Martha

Chapter 6 Walking Home and Shopping Bags

Chapter 6 Walking
Home and Shopping Bags

A goddess, that's what she was. Staring only at Martha, unable to utter a single word I held the basket for her. Tantalized under some sort of spell I was dragged by her eyes of sapphire, deep and calmed like the ocean. Despite of what everyone said or believed in town, the woman was stunning beyond my words. I have waited, searching for the right moment to see her, to satisfy an unfounded curiosity and finally the moment of truth... there I was, the smart of me, still kneeling in front of her totally muted.

"Thank you for helping me... Mr....", she broke the spell with the sweetest voice.

"Um... I'm sorry... Mr. Grau, Antonio Grau." I said.

Both stood up at the same time and I handed Martha her shopping basket. Relieved and savoring the moment of triumph I smiled at her. My mission had been accomplished as I found out my neighbor was not a witch, nonetheless I never imagined she was as gorgeous as a fairy. I was still baffled.

"Well, Mr. Grau, I can't say it's a great pleasure to meet you after being bumped to the floor", her tone was sober, not smiling anymore. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to go. I don't like people staring at me this way. Have a nice day."

Making me swallow my words and my momentarily triumph to shatter, Martha about-faced and headed towards the cash register where Mr. Matthews witnessed everything, staring first at me, then at her with a mixture of curiosity and bewilderment "Good Morning, Miss. Higgins. It's have been a long time. How are you today?" Mr. Matthews greeted the pretty lady, his voice shaking with evident nervousness.

There is no necessity to add that every single person in the store beamed at her... at us.

"I am fine, thank you for asking Mr. Matthews." Martha answered politely in her melodic-lullaby voice.

Mr. Matthews packed her groceries and Martha left the store without even glancing back. Like a zombie I made my way to the register. "Are you ok, Mr. Grau?" Mr. Matthews asked me, arching an eyebrow after guessing my game.

I nodded dumbfounded, looking pitifully at me excuse to shop: sausages and a bag of oranges. And it was maybe because I was standing there like a freak following Martha with my gaze until she disappeared behind the cars in the parking lot. I haven't heard him telling me the total amount of my purchase for the third time.

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry... it is that...it is just..."

"You were following Martha... There's no need to deny Mr. Grau, we all saw that. She is a beauty, isn't she?", the man crooked a smile.

"Yeah, but she is a witch", the person behind me added.

I rolled my eyes as I replied, "I don't believe in witches", to cut him off. "Thank you, Mr. Matthews. Have a nice day", and I hurried out the market. Searching everywhere I fast paced intersecting the parking lot until I finally spotted her. Martha crossed the street and I scampered after her in the most shameless and evident stalking fashion. I was resolved to solve the mystery there. Besides, Martha had to be grateful, I only wanted to prove the world she was no witch. "Martha! Martha!" I called her.

She stopped walking and shrugged, veering to see me as I ran towards her like a school boy. "Yes, Mr. Grau?" The woman looked at me with curiosity and a mortified expression on her face.

I needed to soothe out things a little bit with my neighbor if I wanted to establish a conversation with her. "Can I help you with those grocery bags?", I offered politely my help as a gentleman should do.

"You want to help me?" She asked me glowing a pry look.

"Yes. Is the least thing I can do... I am very sorry for..."

"To apologize Mr. Grau, for what? For bumping on me in the store, or for stalking on me?" She cut me off.

Petrified, I wasn't expecting that, neither the not-so-happy Medusa turning-men-to-stone stare. Ooops. My face flushed red and I tried my best to avoid her accusing me eyes for stalking on her... I couldn't feel nothing but guilt and shame and words came in babbling out of my mouth. "I... I..."

"I'm pretty sure you know more letters of the alphabet Mr. Grau.", she retorted dryly.

"My apologies, Martha... I didn't intend to be rude, neither to offend you in any form. I feel so sorry and ashamed." I tried to look sincere and looked directly into her... beautiful, spell bounding face. I saw why everybody talked about her.

"Really? Ashamed?... I guess you are, Mr. Grau. You are just curious of me like the rest of the people in this town. But let me tell you something, curiosity killed the cat. And if you excuse me, Mr. Grau, I'll be going. I told you I don't like people looking at me, that only gives them the chance to add more gossiping to my already taunted reputation."

I hadn't noticed that in fact everyone looked at us and I felt sorry for her. Everybody around us mocked and whispered on Martha so I insisted, "Just let me help you with that and let's move on. Anyway, we are going to the same street, you already know."I gave her one of my famous melting smiles, hoping to impress her. Martha just sighed and gave me the shopping bags without saying a word and we kept walking.

Next to each other we went for a while. It was evident in us this urge to say something, yet we we not speaking at all... I didn't know what to say, or ask her. Every other then I glanced at her pretty face and wandered why Martha was such a strange woman. Why was she alone? What was her age? What did she do for a living?

"And what is your occupation, Mr. Grau?" Thank God she broke the awkward silence and spoke first.

"I am a history professor... and please, Martha, call me Antonio." I replied promptly.

"Well, Antonio, that explains a lot of things."

"Things like what, for example." I asked her.

"Like... curiosity... for example." Crooking up a smirk she replied.

"I give you my sincere apologies, Martha. I only wanted to meet my neighbor. "

"It's ok. I am used to that kind of things. Everyone in town wants to meet me, or perhaps they don't... It all depends." Her shoulders dropped, then she looked at me, studying my reaction to her statement. Only a few minutes later, we reached our destiny. Standing on the sidewalk in front of her big house, Martha spoke again in a plain tone. "You don't need to escort me to the door or so. Don't worry. I am a grown up lady... Thank you for your company, Antonio. Have a nice day." Martha grabbed the grocery bags from my hands and walked away without looking back.

***Martha...oh Martha. What do you think of this first encounter?!?!