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I will.
When?
I’d hate working for Corrado. He asks all the right questions and allows no excuses. Thankfully, he’s not my employer, but even as a husband, he’s unyielding.
I’m walking to work, and if I keep texting, I’ll be late.
The beauty of being your own boss is that you make your own hours.
About that… My fingers flutter over the cursor, but I keep the fact I work for Evans to myself. I dislike disagreeing with Corrado, and I want our marriage agreement to work as smoothly as possible. It’s just that he wants me ready and available whenever he calls, and I want to gain experience for my work so that when we do separate, I can keep functioning.
Michela?
I really have to go now. I’ll text you later.
I start walking again, checking the time on my phone and also waiting for Corrado to reply. When he doesn’t, I return the phone to my bag, again bumping the card that’s burning a hole in my purse.
This past weekend, I thought about going out and using it, and I did, in fact, visit the local plant show, intent on using it for the plants I bought for the apartment as I want those to stay there after I leave, but when it came time to pay, I couldn’t do it. I’m not sure why, but I paid with my own money. That felt great.
What’s going to feel even better is when my first big paycheck arrives tomorrow. With the thought of my paycheck from a job I absolutely adore, I stride to work faster.
At the building’s entrance, my two bodyguards smile back as I pass, then call in my arrival with Corrado. There are two more I spot here and there sporadically. I think they might be following me, appearing whenever they want me to know they’re around.
Those four men are the same ones who faced the wall the night Corrado and I first went out. Back then, he said something about giving them to me, and now he has. I don’t mind being followed and watched by him or his. They’re always around, but never obnoxiously with me or following right behind me.
At the elevator, I recall overhearing one of the guards mentioning his son’s swimming competition. “Hey, Will, how did the swim meet go?”
Will’s eyes widen, and he pauses before answering as if unsure if he should. “We secured a spot in the finals.”
“Congratulations!”
Will dips his head, then faces away from me. His partner, Clement, snickers and elbows him. “Boss might cut your tongue out.”
I shake my head before stepping into the elevator. I want to think that Corrado wouldn’t cut out a man’s tongue for speaking with his wife, but then I recall Domenico looking at me in a way Corrado didn’t like, and Corrado asking for his eyes.
I ride the elevator to the office floor, and when it opens, Daisy’s standing there. We kicked off a great friendship, often spending all our breaks together. She’s single and living with her disabled dad. We’ve both been caregivers for our parents, and we talk a lot about that.
“How do I look?” she asks, worrying her lip.
Today, she’s wearing a pale pink shirt tucked into a bright blue skirt. Her brown hair is down, and her makeup is heavier than usual.
“Cute.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I swear. Where are you going?”
“On a lunch date.” She pulls me off to the side. “This guy kept coming in and requesting my table at the restaurant. The one I told you I work at on the weekends?”
I nod, and she continues. “He asked me out today for lunch.”
“I’m so happy for you, Daisy. See? There’s still hope for us.”
We laugh because she knows Corrado and I aren’t having sex. That’s all she knows, though. I haven’t told anyone about our arrangement.
“I’m nervous.” She worries her lip again.
“You’ll do fine. You’re an awesome person, and everyone loves you. He’ll love you too.”
