound a little corny, but maybe because of his actor’s voice, my legs began shaking.

  I ordered a glass of wine too and lost myself to my feelings.

  Cristian told me how his show had gone that evening; at times he interrupted himself to lightly kiss me on the neck.

  “I like your scent…” I thanked Chanel for creating No 5. That night I felt like Marilyn Monroe, who wore just two drops of it before going to sleep, naked of course…

  We finished our drinks and headed towards my apartment. Every two steps he stopped to kiss and touch me. It took almost one hour to travel the very short distance between Moma and my building. In front of my door we still were embracing and kissing like kids. It was hard to find my key… Cristian whispered, “let’s make this night last as an eternity.”

  I took his hand and led him to my bedroom. We slowly undressed, helping each other with kisses and caresses, then we abandoned ourselves to our night without end.

  9

  The Two-Week Fairy Tale

  On Monday morning the alarm clock seemed to me the cruellest of all inventions! I had slept in Cristian’s tight embrace for only a couple of hours; the idea of going to the office nearly killed me.

  I turned off that hellish instrument at its first beep and looked at Cristian sleeping like an angel. Then I got out of bed to take a long shower, in the hope of recovering some energy to face my day. Before stepping under the flow of water, I smelled myself: his scent was still on my skin.

  I went to the kitchen to make a double dose of coffee for myself. I looked out of the window. The rain hadn’t stopped all night and it was still raining. Very inviting! I went back to my bedroom to get some clothes. Cristian was still sleeping. I saw his back and his curly hair on the pillow. I felt the desire to kiss his naked shoulders, but I decided it was too big a risk, better to go.

  I grabbed a pair of jeans, a sweater and my boots to face the heavy rain. When I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, I noticed I had circles under my eyes – yet my skin looked rested and luminous. Love helps body and soul.

  I left a note for Cristian. I had Juliette’s letter in my mind and thought of her passionate words to Etienne, but I didn’t want to scare Cristian to death with a declaration of love first thing in morning! I was confused, and after some pondering, I decided simply to be honest. “It has been a fantastic night. I hope to see you this evening. Coffee pot is ready on the burner. Coco”

  In the metro I couldn’t stop smiling. I observed the other commuters sleepy and gloomy faces on a rainy Monday, but nothing could spoil my happiness that morning.

  As soon as I got to the office, I met Valentina. She was drinking one of those horrible cappuccinos from the vending machine. I nodded at her and concentrated on my espresso.

  She looked at me. “Good morning, do you have anything to report?”

  I rolled my eyes, trying to understand what she meant. How could she know about Cristian? Then suddenly I remembered about the blind date with her friend! Shit.

  “I believe there is someone here who stayed up late last night!” Did she have a radar? She always knew when someone hadn’t slept enough. I think she was the best expert on reading dark circles under the eyes in all of Europe!

  “Uh… I’m afraid so…” I tried to remain vague. I didn’t want to tell her anything about my encounter with Cristian, and I was looking for something to say to buy time… I needed to explain to her about what’d happened with her friend.

  “I assume you have to thank me. I can see that things obviously went pretty well with my friend…” She winked at me, touching my hip with her elbow.

  “To be honest Valentina, I had an unforeseen difficulty on Saturday evening, so I didn’t spend much time with your friend. Actually, please tell him I apologize again…”

  I cut it short, trying to reach my desk as soon as possible. I felt embarrassed.

  “Wait! Are you telling me nothing happened? That you blew a man off?” She looked disappointed and irritated. “I thought you had had sex. For once you didn’t have your usual unbearable and inconsolable little virgin’s face this morning!”

  Maybe she was a witch with magic powers and extrasensory perception! How could she know that I actually had had sex?

  “It was just a very relaxing weekend.” I said, heading to my desk.

  She followed me, and after a few seconds she added: “Do you want me to set you up with someone else? Sometimes it happens that the first date didn’t work… Don’t feel ashamed. It’s not your fault if you’re clumsy and not especially attractive.”

  I wanted to strangle her, but this morning I felt too happy to commit murder!

  “Thank you! Maybe later… At the moment I feel fine. And now I should get to work. I’m still struggling with flower arrangements and napkin selection… Our client is still undecided about colours.”

  I had steered the conversation in the right direction. There was only one thing that interested Valentina more than other people’s sex lives, and it was work.

  “Perfect! Get down to work.”

  “Ah, Valentina… another thing. A request.” I said, a little scared.

  “Ok, let’s hear it…”

  “I need a couple of vacation days. I have an emergency and I must take care of it. Do you think this would be a problem?”

  Cristian will be leaving soon and I wanted to have a little more time with him. The boat will stay sufficiently afloat, even without me rowing for a couple of days!

  “It is a problem! I already planned our work for this week… I could make an exception to the rules and try to find two days for next week. But remember, this is a personal favour. An exception!”

  “Yes, I understand, thank you!” I was so happy that her threats didn’t scare me.

  I smiled and sat down at my desk. I had to hold on for eight hours, then I will see my knight! He had his show in the afternoon on Monday, and had promised to take me out for dinner. I couldn’t wait!

  Everything was happening so fast, and I was still struggling to believe it was true.

  The sad part was having to count the days that remained… We didn’t have much time to live our fairy tale. At some point our wizard would break the spell and everything would end. This curse was cruel, but at the same time it made our encounter even more romantic.

  I started to work, but I couldn’t stop thinking of Cristian. My mind continuously went back to the night before, to our passionate words and sensual caresses.

  In the afternoon while I was having my last coffee for the day, I received a text from Cristian.

  “Thank you for the fantastic night. Don’t make any commitments for tonight. You’re mine.”

  Oh, my poor heart, racing again… I had to finish my work and run to the subway in the rain that didn’t want to stop. I wanted to get home as soon as possible to get ready. I had to wash my hair and put on something warm. I was freezing.

  As soon as I got home, I tried to call on Claudio to say hello and update him on the events, but he wasn’t home. I entered my apartment, turned on the light and there on the table, in a pot where I used to keep my umbrellas, was a huge bunch of red roses! There was a note: ‘A rose for every day you want to give me. C.’ I was crying.

  I smelled the beautiful flowers and turned on my computer. I could see Emma was on Skype, so I called her. I told her my news. She was very happy for me, but sounded a little down. I knew things were not going very well with the guy she dated, and felt almost guilty about my happiness.

  “You seem down, Emma. Something wrong?”

  “Um, nothing serious, these are just heavy days…”

  “Is everything ok with Matteo?”

  “Not really. We are taking a break. We’ve decided not to see each other for a while.”

  She hadn’t told me anything. Perhaps I had been so self-absorbed and selfish that she didn’t have a chance to talk about herself.

&nb
sp; “If you feel talking, I’m here.” Emma generally didn’t say much about herself, but I wanted her to know she could always count on me. I really loved her and wanted her happiness. She deserved it.

  “There isn’t much to say. You know how these things go. The first weeks always seem perfect, then after a few months you begin to realize that things are not going the way you had hoped. Matteo and I have been seeing each other for five months now, but I don’t feel for him what I would like to feel. There was no spark. I decided that maybe we should think about our relationship for a little bit.”

  Emma had always been a decisive person. If things didn’t go the way she wanted, she ended them; if something didn’t work out, she stopped it, without agonizing and doubting herself. This was something I had always envied about her since we were kids in Venice.

  “Please, Emma, if you need me, call. Even at night…”

  “Thanks Coco. Enjoy your adventure. I’m fine, don’t worry about me. But don’t forget, you promised to introduce your Prince Charming to me!”

  “No, I didn’t forget! I want to organize a little dinner party and I’ll cook for everybody.”

  “Are you sure? Last time you were supposed to cook, we had to order pizzas!”

  “Don’t be cruel! I just put a little too much salt in the water for the pasta…” I’ve always been a disastrous cook.

  “Just to be sure, I will bring the telephone number of my favourite Vietnamese take-out that evening.”

  “Great friend you are!”

  I felt sad for Emma, but I was sure she would tell me more at the right moment. That’s what we need friends for, to be there to listen in times of need, but also to be able to wait.

  Cristian called me a few minutes after my conversation with Emma. He had just finished the afternoon show and – as promised – wanted to take me out for dinner.

  “Do you like Mexican food?”

  “I adore it!” I answered enthusiastically.

  “Good! In this case prepare yourself for the best Mexican restaurant in Milan.”

  “I look forward to it… and I can’t wait to kiss you!”