“Here you are. You okay?”
She leaned back against his bare chest. “I’m fine, but I woke up and the hamsters in my head won’t quiet down so I came out here. The city looks beautiful at night, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, assuming you can forget there are dozens and dozens of burglaries, assaults, domestic violence incidents, drive-by shootings and who knows how many murders going on.”
“You’re killing the romance, Alessandro.”
“And you and your hamsters aren’t out here doing the same?”
“I wasn’t thinking about murder and domestic violence, no.”
“But if I know you — and I do — you’re running those hamsters around trying to figure out something like what happens when we’re old enough for Social Security — if there still is Social Security — and have to live on our pensions and support our aged mothers while we finish sending the last kid to graduate school.”
“I’m not sure I love it or hate it that you know me that well.”
“I love it that I do. Does that count?”
She turned and faced him, putting her hands on his chest. “I know I love … I’ve loved being with you this week.”
He held her close. “Me, too. And, Margo, I don’t know any more than you do what this means for next week or thirty years from now. I do know we can’t figure it out tonight. I’m willing to take a chance we can in time. Are you?”
“I’ve never been very good at being here and now, Tony, or taking those kinds of risks. But for you, I’ll try.”
He kissed her gently. “Maybe there’s a way I can get you here and now for a while, anyway. Want me to give it a try?”
Chapter 9
After breakfast on Saturday morning, Tony left for work saying he’d be back in a couple hours but would call to check in. Margo, the designated cook for that night, was about to leave for the Reading Terminal Market when the apartment phone rang. She answered on the second ring. “Hey, you. Miss me?”
There was silence from the other end.
“Hello?” she said.
A woman’s voice said, “I’m sorry. I must have gotten the wrong number. I’m trying to reach Tony Alessandro.” The caller sounded familiar, but Margo couldn’t quite place her.
“You have the right number but he’s not here at the moment. Can I take a message?”
“Just tell him his sister Catherine called.”
“Oh, Catherine, hi. It’s Margo Keyes.”
“Margo? What are you … ? Never mind, none of my business. I’ll call him on his cell. I assume he has it with him.”
“I’m sure he does, it’s not on his dresser. He’s at work.”
“I’ll call him there.” Catherine paused for a moment. “Will I get a chance to see you before you go back to the West Coast?”
“Probably not. I leave tomorrow. Maybe when I come back to see Mom in the fall?”