Chapter 32
While getting dressed the next morning, my eyes remained plastered on the marks all over my chest, some redder than
others.
Gabriel had, in every sense, marked me.
And I didn’t mind that. Not one bit. Even though they hurt and the material of the satin shirt I had chosen to wear itched them. Thankfully, Gabriel hadn’t left any marks over my neck or the visible part of my chest.
That day, we left the hotel to ride the gondola. The sun was well hidden behind an intense cloud cover and the colour of the sky was a pastel blue interspersed with different shades of yellow even though it was noon.
My husband sat on the opposite end of the gondola, talking to the middle aged man rowing it which surprised me, because Gabriel wasn’t one to talk at all. Not even to people who knew him, and much less to strangers. But they talked in hushed voices as if to intentionally keep it out of my hearing range- which didn’t make much sense since they were already talking in a language I didn’t understand, and that would’ve offended me if I wasn’t so fascinated by the bridges we passed under, the flowers growing on the edges, the buildings to the side with windows through which we could peak inside, different people loving different lives- and old couple watching television, kids playing what seemed like hide and seek, young people bickering, a group of friends drinking and chattering, and even two people in the midst of a steamy k*ss.
“You like it, Freckles?” Gabriel cut into my little reverie and I realised the conversation he was holding was over. The man had gone back to rowing his boat while Gabriel stared at me.
“I love it,” I reply, “What were the two of you talking about?”
“You’re jealous now if I talk to old men too?”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Couldn’t you hear it?”
I scowled. “I don’t talk whatever language the two of you were talking in.”
Gabriel smiled, amused. “It was Bulgarian,”
“You’re lying.”
“Why would I?”
“You speak Bulgarian?”
“I speak five languages, Freckles.”
My lips parted. “Really?”
“I don’t lie.”
“What were you talking about?”
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Chapter 32
“You.”
“Me?”
“Hm.” He nodded.
“What about me?”
“He said you were vurba.”
I frowned. “That doesn’t sound very nice.”
“It is.” He pauses, and then adds, “I think.”
“What does it mean?”
“That’s for me and him to know.”
My frown deepens as we pass under yet another bridge. “If this is our honeymoon, you aren’t doing too great a job at making your wife happy.”
“I don’t remember you saying that last night.” Gabriel inches closer to my
side.
“He’s listening.” I tell Gabriel with wide eyes, eyes flickering to the driver of the boat.
“So?” Gabriel was nonchalant. “I take you home and fuck you. You scream my name. You’re my wife. Everyone can know
that.”
With every passing word, my eyes widened as my cheeks flustered. “Gabriel!”
were
He just rolled his eyes. “He doesn’t understand English. Why do you think we were talking in Bulgarian?*
I breathed in relief.
Gabriel’s eyes shone. “Maybe I didn’t do a good job last night if you’re walking just fine today.”
“I’m walking with great difficulty.” I glare at him, remembering how I had to ditch my heels for shoes today. “I’m still sore.”
“I’ll run you a warm bath before I fuck you then.” The same naughtiness glinted in his eyes as earlier.
“And what if I don’t want to be fucked?”
“Then, I take my permission from something that willingly gives it.” His eyes flicker downwards, and I shut my thighs further under my skirt as an arousal pulses through them. “I took it easy on you last night, Freckles, because it was your first time with me,” he adds, “I won’t be that easy again.”
I gulp. “That- That was easy?”
Led like he was shout to mall his eves.
“I like in
inflicting pain.”
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I had no idea how I found the voice in me to reply. “And- And what if I don’t?”
“Why don’t you decide it after we try it?”
“And when will we try it?”
“Not now.” He says, and I release a breath I didn’t realise I was holding. “When you’re ready.”
In the evening, we walked on one of the narrow bridges, one I couldn’t imagine any vehicle would drive on, because it was that narrow. I assumed it was only made for pedestrians to cross from one side that was more bustling with the city life to the other over the water, where a farmer’s market was happening at the moment.
I and Gabriel walked side by side like the first day I had watched couples walk, except we weren’t holding hands.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to either. Gabriel wouldn’t be him if he suddenly turned all mushy one day and allowed me to cling to him. I knew he gave me more liberty already than he did a lot of people, and let his guard down more often too, which was enough.
“When I first visited this place, I was just twelve,” He told me, his voice a little hoarse and his eyes staring ahead but dreaming of something else. “I’d seen a family sitting at one of these open cafés and I think the woman just told her husband she was pregnant again, and their toddler was jumping around about how he was going to be an elder brother while the man had tears in his eyes. My parents gushed about their family, feeling all happy. While I didn’t.”
My eyebrows knit, wondering where he was going with this story. “Why not?”
“I pitied them.”
“Huh?”
He looked at me. “It was so mundane, you know? So… basic. Get married at 20. Pregnant at 23. Another time at 26. Work a bank job all your life and retire at 60. It just… wasn’t made for me. Fall in love, propose on one knee, happy tears when you produce an offspring, saving for retirement all your life and then retiring waiting for death.”
I feel my heart sink for an unknown reason. “You realised all this at twelve?”
“At twelve.” He nods.
I nod back silently without looking at him. “I dreamt of this,” I added in a soft whisper, “I lost my parents too young and since then, I’ve craved for a love like they had. The fairytales kind.”
“Even if it’s boring?”
“Especially if it’s boring.” The ghost of a smile lingered on my lips. “I want the two storey house with a wrap around porch and three kids running around someday. The retirement at 60, becoming grandparents and travelling the world together till death, I want that kind of boring.”
“You’re not wrong, Freckles,” He murmured, turning to me, “Your right is just different than mine.”
“I know.” My heart was heavy despite the smile lingering on my lips. Maybe in another world, if I met Gabriel in other circumstances, this vacation would be our reality and not a contract we were obliged to follow.
Chapter 32
5
He put his hand in his jean pocket and pulled out a box. “It’s not a ring and I’m not going on my knees,” he joked as he opened it to reveal a silver bracelet with different charms around it.
“It’s beautiful.” My eyes shimmered when I watched him remove it, my eyes full of adoration.
There was a certain reluctance and nervousness in his voice which was not normal for him. “Is this enough?”
“It’s more than enough,” I promised, my smile reaching my eyes as he slipped it onto my hand.
