Chapter forty-seven
CAMILA
Michael's words had been precise and accurate, and I hoped with all my heart that they would be published in full and that they would serve to mobilize public opinion in his favor.
Soon my mother-in-law – now I could really call her that – left us alone.
I called my grandmother to tell her that we had arrived and that I would be spending the night with Michael.
She said that she had seen our testimonies on television and that she had been very moved by it.
I hoped that this had happened to more people.
Michael was really not feeling well, so I insisted that he lie down.
He had given the house staff the day off — since we were supposed to still be on our trip.
So, I went to the kitchen to prepare something for him to eat.
I figured he had as little appetite as I did, so I decided to put together a tray with some snacks.
He needed to eat something — and, honestly, so did I.
I was distracted by this when a howl behind me made me jump. I turned to find Apollo standing in the kitchen doorway. Michael's mother had dropped him off before coming to pick us up.
“My God, Apollo, you made me jump!” I commented, putting my hand to my chest.
I knew that huskies had a habit of howling. Some even screamed when they howled, in a very funny way.
Yes, maybe I had done some research on the breed when I found out that Michael had one and that we would inevitably meet at some point.
He entered the kitchen, coming towards me. And he howled again, but this time in a shorter and more repetitive way, which gave the impression that he was trying to say something.
Instinctively, I took a step back, but he insisted, rubbing his head against my leg. I think it was a sign of peace.
Although I was trembling and still suspicious, I put my hand on his head, stroking his fur.
“Are you worried about Michael?” I asked. “Yeah, I am too. The hearing is only a few weeks away, so we’re going to need to be very supportive of him until then.”
He lifted his head, looking me in the eyes, and I realized that this was the first time in my life that I had ever talked to a dog. Well, I always talked to Waffle, so in the end, I didn't find it that worrying.
“I think we can be friends, don't you? Besides, if I'm a cat's human mother, I can be a house wolf's mother too.”
He tilted his head to the side, as if he understood what I had said.
I smiled. He was a good boy...
“Come on, now let's take a snack to your human upstairs. Come on, follow me. Oh, but make sure you don't bite my ass, okay?”
I picked up the tray that was already ready and lead the way, leaving the kitchen and going up the stairs. Apollo came right behind me, and I confess that from time to time I looked back, just to make sure that I wasn't going to get bitten.
When I entered the room, I thought I would find Michael lying down, but he was sitting at a table, with a laptop open in front of him.
I left the tray on the bed and approached, noticing that he was watching the news about Alice's kidnapping and all the repercussions of the case. I sighed and leaned over his back, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and kissing his cheek.
“Love, you shouldn't be seeing these things.”
He returned the kiss, soon returning his focus to the screen.
“You should read the comments on these news stories. They're saying horrible things about me.”
“Don't you know the number one rule for maintaining mental health on the internet? Never read the comments. Especially if they're about a news story about you.”
“The case has already become public, Cami. And, unfortunately, public opinion always has its weight in situations like this.”
“You shouldn't. These are people who don't know you, who don't know anything about you.”
“Nobody cares about that, Cami. I'm afraid that everything is now lost.”
“It isn’t. Listen, my grandmother told me that she saw your press conference and that she was very moved. Just wait until all the media outlets broadcast it and you’ll see how many other people will have been moved. There was a lot of truth and feeling in what you said.”
“Speaking of which, —” He swiveled his chair around and pulled me so I was sitting on his lap. “— Thank you so much for today. For everything so far, in fact, but specifically for what you said to the reporters. I liked the way you said our wedding was rushed because our love was too.”
Only then did I realize that we hadn't even said 'I love you' to each other, and how completely irrelevant that was. Because I already felt his love for me, and I knew he felt mine for him too.
“I told the truth, didn't I?”
“The most wholesome truth. You are incredible, Camila.”
“I was thinking... Not that it makes any difference, but... I wanted to tell you, in no uncertain terms, that I love you. I think you already kind of suspect that, but I hadn't said it yet.”
He ran his thumb lightly over my face and took my lips with his. After a slow, lingering kiss, he replied, “I love you too. But I've said that before, although you probably don't remember.”
I raised an eyebrow, not really remembering such a fact. He smiled teasingly and sang the infamous final verse of Endless Love :
“... 'Cause no one can deny... This love I have inside... And I'll give it all to you ... My love ...”
Holding back laughter, I sang the next verse, “ My love , my love ...”
And we concluded together, again in a bizarrely out-of-tune way, “ My endless love ...”
I started laughing and he joined me. Then I hugged him, burying my head in his shoulder. And we stayed like that, in silence, for a long time.
I knew he couldn't stop thinking about that whole situation with Alice.
And, well... neither could I.
*****