The Staggering Girl

Daniel was there. Alone.

Oh, I also saw Eduardo and Liam.

They adopted a little girl, Clara.

They send their love.

Are you still there?

Yes.

How goes the writing?

Francesca, I miss you. Can you please come home?

He pulls me down the velvet steps.

He's handsome.

He makes me laugh.

When the opera returns,

I hear the aria as he kisses my neck...

my fingers.

The rush of exhilaration.

My husband is sitting in the seat, probably wondering where I went.

I put his hands on my dress,

my body.

I didn't know who he was, but...

I had never in all my life felt so deeply alive.

[Music continues, murmured conversation]

- Vera! - Francesca.

- Hey. - Ciao.

Ciao.

Patrizio. Look who's here.

Ciao!

How are you?

Good.

Come.

I was in a panic. It was absolutely crazy.

Everything we owned...

disappeared in the space of an hour.

- How? - Never would I have imagined it.

What shocked me most was how fast they did it.

Patrizio was working, his sister and her girlfriend came for dinner.

I went to get some groceries.

I got back, took the elevator and opened the door -

everything had completely disappeared.

The couch, our paintings, the table from Trieste.

Nothing but white walls and the wood floor.

I dropped my bags and called the police.

"Police, come quick! We've been robbed!"

And do you know what they said?

You'd gone to the wrong floor.

How did you figure that out so fast?

I'd thought I'd lost my mind.

So all is well.

How's the memoir going?

How's the memoir going?

It's going slowly.

It'll be a masterpiece.

Vera.

- Angelo! - How are you?

- Would you introduce me? - This our dear friend, Francesca Moretti.

- How do you do? - Francesca Moretti?

I'll be right back.

I have something I'd like to show you.

- Of course. - Will you follow me?

I think I do have one...

in my office.

Sofia Moretti.

1973.

Now, Frannie.

I have an idea. Okay?

I think your father,

I think he'd go absolutely wild if you wore this. Come here.

Why don't you put it on? Come here.

Put it on. Um...

And I'll go with you and we'll surprise him.

Yeah? Come.

And he'll go bananas for it.

Do you remember this one?

There were many paintings.

[Faint, unsettling instrumental music]

- Ciao. - Francesca.

- So good to see you. - You too.

- Here, let me help you. - Thank you.

How is she today?

She's better in the morning.

This way, Signora.

Yes, I know.

Why does everything feel so wrong?

He kisses my neck...

..my fingers.

It was like

I was dreaming out loud.

And wide awake.

I've come out of a chrysalis.

He changed me.

And though I know it's wrong,

I so wish that I could see him again.

And he stared at his own reflection, so much so...

that eventually he fell in the water and drowned.

So do not be vain, Francesca.

Or if you must be vain, at least don't also be fat.

So you act out,

but to your disappointment, I'm not disappointed.

Always thinking this has to do with you.

But it does!

Or you wouldn't have done it.

You live like it's all some kind of game.

Is it not enough that I have apologised?

You dress our daughter in her clothes? You are sick.

- - Matteo!

Why waste a beautiful dress?

You should be asleep.

I can't sleep.

How do I look?

Same as always.

- - I have failed.

Because I never taught you to be a good liar.

Mommy, can I put you to bed?

Can I put... No, you may not put me to bed!

I'm working!

You know I know why you came.

And I tell you right now, you won't succeed.

It's not safe for you to be here alone.

The house is too big.

Because, you mean...

I'm too old...

- and I can't see? - Well, I...

- But I have survived, you know? - Those are real concerns...

- You know? - ..And I'm worried.

Bruno's here!

I can't be here all the time.

Yes. It's time!

- Okay? - I'm not leaving.

I am not leaving.

- Ah! - Oh!

Bruno!

[Faint music - "Ritornerai" by Bruno Lauzi]

How are your students?

They look at their phones while I talk.

You must grab their attention, otherwise, the failure is on you.

I saw Vera yesterday.

Vera? Who's Vera?