Page 126 of The Leaves In Autumn
“The master is on the top floor.”
“The entire floor.”
“Yep. It’s our nest. We could live there if we had to. There’s a small kitchen attached.”
The soft sound of the descending elevator reaches our ears. The door slides open and Barbra steps out.
“He’s half asleep already. Layla is taking a shower.”
“So, what do you think? Did we do good?”
“It’s spectacular. I can’t stop looking,” Mom says, walking toward the clean lines of the black edged French doors.
“Why don’t you all go out on the terrace? Aargon and I will bring the champagne for a toast. You are our first guests, and that needs to be celebrated.”
Dad goes first.
“Good. I’ll be stretched out on that chaise I see.”
Barbra leads the way into the kitchen.
“I’m glad you anticipated this. They aren’t going to last much beyond dinner.”
“I know. Maybe we should give them the option of having the big meal tomorrow night. We could make something lighter tonight. I don’t care.”
I take her in my arms and kiss her head.
“That’s one of the reasons I like you. You are the least rigid woman I know.”
“What’s a better reason?”
“You fuck like a lioness.”
“Is that a compliment? I’m not too familiar with their mating habits.”
“I made it up. But in my mind, they are wild and uninhibited.”
I slap her on the ass and pick up the tray of glasses. She grabs the bottle and we head out, still chuckling at ourselves.
“What took you so long?” Dad says, Uggs off and discarded on the tiled floor.
Mom stands at the edge of the terrace, looking over the valley view. Rolling hills, verdant with changing colors, stand watch over the occasional house or farm. The warm breeze lifts her hair.
“That park. What a great view you have of it.”
“It’s on the southern edge of the city. We go there all the time.”
“Is that a church next to it?”
“A basilica.”
“It all looks as it must have centuries ago.”
“And what it will be like in the future,” Barbra says.
“What’s that small ruin on the hill? See it there?”
“That’s the Etruscan Arch, an old entrance to the city.”
