Page 14 of The Sicilian's Obsession
Katima
Iwas proud of myself for putting aside everything and finishing my work for the day. I made definite headway on the new recipe. I think I was going to let Dad name it once it was ready for consumption. I sucked at naming anything. I waited for Arturo. He had a quick phone call and then we headed out.
Katima: Grocery store?
Arturo checked his phone as we were heading out, and I noticed Rebecca eyeing him like he was a juicy steak. She wanted to sink her claws in him. It made me feel nauseous to see. Not because I wanted to sink my claws into Arturo, but because no one should be subjected to her. She was vapid and rude. She had no compassion. I hoped Arturo could see through her, but seriously, no man would be able to resist Rebecca'scharms.She was luscious and peppy. Her big breasts stuck out when she was sitting up straight. She wore makeup and it always looked perfect and professional. Although her blouses and skirts were short, they weren't really tacky, just attention seeking. Sometimes I wished I looked like her. If I had her personality and dressed like she did, I would be able to fit in with other people.
"Yeah, let's go." Arturo steered me to the door with his hand on my lower back.
I felt the familiar tingles in my pelvis. I could feel the heat radiating from his hand sinking into my skin through my top. Again, I had never felt this way about another person before. I also was kicking myself because I was back to texting him rather than speaking to him like a normal person. I was sure he was disgusted with me. He probably wanted to get away from me, but because I was his job, he couldn't. I sighed morosely.
He asked me, after opening the car door for me, "What's wrong?"
Katima: Nothing
"I won't be able to read your texts when I'm driving, Katima. That isn't safe." He was facing me when I buckled my seatbelt.
I reached deep inside myself to try to find my courage. I said quietly, "I was disappointed with myself."
"Why?" He started his truck and headed into town.
I hung my head. "I slipped back into not speaking."
"Baby steps. There's nothing wrong with going back to what you know. I wasn't upset. I don't want you to be upset, either. Just do what you feel comfortable with."
My heart fluttered again. How was this stranger so caring? I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I wanted to actually try for someone I barely even knew.
We got to the grocery store, and Arturo helped me down from the truck. I was struck again by the feeling of his hands on my body. It was like an electric current had hit me, and I shivered underneath its power. I sent him a copy of the list of items I wanted to get, including disposable gloves. I wanted to get in and out, so we split up the aisles and started shopping. But my life was never easy. Just as I was halfway through my list, I ran into the bane of my existence—Rebecca and a few of her cronies. Those chicks were the worst of the worst. Her friends weren't natural blondes, like her. No, they dyed their hair, to fit in with Rebecca. As soon as her eyes landed on me, she sneered.
She sauntered up to me. "Look who it is, girls."
I looked down, praying she would get the hint and not confront me in front of most of the town. I should have known better. Rebecca loved attention. She also loved to knock me down a few pegs in front of everyone. I said nothing to my father because he would just try to ruin her, and that would make things worse. Maybe if we didn't live in a small town, maybe if we lived in a larger city, she wouldn't set her sights on completely ostracizing me. She would have things to do and not be so bored with her time.
Bottled blonde A said, "She's too good to talk to us."
I never did take the time to get their names. Sometimes, I called them A and B, kind of like Thing One and Thing Two, from Dr. Seuss. It was funny to me, but I doubted they would laugh about it.
Rebecca proudly informed them, "Yeah, she's basically a mute, but get this girl; she's trying to reel in a hunk of meat with her sad act. Where is that sexy man Arturo anyway? I thought you hadplanstogether." She said it like it was a dirty thing, like I was sucking his dick in a back alley or something. That couldn't be further from the truth. I wished I had decided to order in tonight rather than shop. Then I wouldn't be stuck surrounded by a bunch of vapid bitches.
A deep voice answered Rebecca, "I'm right here."
She gasped, her baby blue eyes widening before she hid her vindictiveness by trying to look innocent. She turned to face him, thrusting her tits in his face. "Oh, Arturo, I was just keeping our Katima company." She threw in her high-pitched giggle, jiggling herself to make the effect more enticing.
Arturo didn't even glance down. He just looked over her head at me. I was being pressed against the shelves, my basket clutched in my hand for dear life. Arturo glared down at Rebecca before sidestepping her.
She nervously giggled. "Well, we were just going, weren't we, girls?" The two bimbos were enamored with Arturo, both nodding their heads at the same time while their eyes devoured his body. I wanted to tell them to back off, that he was mine. But he wasn't mine. I had no claim to him. He was just my bodyguard, someone paid by my dad to look after me. A glorified babysitter, because I was such a waste of space I couldn't be trusted to look after myself.
Arturo's eyes softened. "Katima, you ready to go?"
I nodded my head, and he held his hand out for the basket I was carrying. Where did his basket go? He'd had it before, when we split up, but now he was empty handed. I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself by trying to overcome my nerves and ask him. We went through the checkout quickly and painlessly. I didn't see Rebecca or her entourage. For that, I was thankful. I was also angry with myself. I wasn't in high school anymore, and I should have been able to stand up for myself like an adult. I'd had enough. Rebecca needed to be fired, and I was going to go through my dad and do it. No more moving her around. She needed to be away from the company.
We headed back to the house, and Arturo waved me away when I tried to grab the grocery bags. I needed to call my dad anyway. I went to my room and called him, but unlike all the other times, he didn't answer. Instead of leaving a voicemail, I sent him a quick email, laying out all the reasons why Rebecca needed to be fired. I didn't doubt that he'd fire her; I just didn't want him to think I was being vindictive or anything like that. I had given Rebecca so many chances to just be nice. I stayed out of her way. I tried not to tell my dad all the bad things she got up to, but she just wouldn't quit. I didn't need her negativity in my life; that was for sure.
After the failed attempt at contacting my father, I headed back downstairs to help put away the food. I was trying to ignore the urge to go through my routine. It wasn't healthy for me, and I needed to break away from the bad habits I had in my life anyway. Arturo had all the food put away, except for the meat. Before I could ask, he handed me a spray bottle of cleaning solution.
He grunted, "The counters need to be cleaned off." Then he just walked out of the room. I stared at the spray bottle, trying to figure out what his intentions were. Why would he give me a chance to clean after what happened the last time?
His voice boomed from the living room, "Baby steps." And that was that. I cleaned the counters like nothing weird was going on, but my body was wired. Not even my father tried to figure out how to help me deal with my issues. He threw money at the problem. I probably should have resented him, but I didn't. I couldn't. He had tried his best. I think if my mom were alive, he would work less and try just a little harder. Maybe that was what I needed to do as well, try a little harder.
* * *
