The “Talk” Before The Talk

Al and Marco walked into the house, stepping into the kitchen from the back porch. The smell of breakfast lingered in the air still. Scrambled eggs, pancakes, and turkey bacon. Every smell clashing with each other above their heads. Al's mom was no where insight so Al called out for her.

"Mom! Guess who is here?!"

No answer from the rest of the house, Al went around the house looking in each room from the bedrooms to her dads office until she was lead back to the kitchen. She looked at Marco, who was staring at a note on the refrigerator.

"I can't find my mom." She said concerned.

"I believe she went out for errands" Marco response back as he turned towards her.

"Is that what it says? What else?"

"Alice Darling, I'm going to the store to pick a few things up after I go to the gym, I'll be home around 6 for dinner tonight, make sure you are home if you leave the house. I love you. Mom"

Marco read back to Al after pulling it off the refrigerator.

"Well I guess it's time to eat then?" Marco grinned as he said

Al shrugged her shoulders and headed towards making two plates.

They sat down across from each other without a word, staring at the plates in front of them.

Al couldn't stop thinking why was he so silence, couldn't he just tell her what is going on.

Marco was trying to think of an excuse for his appearance and disappearance. How could he tell her without giving his secret away; should he had just told her in the first place..

Al couldn't take it anymore and slaps her hands down on the table, on both sides of the plate.

"Are you just going to sit there or you gonna explain yourself?"

Marco sighed and leaned forward crossing his fingers with one and other.

"Listen Al, I'll tell you after you get a shower with me and some rest, then in the morning we can talk about it, yeah?"

Al raised one eyebrow, making sure he could read the question, "Am I stupid?" All over her face.

"You really think I want to rest? Let alone you didn't write, email, call, or anything and you expect me to wait longer to know what's going on? I am in the dark enough, you really think I want to stay in the dark?"

Marco could see the tears building up in her eyes. In his mind he is hitting his self in the face asking "why me?" He takes a deep breath and stands up, walking to the side of the table Al was on. Before she could turn towards him, he hugged her, her head against the middle of his stomach, his arms tightly squeezing her neck and shoulders.

"What if I told you, I'm just not ready to talk yet. I'm sorry for making you wait, but can we please finish eating, shower and take a nap? It took a lot to get here and you don't want to upset your guest do you?"

Al grinned,"too bad you're not a guest asshole!"

Al stood up, breaking Marco's embrace. She pushed her plate away towards the middle of the table while looking up at Marco.

"Im not hungry." She Walks towards the stairs and pauses. She takes one good look at him and sighs.

"Whatever floats your boat." She said as she's walking up the stairs. Tears begin to slowly move down her cheeks as she attempts to wipe them away.

Marco watches her until he can't see her anymore. He grabs the plates and cleans them by throwing the food away and washing them then doing it to the rest of the kitchen. Meanwhile he couldn't stop thinking of her warmth. He tried to shake the thought, but it came popping back up, he keep repeating to his self "I'm so stupid, I can't fall for her, I can't fall for her. How could I tell her I am working for the man that is after her?

Al sat on her bed next to the window in her favorite spot. She kept her eyes on the field in the backyard when Marco comes in. He kisses her forehead and quietly walks to the bathroom. Without any word, he hopped in the shower and she doesn't change the direction of her head that was faced towards the window. When he opens the door, steam rushes out the bathroom and she turns towards him breaking her stare. He was in a black towel, his hair making his shoulders wet again.

"Still have any of my clothes?"

"Last drawer, same spot as always."

He went to the dresser she was talking about and quietly took out a blue shirt with a skeleton flicking off whoever stares at it. His favorite blue jeans, with his childhood cartoon, "Tim and Larry" boxers. It was one of his favorite outfits.

Once he put on his boxers and pants, he walked over to Al and sat next to her on the bed.

"You won't be in the dark long, I'll explain everything in the morning, I promise."

Al looked up at him, looking him in one eye at a time. She could tell something was wrong, but didn't have the energy to fight it.

"Fine. Fine. Fine. I'll wait, but promise you will tell me?" She asked as she stuck her index finger in his face.

Marco smiled and wrapped his arms around Al this time, planning on not letting go.

She returns the gesture with a hug back. Both enjoying the warmth of each other, Marco began to lean back, causing them to lay down on the bed. Too comfortable to move or fight Al began to drift asleep.

Marco focused on her breathing and closes his eyes. He could hardly make out the sound, but he knew what she had said.

"I hate you, but I love you."

He smiled and hugged her a little tighter.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as softly as he could while he fell asleep.