Cora looked up from the frying pan, smiling at him. “Breakfast,” she said simply, turning back to the pan to flip the bread over. “I learned how to make this. I wanted to share it with you.”
“It’s four in the morning, querido…” Paolo walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “French toast?”
Cora nodded, turning her head to peck Paolo’s lips. She carefully lifted the toast from the pan, placing it on the plate she’d prepared. “Eat. It’s good to rise early, eat, poop, and then exercise. Proper schedule keeps you healthy.”
Paolo nodded suppressing his laughter and taking the plate. “It’s too early,” he whined, grabbing a fork from the drawer and moving to sit at the table.
Cora simply shook her head, chuckling, as she took her own plate and sat next to the Italian. They ate in a comfortable silence and Cora leaned her head against Pablo’s shoulder. She finished and pushed her plate forward, sighing happily. “How is it?” she asked softly.
Paolo grinned and placed a light kiss against Cora’s lips. “Very very delicious, querido.” He wrapped his arm around Cora’s shoulders and rubbed her arm absent-mindedly. “More sleep?” he asked, chuckling, knowing that Cora wouldn’t want to.
She lifted her head from Pablo’s shoulder. “Only thirty minutes,” she said, surprising Paolo. “I have papers to finish grading, but I will take a nap.” She stood and held out a hand for Paolo, pulling him up from his seat with a smile. They shuffled back to bed, curling up against each other and falling asleep to the sounds of rain on the windows.
*****
Paolo woke up wanting a cup of coffee and went to Cora’s kitchen to find some. He started in alarm when there was an older, dark skinned gentleman there stirring a cup over and over as if unaware he was doing it. When the man turned his head and stared at him, Paolo knew it was Cora’s dad—he had met Benjamin Lafitte once, at a party in Vegas but he remembered him well. He could see the resemblance suddenly. Lafitte was an older, male version of Cora.
“Well…fancy meeting you here.”
“I had no idea you made a career out of breaking and entering.”
“I had no idea you were this petty.”
“Petty?!?”
“Sleeping with my daughter to get back at me Agnelli? That is childish and petty.”
“Oh really? What about buying a casino just because you knew I wanted it? What do you call that?”
“That was just business! This is personal.”
“It’s all personal Lafitte. Don’t you get that?”
“So what would it take for you to leave my daughter alone huh? You want the casino? Because you can have it.”
“This stopped being about just a casino a long time ago Lafitte. There’s nothing you can offer me that I would take.”
A broken sound from the corridor made them both turn to behold Cora, holding onto the door jamb for dear life; face rife with devastation.
“Cora,” Paolo whispered taking a step toward her.
“GET OUT! Both of you! Leave!!” she shouted pointing at her front door.
“Cora baby, I was just-“ Benjamin began to say.
“BE. GONE!” she screamed over his voice and Benjamin stood up to go. Paolo was dressed in sweat pants and nothing else so he took another step toward the living room and Cora jerked threateningly. He put up his hands.
“I’m just getting a shirt and my keys okay? I’m leaving.”
Cora marched away, toward Fridah’s room and slammed the door behind her. Paolo stood staring at the door for a while before he gathered up his things and left.