xxxxxx
Romero waited for Natalie to at least acknowledge him as he drove her home. He didn't know the first thing about making her feel comfortable. It was just a kiss, but even he knew that it wasn't "just a kiss". They would just have to pretend that it didn't happen, and then deal with it.
"Are you going to give me the silent treatment all night?" he said finally.
"Hmm?" Natalie looked out the window, unable to see anything since her mind was bent on replaying the day. She'd felt Romero's gaze on her ever since the ceremony ended. It was as if her spine was pulsating with the energy he'd imparted earlier. It made her shiver every time she thought about it.
"Natalie…"
"Okay, um…I'm not good with confrontation."
"You could have fooled me." He mumbled. Natalie rolled her eyes.
"It didn't mean anything."
"Okay, thank you for letting me know that."
"It was just a kiss, and it's been awhile since I've been kissed…by…by a man." She cleared her throat. "So, I'm sorry if I acted like that…"
"Acted like what?"
"You know?" she muttered. "Like, I liked you like that."
"Oh…I see." Romero's brow wrinkled and although he was disappointed, he decided to leave it alone. The rest of the drive was silent as he pulled in front of her apartment. Romero turned the car off and was prepared to help her out, when she took the lead and dashed out the car. "Nat!" he called to her.
"I'll see you later Romero!" she yelled back and disappeared in her apartment.
Romero took a deep breath and let it out, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shook his head and began to laugh. Only he would get himself in a situation like this. Romero thought back over the past few weeks, from beginning to end, and knew he'd pushed his way into Natalie's life. It was how he did business. Helping people to make decisions they didn't want to make. Natalie wasn't a business deal, but he'd known her personality. He liked her personality because it came with much more than what was placed in front of you. He got out the car and closed it before making his way to his wife's apartment. Romero was surprised that it was unlocked, like she knew he would come after her. He searched the empty room for her, but he didn't see her.
"Natalie?" he called out and that's when he heard the sobbing. Walking through the small space he'd been in several times during their two weeks of "dating" if you could call it that, he headed to her bedroom. "Natalie?" he almost tripped over her as he walked in the room. Her body was in a ball on the floor holding Orange tightly. He bent down only to see the cordless still gripped in her hand.
"It wasn't that bad, was it?" he tried. Her face turned up to look at him and Romero was sure this wasn't about the kiss. He brushed the tears away as she let Orange go and leaned over into his chest as he rested his arms around her shoulders, rubbing her back affectionately.
"Natalie?"
"She's gone, Rome…she's gone…" she wailed and he felt her sadness wash over him as if it was a cold pitcher of water.
"I'm sorry." Was all he could muster as he remembered Grandma Lyn's words to him. "Thank you for taking care of my Nat."
10
Natalie's movements were robotic as she cleared out Grandma Lyn's belongings at the retirement home. The photo's she'd kept close and the feeling of loneliness welled up inside of her. The past few days had been a blur of sadness. She'd called Deann to close the shop for the next couple of weeks if she wanted to, otherwise, just keep it open for half a day until she was able to get back into the swing of things. Her grandmother would not have liked it, but Natalie didn't know what else to do. She looked at the urn that held her grandfather's ashes and took a deep breath as she picked it up and placed it along with the other belongings. She left the room, saying "good bye" and "thank you's" to the nurses and residents that gave their condolences. She didn't bother to look back at the bedroom, because her grandmother had never truly "lived" there. It was a place where her memory wasn't stored in.
Natalie stopped at her apartment and picked up her suitcase, placing it in the trunk. She then went back inside and grabbed Orange and the two urns that sat side by side before closing and locking her door behind her. Turning her cellular off, Natalie drove to the one place where she could say good-bye her own way.
xxxxxxx
"Well go look for her, Romero!" his mother screamed at him. She was pacing the kitchen floor as he stood leaning on the kitchen counter, his palms resting on it also. If his wrinkled brow was any thought to his mood, he was not only frustrated, but felt deeply out of sorts. Natalie had left without a word. She'd left Deann in charge and now was nowhere to be found. He couldn't stop the feeling that kept nagging him for the past few days. It made him unable to work because he was thinking about her and how she was doing, if she needed anything, and wanting to console her in her grief. It made their whole situation confusing.
"Mami, I don't know where to look?" he finally admitted to his chagrin.
'What are you talking about? That is your wife! How are you not going to know where to "look" for her? She needs you and all you can do is stand there."
"Because, Mami, I don't ….I don't know where she's gone. She's upset…" Romero felt ridiculous by how the whole situation sounded.
"Romero, find her." Rosario growled before she said something in rapid Spanish that Romero caught as him being such a man and stupid for not taking better care of his responsibilities.
Romero would have laughed any other time at his mother's words, since they weren't serious, but he felt she was right. He was stupid. He'd stupidly thought that this would be such an easy thing to do. He hadn't taken the complications of human emotions involved that would askew everything. Romero pushed off the counter and called Marcie to route all his calls to his cell.
xxxxxx
Deann wasn't surprised to see Romero again. He'd called twice already before finally stopping in. If she didn't love her girlfriend so much, she'd of turned his ass away, but she also saw what Natalie didn't see. Romero liked her, much more than he was willing to admit. The same went for Natalie, except she didn't hide her feelings and unless Romero was just blind, which was a possibility, he didn't notice either. Their one track mindedness was interesting to say the least.
"Deann?" Romero looked around the shop, hoping to get a hint of Natalie, but common sense told him she wasn't there. "Where is she?"
"Why, Romero?" she let out a sigh. "She needs the space, just to get through this. Leave her alone."
"No, she's my wife; I think I have a right to know where she is." He stated.
"No…she's your "pretend" wife!" Deann corrected him and Romero reddened at the truth. Deann shook her head at his arrogance.
"Okay, yes, but I still care about her and want to know where she's at."
"Don't worry, she's okay, Romero. She's not going to do anything "dangerous". Well, for Natalie." She grinned. "Go on back to your busy life. Isn't that the whole point of yall's little deal?" Deann waved her hand irritably in the air, then sifted through some papers in front of her.
"Why are you acting like I'm a stranger." Romero accused, getting tired of the dismissive tone.
"Because you are!" Deann looked at him in a matter of fact way.
'I'm not a stranger to Natalie." Romero stated softly, wondering why everything Deann said made him feel worse, instead of better.
"No, but you're not someone that can just come in here and invade her privacy also. You may be her husband, Romero, but it's only on paper. If you were her real husband, boyfriend for that matter, you would know where she is. And since it's obvious she has never opened up to you in that way, you are left to wonder like everyone else, where the hell she is! I'm just stating the obvious, Romero, I'm sorry if it's not what you want to hear." Romero closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. He couldn't walk out of there, no matter how right Deann was.
"I promised Grandma Lyn that I would take care of her, Deann. I'm not about to let that promise fall by the ways
ide, just because she didn't feel comfortable enough with me to tell me about her past, much less the way she felt on the inside." He argued. Deann twisted her mouth.
"I'm not telling you anything, but you can find it out for yourself. Just like you, she grew up somewhere and it wasn't in a nursing home, nor in that tiny apartment she shared with that damn cat!" Deann ended the conversation by turning her back toward him and heading further into the shop.
Romero stood looking after her, wanting to kick himself. Of course Natalie would go back "home", but he'd never once asked her about where she grew up at. He'd been curious about her, but that had fallen by the way side as he'd focused on just making her comfortable being around him. Romero thought long and hard about their short relationship and he noticed that Natalie had never once divulged anything personal to him. It was as if she was protecting herself and honestly, that was exactly what she was doing. By not becoming too personal with him, she could leave this without feeling like she was being abandoned and without causing herself undue harm.
"Shit!" he cursed and opened his cell phone, he'd messed up royally on this one. Romero just hoped Natalie would let him make it up to her.
11
Natalie made her morning coffee, still wrapped up in her robe and snug in her slippers as Orange mewed around her ankles, wanting to be fed and petted. Natalie picked him up and nuzzled his fur before kissing his head. She looked in the cabinets that she still had yet to place the groceries she'd bought for her stay in. The house was right off of the shoreline and as she looked out the kitchen window the low cast of the morning made the air foggy, barely giving visibility to the waves that were crashing on the sand. She'd loved growing up here. It was a beach community that was separated by a bridge to the mainland of the Island. Now it had developments popping up here and there. Her grandparents had just built the house when she'd come to them. It wasn't as grand as Romero's, but it was peaceful and that is what she loved about it. Her grandmother had given it to her before she went into the nursing home and every so often Natalie would bring her to the house that she and her grandfather had saved to build and own. The trees surrounded the front of the home, but the back was an oasis waiting to be played in. The cool air wafted toward her and she turned away from the open window to finish tending to Orange.
Natalie dressed comfortably and made herself some breakfast. A week she'd been in the quiet. She was surrounded by the presence of the people that she loved and had loved her the most. The feeling of loneliness made her want to cry as she kept thinking about how she no longer had that love sitting and touching her. She berated herself for being so melancholy. In the back of her mind she'd known that time was no longer a commodity, but Natalie wasn't ready to let go and she'd married a man she didn't know just to hold on to Grandma Lyn a bit longer. Taking a deep breath, Natalie decided to take a walk and figure out what she was going to do with Romero and her life.
xxxxxx
It took Romero three days to find Natalie and clear his schedule to go to her. He still didn't know why he was doing it, other than he knew she was upset and he felt guilty for not asking more questions concerning her childhood and her parents. It was his fault for being so one track minded. Luckily Natalie's grandparent's house was only a thirty minute drive from where they lived. He pulled up behind her car and grabbed his overnight bag as he headed up the walkway. Romero took in the quiet street. The morning was just beginning as the smell and sounds of the sea filled the air. The large trees swayed gently in the breeze that was coming off of the water. It was a great location and he was impressed. There were some places that he still was discovering on the Island. Then again, he needed to take the time to get out more often.
Romero stood on the steps of the egg shell colored home contemplating his next moves. He'd been so immersed in getting here and finding her that he hadn't thought of what he'd say when he did see her. How would she react? And would she even want him to bother her? Instead of continuing to debate, he rang the door bell. It was several seconds before he rang again with still no answer. Finally, Romero decided to go around the back where he noticed her figure walking further away from the house. How he knew it was her, he didn't know, he just knew. Romero dropped his duffle back on the terrace and took off his shoes. He began running toward her, but then slowed down to a walk as he approached closer. She was oblivious and he couldn't help but observe her movements as he closed in.
"Natalie?" he whispered. She turned, facing him, with a shocked expression up on her face. Her hair blew around her pretty face and he automatically brushed it to the side.
"Romero?" Natalie looked out onto the water, trying to get the onslaught of feelings under control. She hadn't thought he'd look for her. Actually, it was the last thing she would have put Romero up to. But a part of her was happy to see him, no matter the fact they weren't more than just strangers who'd become friends overnight. "What are you doing here?" she asked before heading back toward the house. Romero fell in step beside her noticing the feel that surrounded him. It was akin to relief, but if the sudden race of anxiousness was a clue, it was more.
"Why not?"
"Because…" she started. "You didn't have to come."
"But I wanted to. Besides, Mami got on my behind for not being more sympathetic." Natalie smiled and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Natalie." Romero stopped their walk with a touch of his hand on her arm. She looked up at him, her eyes taking in the features that seemed like she was seeing them for the first time. Genuine concern lay behind those brown eyes. She felt his hand slide down her forearm before he pulled her hand into his and held it tightly.
"What for?"
"Everything."
"I'm an adult Romero; I think I can make decisions for myself, no matter how crazy they are." Romero pulled her a bit closer, causing Natalie to hold her breath at the unexpected move. "Romero…"
"Not that, Natalie. I never took the chance to get to know "Natalie". So focused on my own agenda, I'd forgotten that you were doing me a favor…"
"It's okay." She stated softly, surprised that he'd even thought about that.
"No, it's not. If I'd taken the time, I wouldn't have had to spend countless hours and money to find something that you could have easily told me weeks ago."
"I don't know if I'd felt comfortable being that open, Romero." She smiled causing Romero to look at her thoughtfully and nod in agreement.
"True." Natalie pulled him back toward the house.
"So now that you've found me and see that I'm okay, you can go back home and tell Rosario I'm fine." She said through an uncomfortable laugh. Romero looked down at her; her profile soft against the background did something to his insides.
"No, um, I was going to keep you company." Natalie released her hand from his and shook her head.
"No, Romero…I just need to be alone."
"No you don't." he insisted. "And don't turn me away. You just lost the most important person in your life, I think it would help to have someone to talk to. Besides, I want to."
"Why?" It slipped out before she could take it back and she looked away.
"You're my wife, and I don't know one thing about my wife?" He grinned. Natalie rolled her eyes.
"I'm your pretend wife."
"Damn, do you have to remind me?" he cried. Romero looked out towards the calm of the water and let out a exhale. Maybe the truth wouldn't hurt, he thought. "Natalie, I want to know you. For a change, I want you to let me inside so that I can find out about this woman that I kinda have come to care for, but wish she'd stop keeping me so far away that I can't come close."
"Romero, it's better this way."
"For who?" he asked, although he knew the answer. "Come on, show me where I get to sleep." He turned back toward the house and walked ahead of Natalie.
xxxxxx
Natalie snuck peeks at Romero every now and then as he sat flipping through the channels on the television. It wasn't that she didn't want him there, it was the fact that she'd never see
n a man, besides her Grandfather, sitting in the recliner with the remote in his hand and a beer in the other. It looked so right, yet felt strange. She still was trying to grasp why he was there. He hadn't touched his cell phone once nor said anything remotely concerning work. She could only gather what that was about. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked into the living room and sat on the loveseat that was next to the chair.
"What about work?" she finally asked. Romero found the ESPN channel and stopped at a basketball game that was being repeated from a few years ago.
"Hmmm?" he looked at her and Natalie shook her head and repeated the question. "Oh, yeah, I took a few days off."
"But…"
"Natalie, when I said I was here for you, I meant it. I'm here for you. However you need me." He finished. His eyes caressed hers trying to impart what he meant to her. Natalie nodded and turned toward the television. They both sat for a few minutes in silence before Romero cut it off and stood up. Her eyes followed him, wondering where he was going and what he was going to do next. Natalie realized she was nervous and had no idea how to act. He began to walk around the living room, picking up pictures and looking inside the curio cabinet where her grandmother had porcelain dolls and other knick knacks displayed. Beside it was a lone chair that no one ever sat in since it was an antique and only a quilt lay draped over the arm. Romero studied the detail of the fabric, nodding his head before moving in the square which was the living room. He stopped at the thin curtains that were a deep rose color with dark red and flecks of black paisley design over it. The wall was painted a stark white which her grandmother said brightened the room.
"When did you come to live with your Grandparents?" he asked, looking out onto the street. There was hardly a passing car and besides the mailman walking up and down the street, house to house, the street was empty. Romero turned his head toward a quiet Natalie. Her eyes shifted everywhere but towards him and he could tell she didn't want to talk about it. Romero didn't want to press her, but he wanted to know.
Finding Mrs. Right Page 7