A Bird in the Oven - Kata Cuic Page 0,16
the next. Until I realized they were only using him. He’s so sexy, so shy, so sweet. And apparently packing the kind of joy stick that would keep any sane woman coming back for more. Yet none of them stayed with him longer than a month, tops. Once the allure of having the hottest man candy in Pittsburgh wore off, they all suddenly became diabetic.
He reappears from his condo and strides directly over to mine, so absorbed in his task that he doesn’t notice me in my car in the driveway, watching him.
Mrs. Cucinelli continues, “Besides, I could ask the same of you. You’re turning thirty next month, just like Oliver. You’ve had plenty of suitors. Maybe it’s you who isn’t interested in marriage and children.”
And maybe Mrs. Cucinelli doesn’t believe I’m pregnant after all if she can make a statement like that.
This is the perfect time to come clean. To let Ollie off the hook and sort out this mess.
“Just…” Mrs. Cucinelli sighs. “Tell me you love him, Olivia. Woman to woman. I’m grateful none of those others stuck because I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt they didn’t love him the way he deserves to be loved. He might never have showered you with extravagant gifts and dates, but you’ve always been different. You see things in him that no one else sees. You appreciate him in ways I’m not even sure I do though the good Lord knows I love him with all my heart. I want what’s best for him as much as I do for you. Please tell me this baby hasn’t trapped you into something you don’t want.”
My heart squeezes painfully in my chest. I am trapped. I have been for a very long time no matter how much I’ve tried to free myself. There are some lies I can let slide in this rollercoaster of life, but one truth remains. “I do. I love him with all my heart.”
She needn’t worry about my feelings being very real. She simply has blinders on about his. Not that I can blame her. I never trusted any of the women Ollie’s been with either.
She sniffles on the other end of the line. “I know you do. I just needed to hear you say it. I worry about him so much. When he’s with you, I can rest a little easier.”
“You’re going to sleep very well for the foreseeable future,” I mutter as Ollie reemerges from my condo with a box that looks like he’s moved onto the kitchen, judging by what’s sticking out of the top.
I open my car door and yell, “Oliver! Is that my blender?”
He startles and nearly drops the box. Surprisingly, instead of carrying on with his task, he sets the box down on the sidewalk then approaches my car with a wide smile on his face. Normally, if I interrupt him, he doesn’t look so pleased about it. He rests his arm on the top of the car door. “You like to make smoothies. They are a healthy alternative for when you do not feel well enough for solid foods.”
“Oh, honey.” Mrs. Cucinelli clucks her tongue. The speakers haven’t disconnected yet. “Are you still struggling with morning sickness? I’ll get together some home remedies for you.”
Ollie shakes his head. “Hi, Mom. Please do not do that. Those remedies are not FDA approved.”
“Ginger is a perfectly natural substance,” she assures him. “Well, I’d better let you go. I’m sure you have plenty to do this evening. I’ll see you both this weekend.”
She hangs up.
Ollie frowns. “Visiting Mom is not on the schedule for this weekend.”
I pull my satchel over from the passenger seat then close my car door. I hit the lock button on the fob only once to avoid the car horn noise that happens if I click it twice. “Moving me into your condo wasn’t on the schedule for today either, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping you. You looked happy about this deviation a few minutes ago.”
He checks his smartwatch then glances at the box still sitting between our condos. “Yes, well, we have dinner reservations at Monterrey Bay for six thirty. If you are going to sleep with me tonight, then you need to feel comfortable enough to stay. Which means in order to make our reservations, I had to start packing up your things as soon as I got home from work.”
“So, you’re not happy about moving me in with you?”
“I am very happy about it.”
“You’re