settling down, finding things to do without looking for my next getaway.
Teo held my hand the whole way back home, never letting me go. He looked just as excited about this as I was. I wanted to give him the world. My only intentions were to make him as ecstatic as possible. It was my time to spoil him, even though I knew he would never let me do. He was a proud man who wanted to be the one in control. I rolled my eyes at the thought. It was an Italian thing.
“Tired?” he asked in a whisper.
I nodded yes.
“Too bad, I had plans for us tonight.” he teased. “I can’t wait for us to be back home.” His words were full of promises and temptation. I knew what he wanted. Me.
... O ...
Being home with Teo, Beverly and Clara had to be the best feeling in the world. I was ready for this. Teo and I shared a bedroom. We were now a real couple and every day, he brought something special into my life. He knew exactly how to make me blissful.
Teo had big projects at work and he had to work long hours. I visited and ate with him as often as I could. I applied for jobs in music schools. Teo insisted I take my time before agreeing on a job. He wanted me to settle down and think thoroughly before accepting any offer. We had talked about this numerous times.
When I could, I liked to spend the day with Clara and catch up on everything I had missed. She had gotten so big and bright. She had learned to write her name and she could count to twenty. I’d missed her a lot in Australia. Six months had been a very long time without her giggles.
Life in San Diego fulfilled all of my requirements. I played the piano as much as I could, I visited Teo at work almost whenever I wanted to and I had a girl’s night out every week with Beverly. Life was good and I had started to believe that everything I desired was here. The beaches, the city life, I loved it.
Chapter EIGHT
***
When falling like a leaf from a tree, I’m light, I fly.
Until I hit the ground, I become heavy and lifeless.
***
“I got a call today. They want me in London for a month.”
Teo laughed. “Well, I hope they can find someone else,” he said, avoiding my eyes.
“They want me to fill in for a concert. The pianist has been hospitalized and they need to find someone fast. They want me.”
He took his plate and emptied the contents in the trash. “You said you weren’t going to leave again, that you needed stability and me. You said you wanted to spend time with me.”
I felt a stab in my heart. This wasn’t going to go well. “It’s only for a month, Teo.”
“No. No. No. It isn’t just a month, Ophelia. A month is a shit load of time that I want to spend with you. In the last four years, you’ve spent sixteen months home. Sixteen.” The panic was rising in his voice. I knew he wasn’t going to let me go easily.
“Teo.”
“Don’t fucking Teo me,” he shot at me. “I thought you wanted to be here with me. Me, Ophelia, the guy who moved across the country to be with you. The guy who left everything to be with you. For ten fucking years, I’ve waited for the day you would say you’re done travelling around the world and you finally said it a month ago.” His emotions were all over the place. The sadness in his eyes broke my heart but the muscles in his jaw kept telling how furious he was.
“It’s all I know, Teo. It’s all I’ve ever done in my life.” Tears ran down my cheeks. I wanted to hug him, hold him in my arms but I knew it wasn’t the right time. “Come with me.”
He laughed but it wasn’t a funny Ha! Ha! kind of laugh. It sounded more like a ‘are you fucking kidding me?’ laugh. “Are you serious? You know I have a job here. I can’t leave everything for a month when I just spent ten days with you in Australia.”
“I’m so sorry, Teo.”
“You told them you would go, didn’t you? You said you would go before you even mentioned it to me? How is that supposed to make me feel, Ophelia? Do you care about
Teo held my hand the whole way back home, never letting me go. He looked just as excited about this as I was. I wanted to give him the world. My only intentions were to make him as ecstatic as possible. It was my time to spoil him, even though I knew he would never let me do. He was a proud man who wanted to be the one in control. I rolled my eyes at the thought. It was an Italian thing.
“Tired?” he asked in a whisper.
I nodded yes.
“Too bad, I had plans for us tonight.” he teased. “I can’t wait for us to be back home.” His words were full of promises and temptation. I knew what he wanted. Me.
... O ...
Being home with Teo, Beverly and Clara had to be the best feeling in the world. I was ready for this. Teo and I shared a bedroom. We were now a real couple and every day, he brought something special into my life. He knew exactly how to make me blissful.
Teo had big projects at work and he had to work long hours. I visited and ate with him as often as I could. I applied for jobs in music schools. Teo insisted I take my time before agreeing on a job. He wanted me to settle down and think thoroughly before accepting any offer. We had talked about this numerous times.
When I could, I liked to spend the day with Clara and catch up on everything I had missed. She had gotten so big and bright. She had learned to write her name and she could count to twenty. I’d missed her a lot in Australia. Six months had been a very long time without her giggles.
Life in San Diego fulfilled all of my requirements. I played the piano as much as I could, I visited Teo at work almost whenever I wanted to and I had a girl’s night out every week with Beverly. Life was good and I had started to believe that everything I desired was here. The beaches, the city life, I loved it.
Chapter EIGHT
***
When falling like a leaf from a tree, I’m light, I fly.
Until I hit the ground, I become heavy and lifeless.
***
“I got a call today. They want me in London for a month.”
Teo laughed. “Well, I hope they can find someone else,” he said, avoiding my eyes.
“They want me to fill in for a concert. The pianist has been hospitalized and they need to find someone fast. They want me.”
He took his plate and emptied the contents in the trash. “You said you weren’t going to leave again, that you needed stability and me. You said you wanted to spend time with me.”
I felt a stab in my heart. This wasn’t going to go well. “It’s only for a month, Teo.”
“No. No. No. It isn’t just a month, Ophelia. A month is a shit load of time that I want to spend with you. In the last four years, you’ve spent sixteen months home. Sixteen.” The panic was rising in his voice. I knew he wasn’t going to let me go easily.
“Teo.”
“Don’t fucking Teo me,” he shot at me. “I thought you wanted to be here with me. Me, Ophelia, the guy who moved across the country to be with you. The guy who left everything to be with you. For ten fucking years, I’ve waited for the day you would say you’re done travelling around the world and you finally said it a month ago.” His emotions were all over the place. The sadness in his eyes broke my heart but the muscles in his jaw kept telling how furious he was.
“It’s all I know, Teo. It’s all I’ve ever done in my life.” Tears ran down my cheeks. I wanted to hug him, hold him in my arms but I knew it wasn’t the right time. “Come with me.”
He laughed but it wasn’t a funny Ha! Ha! kind of laugh. It sounded more like a ‘are you fucking kidding me?’ laugh. “Are you serious? You know I have a job here. I can’t leave everything for a month when I just spent ten days with you in Australia.”
“I’m so sorry, Teo.”
“You told them you would go, didn’t you? You said you would go before you even mentioned it to me? How is that supposed to make me feel, Ophelia? Do you care about
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