I spent the day in my office, and then I told Rose I’d have dinner in my room, as I’ve had for the past few months. I just didn’t know where to eat. This was the only place that she has never been in and that brought me some sort of sad comfort. I put on a game and got out of my suit and pulled on my track pants and t-shirt.
I’m on my third beer, and look at my watch. 9:45. I smile. The girls will be watching a movie, talking, or still talking or whatever girls do. I open my door and cross the hall, slipping into her room and taking a seat at her window in the dark to watch her house. The living room lights are on, and I can see shadows passing by every once and awhile. I sip my beer and watch her house like a stalker. I didn’t install any cameras inside.
I knew I’d be obsessed, and she needed to be herself without my unwanted intrusion. She didn’t know I had cameras in here, but it didn’t stop me from missing everything. I missed it all.I want her to come to me, to accept me on her terms. I take another sip of beer and bring my phone out.
Alexander: Good night, Mrs. Russo.
I don’t expect a reply, but it won’t stop me from reminding her I am here and I’m not going away. I sip my beer and watch as the lights start to go off. Nite, bunny.
~ ~ ~
First thing in the morning, I texted her.
Alexander: Good morning, Mrs. Russo.
No reply and I smile. She will get a text every night and every morning. She’s all I think about, and I want her to think about me even if it makes her mad.
Her things arrived from her apartment on Sunday afternoon; Sebastian calmed Mrs. Schmidt down and promised her we would visit. We will. She will want to meet the baby, and by the sound of Isabella, Mrs. Schmidt has become more than just the neighbor next door. I put most of her things in my garage, the plants I had shelving delivered on Saturday, and Danny and I made the library her half-assed atrium. Rose said she would take care of the plants till I told Isabella they were here. I want this week to win her attention, for the better, I’m hoping.
I go about my day and keep checking my watch. I can’t wait for 1:00 p.m. I try to concentrate on work, but it’s hard. I want to see her face when she opens that door.
One o’clock arrives, and like a child, I run up the stairs to her room and wait, sitting in her window. The delivery should be here any minute. I scheduled them all, and I want to watchher open the door for every single one. This delivery includes a Harry Potter phone case, a new pair of Harry Potter slippers (her other pair were destroyed in the snow), and a one-liter jar of Werther’s Original candies.
As if on cue, the truck comes around the corner and parks at the garage door. He gets out, and as I instructed, they wrapped the box in soft pink paper with a big white satin bow on top. He knocks on the door, and she opens it. My heart stops. I haven’t seen her all weekend. The girls hung out and never left the house. Anna left this morning for work, but Isabella stayed inside.
She is so pretty. Her blond hair is curling to her shoulders, and she has on a pair of leggings and a cream sweater. She holds her little belly and smiles at the delivery man. She takes the box and her brow creases as she looks over it and closes the door.
I leave the window and go back to work. Every night I sit and watch her house till the lights turn off and every night I send my text.
Alexander: Good night, Mrs. Russo. No reply.
Tuesday
Alexander: Good morning, Mrs. Russo. No reply.
I sit in her window and wait. It’s 2:00 p.m. Today’s delivery includes a giant can of caramel popcorn, the complete set of Harry Potter movies, and a set of colored pencils and a sketch pad.
She opens the door, smiles at the delivery man, takes the box and closes the door.
Alexander: Good night, Mrs. Russo. No reply.
Wednesday:
Alexander: Good morning, Mrs. Russo. No reply, but I’m stillsmiling at my phone like an idiot.
Today I am waiting impatiently. This one is a little different. I got her an edible flower arrangement with caramel and chocolate dipping sauce, a Harry Potter bath robe, and matching pajamas.
The delivery man arrives. She opens the door, smiles politely at him, takes the box and when he’s out of sight, she glares at the house. She moves the box to her hip and gives the back of the house the finger. I think she thinks I’m watching her with the camera on the patio. She knows it’s there. And I laugh. Oh, my bunny is feisty.
Alexander: Good night, Mrs. Russo. No reply.
Thursday:
Alexander: Good morning, Mrs. Russo. No reply.
I sip my coffee and pull the curtain back. It’s 3:00 p.m. and the delivery should pull up any minute. Today I got her 20 packages of Reed’s Butterscotch Candy rolls, a box of cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon, a Harry Potter jumper set for the baby that says, “Snuggle this Muggle,” and all three bibs.
The delivery man arrives; she opens the door, smiles, takes the box and glares at the house again. She looks up at the sky and huffs out a breath I can see in the chilly air and slams the door. I laugh out loud again. I haven’t had this much fun in ages.
