Goddess

Huxley

Iwatch as she unzips her backpack and puts my things inside before putting on her seat belt. “You have any friends or family in Marietta?” I ask, though I already know the answer. I’m trying yet another approach to get a clue on her story beyond what I’ve been told, but I don’t really expect her to answer.

“No. I’m just passing through. Are there any motels in town?”

She sneaks a glance in my direction. I’m surprised she has given me that much. I do catch that she said motel and not hotel. Something tells me she may not have much money. Who passes through town with just a backpack? Where in the hell is she headed? I dare not ask that since that would be pushing my luck.

“There are a few hotels. The town is small, but we’re not that small.” I chuckle. Her shoulders drop, and I know I have hit the nail on the head. What is she running from?

“Have you eaten yet?” I change the subject to get the attention off her unknown destination. Her stomach growls, and I have my answer.

“Not yet. I’ll wait until I get to the hotel and order something. Just drop me off at one of the reasonable ones. I don’t need anything fancy with a million amenities. I just need a place to sleep for the night.” She chews on her bottom lip while fidgeting with the strap of her backpack placed between her knees. News flash, she’s not going to find the Four Seasons in Marietta, so they’re all reasonable by her definition.

“Look, my mother just opened the doors to a new little Italian restaurant. I was heading that way once I got back into town, so why don’t you join me? The meal would be on the house, and it’s a chance for you to enjoy some authentic cuisine.”

“I don’t know,” she replies.

“Come on. I promise you will love the food, and then I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. It’ll also give you time to decide where you want to stay.” She still looks a little unsure. “You can hold my things until I drop you off.”

“Okay,” she says finally. “Italian is my favorite,” she adds. She smiles at me, and it’s the first one. She should smile more often because it looks good on her.

We ride in silence until we pull up to the restaurant, Rosalita’s. Originally a two-story brick home, my mother renovated it into her dream. Well, she isn’t really my mother in the biological sense, but she is in all the ways that count. She accepts me as her son, and that’s what matters. She was once my nanny. She raised me. Returning to Marietta to see that her dream became a reality was my due diligence. This home had all the charm she was looking for. For now, I live upstairs while her business is in its infancy stage. I’m more accessible since she is still hiring people she feels she can trust. The first floor is all that is open to the public, but the transformation of this place is nothing short of miraculous. It doesn’t look like you’re inside a home when you walk inside. You get a genuine Italian experience with every thought-out detail. The seating capacity is only about fifty-five, but it’s quickly becoming the best place to eat. It’s only been open a week, but soon, seating will be by reservations only. I couldn’t be happier for her.

It’s after nine on a weekday, so the restaurant will close in little under an hour. I know my mother would always make an exception for me, but the staff is a different story. They will need to start cleaning soon to get off on time. I get out of the truck first and go around to let Goddess out, but she has already let herself out. When she leans over to pull her backpack out of the truck, her tank rises and exposes her stomach and ribs. Then I see it. She’s covered in bruises and not just a few. She looks like she was someone’s fucking punching bag. The different stages of the bruising hint that it is not an isolated incident.

Now some of the pieces start to fit— the reason I was contacted. That and she was heading my way. She’s running away from someone who abused her. I bet she doesn’t have anything except what is in that damn backpack. I want to punch something myself. I’m seething mad for her, yet I can’t bring it up. If she doesn’t volunteer the information, I can’t pry because I can’t blow my cover. I bet it was a boyfriend. Only a shit bag coward would beat on a woman. I have to slow my breathing and pretend I’m not upset so I don’t scare her off. I slam the door after she gets her bag, and she jumps. Yeah, so far, I’m off to a great start.

“You said Italian was your favorite. What’s your favorite dish?” I ask while working on being more calm. We walk side by side into the restaurant.

“That’s an easy one,” she beams. “I love any kind of pasta dish, but lasagna is hands down my favorite.”

“Well, let’s get you some lasagna. Wait until your taste buds feast on my mother’s recipe.” Her Nordic-blue eyes widen. It’s the first time I’ve gotten a good look at them in sufficient light. They’re absolutely hypnotizing. Everything about this girl is one big temptation. I have to make myself stop staring at her like a creeper. She is grinning from ear to ear, and I can tell I’m finally talking her language with regard to the lasagna. That is, until we walk inside.

Since it’s almost closing time, the restaurant is only half full, but every eye seems to be on us. Some whisper to each other, and it’s no mistaking they are talking about Goddess. Some may be trying to figure out who she is and probably appalled by her attire. Our town is not exactly Amish or super conservative, but the way Goddess is dressed is leaps and bounds inappropriate for this restaurant. She takes a few steps backward but backs right into me. I’m not letting her leave. I grab her arm and guide her over to a table near the window. She hurries to sit so she is no longer the center of attention. I spot a couple of my dad’s old buddies at the next table. Austin and Bradley give an acknowledging nod, so I wave back.

They served in the Marines with my father before starting their security and investigations business. At one point, my father thought he’d join them. When they moved their business from California, he and my mother followed them here. Only things never happened like they set out.

“I’m not exactly dressed for this place,” Goddess points out, bringing me back to the here and now. “You forgot to mention that part.”

“You’re fine because you’re with me. You’re a new face is all.” Her smirk tells me she isn’t buying it. The way she is dressed is definitely an attention-getter. “Just ignore them, okay? I promise you’re fine. I’ll be right back. I just need to let my mother know I’m here. She had me pick up a few things for her in Atlanta. That’s where I was coming from when I spotted you.” She seems somewhat appeased by my lie.

At least part of what I just said is true. I was picking up some specialty spices and herbs from one of my mother’s favorite shops when I got the call. She uses them as her secret ingredients. I hate to leave Goddess alone with all the attention, but I need to give my mother a heads-up that she’s here without giving too much away. Goddess mouths, “Okay,” and looks out the window.

“You can search for some nearby hotels to see if you find any you are interested in. I’ll be right back,” I say again.

She doesn’t answer, so I go to the back to find my mother. I quickly tell her about how I picked Goddess up alongside the road on the way here. I give her the rundown and my suspicions. I add that I think she is homeless on top of it all.

“I can use an extra pair of hands around here,” she points out. “And there is an extra room up there,” she adds, pointing upstairs.

“I didn’t say I wanted a roommate. I do need my privacy. Maybe we could find another way to help her.” Having her stay across the hall from me would be too tempting. I’m a whore by nature. I was only asked to keep an eye on her and ensure her safety. My generosity and gentlemanly ways will only last so long. She doesn’t need me anywhere near her.

“It was hard just to convince her to get in my truck, so I know it will be equally difficult to get her to accept our help. How do we offer her help without letting on that we know about her situation? Well, at least, what we suspect is her situation?”

“Huxley, now is not the time to think about your privacy, so don’t skip over that statement,” my mother warns. “If she is in trouble like you think, you did the right thing by picking her up and bringing her here. A meal is great, but this girl was put in your path for a reason. You can’t ignore that. If she continues the journey she is on looking like that… yes, I saw her come in… she is putting herself in danger.” My mother crosses her arms and leans against the counter. I know this is not up for debate, but I try anyway.

“But why can’t we help her from somewhere else? I mean, you have that house to yourself now that—” I don’t get to finish my sentence.

“No buts. My house is not within walking distance, and it would be hard for her to commute to work if she takes the job I offer her. You’re not paying rent, figlio, so you don’t get a say in who I give a room to.” She tsks. She has broken out the Italian, so I know I need to just shut up. I have great respect for my mother, and this is one discussion I will not win. It doesn’t matter that she won’t let me pay rent.

“Yes, ma’am,” I agree begrudgingly. “Now to get Goddess to agree to it.”

“Non preoccuparti di quel figlio,” she replies, telling me not to worry about that in Italian. She can be very convincing when she wants to be, so I’ll see if she can convince Goddess to stay. This has trouble written all over it.

I head back to the table and let Goddess know that I put our order in personally while I was in the kitchen. I decided to go with my mother’s delicious lasagna too. She reaches into her backpack and hands me my things.

“Thank you for trusting me with your stuff,” she says softly.

“Not a problem at all. I told you that you could hold on to it until I dropped you off, though.” I know my mother is currently working on a plan to derail that idea.

“It’s okay. After I eat, I’ll just walk from here. You’ve been kind enough, so thank you.” She takes a sip of water that must have been brought to the table while I was in the kitchen talking to my mother.

“The nearest hotel is a few miles from here, and it’s one of the fancy ones you said you weren’t looking for. Did you search for one on your phone?”

“No, I lost my phone somewhere.” She looks away, staring out the window again.

I can feel her shutting down. I don’t know what to say. I just know I can’t let her leave. It’s late, and she doesn’t even have a phone to call for help, for fuck’s sake. I’m thankful when Antonio brings the food. Her face lights up at the huge portion. It’s more than the standard serving size, so I know my mother had a hand in that.

“Thank you, Antonio. Can you bring us out a 2010 bottle of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?” He nods and smiles at us both.

“What is that?” Goddess speaks up, her curiosity piqued.

“It’s an Italian red wine that pairs great with lasagna. The 2010 is my favorite. I want you to have the full experience of this delicious meal.”

“I’m not twenty-one yet. One week from today, I will be, though, so I guess that counts.” She grins.

“Yes, it does,” I agree. I’m captivated by her smile. If my mother gets her way, I’ll have to work extra hard not to get in her pants. A Huxley first. She deserves better. “We won’t tell anyone you’re below the drinking age,” I joke.

“I want to dig into this piping hot visual goodness, but I’ll wait for the wine,” she jokes back. We don’t have to wait long. Antonio returns with the wine and two wineglasses. She is in for a treat. I can’t wait for her to take the first bite.