Is This Happiness

75

CARMEN

I slept well, we both did. I think. When I woke up, Stefano had just gotten back from the lobby with multiple bags in his hands. Saying he'd been to a gift shop just two floors below.

Buying clothes to wear. Making the two of us look like complete and total tourists when we got dressed. Which is the point. But I woke up quickly after noticing his hurry to leave the building.

Immediately when I finished. We rushed through the hotel lobby and out to the busy street. Keeping a distance between the two of us. He walked ahead. Walking a few blocks and warily before coming up to an alley. We made out way straight through to the other side.

Leading us to a line of parked and empty cars. Where I watched him hot wire a shiny black camaro. Without clear verbal instructions of course. But i'm sure if it came down to it, i'd know how to steal a car. Which isn't exactly crazy news to me. I don't know if anything could really even surprise me at this point.

We got in quickly, and he drove for a couple of hours. With no stops. Eventually driving out of the city and into another. Somewhere I never thought I'd visit, Provincetown. Cape fucking Cod.

I remained quiet, ears steadily ringing in the silence. Instead of thinking too hard or trying to investigate the reason why we were even here in the first place. I stare out of the window. Containing the thousands of questions locked away in my mind.

It was like an island with no escape. Definitely not a place to go seeing as the men from last night could be still following us somehow. One of the things I've picked up on, is to always be present and in the moment. Because if you aren't, you'll never know what you might have missed. You may have missed your only chance to escape.

I watched Stefano from the passenger side as he drove through the town with ease. Hands clenched tight around the steering wheel, so tightly his knuckles paled. Still quiet and in his head. Still nervous and on edge.

My heart pumps faster the second that the car pulls into a neighbourhood. Slowing down.

"Have an open mind." His voice broke through the tense air. Turning the car off, we both sit in absolute silence for a minute or two. Before he starts to slowly take his seatbelt off. And with patience, he opens the door, slamming it shut.

He leans his body weight onto the car, and it hits me that we've actually parked on a driveway. We were at someone's house.

"What the fuck." I whisper, opening my own door and closing it softly. Standing frozen in place. I lean up against my side, gripping onto the handle of the door nervously. Not knowing what to expect as we just stand here together.
His actions were strange, he's never been this tense, and he has even before we left New York days ago.

After everything we've been through, and managed to get away from. It's like this moment was it. This was what the days have been leading up to. His head tilts back as the sound of a door being thrown open is heard.

"Dad!" Dad. My eyes widen and his head turns my way. As if he wanted to see my reaction. Just waiting for it. My lips fall into a slight frown, as he expected. Turning away from me and welcoming the arms of his kid son.

"Come here!" His voice was gentle but breathy, taking the kid into his arms. They squeeze each other tight, and quickly before releasing as the boy looks my way.