Intrigue and a Bottle of Merlot

by Bria Marche

  ***

  “Are you hungry? We can stop whenever you like,” Mario said.

  “Actually, I’m not starving yet. Why don’t we just settle into the hotel and order takeout? We can unwind and relax right in the room. I’d just as soon get there. We still have about forty-five miles to go, right?”

  “Yeah. We haven’t talked about it, but do you want to share a room or have separate ones?”

  Holy shit, Mario, man up already and suggest we share a room. You don’t always have to be so polite. Just rip my clothes off and take me before we even pull the bedspread down.

  “Karen? Do you want to share a room?”

  “Oh, sorry… my mind was somewhere else.” Yeah, like in the gutter with you on top of me. “Sure, let’s share a room. You don’t snore, do you?” she asked, grinning at him.

  “Well, nobody has ever complained.”

  Hmmm… elusive, aren’t we? That doesn’t tell me if you’ve had a girlfriend lately or not. What gives with that?

  Mario and Karen reached the Hampton Inn along the interstate. Mario had two rooms reserved for the night. There were several restaurants—including takeout Chinese and pizza—and a gas station next to the hotel. They parked near the office and went inside. A short, middle-aged lady with thick glasses and jet-black-dyed hair came out from the back. She held a can of Sprite with a red plastic straw jammed into the top opening.

  “Looking for a room?” she asked with a definite Midwestern drawl. She took a long pull on the straw as she eyed them both up.

  “Yes,” Mario said. “We have two rooms reserved for tonight under Alonso, but we’ll only need one.”

  “Yep, it’s right here. For one room, we have a king-sized bed or two doubles available. What’s your preference?”

  Karen felt the heat climb up her neck and engulf her face. She was sure she would break out in hives at any second. “Um…” She cleared her throat as Mario looked over at her. “Let’s go with the double beds.”

  “You got it. Just sign here.”

  Mario gave Karen a wink as he showed the clerk his driver’s license, signed the registration, and paid with his Visa card.

  “You’re in room 2B. There’s a continental breakfast starting at seven in the morning. It ends at nine thirty.”

  “Thanks. Which takeout is better, the Chinese or the pizza joint?” Mario asked.

  “Couldn’t tell you, hon. I’ve never been to either of them. Have a good night.”

  Karen and Mario left the office and grabbed their bags from the back of the car. They took the hotel’s steps to the second floor and found the room. It was cozy and clean—a relief, given the long day they’d just had.

  “This isn’t bad. Good job, Mario.”

  After some discussion, they agreed on Chinese takeout. Mario called and placed the order. Twenty minutes later, he grabbed his jacket to walk over and pick up the food. “Do you want to tag along?”

  “I think I’ll stay and freshen up.”

  “Sounds good, I’ll be back in a flash.” Mario zipped his jacket, pulled the collar up around his neck, grabbed the key card from the dresser, and left.

  As soon as the door closed behind him, Karen hit Vic’s number on her cell. “Hurry up and answer, damn it.”

  After three rings, Vic answered, already laughing. “What’s up, sister? Having fun yet?”

  “You’re really not funny right now, Vic, damn it. We’re sharing a room, but we have double beds.”

  “Hey, that’s a start. You’re making progress. By tomorrow night, you’ll be all cuddled up in one bed. I guaran-damn-tee it.” She laughed. “Where’s Mario now?”

  “He walked over to the strip mall to get Chinese for dinner.”

  “So, what are you going to wear to bed? That’s something we totally overlooked when revamping your wardrobe.”

  “Oh, crap—I didn’t even think about it. I’m so pathetic and embarrassed to even tell you. I have plaid flannel pajama bottoms and a tee shirt for a top.”

  “Yeah, you probably aren’t going to score tonight with that look. What the hell were you thinking?”

  “Obviously, I wasn’t thinking, and there’s zero chance of stopping along the way to pick up something somewhat sexy. I’m so screwed.”

  “Not yet, but you want to be.” Vic laughed at her own clever comeback. “Looks like you’ll have to wait to go shopping until you reach Telluride. Until then, just wear the tee shirt, and ditch the flannels.”

  Karen stood by the window and twisted the wand on the blinds. She stared across the parking lot, watching for Mario. “I swear, Vic, I’m going to have an aneurysm before we even make it to Colorado.”

  “Will you calm down? We’re talking about Mario. You know him, right? He’s cool and easygoing. Everything will be okay as long as you take a breath and go with the flow. I’ve got to get back to my TV show. You’ll do fine. Just don’t tell me the X-rated stuff when you get to that point. Remember, he’s my brother.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Vic. I’ll call you when we get to Telluride. If anything sex-related happens, I’ll call Sasha. She’ll give it to me straight. Gotta go, I see Mario coming back.” Karen ran for the bathroom to pee and freshen up before Mario reached the room. She launched herself onto the bed just as he turned the doorknob to enter.

  “Hope you’re hungry. This Chicken Almond Ding actually smells pretty good.”

  “Yeah, I’m famished.”

  They ate at the small round table by the window. The hanging light fixture above their heads had two bulbs missing, creating a soft, ambient light.

  “So, Karen, do you have anything on your wish list for tomorrow?” Mario pinched a piece of chicken between his chopsticks.

  He asked the question just as Karen was swallowing a mouthful of rice. The sticky white grain stuck in her throat as she thought about how Mario was on her immediate wish list. She began choking and couldn’t catch her breath. Her face turned hot red.

  “Karen, are you all right?” She couldn’t answer. “Shit!” Mario pushed his chair out and bear hugged Karen around the midsection, giving her a quick, jerking squeeze. Rice flew out of her mouth, coating the table with white bits and pieces. Mario ran into the bathroom and filled a glass of water for her. “Here, drink this.”

  Tears streamed down Karen’s cheeks as she gasped for air. A deep gulp of water helped clear her throat. “Oh my God, Mario, I’m so embarrassed.” She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, coughed a few times, and raced to the bathroom to grab some tissue. In a flash, the table was wiped, the tissue was in the trash and she was sitting again. Karen glanced at Mario, mortified, before they both burst out laughing.

  “You want to explain what just happened?” Mario asked while chuckling. “I thought at least I’d get the opportunity to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”

  “You dork, I almost died a minute ago.”

  “Well, now you sound like Sasha. Seriously, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. The rice got stuck in my throat, that’s all. I’ll focus on the chicken instead. Anyway, back to your question,” she said with a final cough. “I’d like to see the Gateway Arch. Why don’t we visit my cousins on the way back? I should give them a heads-up before we bang on their door anyway.”

  “So, how do you go about doing that? Do they have telephones, or are you going to send them a letter?”

  “Some have phones in their milk houses. Actually a few even have cellphones, but I’ll leave a message if my cousin doesn’t answer her phone. You’ll be surprised when you meet them. They’re very charming.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Mario said. “Wanna watch some TV before we turn in?”

  “Sure. That sounds relaxing. I don’t think I can hurt myself watching TV, but you never know.”

  Halfway through the Lifetime movie, Karen mentioned something to Mario and got no response. She looked over and saw he was fast asleep.

  I guess I wasn’t really expecting anything tonight anyway. He was probab
ly exhausted. I’ll pitch in with the driving tomorrow so he can sleep along the way. Karen tiptoed to the bathroom and went inside, closing the door behind her. She changed into her sleep clothes, brushed her teeth, and quietly climbed into bed. She lay there, thinking about the days to come. Just relax and go with the flow. It’s going to be fine. She smiled as she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  Mario woke early. He prepared coffee in the small coffeemaker sitting next to the microwave. With two cups of the morning brew in hand, he sat down on the edge of Karen’s bed. She stirred from his movement and inhaled the scent of the dark, rich coffee.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead. It’s almost seven o’clock. Rise and shine. I made coffee.”

  Karen yawned and sat up. “And it smells heavenly. It’s just what I need. Thanks, Mario.”

  “No problem. Sorry I crashed out on you. I guess I wasn’t very good company last night. How did you sleep?”

  “That’s okay, and I slept fine. I’ll help drive today so you aren’t so worn out. You can relax and nap when I take over.”

  “Great idea. Want some breakfast? I can bring a tray up to the room.”

  “Sure. Grab two of whatever you want. You know I’m not picky. I’ll get showered so we can head out soon. So, we’re off to St. Louis, right?”

  “Yep. Just so you know, today is going to be awesome.”

  “Really, what makes you so sure?”

  “Because I have the best travel partner I could ever ask for. We’re going to have fun—count on it.” Mario winked at her and headed downstairs to load up on the continental breakfast.

  When he banged on the door with his foot ten minutes later, Karen let him in. She had just finished showering, washing her hair in record-breaking time. The tray Mario carried held plates of food and cups of coffee and was teetering precariously, ready to crash to the floor. Karen laughed and grabbed the precious coffees before they tipped.

  “Nice save,” Mario said. “Thanks. Wow, you’re fast. Already showered?”

  “Sure. All I have to do is comb out my wet hair and I’ll be ready to go whenever you are.”

  “Okay, let’s eat. I’ll shower, then we can hit the road.”

  ***

  “Mia, do you think it’s too early for the baby to be kicking? I’m barely three months pregnant.” Sasha loaded the slow cooker with a pot roast, potatoes, onions, and carrots. She poured low-sodium beef stock over the contents, put the lid on, and adjusted the dial to the lowest setting. This would make a nice meal later when Josh and J. J. arrived.

  “You’re asking the wrong person, hon. I’ve never had kids, remember? Google it.”

  “I already did, but everyone is different, aren’t they?”

  “I guess so, but why do you ask? Are you feeling something?”

  “Sort of, but maybe it’s just gas. Do you think I should cancel my hair appointment for tomorrow with Tina?”

  “Because of the dye?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Ask Tina. Maybe they use vegetable dyes on preggers like you. You can just get a trim if you want and hold off with the dye for a few months.”

  “Won’t I look skunky with the dark roots and all?”

  “Sure, but who cares? You’re Martha Destiny, and you can do whatever you want. Let’s go hang out at Vic’s house. I’ll pick you up. You don’t have anything else to do, do you?”

  Sasha giggled at the new-found freedom she felt. She would consult with her doctor about the dye and get it done later. “I was just going to work on the stenciling in the library today after my usual bout of morning sickness.”

  “Cool. I’ll give you a hand with it later. Let’s bang on Vic’s door and gossip about Karen and Mario. That should be amusing. Call Tina, and see if she wants to join us. See you in a few.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait on the porch for you.”

  ***

  “What’s with the stuff on the table?” Tina asked as the three women entered Vic’s kitchen.

  In front of them on the table sat an empty jelly jar, a deck of cards, a pencil, and a grid with dates and times.

  “We’re going to make bets on Mario and Karen,” Vic said.

  “Cool… this should be fun. So, what do we do?” Mia asked.

  “We each draw a card. Lowest card goes first, then next lowest, and so on. The grid has dates and times. If any of us pick the same date, we have to go by closest time as well. Otherwise, the date is good enough. We’re betting on the day they hook up, and if they never do, we all get our money back.”

  “What’s the buy-in?” Mia asked.

  “Twenty bucks.”

  Sasha gasped. “What? That’s extortion, Vic.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It isn’t extortion—it’s gambling. There is a slight difference, Martha. Anyway, cough up the cash, and don’t even tell me you only have a credit card. I swear, I’ll kick your butt, preggers or not. Put your money in the jar. Winner takes all.”

  Through a few gripes and groans, they all reached into their purses and reluctantly pulled out precious twenty-dollar bills to jam into the jelly jar.

  “Can I have some grape juice and a snack? I’d like to get my morning puking out of the way so I can join in on the salacious gossip.”

  “Sure, help yourself to whatever you want. I’ll make coffee. Are you still studying big words, Sasha?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am. Karen and I moved up to level two. I want Josh to think I’m smart, not just hot.”

  The girls laughed at Sasha’s silly comment, but they always did. She was innocently witty without even realizing it.

  ***

  Mario and Karen were well on their way to St. Louis. They’d stopped earlier to top off the gas tank, use the restrooms, and grab snacks and coffee for the road. The giant green signs along I-70 showed they were approaching Indianapolis. With three hours of driving time under their belts, traffic suddenly slowed to an abrupt stop. Construction-zone flashing signs, narrowed lanes, and plenty of road equipment turned the interstate into an oversized concrete parking lot in both directions.

  “Great. Not this already,” Mario said. “I was hoping just once in my life I could go on a road trip without the construction nightmare. I swear the freeway was like this last summer when I drove to New York.”

  “This would be a good time for you to relax for a while. I’ll take over. It doesn’t look like we’re in a rush, so you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Of course I don’t. Get a few hours’ sleep. I’ve got everything under control.”

  Mario set the parking brake and jumped out. Karen jumped out, too, and they switched sides. With the SUV in drive, Karen inched ahead ever so slowly, gaining all of three miles in forty minutes. She turned the radio down once she realized Mario hadn’t spoken in a while. She smiled at the man next to her—peacefully sleeping with the seat reclined—and thought about how gorgeous he was. Maybe this trip can turn into a love connection. Time will tell.

  She turned her focus back to the road to see brake lights inches from her front bumper. It was either swerve to the right or hit the back of the compact car in front of her. With the size of the Explorer, she knew she didn’t have a choice. Karen jerked the wheel to the right, ran over a pile of construction debris, and smashed into the guardrail. Horns blared and middle fingers flew up as cars swerved around her. Mario’s head hit the side window.

  “What the hell is going on?” he yelled as he quickly came to his senses and looked around.

  Karen didn't try to hide her mortification. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She burst into a round of gut-wrenching sobs. “Mario, oh my God, I’m so embarrassed. I was distracted for a split second. It happened so fast. I was going to hit this car or go off the side. I chose the latter.”

  “Are you okay?” He rubbed the side of his head.

  “Yes, but you…”

  “I’m fine. It’s just a small goose egg.”


  “I don’t think goose eggs come in size small.”

  She buried her face in her hands against the steering wheel and killed the engine. Mario got out on the passenger side to assess the damage. Then he opened the door and leaned in.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “It’s not that bad. I’ll have to change the front tire—it’s flat from running over nails and metal chunks. The right front quarter panel is scraped, and there are a few dings here and there, but my insurance will cover it. It’s pretty minimal.”

  “No way. I caused the damage, so I’ll cover it.”

  “Karen, I only listed myself as a driver. Don’t worry about it.”

  But she did. I bet he’s pissed off. First, he has to save my life at dinnertime, and now he probably thinks I’m a lousy driver. We won’t make it to St. Louis until who knows when. Way to go, Karen, you idiot!

  She watched through the rear-view mirror as Mario pulled the suitcases out of the back to get to the spare tire and jack. She felt horrible. He was sleeping, minding his own business, and then this happened. She opened the side door and yelled back to him. “Mario, is there anything I can do to help you?”

  “Just stay in the car. There’s too much traffic out here to be safe.”

  Karen heard sirens in the distance. Somebody had called the cops. She couldn’t blame them. There’d been a bottleneck of traffic to begin with, and she’d made it worse.

  “Karen, get out of the car on the passenger side, and don’t say anything,” Mario called out.

  Well, what the hell? Now he wants me out of the car. Karen climbed over the console and out the passenger door. Good thing I’m still flexible at my age. “What can I do?”

  “Nothing. The police are going to be here in a second. I’ll do the talking. I was driving, okay? I just looked away for a second and had to veer off so I wouldn’t hit the car, just like you said. Except it was me, or the insurance won’t cover it.”

  “Oh… I get it. I’m so sorry you’ll have to lie because of me.”

  “Ma’am, sir, what happened here?” the state trooper asked as he pulled up behind the SUV and got out. “You know, this is probably the worst place to have a fender bender. Traffic is really backing up now. Care to explain? I’ll need to see your license and insurance papers too.”