I glance at Mateo. He’s sending her some sort of warning glance. It’s cute. It reminds me of the warning glances that I might send Annika.
“There was a lot for me to take in. I didn’t even know what country I was in!” I give an awkward laugh.
Gina’s expression sobers. “Well, now you know.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you like being in the US?” she asks. “Do you wish you were still in Germany?”
“I always wanted to come here.It was my dream.”
I notice a bag by the door. “What’s in that?”
“Gina brought over a few of my things.”
“Oh. That is very kind of you, Gina. I am sorry to inconvenience you.”
“It’s really okay,” Gina says. “I’m happy to meet you.”
Mateo frowns.
“Re-meet you, I mean,” Gina says. “Obviously, I already know you. But I, uh, know you don’t know me.”
For some reason she seems flustered. Two red circles decorate her cheeks. I sigh. I hate that I’ve made her uncertain. Mateo trembles in my lap.
“I know what you mean.” I squeeze Mateo’s hands. “Thank you for your patience.”
“It’s nothing.” Mateo’s voice squeaks.
“Are you hungry?”
Mateo is silent.
“Mein Gott, you must be hungry. You’ve just been waiting for me to wake up. Sitting in that hospital room.”
“It was fine, Florian,” Mateo says. “You shouldn’t worry about me. At all.”
I move Mateo from my lap, then go to the kitchen. I must have some takeout menus here.
Mateo and Gina follow me. They exchange glances.
“We’ll make you something,” Gina says. “Have a seat.”
“It’s my place,” I sigh.
“And Mateo is your boyfriend.” Gina winks at me, then giggles, which is—well, weird. But everyone always says Germans have no sense of humor, so maybe I’m missing something.
I perch on a kitchen stool, while Mateo and Gina regard the contents of the fridge, freezer, and cabinets.
They make chili. It is excellent.
Mateo’s thigh is warm against mine, as Gina chatters about her PhD program.
This is what I was missing. All those years of quiet apartments and early nights and pretending I didn’t want precisely this.
I am so lucky.
CHAPTER
