Fall into you

Chapter Five Part One: Cami

Immediately, Cami noted that Mario looked like he wanted to chat rather than eat. He was pouty with petulance."What?" She played at drawing him out. He was more than willing to tell and she knew it."Jerome called me into his office today about my latest job, seems the client is not impressed with my artistic endeavors," he blurted it out, all red cheeked and flustered. Cami smirked."That expression never suited you, it does nothing for your face. Actually it  makes you look feral.""Oh, come on, Mario, you know he won't stop giving you work. We both know what this is about.""Easy for you to say, you are not the one being maligned for inferiority." "Look, Mario, even I know that your current job involves using a pre-made stencil to make a sign for a crèche. Where on earth could there possibly be a question about your artistic ability, or lack of it?""I'm just telling you what he did to me. He said that the customers were complaining. My art wasn't evocative enough.""Oh, please. Mario!"  "Perhaps he is just riling me. It's damn aggravating, though. He made me feel totally foolish." Cami bit back her humor. If she laughed Mario would probably never forgive her. She rolled her eyes instead then, She looked at him, assessing him for the first time in a while. Strange how it is--one tends to form an opinion or impression of someone you know well, and not update it regularly. Mario flicked a flop of dark blond hair off his brow, and glared back at her. At forty-four, he was still a good looking man. Actually, he looked more like thirty-four. Youth clung to him in his fluidity of movement and by the suggestion of a firm ripple of muscle under his crisp shirt. Nevertheless, it was difficult to situate him as an object of unrequited love. Jerome was crazy about him, but Mario would have none of it.

"You're a total b***h, you know that?" he said, noting her eye rolling."Then, why do you love me so much?""You flatter yourself, I only come here for the food," he mocked her, relinquishing his hard done by attitude in light of her playful banter. "Well, then let's get to it, shall we?" she replied, lifting the bulging shopping bags slightly for him to carry into her tiny kitchen. He accommodated. 

When she started unpacking Mario begged a few minutes."I need to fetch something from my flat, don't work too hard, I won't be long," he promised with a mischievous look. Cami was relieved , Mario never sulked for long, but when he did it could be deep. She nodded towards the door."Oh yeah, I'll be timing you mister, notice how you always need to do a disappearing act when there's a bit of work to be done. He tutted, but left without another word. Cami busied herself with preparing dinner only to see Mario return as speedily as promised with a naughty look plastered on his face, and something hidden behind his back. Instantly, Cami realized that he had bought her a present. She felt horrible for not listening more seriously to his problems earlier.

"I got you a little something as a house warming gift," he said, producing a shiny coffee machine for her inspection with a flourish."Good God! That must have cost a fortune. You spoil me! Thank you, thank you. It's gorgeous." Cami gushed, admiring her gift."Oh, I don't know. I reckon I bought it more for myself than for you. Now, I can come by for breakfast as well as dinner since you'll be serving decent coffee instead of ditch water," he teased. Cami loved him so, and it was at times like this that she knew why.  He was her best friend, a friendship that had been strengthened by mutual loss, by seldom referred to joint suffering. Mario had been her sister's, doctor's partner. He used to help out occasionally at his lovers practice when things were hectic. That's how they'd met. They had struck up a conversation or two while Michelle was in for treatment, and it had soon blossomed into a friendship when they discovered how easily they could talk to one another."How did your day go, by the way, wasn't today the all important interview day?""It was and I very nearly didn't make it at all," Cami returned. Mario, looked at her a little more closely, perhaps alerted by some warning he heard in her voice."What happened?" He hoisted himself up onto her island counter, all ears now, like a loyal puppy hoping for a juicy treat.