I’m seated legs crossed Indian style on the floor of my living room. “So, how does the game work?” I ask Maria Louisa. “So, first we arrange the cards covered like so” she says as she takes the deck of red cards from my outstretched hand and starts placing them on the table one at a time beside each other, when she reaches one end of the glass table, she begins to line the beneath the first one, I nod my head. When she’s done the entire surface of the table is nearly covered with cards.
"I can chop carrots" I say from the stool I'm sitting on as I watch the maids and cooks walk about in the kitchen which I happen to find myself in today. "It's no problem Mrs. Salvatore" Maria Lousia smile at me, calling me appropriately whenever Mrs. Fina is withing hearing distance. "What about the veggies over there?" I point at the counter. "Don't worry yourself my dear. Maria will do it" Mrs. Fina smiles at me from the other side of the kitchen. The woman looks like she shouldn't even be walking by herself. Much less running a huge household like this one. Next to the lady of the house being me Mrs. Fina is in charge of the house hold especially the kitchen and dare I say she takes her duty very seriously. Which is why she sat me and the girls down just a few days ago to explain that there has to be structure around and why the girls cannot call me by my given name. I wasn’t the only one that left there feeling like a silly school girl. "She's busy with the ca
"Niko, you're back!" I run to Niko and throw my arms around him. As I bury my face in his chest, I realize my heart is beating so fast. I breath in his masculine scent, a moment passes then another, just as I'm about to pull away, his arm comes around me. One palm cradles my head to his chest the other wraps around my back. I feel him exhale in my hair. Apparently, a part of me was a little worried about his wellbeing. It's not like I missed his presence around the house. I had just been concerned about his safety. In these past few days, I learned he must have lost of enemies and a target on his back. Back in Chicago I remember going with mother to visit some aunties from time to time who lost their husbands. There was a lot of crying and wailing sometimes screaming and cursing. The sight was never pleasant. I was a child back then so I never got any details. I just knew that my young and healthy uncles were fine on day and gone through next. Now I know they
I flip the levers, adjusting the temperature of the water. Then I pour scented oils and bath salts into the large tub as I wait for it to fill. I can almost hear my mother's voice at the back of my head sayingLola, a lady tends to her husband's bath.
For the first time, The full force of his glare is on me, and he is not very happy with my little comment. His grip tightens, but not painfully, more like he wanted my attention even though he already had it. He always had my attention.
I woke up before my alarm clock went off. 7:55 am to be exact. I untangle my limbs from Niko who is still deeply asleep. He and I talked late into the night sharing a bottle of wine on the couch, when we finally retired to bed, we didn't get right to sleeping.
I spend the next twenty-five minutes after my shower moisturizing my skin and drying my hair.A minute later I place down the straightener. God my shoulders hurt from holding my arms over my head for a long time. My hair falls in a straight waterfall down my back.It's times like this that I love my hair. Even after straightening every single last curl and wave my hair still looks full and thick. For my make up, I apply a thin coat of light foundation then fill in my eyebrows and line my eyes. I moisten my lips but decided to wait before applying any lipstick or eyeshadow until I've chosen a dress. I'm in my bathrobe when I step out a moment later. Surprisingly my room isn't half as messy as I thought it would be in.About a dozen dresses are laying on the bed, some coats are laying on the couch which used to be at
"You look so good doing it. Really! Who thought you how to drive?" I asked excitedly. Running my fingers over the dashboard of the car. I still couldn't get over the fact that Gianna had a car and she's allowed to drive it places. I still can't believe she even knows how to drive.