Chapter 40

DORIS

We slept late on Sunday, a perfect lazy morning. Waking up wrapped in Arthur’s arms was just as incredible as I had imagined it would be.

In the suitcase Arthur had packed for me, he'd included everything I would need, including new clothes in my size. However, he'd assured me we would do more shopping later in the day.

We had breakfast on the back porch again. Then we went to the top of one of the smaller buildings in the villa. From the rooftop, we could see the interesting and oh-so-different from New York, skyline of Rome.

We embarked on our daily family adventure.

I was glad that Arthur had been thoughtful and planned the day out. Arthur had bought a kids' explorer pack that had maps, explanations, drawings, checklists, blank pages for notes.

Mia was eager to see more of Rome and go to all the places Arthur had on his plan. Mia, our wide-eyed explorer, checked off everything on her little worksheet.

Mia took notes and snapped photos with the cheap disposable camera Arthur bought her. When she wasn’t writing or shooting, Mia’s tiny hand clasped mine tightly. She swung our arms together, beaming with happiness.

The Vatican City, the well-known center of Catholicism, home of the Pope, and center for a historic European Museum of Art and History, was our first trip.

We were astounded by the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica and its big dome. Mia looked at everything with wide-eyed wonder as she observed the stunning frescoes and colorful mosaics that covered the walls.

Arthur's eyes kept coming back to me, his appreciation serving as a continual reminder of our simmering feelings and the conversations we hadn’t had yet.

It took everything I had in me to remind myself that just because I was Arthur's lover didn't mean I was his girlfriend. Just because Mia thought I was her mom, didn't mean I wasn't an employee getting paid to do that job.

We traveled to the Colosseum, a magnificent remnant of a long-gone period. We were taken back in time as we stood in its shadow.

Mia reiterated all the information she had learned from Arthur. Mia made up stories about gladiators vying for glory in the arena. She gave each gladiator a name like “Ava Stormfury”, “Emma Battleaxe”, and “Jenna Death-By-Brain-Crushing”.

Mia's imagination was out of control. We all laughed together.

“Aren’t there any gladiators with peaceful names?” Arthur asked Mia. He scooped her up into his arms and swung her around in a circle before cradling her to his chest.

“Hhhm…peaceful names?” Mia asked. “Gina Gentlehammer?”

Arthur kissed her cheek. “That’s a good one, pumpkin.” He put her down.

Mia ran ahead of us. She swung an imaginary sword and made “Hiiiyah!” sounds while she acted out pretend heroic battles.

The pride in Arthur's eyes shone through.

“Next, we’re going to the Roman Forum,” Arthur said.

“What’s that?” Mia asked.

I wondered the same thing.

“You’ll see.”

“No! Tell me now, Daddy! Tell me! Tell me!” Mia said as she jumped up and down.

I leaned in toward Arthur and whispered huskily in his ear, “Tell me, Daddy.”

Arthur coughed into his fist, perhaps to cover up his laugh or a sudden catch in his throat.

We strolled hand in hand through the Roman Forum, which turned out to be a large, bustling square with many temples to Greek Gods on all sides.

There was a man on a soap box, speaking dramatically.

“What’s he saying, Daddy?”

Arthur cocked his head to the side as if he was listening intently. “He’s telling stories of emperors and conquests that happened right here in the Roman Forum, and he’s talking about a hidden treasure that was never found.”

Mia's burning curiosity sent us on a treasure hunt as Arthur enthralled us with tales of ancient Rome, his deep voice making even imaginary treasure hunts sexy. His knowledge and enthusiasm were a perfect match for his gruff charm.

I salivated over Arthur as much as the smell of Italian food wafting through the air.

Then we went to the charming Villa Borghese Gardens. It was a lush, green oasis in the middle of the busy city. Somehow, all the nature contrasted yet blended perfectly with the ancient ruins and more modern buildings.

We ate pizza. Lots of pizza.

Then we rented a rowboat and sailed across a serene lake.

Mia saw a pair of large white swans. They had their necks bowed and their faces together, so the space between their bodies seemed to form a heart. Mia pointed and shrieked with excitement.

“They’re in love! Just like you and Mommy!” Mia said to Arthur. I blushed. Ahhh, the naivety of a seven-year-old.

“Now what?” Mia asked when we brought the rowboat to shore.

“Now we are going to go shopping so I can spoil my best girls. I have an appointment at one of Rome's most exclusive clothing stores, and they brought in their best designer from Milan.”

“Yipee!” Mia yelled and clapped her hands. Then she looked at Arthur. “What’s Milan?”

We went shopping, and Arthur did indeed spoil us, getting us a few items in the latest Italian style.

We walked past Italian plazas, mimes, jugglers, tourists, and university students having heated debates in Italian as they gestured widely with their hands.

Mia saw a gallery window filled with a bright display.

"Mommy, look at those paintings! They're so colorful!" Mia exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

"Yes, sweet girl,” I said. “They’re beautiful. Imagine the stories they could tell if they could talk.”

Arthur said, "I bet they wouldn’t tell as good a story as Gina Gentlehammer.”

I laughed.

Mia laugh-snorted. “Daddy, you’re being silly. I didn’t know you could be silly.”

“I can be silly,” Arthur said, but something grabbed his attention, and he was distracted. “Let’s go in.”

Arthur had found a small painting, barely bigger than my palm. It was a mother and daughter looking at a mama and baby swan.

“I’ll take it,” Arthur told the gallery clerk in Italian. He looked at me and then at Mia. “So we can remember this trip.”

“It’s my first trip to Italy, Daddy. It’s not like it’s something I’m ever going to forget,” Mia said.

Arthur held my hand tenderly while the clerk wrapped the painting.

I would never forget the trip either.

Back on the plane, Mia was her excitable self for the first few minutes.

"Mommy, Daddy, can we come back to Rome someday?" Mia asked, her voice filled with hope.

Arthur and I exchanged a look over Mia’s head. I was well aware that my relationship with Arthur still had an element of pretend. I wasn’t Mia’s real mother. The chances that I’d go to Italy with her again were nil.

“Of course, you’ll return to Italy someday, pumpkin,” Arthur said. “When you’re older.”

“Next weekend? I’ll be older next weekend.”

Arthur chuckled. “I meant like, graduated college older.”

Mia threw her arms in the air. “What! That’s like a million billion years from now.

Arthur laughed. “Then I guess you’ll have to wait a million billion years. Hope Italy is still around by then.”

Mia pouted at that. However, all the excitement of the weekend caught up with her, and she

quickly fell asleep. Arthur carried her to a comfortable couch at the back of the plane’s cabin, and her childlike snores warmed my heart.

“Now, my pretty dove,” Arthur said to me when he returned to his seat next to mine. “Perhaps you’d like to give me a thank you kiss for the Italy trip without making me wait a million billion years?”

I leaned over and kissed him. “This was the best weekend of my life.”

“Then the over the top date philosophy was a success.”

I laughed.

“Next date, no Mia, though,” he said, his voice low and full of innuendo. He leaned in to kiss me.

“And we still need to talk about what this is.” I gestured between him and me.

Arthur looked pained. “I know. But it’s been a long weekend and we both have to work early tomorrow.”

Arthur kissed me again. “I know we need to talk. I know I’ve put it off. I promise, my pretty dove, I won’t make you wait much longer.”

Then he kissed me more passionately, and all thoughts of talking left my mind.