The Body #4: Nico and Cosi

Chapter 15 (Nico): Slipped Away

I calmed myself after practically slamming the door behind Lucio and Janie. I never wanted to scare Costanza with my temper and right now I could have cheerfully killed Lucio. Once I had myself under control, I turned to my wife who was staring at the floor.

"Costanza, look at me."

She did, and her eyes were sad.

"Why did you let her take you from our house? Strangers, basically, and you just walked out of our house with them. You let them take you from me, from our home."

"And from Desti."

"This is between you and me, Costanza. Desti has nothing to do with this."

"She has everything to do with this, Nico. Everything! I sent her home and you brought her back, without even asking me and then you laid down the law that she was staying until you said she was going home."

"And after you sent her home, you got really sick right after she left. I don't want you alone when you're feeling like this. I'm not going to let your stubbornness leave you at risk."

"Oh, but you can meet Desti for lunch? I was alone then, Nico. You can go out for ice cream with her every night and leave me at home and that's OK, too?"

I reared back at Costanza's unexpected venom, not knowing where to start first. "I've never met Desti for lunch."

"Now you're just straight up lying to me, Nico."

"That's not a lie. I've never met her for lunch, never had lunch with her and would never think of having lunch with her."

"But ice cream dates seem to be no problem. I'm not stupid, Nico. I know it doesn't take forty minutes to get ice cream."

"Back up a minute. Why are you so sure I had lunch with Desti?"

Her eyes darted to the left. She was about to lie to me. "She told me."

Why was she lying? 

"Then she's lying, Costanza. I've never had lunch with her. We did both happen to be at the same restaurant for lunch one day, but I wasn't eating with her or with anyone. I was working. She and her father were having lunch, and I was there protecting Lucio because he had a lunch meeting with one of the other Heads. She waved and said hi, and I nodded at her."

"And the ice cream?"

"You told me you wanted some time to yourself, away from everyone hovering over you. You also said you wanted sherbet, so I thought I could give you a little free time every night."

"While also giving you time alone with Desti. What do you do while you're out of the house together?"

"We get ice cream. We eat it outside. She talks the entire fucking time until I want to show her all the ways I can kill her with a plastic spoon, then we get your sherbet and bring it home to you. What the fuck do you think we're doing, Costanza?"

"I don't know, but you seem very cozy with her and comfortable with her staying in our house. Why else wouldn't you care that I'm not sharing a bedroom with you anymore?"

I felt like the whole world had gone crazy. 

"I miss you every night, Costanza. It takes everything in me not to grab your from the other room and bring you back beside me. I'm trying to help you get better, and if you sleep better without me waking you up when I have to take calls at all hours, I'm willing to do that temporarily. I don't plan on this being permanent because I love knowing you're beside me at night."

Kneeling in front of her, I ducked my head until I could see her eyes. "Costanza, you never have to worry about another woman. I love you. Only you. No one else matters to me. I wouldn't lie to you about that."