LOST INTO THE VINE (BWWM)

CHAPTER 21

"That's amazing, Nala!" Elena grinned, squeezing her in a side hug. "What's amazing?" Marco asked his sister, coming into view, a plate of Gambas al ajilo in his hand, "Signora, please seat". The aroma hitting them hard, Nala was already removing her trench coat and taking her seat at the bar. Elena sat next to her, Marco placing another plate in front of her, she mouthed a thank you and started digging in. Nala followed suit, the flavors bursting in her mouth. She moaned, "this is really good."

"Gracias, signora. Now, what's amazing?" he asked, leaning on the table. "She took the job," Elena grinned. Marco grinned back, "well congratulations, Miss..."

"Mapenzi," Nala laughed.

"Wait, what does it mean?" Marco asked thoughtfully.

"It's Swahili for love," she smiled, taking a bite from her plate.

So far, her day was going great. She woke up to Olivia's amazing omelets and a ready cup of coffee for her. Olivia had kissed her forehead like a mother would and told her to give the job a chance. She felt like Olivia knew she didn't want to take the job even though she was teaching the two hours as promised. She didn't know what to wear, so she went for fitting loose blue khaki pants, a black top with matching shoes. With a cream trench coat on top, it was fall after all, the weather was getting chilly.

Lena came around and drove her to the school as she headed to Malaga. She was a bit nervous, she admitted. But the best part yet was when she went to the class she was teaching, Irina's class. She thought it would be intimidating to stand and talk their ears off, writing on the board and all that. So she used the card reading method and singing for the six-year-olds to make it fun.

She sat with them on the floor, got the cards out, they did the whole counting numbers, learning vowels and the alphabet pronunciation. And later in the hour did the days of the week and seasons of the year.

Irina knew all that but she blended in with the rest, not trying to look too smart. After her two hours, she had a meeting with Olivia's friend and Matteo's godmother, who really asked her to take a couple of hours a week, not too much, a total of ten hours, two hours daily with the kids. She finally agreed with the wage-price offered per week. She got introduced to the other teachers, who happily welcomed her to the group. Her heart warmed. Even though they kept asking if her hair was a wig. And asking for her skincare routine. She was feeling the whole 'black don't crack' vibe.

Elena called her after and said she wanted to hang out, asking about her day. And that's how they ended up going to their restaurant.

"Marco, be a darling and bring three plates of croquettes and iced tea to my table," Nala stiffened at the voice. It was oddly familiar and right by her side. The person turned, "oh, it's Tarzan's sister! Say hi to Jane for me when you go back to the forest. Elena, I didn't know you let animals into the restaurant," Maria smirked, pushing the glass of red beetroot juice from the counter with her elbow, and it spilled on Nala's cream trench coat, staring it with a big red patch before the glass broke on the floor. She gasped dramatically, her face scrunched up in a fake pout, "por favor. I didn't see it there. "

"Maria!" Elena growled at the woman, trying to stand up but Nala had her sit back down. With her lips sealed, she scooted closer and took a couple of napkins offered by Marco.

"Maybe you could wash it in one of the rivers in the Congo forest, that's where you're from right?" Maria asked, feigning innocence. Nala finally faced her after trying to clean the stain that was clearly coming out, "What is your problem with me?"

"I don't have a problem. I'm just wondering why a man like Matteo would entertain with an ape!" she took the tray that had their drinks and faced Marco, "you risk having your customers with fleas. Maybe call animal control."

Nala's mouth flew open. She was beyond mad. She was furious. But she knew she had to tread carefully. She was in a different country. Elena stalked to the table Maria was seated, laughing with her companions, "get out!" Maria looked up at her, feigning shock, "you're kicking me out? A regular customer!"

"I don't give a damn, Maria. Get the hell out of my restaurant!" Elena smacked her hand on the table, even Maria jumped. The majority of the customers were not eating anymore, even those eating were watching the scene unfold, glancing at Nala, some glared, some looked at her disapprovingly, some in sympathy. She shook her head and went after her, pulling at her arm, "stay! You don't have to leave. I'll leave."

In the act of taking Elena's hand from the table, she accidentally spilled their drinks on the table. Spilling on the notes spilling from a notebook and their purses. She gasped, taking napkins, "I'm so sorry!" her hand froze, her eyes zeroed on the papers on the table. Surely that was the same handwriting like on the threats she had been getting, six nights in the two weeks that she had been in town. Was Maria...? She didn't seem that dangerous. It couldn't be her.

She stopped wiping and pulled Elena back to her seat, "she's not worth it. Let's go to your place."

"I still don't understand how Matteo would stoop so low and sleep with an ape girl!" Maria snarled.

"Who I sleep with isnone of your business!" Matteo's voice filled the room. . He was standing at the entrance, striding in and putting his hand on Nala, protectively. She excused herself and hurried to the washroom. She splashed water on her face, cooling her eyes in the process. In all her travels, she rarely got a snide comment, and when she did, it was from afar, not a pestering racist asshole. But then again, she didn't usually date not did she get persistent threats to flee the country.

Guess there's a first time for everything. She didn't consider herself beautiful really. Even though she looked so much like her sister, Adiah was the more beautiful one. Her mother would agree. A knock on the bathroom door and she wiped the traitorous tears and splashed more water on her face, "un momento!" she snorted at herself.

A minute later, she opened, ready to apologize for stalling in the bathroom, and found Matteo leaning on the wall facing the door. She grinned softly, "sorry, but it says here, 'Female' unless..." she quickly glanced down at his pants and back up at his eyes. He smiled and pushed from the wall, his hands in her hair, his thumbs tracing her cheeks. "I'm really sorry about her, baby." Nala shrugged, "she's just mad she can't have you. You'd rather do a troll or an ape girl than give her the time of day."

His jaw clenched and he narrowed his eyes at her, "she can go to hell for all I care about. I didn't think she was that kind of person. A..."

"What kind of person?"

"Ugly on the inside," he took a step closer, a growl rumbling from his throat, "and princess, you always look good enough to eat on a daily."

"I never had anyone say that to me. I'm nothing special Teo. Almost good enough, but not," she took a side step and ducked back to the tables before he said a word. Leaving him with furrowed brows.