Page 61 of Come Back to Bed
15
Matt
FROM: DOLLY KEMP
TO: MATT MCGOVERN (personal)
Ciao from Roma! My spy tells me you have taken a lover. This is excellent news, and needless to say, I do approve.
Hope you enjoyed the dinner party,wink(I know you disapprove of emojis).
Have fun. If you do anything stupid, like hurt her, you will feel my wrath and the tip of my pointy shoe from across the Atlantic. So be smart and watch your ass.
I wish I could travel Europe forever, believe me, but Marty is beginning to miss his home in Miami. We haven’t bought a return flight yet. In fact—as you may know—we will be meeting up with your parents when they visit this fair continent. Thank you for checking in again, but please feel free to stay in my apartment until I let you know that you must leave it.
And no, I will not accept any rent from you. Save it for a downpayment, or some treats for Daisy.
xx Your favorite aunt (who’s infinitely cooler than your mom)
p.s. I am aware that our dear neighbor has certain arrangements with certain men, and I’m sure she has convinced you that it’s all she wants with you. She is a very capable, independent woman, but she is not like the towering ice queens you usually go for. She will either bend or break. Don’t let her break.
p.p.s. FYI I care very much about your feelings too, and no, I have not been in communication with her about you. Also, in case it wasn’t clear—when I said she could bend or break, I wasn’t talking about sex positions…I may be a little bit drunk right now.
Two weeks have passed since I sprained my ankle, and I’ve been walking without crutches for a week. It’s healing nicely and I just have a bit of a limp. For a few days, Bernadette insisted that I use the wooden cane that she bought in Chinatown. I did. But only around the neighborhood, and only because she did a ridiculous little Charlie Chaplin walk when she presented it to me. Also, because I would do pretty much anything for her at this point, although she has no idea.
It was really starting to feel like we live together, especially since she kept coming over for Daisy. But then once I was able to take Daisy for walks, she suddenly got really busy again. It could be work, or she could be pulling away from me. I’ve been busy catching up with work too, so it’s not like I’m going to confront her about it. Regardless of what my aunt wrote, I’m not sure which of us is more likely to break.
I take a long way home from doggy daycare Wednesday evening, because it’s really nice out after a week of shitty weather. Daisy and I are getting back into the swing of things. She looks back at me and snorts. I know what she’s thinking: “You’re just trying to avoid seeing Bernadette because you want to tell her something that you think she doesn’t want to hear. I know Chihuahuas with bigger balls than you.”
Women.
Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live next door to them.
“Actually, I made plans to meet up with the guys tonight,” I tell her. “I’m just making sure you get everything out of your system now. So there.”
When we get to the foyer, Daisy gets really excited and I realize it’s because she sees Bernadette. Bernadette is sitting on the floor in front of the mailboxes, inhaling a candle. She’s wearing sweats and her hair is up in a ponytail and there’s an open package between her splayed legs. She looks like she’s stoned.
“Hello.”
“I got a care package,” she says, grinning. Her eyes are droopy and her voice is low. “Hello, crazy Daisy!”
“From your parents?”
She reaches into the box and holds up a piece of soap. “Smell this. My mom made it.”
It does smell good. It smells like Bernadette. “Did she make this stuff?”
“Yes. Everything’s from the farm.” She shows me a couple of jars of jam and pickled things, tiny bouquets of dried herbs, and little watercolor paintings on thick paper. She hugs the paintings to her chest. “I love my mom and dad.”
“Are you okay? Can I help you up?”
She nods her head and puts everything back in the box, then manages to stand up on her own. “Carry the box up for me,” she orders.
I pick up the box. “Seriously. What’s wrong with you?”
She sighs. “Nothing! I don’t get sick. Sebastian sent me home in a cab because I was having chills and body ache things. I took a Theraflu and I’m gonna sleep all night and be fine tomorrow. I just need to sleep. Should I take Daisy for a walk?” She wanders in a zigzag, vaguely in the direction of the stairs.
“What? I just walked her home and no you can’t leave this building. Get up to your apartment.”
