for my birth control pills.”
“Ah, those. We could arrange to have the doctor come here. Don’t worry.” He patted her bare bottom, obviously pleased with himself. “There’s an answer to everything, I just know there is.”
“What about the family business?” It wasn’t a subject she really wanted to broach but felt it was worth the question.
“Fuck it,” he said suddenly and sat up. “It’s a pain in the ass and I’m tired of it.”
“Are you?” She turned to her side and looked up at him.
“I am, but it’s also my responsibility now. Everybody in the family counts on me more and more as Celeste spends more time in Italy. It’s somehow my job. I’m not even related to Nick, you know?”
“I do know, yes. But to be blunt, Matteo, I don’t think I could run it, and I seriously doubt Celeste would allow me to. So, it’s left to you isn’t it?”
“Would you want to be more involved? Even knowing that it’s dangerous?” He slid back down to join her on the floor once more and stared at her, completely unguarded now.
“I think I would. You’d have to teach me a lot, I guess, but I’m not a stupid woman, and I took care of everything for my mother. I’m capable of learning, even if all I have is a high school education.”
“I went to a Catholic high school. All I wanted was to go to a public school and get away from all of those priests and nuns.” He shuddered as he rolled to his back and stared up at the ceiling. “You can study online, you know? NYU has a lot of online programs now, we could get you into some classes at the school, too, if you wanted.”
“Maybe so.” She rolled to face him and felt a new hope start to glow into life. “I could, I guess.”
“You aren’t too old, you know?” He brushed hair back from her still red face and smiled. “You can do it if you want to.”
“I might.” Her eyes moved to the Christmas tree, and the pile of presents beneath it. “Do you want to open the presents tonight, or in the morning?”
She’d bought a few things for him, things she hoped he’d like. She was more excited about watching him open his presents than she was about her own. He’d given her so much already, and she had a feeling that the gift-giving wasn’t over.
“Now, I think. I’m curious to see what you’ve got for me.” He sat up and leaned back against the couch as she crawled, naked, to the tree, and pulled presents over to where they sat.
“I hope you like them.” He opened the first one carefully, slowly, as if he’d never been given a gift before and wanted to relish it.
The paper opened to reveal a collection of vinyl records. The Beatles, originals, all of them. “Where on earth did you find these?”
He looked at her amazed.
“In a shop not far from here. They have quite a large collection of them.” She glanced at the bigger box and knew that the contents must be apparent now.
He pulled the paper away, eager to find out what was inside. His eyes gleamed when he saw the chrome and red-painted record player inside. Immediately, he got up, plugged the player in, and put on the first record. The sounds of so long ago came to life the instant the needle met the vinyl and they both smiled.
“This might be the best present ever. I have the digital versions of all of these songs, but it never occurred to me to find the records. Thank you, Marie.” He leaned over to kiss her and pull her close.
“That’s not all of them, but we can wait until tomorrow, if you’d like, to open the rest.”
“Aren’t you curious about what I got for you?” he asked and put a kiss on her head.
“I am, but it can wait. I’d like to listen to this a little more.” She repositioned her head on his chest and began to hum along with the music.
She’d never have guessed, not in a million years, that she’d be in a New York penthouse on Christmas day, married to a man that gave her everything she could ever want. She’d spent her days in misery, trying to get through each day as best she could. People rarely spoke to her, and life was one routine after the next. Fix breakfast, clean her mother, clean the house, make lunch,