She had gotten the impression it was morning, but instead a glance at her alarm clock made her shiver and get out of her bed. It was ten to eight pm – Sergio was about to arrive for dinner and she hadn’t settled the table yet. “Massimo!” she said to her husband as she was a bit confused and still sleepy. He –thank God – was cooking with great dedication.

“How is it going?”

“I’m talking to you!” he burst out with a cold voice which made her stiffen. “ Sergio is arriving now and you, whom invited him, hadn’t done nothing at all!” Massimo was offended and furious as if he thought she had done it on purpose and by loosing interest in him. She knew that she had to say sorry to him and saying something decisive. But, coming to her mind were just phrases which maybe would have complicated things until their misunderstanding would have become irremediable.

Roberta couldn’t help but asked herself about the nature of her relationship with Massimo. She understood that they couldn’t go on in such a way between bickering and frequents quarrels. Even though there weren’t very serious problems between them the constate state of pressure was ruining them in the long-run.