The Model

Ch. 13- Little Big Secret

"So you were going to invite someone over? But because of some coincidental accident you changed your mind?" Clarke asks as he helps me cook dinner.

"Pretty much." I have my back turned to him as I chop and mince the onions to add to the tomato sauce of the spaghetti.

"Ok, so what was exactly was this 'coincidental accident'?" Clarke asks and I feel my face turn red but say nothing. I don't want to tell him about what happened the other day in the lobby and how Erika looked at Katerina in that way. Like she truly loved her still and no one else mattered. It still hurts to think about. I hear him sigh and watch as he cuts off my direct vision of cooking the pasta I'm making.

"Why don't you try? It can't hurt and I wouldn't mind." Clarke stands beside me now and I shrug. I know he wouldn't mind. In fact, he'd love to meet someone that isn't my boss since I'm not acquainted well with many people since I moved here.

"I just rather hang out with you. I haven't seen you all day. Where were you?" I look up at him as he steps back and towards the sauce pan, turning it around with the wooden ladle.

"Just had to take care of some business. Nothing serious." Clarke tries to shrug it off like me. I add the onions in the sauce as he stirs.

"You can tell me," I say and he shrugs.

"It's government stuff. I can only tell you when I'm retired." He gives a wink and I laugh. The oven beeps and I put in the garlic bread.

"This is going to be so good!" Clarke exclaims as we cook. It's been a while since we've cooked together too. The last time it was Christmas here. By some miraculous fluke, our mom decided to have a family trip in Spain for Christmas but I couldn't take time off work and Clarke wasn't able to go. So we had our own Christmas at the apartment.

"I think I'm done with mom." Clarke says as he gets out plates and wine glasses.

"You talked to her?" I frown and take a look at Clarke as I drain the pasta noodles.

"Yeah. She called asking if we were going to be home for the Fourth of July." Clarke gets out the wine and pops open the bottle.

"What did you say?" I ask, nervous to hear where he'll be this time for his job.

"I told her I'll be here with you." I look at him as he starts to serve or plates with food.

"You won't be out of the country again?" I ask and he shrugs.

"I have to wait until Monday to figure that out." It's only Wednesday.

"Do you leave when you find out?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"When I find out on Monday how July will be, I have the next three months off. So you can do what you want but I'll be here." Clarke smiles and sets up our table. I get the bread out, placing them in a small basket.

I head to the table and sit across from him. The thought of mom calling him to ask about his plans. Not even bothering to ask about mine. That also hurts too. It's natural I think to feel hurt even if you don't like your mom to want her to check up on you. But not in the aggressive and incessant way she does it.

"Don't think so hard about it." It's like he can read my mind. I sigh and nod my head, taking a sip of wine.

"So do you like this person?" Clarke slurps up a noodle and dabs his face of the sauce.

"Who?" I can't concentrate on what he's talking about, still hung up on mom. I shouldn't let her bother me but she does. I'm twenty four for crying out loud. A grown woman with a rent to pay and bills and a career.