Focus

8. Focus on the memories

"Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us."
— Oscar Wilde, The importance of being Earnest

•••

The feeling of a warm and wet tongue gliding across his face was the first thing that greeted him. The man wriggled his nose at the tickling sensation caused by the strands of black hair that danced teasingly against his nostrils, prompting him to swat away the source of the disturbance.
The swatting was not enough because the licking continued.

"Carmella get your fucking dog to stop licking me." Ramee grumbled, his voice coated in a sleepy irritation, as he turned his body to face the woman.

"Noodle is just happy to see you." Carmella responded in an amused tone followed by her petting the husky with one hand and reaching for something that made a squeaking sound when she grabbed it with her other. Ramee curled deeper into the sheets as he tried to catch a few extra moments of sleep but he gave up once he felt Carmella shift. He stared up at her to find her throwing a pink toy in the direction of the door so that the dog could entertain itself elsewhere.

He then reluctantly rose from the disheveled bed, his movements sluggish as he retrieved his black turtleneck from the rumpled heap on the floor. The comfortable material of the shirt was still covering his eyes as he used his foot to search for his wayward sock that had been abandoned when he and Carmella entered the room the previous night.

"Do you have to go? What about breakfast?" Carmella pouted. The woman lazily reached for her hair to try and comb it down with her fingers. The rays of sunrise that caressed her tousled golden hair casted an ethereal glow around her but it only served as a looming reminder to him that he had broken his promise to April.

Unable to meet her hopeful gaze, Ramee's eyes flickered with a mix of guilt and determination. "Can't." he replied, his voice tinged with regret.

"I promised April I'd visit her again. She's going to be mad that I didn't show up last night." Ramee's gaze fixated on Carmella, his expression weighted with accusation. "Which reminds me, you called me and said it was an emergency."

Carmella shrugged with a playful smile, her blue eyes lit up mischievously. After all, this was her plan and it had worked out.

"It was an emergency... I missed you."
He couldn't blame her. The last time he'd seen her was a few nights before the Joe situation.

"Of course you did. All the ladies love Ramos."Ramee gave her a smug grin as he pulled up his pants but he felt the scorching guilt that was licking at his stomach which left him feeling uneasy. He didn't regret coming to see Carmella but he wished he could've at least remembered to leave April with a new phone like he had promised.

"I gotta go. I'll call you later though." He said as he pulled her in for a kiss.

Just as he was about to leave he turned to face the blonde. He took a moment to stare at the woman he was leaving behind. Her tousled blonde locks cascaded like liquid sunshine, catching the rays of the rising sun in a dazzling display. The rest of her body was enshrouded by the sheets as she comfortably curled up in the warmth. She looked comfortable. April, who was still stuck in the hospital, was probably not.

Carmella, as if sensing Ramee's internal conflict, gave him a small understanding smile. "Go. Mari and I have our big Morph meeting in a few hours anyway." She'd mentioned it before. Their interior design company had been doing better than ever and Carmella had often told him about the million dollar contracts they were constantly working on.

"Tell Mari I said she's a rat." Ramee said teasingly as he grabbed his car keys.

"She's in your gang." Carmella reminded him with a small smile and a shake of her head. He and her best friend had a playful rivalry which often left her as a message relayer between the two.