Always

2. Chapter

June

Anthony's muscles move under the blue polo as he loads his SUV with our belongings.

The deserted street that takes us to Nathalie is lined with tiny olive trees.

"She's going to love you." He announces.

I try my best to remain calm but my mind continues to slip away. I see Roberto everywhere, which is not a helpful thing at all. I imagine him sitting on a bench in the square, waiting for his friends to play football or drink a beer. I see him buying an ice cream and coming out of the grocery store, packed with bags full of ingredients for dinner. Roberto had never talked much about his hometown, then again we didn't have much time to be a normal couple and talk about vanities. But the few times he had allowed himself to drift away in thoughts and memories, he had always raved about the nature, peaceful get-togethers and the feasts, obviously.

It took only minutes to traverse the village and finally Anthony parked in front of a big mansion.

"Wow!" I lean forward to examine the enormous windows at the front side of the house.

"Do you like it?"

"Rather!" This was definitely a place I could live in.

The house seems modern and charming. It really takes my breath away. From the driveway I can see a huge garden terrace surrounded by blowing tends. Anthony hardly puts a foot on the large stone steps when the door opens and a woman storms out of the house. Nathalie, I suppose, is not much bigger than me, blonde and has a heart melting smile. A long paint-brush is sticked to her curled hair and I wonder if she was working. On her rosy cheeks are tiny drops of what seems to be color and she wears an apron over a simple blue dress.

Her emerald green eyes illuminate as she sees Anthony flushing.

Wait!

Did Anthony just flush?

"Nice to see you, Nat."

"I know." She counters smiling.

"You are wearing my dress." Anthony examines her satisfied.

"To work." Nathalie breaks out in laugher and hugs him a moment longer than necessary before she turns to me. "You must be June."

She hugs me as well without hesitation and seizes my arm.

"Come on, I'll show you around."

I spend the morning following Nathalie through the house, listening carefully to every word she says, Oh-ing and Ah-ing at every single room and piece of furniture. The ground floor is a huge open space that includes the entrance, a kitchen and a wide space to, what Nathalie calls, "relax and come together". Overall are big windows showing a fantastic view of the county side and the garden. The upper floor has several bedrooms, two bathrooms and is filled with Nathalie's portraits and paintings. I get signed to the first bedroom to the right at the end of the stairs and touch the gleaming surfaces of the furniture. Nathalie's house is better furnished than many hotels Anthony and I have been to in the last few months. I unpack my luggage and arrange my clothes in the white dresser, my computer and notes on the desk near my bed and watch through the open balcony door when Nathalie comes inside.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course. I love your house and I love my room." I am sure I sound too excited, but everything just feels perfect here. The clean and fresh style, not to personal, not to anonymous. I even love the grey painted wall!