Love in Chipilo-Drabbles Scomiche

49: Strong

We walked inside.

The house was spacious, although not so much if you compared it with the huge lot, which apparently they had wanted to dedicate to gardening. The building didn't have many walls, and it had the rustic style that Mitch seemed to like so much. Huge windows were everywhere, from the ground to the ceiling, many of them were doors, and everything had woody colors, a stark contrast to the pink house Mitch's parents lived in.

A Mexican house of just one floor.

Mitch didn't say it, but knowing how much they used to think about the future, I bet my MacBook that it was because they thought that they were going to grow old here and that they would never have real children, maybe a dog or a cat, but they just thought about themselves, so, it's natural that they just wanted one floor, to avoid falling from the stairs when they were old. Clean it would be easier, of course.

As Mitch said, there was little furniture, almost nonexistent, and the few were cheap, it looked good of course, but you could feel it wasn't good quality.

I kind of get it, they wanted to finish their house, and they wanted a big wedding and a honeymoon, Pablo made good money while he was alive, but he was very young, it's already awesome that he and Mitch had their own piece of land, even with the help of their parents.

There was a room, with a huge door-window facing the backyard, which looked like a forest. There was a desk, a drawing table, and two simple chairs.

"This one was going to be his office at home. Told him that I didn't want him to work at home, he had his office in Puebla, but I guess he was like his parents, a total workaholic." He looked at me and smiled. "You had that in common, Mr. I-just-need-to-finish-this."

"Are you sure?"

Mitch shrugged.

"No one else is going to use it. I don't need an office. It has great light, and having your own desk will keep your work far from the bed and from the kitchen table." He hit me with his fist in my chest, lightly. "Talking about the kitchen, would you like to see my sanctuary?" He asked but he barely waited for my response. He just walked away and then he looked at me with a sad smile.

"I wanted everything to look traditional because I cook that way. I even have a stone oven in the backyard. I expect to have my parents and my sister's family here once in a while, I'm half Italian so... I wanted to make Domingos de Pizza a strong tradition, and make, you know traditional bread, our own Pan de Muerto, and Rosca de Reyes... please say something before it makes me crazy, you haven't said a word."

I sighed and looked at the kitchen. It was for sure the most expensive thing in the whole house. A stone oven in the garden? Pizza Sundays in the family? I wasn't sure how to feel, it was overwhelming but I couldn't flinch either.

Mitch needed this place and I don't need anything except for Mitch.

So here we were.

"I think is okay... if my family is invited, I don't see why not," I said because I wanted him to feel good. He smiled at me. "Why you don't show me the stone oven?"

Mitch hugged me and kissed my chin.

"Come here." He took my hand and led me towards one of the doors and then I saw the backyard.

It looked like a forest.

Full of plants, bushes, and trees, medium-sized fruit trees, some of them had fruits, some of them not.

So... those are his children. I say in my mind looking at them but he pulls me towards him. I saw the stone oven, it's actually the first time I've seen one.

"Wow," I say.

"You are going to love it. There is nothing like the fresh ciabatta or rustic bread with whole grains... There are some recipes I want to try, and there are some Italian traditional bread and cookies that I'm sure you will love, and I want to make tortu-conchas." He said jumping with excitement, he is like a kid. I love him like this, I love when he wants to cook, and when he is happy that in his case almost always, it is the same thing.

"When can we move?" He stopped jumping but then he hugged me.

"The services are already connected. Water, electricity... we just need to make the contract for your internet and ask for a gas LP truck."

"Does the internet service get here?"

"I'm sure Telmex does. And well, if we take this week to clean it, I'm sure that we can move in the next week." I smiled and took his hand as I looked at the edible forest. He was a little ashamed, so he was looking in another direction.

"I love you, Mitch," I said looking at them. "And I want you to be happy. And even if your love for Pablo is still here forever, I want you to know that it will not make me love you any less. Let's live this life, let me enjoy it with you. Let me love you."

He didn't say anything back but he started crying and as always the only thing I could do was to hug him.