“I’ll be fine down here, you can go back up if you want, or stay here, whichever you want to do. I’m just going to put a story on and try to get to sleep.”
“Why don’t you try it in bed with headphones?” He turned back around, his head down, but she saw his cheeks turn redder.
“The headphones hurt my ears if I fall asleep with them in, so I come down here, so I won’t disturb Matteo.”
“I see. Alright, well, I’ll let you get back to it then.” He put his cup in the sink and started to leave the kitchen. “Sleep well.”
“Thanks, you too.” She gave him a little wave as he left and she went back into the living room, amused with him. He used to frighten her because he looked so grim, but then she figured out he was just really shy. He wasn’t as scary as that guy Matteo had down in New Orleans; now that guy gave her the creeps, whatever his name was. She couldn’t remember it now, but she could remember his face. Scary fucker.
She sipped at her tea as she browsed for a story, and smiled when she found one full of dragons, knights, and princes. Matteo was her prince, her king, really. He even had the crown on his chest to prove it. She pulled a blanket over herself, adjusted the cushions just right, and started to listen to the story.
It wasn’t working yet, she realized after a while. By now, she was at least tuning in and out as sleep settled over her. She’d listened to at least a half-hour of the two-hour-long story, but she was still awake.
It wasn’t her legs that kept her awake now, though. It was that noise. Would raccoons come back two nights in a row? And how was it getting in? She’d suggest a walk around the perimeter tomorrow, she decided. If they stayed. Matteo had asked her if she wanted to go home, back to New York.
She wasn’t sure she did. She missed Trina, she missed the convenience, but did she miss the place? Not really, she decided after some thought. The story played on, but she let it, in the hopes that it would recapture her imagination and send her to sleep.
This was a big decision, huge. She’d be in more danger, but she’d be able to go out. Was that what she wanted? Matteo would worry himself to death if they went back, but at the same time, he’d have a crew of people around her all the time. She’d look like some celebrity with bodyguards, trying to walk around the malls or go for lunch.
She tried to picture Trina’s reaction to that and had to laugh. The other woman would glare, give them the finger, and talk about her period or something, just to make them wish they’d chosen another career. Trina liked to shock people, especially people that she didn’t like. She wouldn’t like the guards because she would see them as intrusive.
It would be funny though.
She stretched her legs out on the couch and tried to refocus on the story. Her ears weren’t listening to it though, they were listening for noise outside. Whatever it was, raccoon or not, it had spooked her. Suddenly, she didn’t feel safe on her own downstairs, and with a gasp, she got up and ran to the bedroom. She’d open a book and read herself to sleep if she had to, but she didn’t want to be downstairs on her own anymore.
She wrapped herself in blankets and the warmth of Matteo’s reassuring presence. She was sure it was just an animal outside, but just in case, she wanted to be with Matteo. That was the only place she truly felt safe.
16
“What about Europe?” Matteo asked as they had lunch the next day. Toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, one of her favorites. “You have a passport now. Or South America?”
“I don’t know,” she said as she wiped her mouth to make sure she didn’t have any crumbs on her face. “I’ve never thought about going that far away. I’d barely even thought about leaving Louisiana until you came along.”
“I want to show you everything, the entire world.” He smiled and she wondered if he was thinking about all the places they could go.
“I do have one request.” She looked away, a little embarrassed. It wasn’t the typical way people wanted to travel, but it had been a dream of hers for a while. “I always wanted to just buy a van or an RV, something I could drive around, sleep in, and use as my home. It wouldn’t have to be fancy: just something with a shower, a small kitchen, and a place to sleep.”
“That sounds nice actually.” Matteo nodded and looked back at her. “We’ll talk about it some more later. I have to make a phone call. I really need to get back soon, but I like having you to myself out here, I have to admit. And not just because I know you’re safe, but because we get to do this.”
“It has been nice,” she agreed and stood to clear the table. Anton was asleep, he’d been up all night, so it had just been Matteo and her for lunch.
“If we go back and stay in New York, I’ll have to make a point of keeping my lunches clear for you. And make more time for you, as well.” He said it like it was a promise, but Marie knew he’d be busy if they went back to that life.
She turned the radio on as she cleaned up and tried to decide what to have for dinner. She took out a few things, poured herself a glass of juice, and sat down with a pad of paper, a pen, and an old atlas she’d found in a drawer in the living room. She started to list off the places she’d like to go and see.
By the time Matteo came back in, she had quite a long list of places to visit. If they started in New York, they could head straight down to Florida, then all the way across to California. From there, it would be up to Canada, or maybe down to Mexico, and all the places there were to see down there.
“If we rent one of those tour buses, you know, like famous people have? Okay, one of those, we’d have a bedroom, a bathroom, even a washer, and dryer, along with a kitchen. Or we could buy one.” Her excitement made her talk fast and her cheeks were flushed.
He looked at her and she could see he was fascinated. “What have you been doing?”
“Planning out where I’d like to go.” She handed over the pad of paper to him and watched as he read all of the places.
“This would take a long time,” he noted and looked up at her with his eyebrows drawn together. “Do you want to live like this for months, maybe years?”
“If we can, sure. I don’t need a fancy penthouse and lots of clothes, Matteo. You gave me all of that and I love it, don’t get me wrong, but I’m a simple girl, I like simple things. I don’t need to be…” she paused to try to find the right word, “fancy, I guess. I don’t need that. I need you and if that means we stay put in New York, or we become nomads, as long as I’m with you…”
She let the words trail off because she wasn’t certain he wanted to do it now. He seemed hesitant, and she didn’t want to push him into something he didn’t want. As long as she was with him, she didn’t care anyway.
“I’m not trying to discourage you. I just want to know what you want, that you’re sure it’s what you want?” He sat down beside her and looked at her with seeking eyes.
“I’d love this, actually. If it hadn’t been for you, I’d be homeless, living in that car of mine. My plan was to travel until I found a place to call home, once my mom passed. I knew it would happen eventually, and that was my plan. Sell everything and just find a new home. Then you came along.” She shrugged and left off the part where she’d had to marry him to save everything, even herself.