Chapter 5 #2
Her husband. Fucking dick, hitting a woman I could bench press with ease.
And then for her to fear he’d smack the baby?
I already hated the fucker. I’d been raised by a man who believed in spare the rod, spoil the child.
I’d seen what constant berating and intimidation could do as my mother cowered before my father’s constant rages.
He was a waste collector who came home daily and sat in his armchair, expecting to be served beers and even his dinner, complaining nonstop, never having a kind word or even praise no matter how well I did.
Decent grades. A star player on sports teams. Never good enough.
The moment I graduated and turned eighteen, I escaped that life.
I enlisted in the army and never looked back.
When my father died, my mother tried reaching out, her letter short and lacking apology for the abuse she allowed to happen.
I called her and had the most awkward conversation of my life.
I understood it would have been hard for her to leave.
Hard for her to stand up. But she’d not once even protested.
She’d taken the beatings. Watched as I received the same.
Never once consoled me when I sobbed as a youngster.
Nothing. I found it hard to forgive especially when she told me she missed the asshole who used to hurt us both. We lost contact after that.
The woman inside the chalet, though, she’d found the courage to do what was right.
Eventually.
While she’d not said so, I got the impression she’d suffered through several beatings but when she saw the asshole turning to her child, she escaped. For that alone she deserved my respect.
By the time I’d stacked a waist-high pile of wood by the door, the snow reached past my ankles and kept coming. Of more concern, the lights inside flickered. Good thing I’d bought those candles.
I entered to the smell of something savory steaming on the stove.
Nicky held a wooden spoon in hand as she said, “Thought I’d make some stew to warm your belly.”
“You didn’t have to cook.”
“I wanted to. Call it my small way of repaying you for your kindness. We’d have likely frozen to death out there if you’d not come along,” she admitted.
They would have. “If the lights go out, we can use candles, but we should be careful where we put them.”
“I won’t leave anything in Zaza’s reach.”
“We gotta watch for Percy too,” I added. “Little bugger can climb.”
“Does your lizard travel with you everywhere you go?” she asked.
A snort escaped me. “Percy and I only recently met. The bugger joined me in the hot tub only last night and then, once it realized I had food, decided to stick around.”
“It eats people food?” Her brow scrunched.
“Sure does. For a lizard its size, it can pack away a crazy amount.”
“Do you make it a habit of rescuing those in need?”
“Fuck no,” I exclaimed, only to clamp my lips shut and glance at the toddler playing with some blocks, still being watched by Percy. “Sorry. Guess I’ll have to mind my language with the little one around.”
Nicky shook her head. “I would never ask you to change who you are because of me and Zaza. I doubt hearing a few cuss words will cause any harm. Besides, she doesn’t talk much.”
A few cuss words? I almost snorted. Fuck was my favorite verb, noun, and adjective. “Yeah, well, I can still try. I’d hate for her to leave here cursing like a leatherneck.”
“You’re American?” It seemed Nicky wanted to talk. Ugh.
“Yeah. And you’re…”
“Italian. Born and raised in Sicily.”
“Your English is good.”
“I took it as a second language in school and spent my summers working in tourist areas. Do you speak another tongue?”
“Not really, although because of my deployments around the world I know a few colorful terms in several dialects.”
She went still. “You are in the military?”
“Was.” And that was all I would say on it. While I’d excelled in my career, it left its scars both physically and mentally.
“You retired?”
“Had to. Got injured.” I tapped my bum leg proud I didn’t wince. I really either needed to medicate or hit the tub.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah, well, that experience helped me get into a second line of work.” I didn’t elucidate any further.
“Lucky. I never finished college,” she admitted softly.
“What were you studying?”
“Primary education. I wanted to be a teacher.”
“Maybe you can go back.”
“I doubt I can make that happen. With my lack of skills, my earning potential will be meager, and besides, I need to care for Zaza.”
A true asshole would have said something like “guess you should have thought about that before having a kid.” But again, I wasn’t the type to beat on someone because they’d taken a wrong turn in life. At least she didn’t seem selfish and was putting her kid above her own interests.
“Never too late to find a new career.” Look at me. From sniper scout deploying around the world on missions, to author whose most treacherous part of the day was navigating steps after a bender.
She turned from me and asked, “What are you doing now?”
Were we still small-talking?
“Freelance work.” Not entirely untrue. My books weren’t guaranteed income. Each required a new contract and advance.
“Mamma!” The baby clapped her hands and we both glanced to see an impressive tower of blocks.
“Zaza that’s magnificent,” Nicky congratulated before crooning to her child in Italian.
Percy shook its head, one block clutched in its claws. Wait, had the lizard stacked them? No way. That took fine-tuned motor skills, and why would a reptile build anyhow?
“I’m going to give Zaza a bath before the electricity goes out and there’s no hot water,” Nicky advised, scooping up the child.
“Good plan. I’ll watch the soup.”
“No need. It’s on a low simmer.” Her bright smile just about knocked me off my feet. She headed for the bathroom.
Percy pointed at its mouth and then belly. I grabbed a box of biscuits and shook them. “Come with me if you want a snack.” While Percy appeared behaved thus far with the child, I probably shouldn’t push it.
With a pair of candles in hand just in case, I headed upstairs and placed the open box on the floor for Percy before I plopped in front of my computer.
I began to write to the crunching sounds of my lizard munching.
Seemed my hero Brett hadn’t just acquired a pet, but also come across a damsel in distress.
My fingers flew as I sank into the story, and it wasn’t until the power flaked that I realized I’d been writing away for over two hours.
Damn. Nice streak. I saved the file, made a copy then stood and stretched, the glow of my laptop screen illuminating the dark.
Better preserve that battery. I lit a candle and slapped my laptop lid shut.
With the wax taper held out in front of me, I exited the room I used for an office and looked for Percy. I found the lizard nestled on my bed. “Should we go see if it’s supper time?” I asked.
My lazy lizard stretched, legs, tail, back arched, and finished with an unhinged jaw yawn.
“You walking, or want a ride?” I asked, crouching and extending an arm in Percy’s direction.
The lizard scampered to my shoulder for the ride downstairs where I found Nicky lighting candles and placing them out of the baby’s reach. Zaza followed her mom with a thumb in her mouth until she saw me. Or should I say, Percy.
“Dinosauro!” she squealed, lifting her arms while opening and shutting her hands.
Percy didn’t wait for me to put it down but climbed me like a squirrel until it hit the floor. To my surprise, the lizard grabbed a rubber ball from a small stash of toys and rolled it to the baby who giggled and chased it.
Was Percy playing fetch with the child? Wild.
“Did you have a good rest?” Nicky asked.
“Was working actually, and yes, it went well. Soup smells great,” I stated.
“Thank you. It’s ready and the bread should be just about done.”
Fresh bread? I’d not smelled it over the savory stew. Luckily, the stove ran on propane. We’d be able to cook until it ran out. Which could be soon, seeing as how I’d been due for a refill next week.
“You can bake.” Stated not asked.
She nodded. “My Nonna taught me. You’re in for a treat when I make her special pasta carbonara.”
I almost blurted out I couldn’t wait. A homecooked meal? It had been so long since I’d tasted one. I’d best enjoy it while I could. Once the storm cleared, Nicky would be leaving to start her new life and we’d never see each other again.
It bummed me more than it should have, which made no sense. We’d just met.
“Sounds good. I’ve got all kinds of packaged noodles in the cupboard.”
Her nose wrinkled. “That’s not pasta.”
The disdain brought an unexpected, rusty chuckle. “Spoken like a true Italian.”
“You will taste the difference when I make it,” she promised. A timer dinged and her smile once more blew me away. “The bread is done. Are you ready to eat?”
“Heck yeah.” Look at me, using a more PC version of Hell.
She slid on some oven mitts and pulled out a fat, crusty loaf of bread that had my mouth watering and Percy staring at her with wide eyes.
I retrieved some bowls and spoons for the stew as well as a cutting board for the bread. While she ladled, I sliced the loaf into thick, steaming hunks. Percy chirped and I crouched to hand over the crusty heel.
The lizard grabbed it and made a sound of appreciation at the first bite.
Lucky fucker. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth in.
“Is Percy having soup too?” she asked when the lizard finished the bread and took to giving big eyes to Nicky next.
“Yeah, if there’s enough. Bugger seems to eat anything we do.”