Oh my. I was beginning to feel sorry for the one he ended up choosing.
“…she should ride with me.”
“And enjoy your movies,” I prompted.
“Oh, yes.” His patted his swimming trunks, which of course had no pockets. “I should have a paper and pen. Will you send me this list?”
It was hard to swallow my exasperation. Was the man helpless? “Yes, of course.”
He began to rattle off qualities. Some made sense. Some did not. I totally understood that she should enjoy motherhood, but not crying into her pillow at night? What was that about?
“And she should be funny,” I said when I thought we’d run out of becoming qualities for the woman who would become Gregorio’s new mother.
“Fine, yes.” Marco didn’t seem to see the value of a good joke shared. “And she should be beautiful.”
“Oh, of course.” The party no doubt would be filled with gorgeous women wearing gorgeous costumes. Well, I didn’t have to stay long.
“And charming.”
“Right.” How would I remember all this?
Deep in concentration, he ran a fingertip over his lower lip. My stomach did a swan dive.
Lexi arrived and splattered me with cold water.
“Stop, stop.” I smiled up at her. What would she think if she heard about this conversation? Should I have her ask Gregorio what he wanted in a new mother or would that be rude?
Jumping up, I gathered my things. The past hour had been totally unsettling. As I packed up, Marco strode to the diving board and executed a perfect dive that would earn a ten at the Olympics. When he surfaced, he threw back his curly hair and smiled. His teeth gleamed in the bright sunlight.
“See you later.” I pulled my t-shirt on over my damp suit.
“Later, Profesora?” He laughed. “Don’t forget the list.”
Together Lexi and I disappeared through the door that would take us to our quarters, the area that housed guests and some of the servants, I’d come to realize. The light inside seemed so dim after the brightness of the pool area. I jumped back when Ama appeared from behind a pillar. Why was the woman always creeping about? She beckoned.
What did she want? “Lexi, you can go ahead.”
Giving me a concerned look, Lexi paused until I made a shushing motion with my hands. I tugged at the t-shirt. Certainly I could handle Marco’s mother.
12
Was I supposed to curtsy to Marco’s mother? I wasn’t sure about that. Well, here goes. Holding my towel around my waist, I slid my left foot back. My flip flop caught on the tile but I managed to keep my balance.
“Do you have a costume for the party?” Ama smiled. How strange. The only time I saw her smile was when she was talking to Gregorio. I stood upright.
“No. Not yet. I was planning on going into the village to see what the shops had. Lexi will need something too.”
“Come. I may have something.” With a mischievous smile, she trotted off. Now, this was a totally new side of Ama and it was a welcome change.
What else could I do but follow her? Clutching my tote and hoping my towel stayed tightly around my waist, I followed Ama into the family quarters. While my flip flops sounded absurdly loud, her skirts swished softly against the marble floor. The corridor felt somehow sacred, all dimly lit and hung with priceless paintings.
Which one of these doors led to Marco’s apartments? My cheeks heated with the reckless rogue thought.Count to ten and pretend you are back in the corridors of Providence High School, Christina Bernadette. Taking a key from a hidden pocket, Ama approached a door. Were there keys to every door in the palace? Who had the key to my door?
By this time, I was having second thoughts and lagging behind. Ama and I hadn’t had much interaction since my arrival. Had I imagined her disapproval? During our meals together, she hardly initiated any discussion. In fact, she spoke only to Marco and Gregorio. Today, she was smiling, as if we were high school friends picking out dresses for the prom. Okay, if she offered me tea or even a bite of baklava, I’d draw the line. Ama probably knew lots about poisoning. She had that look about her.
But today she was smiling. “Come, come.” She waved me into her inner sanctum.
My breath caught in my throat. “Oh, my. How beautiful.”
