22 — What Lies Ahead
October 22, 1938
"Will you write to me?" Ruby asked.
Nola opened her eyes and looked to the other side of the bed.
"Hmm?"
"When you leave New York, I mean. Will you write to me?"
"Well, I'd thought of it. Send you some nice postcards from California after I head out that way, maybe."
"That'd be nice."
"Or," Nola purred, and pulled Ruby close, "you could come with me."
"I... Oh, well, it'd be very nice. I've always wanted to see the other coast and everything. But... Well, suppose a job comes up here."
"With your looks and figure, I do reckon you'd be a sure fit for motion pictures."
"You really think so?"
"Mm-hmm. Why, you'd be a hit. I just know it."
"That would... Oh, but I can't just run off to California."
"Why ever not?"
"My family's here. Not even just my parents and all, but... Well, I can't leave Becky behind. She..."
"We'll take her with us," Nola soothed.
"I... Do you mean that?"
"Certainly. I just bet she'd love it out there. All that sunshine, fresh orange juice every morning. It'd be wonderful for the little sweetheart."
"And you... You wouldn't mind having my child along?"
"Why should I? I've met Becky, I like her, and I think she likes me."
"Oh, she does."
"Then it's settled. We'll just have to head out to California together. All of us, after Christmas. As a family."
"You all right?"
"Mmm. Just nervous, ya know? Shaky."
Pauline sat up, turned on the lamp, and looked at Nunzia.
"Do you... Would you like to go back to your place?"
"No. Not unless Carmine gives the all-clear. Even then, well..."
As her words trailed off, Nunzia beckoned for Pauline to lie back down and to snuggle close.
"Even then," she went on, "I wouldn't wanna go back unless you were comin' with me."
"I'd go along. Sure I would."
"I mean permanently."
"Permanent?"
"I know we haven't been together long, doll. Not even a month. But I... Well, I'm wild about you, Lina. Just wild. I've never really felt like this about someone."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly. Never, ever felt about any girl like I feel about you."
For a moment Pauline pulled away again, stared into Nunzia's eyes, then abruptly burrowed back into the embrace.
"Oh, thank goodness! Oh, I thought... Well, you've been so very sweet to me, and such a good... Well, you know. I just... I've been so afraid I was just a temporary bit of fun to you."
"Temporary? No. No, Lina. I mean, I don't know how long I've got — no one knows that — but whatever time I have, I don't think it's worth it unless I can be with you."
"And you really, truly mean it?"
"Doll, if this was just some line I was feedin' you, I'd've broken it out the first night we met. But this... No, Lina. I wanna be with you forever. However long that is."
Posted Oct 22, 2019, 8:50 AM UTC · edited