Page 15 of Unspoken Ties
The four of us walked down to the SUV and hopped in. As we settled into the plush leather seats, Luciana and I couldn’t contain our excitement and began chattering away at each other. We could feel the hum of anticipation in the air as we waited patiently amidst the bustling traffic around us.
“What do you need to get today?” She asked.
“An air mattress,” I said, feeling the aches run down my back.
“What now?”
With dramatic flair, I recounted the current predicament to her. My back was in agony from sleeping on the uncomfortablesofa, and to make matters worse, Ettore had not even provided an extra blanket despite days of enduring this torture.
“Why don’t you just sleep in the bed?” Tall Dino asked, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“I barely know him,” I scoffed. “I’m not sleeping in the bed of a man I don’t know.”
“Well, you are technically married so-” Tall Dino started, but Luciana interrupted him.
“We’ll find an air mattress. I can’t imagine even taking a nap on that sofa.”
We set off, the SUV quickly blending into the never-ending stream of traffic. The day was bright and sunny, the golden rays glistening off the polished storefronts and bouncing off the vibrant colors of the city. I tried to push Ettore and his disturbingly captivating presence out of my mind, opting to focus on the day ahead, but he lingered in the back of it, like an uninvited guest.
As we pulled into a bustling shopping center, I felt my body relax a little. The familiar sights and sounds of everyday life served as a comforting distraction from my now turned upside down world.
The four of us walked into a large department store, with rows upon rows of everything you could need for a home. Short Dino stayed by the entrance, eyes scanning the crowd, while Tall Dino followed us dutifully as we picked our way through aisles of knick-knacks and household items.
“There it is!” Luciana said, pointing to a towering stack of boxed air mattresses. She moved towards them quickly, examining the boxes with an expert’s eye. I followed her, poking at the boxes uncertainly.
I gazed at the boxes, overwhelmed by the choices. There were air mattresses in all sizes, some with built-in pumps, some with pillow tops.
“How about that one?” Luciana asked, pointing at a mattress touted as having a “luxury plush top.”
“Any of these would be better than that back-breaking sofa,” I said with a sigh, glancing at the description on the box.
“I still think you should just sleep in the bed,” Tall Dino said, grabbing the box from the top shelf.
“I’d sooner sleep on a bed of spikes,” I responded, grabbing a pump off the shelf next to it. “Now, let’s find blankets.”
As we wandered through the maze of aisles, I found my mind wandering back to Ettore. Why was he always on my mind? Was it his mysterious aura, his captivating gaze, or the undercurrent of tension that seemed to dance between us whenever we were in the same room? Or perhaps it was the sheer fact that I found myself in a bizarre situation, married to a man I barely knew.
“Here,” Luciana’s voice jolted me back to the present. She was holding up a soft, fluffy blanket in a light pink hue.
“It’s perfect,” I mumbled, taking the blanket gratefully. It was plush and velvety, a direct contrast to the rough, thin one I’d been using.
We decided to hit a few more stores and get lunch before the day was over. With our items collected, all of us headed back to the SUV. The ride back was filled with laughter and chatter as Luciana shared tales about her trip to Greece. Tall Dino chimed in with humorous anecdotes every now and then, his deep timbre adding to the light-heartedness of the conversation. Even Short Dino let out a noise that could almost be considered a chuckle.
As we unloaded our purchases, Short Dino finally spoke. “I’ll help you set up,” he grumbled, heaving the bulky air mattress box under his arm.
“Thank you,” I said with genuine gratitude.
As we climbed the stairs to the apartment, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Finally, I would get a good night’s sleepwithout the constant discomfort of the sofa. As soon as we entered, Short Dino got straight to work assembling the air mattress, efficiently taking it out of the box and setting up the pump.
As I watched the mattress finish inflating, the door opened and Ettore walked in. I deflated.
“Having fun?” he asked.
His voice was dry, but a spark of amusement danced in his deep-set eyes as they swept over the scene before him. Short Dino was still kneeling on the ground by the pump, and I stood on the opposite side of the air mattress, holding the fluffy pink blanket.
“A blast,” I replied dryly, crossing my arms as I watched him move into the room. His gaze moved over the new air mattress, the bags scattered on the floor, then finally to me.
Tall Dino and Short Dino obediently trailed behind Ettore into his office without needing to be told. As Ettore’s back was turned towards me, I stuck my tongue out at him so he couldn’t see it.