Antonio stood in the parking lot, his lips still tingling from the kiss, and then felt tears dampening his cheeks again. Talking about Sicily and Spain had reminded him of all the good times he’d had with Alyssia, and the thought of never having those moments again was like a knife wound to the heart. He wiped his tears away brusquely and got into his own car, before speeding through the night towards home.
8
That night Antonio slept fitfully, torn between nightmares and memories. Staring at the bare walls of the guest suite made him feel almost like a prisoner, and he understood why there had been such a push for the wing to be decorated. He’d always meant to get round to sorting it out, but for some reason he’d never followed through on the idea.
It had been two months since Alyssia had asked for a divorce, and they seemed to be making very little progress, despite his best efforts. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was all a test of his commitment – if he started trying to move forward, would she see it as him becoming impatient and not being willing to work for as long as it took? Or was she secretly hoping that he’d make the first move, as he’d done that night, and show her more openly just how much he cared?
Everything swirled in his brain until he could take it no more, and sat up in bed. The clock on the nightstand read 4:30 am, and he knew there was no hope of going back to sleep before he had to get up for work. Even thoughhe had three hours before his alarm went off, the fact that he was alert meant that sleep would be nigh on impossible.
Sighing, he got up and headed to the bathroom, where he took a steaming hot shower and tried to erase the thoughts of his wife’s lips from his mind, with little success. All he could think about was how …right… it had felt to have her back in his arms, even if it was only for a moment. Did she feel the same way? It was hard to tell.
The water hit him in the face like a thousand needles, momentarily causing him to forget what he was thinking about. He’d always loved showers, preferring them to baths where you essentially sat in your own filth for however long you were in there. It didn’t make sense to him because you were never truly clean that way. At least with a shower the water washed everything off and that was it – gone down the drain like a rather smelly memory.
Shower completed, he got dressed for work, spraying on his favourite cologne and combing his hair into its usual style. As a final touch, he added a pale blue pocket square to the pocket of his jacket, which he knew Alyssia loved. She’d always said it reminded her of her father, and how stylish he’d always been.
As he wandered into the kitchen, he could hear Alyssia singing along to her favourite song. He could neverremember the name of the artist, but he knew that she’d loved the song ever since they visited Spain a few years ago. If his memory served him correctly, the song was called “Tantos Bailes”. It was one of those songs that had played in the background as they danced at their wedding reception.
“Que sin quererlo has desnudado mis instintos más primarios … tengo tantas vidas que robarte todavia de los labios...” she sang, the Spanish words rolling off her tongue like water.
He’d always loved it when she sang in Spanish, not that he knew what any of it meant. A few years ago, he’d taken some Spanish lessons, but the similarities to Italian had made him so confused that he’d given up. The basic phrases were enough to get by, anyway – all you really needed washola, adios,por favorandgracias.
He gently slid his arms around her waist and swayed, feeling her initial surprise dissolve into synchronicity as they slow-danced together. The music brought a smile to his lips, as memories of their honeymoon sprang to his mind. Alyssia had looked so beautiful then, in her pale yellow sundress and sandals, the sun catching her hair and making it glow with life. They’d spent almost every night singing and dancing, enjoying allthe best that the Spanish coast had to offer. It had truly been one of the most magical weeks of his life, seeing her effortlessly slip back into the life she’d always known.
As the song drew to a close, he felt Alyssia slowly stop swaying, and he pressed a gentle kiss to her head. She stayed in his arms for a while, her cheek gently resting on his chest, and then pulled away, still humming the tune under her breath.
“Good morning,” she smiled, and he smiled back. “You want some coffee? I’ve just made a fresh pot.”
“Please.” he replied, sliding onto a bar stool and watching her bustle around the kitchen.
Her baby bump was starting to blossom, and he thought that she’d never looked so beautiful. He’d always wondered what Alyssia would have looked like pregnant, and now he was blessed with the realisation of his dreams. At their last midwife appointment, they’d found out they were having a girl, and the excitement was starting to grow. Every day a new piece of furniture made its way into the house, or some new clothes, and even the odd toy. Slowly, yet magically, their house was transforming from a couple’s house to a family home, and it was breathtaking to see.
“You look amazing.” He took in every inch of her body with an awed gaze. “Pregnancy suits you.”
“I feel like a beached whale,” Alyssia laughed, absentmindedly stroking her bump. “Thank you, though. It’s nice to hear you say it, even if I don’t believe it.”
“I mean it!” he protested. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look more beautiful. You’re going to be an incredible mother.”
“That remains to be seen,” Alyssia grinned, sliding his coffee across the counter to him. It tasted different somehow, as if something was missing, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
“This tastes different. Did you change the coffee beans?” he asked, only to be met with a mock glare. He raised his hands defensively, trying his best not to laugh as she rolled her eyes and picked up her own mug.
“Decaf only now,” Alyssia groaned. “I’m trying to be as healthy as possible, even though coffee isn’t coffee when it’s decaf.”
“I could always have regular coffee and tell you about it, if you like?”
“Only if you want to lose your tongue. I know a guy who could do that for me,” she shrugged. “No, in honesty Idon’t mind it so much now I’ve got used to it, but I’ll be grateful when I can have a proper coffee.”
“I bet,” Antonio smiled. “Have you got everything ready for the meeting?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Alyssia nodded through a mouthful of coffee. “I wanted to get your thoughts on it, actually, because it’s a bit of a weird one.”
“How so?”
“Well, you remember your Aunt Maria?”
“Yeah, I haven’t seen her in years. Why?” Antonio swallowed some more of his coffee. “She moved to Nebraska with my Uncle Tony when I was in my late twenties.”
“She did, and then he died. Well, shesaidhe died,” Alyssia snorted, not believing Maria’s story for a second.
