Chapter 5-Weight #2
Again, he was smiling at how astute she was and how clever, yet he needed to understand what she'd put together just in case those in the cheap seats didn't understand the developments.
“War, Alita?”
“You had Tim purchase me clothing and dresses to arrive at those events as your plus one,” Alita said.
“Your grandmother may skin us both alive to have me seated in the main hall at the table with you versus eating in the kitchen with the other servants. However, your declaration of war is an act of shame for me.”
His forehead furrowed. “How is this an act of shame and not a badge of honor?”
“To sit at your side, as a plus one would indicate intimacy between us that has not occurred,” she told him.
“My status as simply your guard will change to your new paramour, especially since you haven't had one in several months.
Don't think your family hasn't noticed. They think I am now your lover.”
“I have made it clear to my father you are not, and your maidenhood is intact,” Micah said, feeling offended at her words.
“And what will you say to your grandmother, those Czars, and even your parents when I come down the stairs on your arm, out of uniform in a full-length ball gown?” she wanted to know.
“I will tell them to be sure to compliment what a lovely woman you have grown into,” Micah said.
“We aren't kids anymore. You gave your entire teen years to protect me and be my friend since I have none. I am giving back to you as repayment for the times you haven’t been able to shine to do things with your friends. You are my friend. I value you and you deserve to look pretty and wear nice shoes and fancy dresses.”
“Thank you, Boss,” she said, looking down at the boots.
“Alita, if I am declaring war as you stated, are you going to battle with me?”
The tears were threatening to overtake the years of training to show no emotions. She would take down a lion if it came at Micah Delgado, but she wasn't sure she was ready to take on the daughters of jealous Czars who would want the title of being his wife.
“I have nowhere else to be right now, Boss,” she said softly, praying the tears wouldn't fall.
“Good. I am thinking of going to college in Colombia,” he said as if nothing else, he'd previously said wasn't tearing her emotional valley into a decimated forest after a tornado.
“Having to write research papers in my third language would be taxing. If we attend college in Colombia, it will be in my own languages, even though I may not get the exposure from Ivy League schools in the States. The whole England thing was also too much, plus the weather is terrible, and the food is horrible. What is Spotted Dick anyway? What grown man walks into a pub and says, ‘I will have the Spotted Dick, please.’”
Alita smiled at him. “You can always work with The Lemon who said she did a great deal of work with that kid Dexter's mentor, what his name...Merge, or something?”
“Yes, he has a doctorate in chemistry like The Lemon,” he said. “Did you know he orders venoms from us? Small world. I may wish to visit his farm and see his set up. I do not know where this Ar-kansas is.”
“It is to the right of Oklahoma, which is above Texas,” she said. He seemed satisfied with the answer. “Boss, what is next, if I might ask? You haven't laid out your schedule for the month.”
“Too overwhelmed,” he said. “The wedding is this weekend in Brazil. Next weekend is Andres's betrothal, I need to accept one of the college offers, and if we choose Colombia, we need to find an apartment.”
“An apartment, like live together in a flat?”
“Yes, do you wish to stay on campus and eat the food cooked by fat women with flappy arm meat? Why do you think we went to visit Tim the Johnson? We aren't kids anymore.”
“What if I don't get into the same school as you or want to take the classes you are taking,” she said softly.
He frowned. “You say that as if I am incapable of defending myself Alita. I am the fucking Bushmaster! I will be okay if you take an hour-long class away from me,” he said, scowling at her.
“What if I wanted to go on a date with a cute guy in my poetry class?” she asked, intentionally poking the lion.
“Depends on if I feeling like killing a mutherfucker or not, my dear, so don't test me so soon,” Micah said, noticing the lights come on in the cabin.
“Oh, we are preparing for landing. It will be good to be home in my bed with cottony soft sheets. Did you know Tim the Johnson offered me the use of his silk sheets? It was nearly an hour before the willies stopped crawling on my skin.”
“Were the sheets new in the pack?”
“No, they were his sheets for his sexy times with other men,” Micah said, rubbing the hairs on his chin.
Alita couldn't help it; she burst into laughter.
Micah burst into laughter as well, physically pretending to wipe away the images dancing in his mind.
These were the moments they shared together no one ever saw as well as a side of Micah Delgado few people knew.
In his moment of levity, she saw in him a man would be a great father.
At some point, she would raise the question of whether he wanted to have children of his own.