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I shrug my shoulders. “You can ask her when you see her.”
Carlos comes around the car, and I finally get a good look at him for the first time. He’s still lanky and tall-ish. But maybe that’s because of how skinny he looks. He’s still chubby faced. An awkward body on a man with a beard. I understand why the stewards kept asking for ID.
“So how long have you been living out here in the sticks?” he asks.
I laugh, and we head around the path at the base of the ten story building. “It's a cheap living man. Not bad living.” I take us to my room at the back, and there’s a little patch of lawn too that I get to trim. “I've been here a few years though. When we combined, I moved outta the old Russo neighborhood. Not everyone was for the merge. I was tired of explaining myself.”
Carlos nods, and we get to my door. I open it up and show him in. There’s a TV in the corner, a low coffee table, and a couple couches. The kitchen is bare because everything is in the fridge, and I got takeout bags everywhere.
“Not bad man. You got yourself a roof.” Carlos waits for me to enter, then follows.
I throw my keys on the side table by the door and head for my room. “Sorry, I can’t stay too long. I gotta get to this party and help set it up. But you can just chill and do what you want. My tablet is there by the couch; order yourself some food if you need. Hot water’s alright for fifteen minutes, then it goes cold. But other than that, towels are in the hallway there, and you can have the bedroom on the right.”
“Thanks man.” Carlos shakes my hand. “I appreciate the hospitality at Seb Bravera Penitentiary.”
I laugh and stop halfway through my door. I see the coat and shirt I’ve got to change into crumpled on the ground. “Man, not a problem. I understand needing to get out of a bad situation. It’s cool. And you know, if there’s any way I can help, we’ll figure it out.”
Carlos kicks his shoes off again. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
I pick up the shirt and coat and whip them out. I know Sophie’s got one of those steam iron things that’s like some magic wand. I’ll use it as soon as I get in and get these wrinkles out. “You told Mimi you were back? Or coming back?” I call.
“Nah,” Carlos replies. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell her today either. I was gonna go see her and Mom soon. Just gotta organize a few things first.”
I pull on the shirt and finish buttoning it up. I hang the coat over my shoulder with a finger and come back out to the room. “I won’t mention anything. Your secret is safe with me. Mind if I ask what you gotta do? Anything I can help with? Work?”
Carlos shakes his head. “Nah, shit’s boring. Don’t need to bother you. But uh, perhaps work in the future. You said Luca Colombino trusts people?”
I nod and pick my keys back up. “Yeah, he’s good. I’d vouch for you, but it’d also help if you could bring anything to the table. I know you’ve not wanted to talk about your past now, but you won’t be able to keep it all secret from Luca. He’ll want to know everything to make sure.”
“Yeah, yeah, I understand.” Carlos sits down and sighs. He looks around the room and then out the window at the boiling sun just hitting my apartment. “It’s good to be home. I’m already sweaty as shit, but it’s good to be back.”
“It’s good seeing you too, man.” We slap hands, and I head to the door. “Spare key in a pot of flour in the kitchen too, if you want to head out.” I close the door and see him recline back to take a nap.
I get in the car and reverse out of my spot. I leave the apartment building and begin my route down to Sophie and Luca’s. It’s little Michael’s third birthday. Yet the thing that’s on my mind isn’t them, or my ex Lindsey; it’s Mimi. Carlos’ words ring in my head, and I think about what he said, about Rocko, about needing to settle down. She's too good for him, she's too good for any of those losers. To me, she’d always been the girl who ate glue. But now?
Now I know she ain’t that girl at all.
She’s a woman.
Practically a woman I’ve never met.
Chapter 2
Mimi
Isinkontothestool and grasp the little paper plate in my hand as a rabble of kids runs past. It’s little Michael Colombino’s birthday today, and I’ve been helping Sophie out. And by helping out, I meanI’vebeen running it while she tends to Michael and the other kids. Back and forth getting games ready and food prepared, I seriously regret wearing these heels. Why in the hell did I wear heels to a kids party?
Still, seeing their happiness makes it all worth it.
I’ve not seen Sophie and Luca so happy in a long time. And Michael is a joy.
He’s head of his pack of friends. They’re running around in little shorts and shirts with cartoon characters on them and crazy colors. It’s adorable, and I can tell that he picked his outfit today because, had it been Sophie, he would’ve been in a blazer and bowtie.Her little man.
A waiter passes, and I grab one of the mimosa flutes. It’s cold and refreshing, a little sweet but perfect for my dehydrated ass. I finish it in one, and I watch the sun sink a little lower. Almost sunset, almost time for the kids tosleep.I don’t know how Sophie does it. She’s up all through the night, early in the morning, with no naps from little Michael, and she still looks perfect. Hell, she was even talking of having another one the other day!
I jam a few pieces of bite-sized pizza roll into my mouth and put the plate in the trash. Back to it. The adults’ end of the party will begin soon. A whole wing in the mansion has been set up just for the kids and their special movie screening. It’s going to be a wild couple of hours while all the parents have their own fun. Luca and Sophie have bought a few extra couches and bean bags just for the screening.
Michael’s best-friend Jared’s mother has spotted me and is on her way over. I duck into the house, indicating something about food. Or at least that's what I hope she understood it for, notcrazy-lady-with-everything-phobia.
