“But when he’s in Riviera View, what do you tell people?” he pressed.
June bit her lower lip, and I looked down. “That he’s my tenant.” Although we had practiced it yesterday before Esther had arrived, I felt that June wasn’t acting embarrassed. She really was.
“Mr., um,” I interfered, but his name kept escaping me. “It’s not ideal, we know that. But June and I, we love each other, and we know we can face anything that life throws at us. Including her family, and even my mom. She’s very old-fashioned.” I gave a little chuckle that was supposed to seem filled with good-humored memories of my mom. “But we’re determined to share our lives regardless of what anyone says, though wedoprefer minimizing the shock for everyone.” I took June’s hand in mine and pressed it. We gave each other an Oscar-worthy in-love look.
June’s eyes were still a frozen ocean. Who the hell named herJune?
“Completely understandable,” the man said, and I did my best to not take a deep breath of relief and fist-pump the air right then and there.
He went back to the documents and asked about the car insurance and my mom’s address in Italy, typed something on his computer, then looked at us again and said, “We’re done for now. We’ll send you our decision by mail, to your address in Riviera View.”
For now. He smiled, but my heart fell to my boxer briefs. I felt, more than saw, June tensing even more at my side.
The man, still smiling, gestured with his hand at the door. “Thank you. You can show yourselves out.”
“Thank you,” we both replied.
Heart hammering, I got up, waited for June to pick up her something-natural-cloth purse, put my hand between her shoulder blades, husband-like, and we went outside, closing the door behind us.
Esther got up as soon as we stepped out. “Let’s talk in the Starbucks outside,” she said.
Over a cup of a you-seriously-call-this-thing-Italian espresso for me and herbal tea for June, we recapped everything for Esther, who sat opposite us.
I felt June’s lean thigh flush against mine under the small table. Somehow, after going through this ordeal together, the feel of her thigh against mine was comforting.
“It sounds like you both did a good job in there,” Esther said.
“Why did he sayfor now?” June asked.
“Because it’s not done until they update Angelo’s status. We’ll know for sure when you receive the green card.” She looked at me. Then, as if she wanted to cover all bases, said, “Or if we hear regarding any further inquests.”
As soon as everything was summed up, we all got up and went outside. June and I shook Esther’s hand, and she left in a hurry for another interview with a different couple.
In the crisp, coldish spring air, June’s nose and cheeks reddened. Traffic whizzed by us in a constant, low hum.
“They didn’t ask,” she said.
“What?”
“If you kneeled. The one thing we were seriously warned about.” Vapor formed in her exhaled chuckle.
“Unlike the hemp guitar straps,” I offered. “I’m sorry about that. He made me nervous.”
“I understand.” She looked like herself again, fully composed, the nervousness from before gone.
I was about to shake June’s hand when an instinct had me grab her elbows and pull her into my arms. For a second, my cheek rested against hers. This woman needed some flesh on her. Wrapped in my arms, her body was slender. She smelled of warm cinnamon, and her hair smelled like blood oranges when I half-whispered, “Thank you,” right into it.
It was a brief hug, and when I let go, she looked as surprised as I was.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” I repeated my thanks by way of explanation, this time with the right distance between us and not with my face inside her hair. “We’ll be in touch?”
“I hope we won’t have to. Beyond … you know … the divorce agreement. Thank you, too.” She seemed slightly fazed. I hoped I didn’t just do the unpardonable and hug a woman without her consent.
In Italy, hugging and kissing someone, even a half-stranger, was common, whether male or female. Here, the etiquette for politeness and social distance was something I was still learning.
We then parted ways, me and the woman I had sworn to love and cherish.
9
