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Your husband has been gone for a while now.
This was normal. He’d disappear for a few days or weeks before returning home when you least expected to check in on you. He never told you where he went or what he did. You asked him once what he did and he replied that his job was to travel around the country. That was it.
At first you went with it and never gave it much thought. Nowadays you suspected he might be in some type of shady business that he preferred not to go into. So you simply left it at that. You didn’t like it when he got upset, as he would become much more quiet and ignore you for a while.
Risotto had always been rather private about himself, even after being with him for years now. It’s just something you came to accept about him.
Before you could ponder any further, you felt a sharp tug on your skirt. You looked down from the kitchen sink you were washing dishes in to see your daughter, about to turn five next month, looking up at you with her large bright eyes. Nothing at all like her father’s. Though she didn’t have your eye colors either.
Wiping your wet hands on your apron, you smiled down at her before noticing her runny nose.
“Mama…….my head hurts.” Maria spoke in between a few sniffles.
Placing a hand on her forehead, her high temperature confirmed your suspicions of her catching a cold. You regret letting her run around in the rain yesterday.
“Wait right here, amore.” You instructed her as you walked over to the upper medicine cabinet.
After rummaging around the cabinet, you managed to find what little remains of the cough syrup.
Damn
Looks like you had to go buy new medicine. You looked back at the window. You still had time before sunset to head to town and buy some. You didn’t like being out at dark considering how creepy it could get out here in the woods.
After giving Maria what little of the cough syrup remained, you headed out to town with her and your bag in tow.
—
“I spy something…………..blue!”
Maria sat in your arms as she looked around before pointing at a blue bird perched on a tree not too far away.
“Good job!”
As you walked down the dirt path steadily leading down the hills, you hoped your little game of eye-spy would distract your child from her headache and growing sore throat.
“White!” Your daughter shouted while pointing at the sky.
You looked up at the thinning clouds in the warm sky.
“That’s right! I spy something……yellow!”
Maria’s curious eyes looked around before landing on the yellowing leaves of a few trees up ahead. She pointed at them.
“What do we call that?” You asked her. She thought hard for a few moments, trying to remember her new vocabularies.
“Tree!”
“You got it!” You cheered her on as you hugged her closer.
Looking around to find what other object to call on, you realized there wasn’t really much in these woods.
“How about……..I spy……”
“Papa!”
Your daughter’s excited shout suddenly interrupted as she pointed at something behind you. You quickly turned around, expecting to see Risotto, yet nothing was there. All that greeted you were the miles of green trees and dirt road you had walked past.
You turned your gaze back to your daughter, who was still pointing ahead.
Lately your daughter started calling anything red colored “papa” due to his red eyes. You’ve been trying to correct her on it but no luck.
She was probably pointing at a red bug or apple.
“What’s red, Maria? Is it a bug?”
Maria insistently shook her head no and continued to point in the direction where she saw the red.
“Papa!”
You followed her finger to a specific tree by the dirt path. Of course there was nothing there. Slowly becoming unnerved, you readjusted your hold on your daughter and began walking a bit faster.
All the while, Maria continued giggling and waving at something from behind.
—
The sea port town was a fairly small yet friendly area populated by mostly fishermen and elders. They looked forward to seeing you and Maria whenever you visited. Being the only little one, they loved to dot on her and give her treats.
They’ve only seen your husband a few times since he never came here much and was often away for his job. They probably assumed you were in a messy relationship with him and took pity on you, wanting to help out in any way they could be giving you extra food and little treats and old toys for your daughter.
You enjoyed their company, mostly considering they were the only other source of human contact you had on most days since you lived so far away from other people.
Standing at the wooden counter of the local medicine shop, you made small talk with the elderly shop owner’s wife, Signor Gallo, as her husband looked for the right medicine in the back.
“Your daughter is getting so big!”
You looked down at Maria who shyly stood behind your leg.
“What do we say, Maria?”
“Thank you.” She quietly spoke.
“You look very well too, Signora Gallo.” You complimented her out of politeness.
“Oh you don’t have to be so polite. I don’t even have my makeup on.”
“Woman, you’re gonna bore the poor girl to death with your gossip.” Her husband teased her as he returned with the medicine.
“Well at least she’s a better listener than you are!” She replied with a shove.
They were a cute old couple. You wonder if you and Risotto would be like them when you two grew older.
It was getting late, so you had to cut your conversation short. You noticed Maria was silently staring at a dark alleyway. It was so dark, you couldn’t make out what was in there. You told her it was time to go and that seemed to snap her out of it, tugging you along after her while sniffling.
—
Dinner that night was pastina, Maria’s favorite.
She seemed to be in a better mood after taking her medicine. Her symptoms had gone down a bit but were still present, so you made sure she went to bed early.
As you were about to take her clothes to the washing machine, you noticed a piece of hard candy fall out of her pocket. You picked it up and observed it. Strawberry flavored.
“Papa’s candy.”
You heard your daughter sleepily whisper from her bed. You smiled and leaned by her beside.
“Oh? Are you saving this candy for papa?”
“Mmhmm” she gave a tired nod. Her eyes struggled to stay open.
“Then I’ll put this somewhere safe for when he comes home.”
Maria gave a small nod before falling asleep. You placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before placing a cool towel over it and leaving her room.
—
Your husband came home later that night while you were in bed.
He made his presence known as you felt a heavy arm wrap around you from behind. You didn’t even hear or feel the mattress shift under his weight. That’s how silent he could be.
He brought you closer to him and tucked his chin between your shoulders. His large frame spooned your smaller body. You smelled a lingering metallic scent off him.
“Maria has a cold.” He finally spoke. His low voice made you shiver.
“I know. I bought new medicine.”
He hummed, sighing as he smelled your hair. You leaned further into his embrace. You both laid in silence like this for a while.
“How long will you be staying this time?”
“………..It depends on my boss. He’s becoming more demanding lately. But I’ll try to come by more often.”
His hand slowly trails down to your stomach. You don’t stop him.
“There’s still some dinner you can heat up.”
“Not hungry.”
You hummed as his fingers slid under your shirt. His fingers trace over a few lingering stretch marks from when you were pregnant.
Your eyes remained closed yet not yet ready to fall asleep, simply taking in the silent darkness. You slowly brushed your thumb against his hand as it held onto yours.
“Does he treat you well? Your boss I mean. I know he always has you travel a lot but does he at least—”
“No”
The sudden sharpness in Risotto’s tone caught you off guard. His hand had seized movement. You must have hit a nerve. Before you could apologize for bringing up the topic, you heard him let out a tired sigh.
“I’m sorry. I’m just tired.” He whispered to you, his hand resuming its caress over your stomach.
“It’s fine.”
“Tomorrow I’ll make breakfast for you and Maria.”
“Sounds nice.”
Risotto started placing gentle kisses on your neck as his hand traveled further down.
“Ti amo, tesoro.” He huffed in your ear.
You simply basked in his warmth as you felt his hand finally slip beneath your panties and travel further down.