The Sibylline Oracle (5 page)

“Yes?”

“Well, this sounds crazy, but there’s something familiar about it.” Valeria turned to Alex.

“The little girl is familiar to you?” he prodded.

“No,” she responded. Alex made a barely perceptible frown. It would be more difficult than he thought.

She continued, “But the situation seems to be…well, I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s probably nothing. The little girl pointed at a strange looking woman.” She suddenly remembered. “And there’s a man in a long robe standing by the little girl. He seems to be directing things. There’s something kind of creepy about him. You know what I mean?”

“I understand. Go on.”

Valeria stopped hard enough to spin Alex around. “I don’t understand this, Alex! I feel like this is my memory. Will you please tell me what’s going on?”

They had reached the other side of the park. “Val, I know it’s different. But you don’t need me to tell you what happened. You can figure this out!”

Alex’s confidence in her was encouraging. “The image was so real. I think it must have really happened. It seems as if the little girl is being careful about something. There are several
strange women who are pleading to be chosen. But I think the people who should be chosen don’t want to be. Does that even make sense?” She sighed in frustration. If she were bright at all, she would be able to figure out what it all meant. And right now, with Alex, she wanted to be bright!

As they approached the steps of her brownstone, she asked, “Did this all really happen? I mean, did Mani’s memories transfer to me by his touch?”

His eyes narrowed. “What do you think?”

“I think it really did happen.” Alex shrugged it off. Valeria reached hesitantly for Alex’s hand. She was certain she saw something in his eyes. “Why did you need Mani?” She watched Alex, aware of his scrutiny. He seemed to be pulled in because of her touch. “You have memories you don’t want me to see.” Alex’s eyes dropped a degree.

He put his other hand on hers, a deep sadness coming to his beautiful blue eyes. “You're right.” Then, he started them both up the stairs to her door. “But you’ll need to see them anyway.”

As they entered her home, she realized how odd it was that she would let this stranger in. But she couldn’t even conceive of him leaving.

“Your birthday is in five days?” he asked. Valeria nodded, surprised how his nearness took her breath away. “Then you’ll need to pack a bag,” he said. His lips turned up in a gentle smile. Alex held his breath. He didn’t want to reveal more than he already had.

Cocking her head to the side, Valeria’s mind felt completely scrambled! She couldn’t just meet someone and run off like this. This wasn’t like her. She didn’t fall for men she just met. In fact, she didn’t
fall
for men at all...well, except for David. Though, really, her relationship with David had been carefully planned...
by
David. She guessed that, despite the fact that she, of course, loved David, their relationship had happened more calmly. Probably more the way things
should
go! Without permitting herself to further evaluate the situation, Valeria said, “Okay.”

In her bedroom, she pulled out the suitcase from under her bed while Alex meandered around her apartment. “Is this you?” he asked.

Valeria glanced out from the bedroom and saw him holding the only personal picture she owned. “Yes. That’s me and my father.” She shook her head. “I don’t know why I keep it.” It was the only picture she had of her childhood; it was of her and her dad at Christmas, the year before he’d died. It had been her dad’s last gig playing Santa, something he loved to do. It was as close to being a father as he ever got.

Noticing Alex’s pleased expression, Valeria asked, “What should I bring?” She wondered again why on earth she had let this man—with the beautiful, blue eyes—into her brownstone, let alone the fact that she was now packing to go away with him.

“Comfortable…casual. Really, whatever you would like,” he replied. “So…where are the rest of your photos?” Alex carried the small picture frame with him as he brushed his hand over his injured rib.

“Um...well, that’s really about it.”

Coming into the kitchen area, he winced at the formal portrait of David.
This must be the boyfriend.
He didn’t like the guy; he looked arrogant. Alex thought it was a good sign that there were no romantic pictures of the two of them. “No school pictures?” he asked, as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“Oh…” Valeria’s voice came from the bedroom. “No, I didn’t really see any reason. Pictures are for other people and I didn’t want to pay for them.”

“Hmm,” Alex responded. He removed the picture of Valeria and her father from the frame and placed it in his coat pocket. He might need it later.

Valeria went to her closet. “Comfortable” would be sweats or jeans paired with a T-shirt or sweater. She grabbed a token pair of sweats and a single T-shirt, and then finished with a few pairs of nice slacks and jeans. She went to her closet and pulled out two of her favorite cotton dresses that were casual, while also enhancing her figure. Or, so she’d been told. She wondered how many days she was packing for, but didn’t want to ask any more questions.

“Val, mind if I look at your music collection?” Alex asked, raising his voice so she could hear.

Peeking her head out of her bedroom, she said, “Go ahead.”

Sorting through her lingerie drawer, Valeria realized with disgust that she had nothing but cotton. She bit her lip and then felt completely irritated with herself for searching for sexy underwear.
What was wrong with her
? Had she suddenly become one of those girls she abhorred? Valeria finished packing and came out of her bedroom with her suitcase in hand, still wondering what she was possibly thinking going away with him.

She found Alex still scanning her music shelf. He sensed her presence and turned. “From Tim McGraw to Jason Mraz, Bach to Boney James. I see you are a Puccini fan. You are eclectic, aren’t you!” His admiration caused Valeria to flush again.

“I just like what I like, I guess.”

He took her suitcase from her. Valeria thought she noticed a frozen moment as their hands touched, but decided it was her imagination. “Where are we going?”

“Italy. Got your passport?”

Even as Valeria grabbed her passport and her purse, she wondered what in the hell she was doing. But then Alex looked at her with his dazzling blue eyes and she felt bewitched. She wished she could think of something clever, but all she could say was, “Yep!” Then she turned off the light and locked the door.

Alex secured them first class tickets for a flight from JFK to Milan, Italy. Valeria continued to mull over the images that Mani had given her and was still trying to make sense of them. She knew she should also be trying to make heads or tails of her loss of sensibility, getting on an international flight with a man she’d just met a few hours ago! She just didn’t do that kind of thing.

During the flight, Alex asked Valeria numerous questions about her least favorite subject—herself. While answering them, and trying to discover more about him, she noticed the flight attendant referring to Alex as if they were lifelong friends after only a few minutes, while remaining coolly professional with Valeria. Perhaps that was Alex’s gift. She had certainly warmed up to him quickly enough. What was particularly disconcerting was that he didn’t seem to be aware of his effect on women. He just seemed terribly interested…mostly in her! In fact, every time Valeria tried to discover more about his story, Alex would give her a quick answer and then change the subject back to her. She didn’t sense that he was avoiding talking about himself. He just seemed to be delighted to hear about every aspect of her life, regardless of how uninteresting it seemed to her.

She told him about building her florists shop, while working out of her tiny apartment. And how, after several years, her creativity had won her the florist contracts at the Waldorf Astoria and several other posh New York hotels. She told Alex how she'd been absolutely stunned to receive the staggering buy-out offer a few months ago. She would have turned it down, but she'd never really wanted to manage others. She had preferred running her small business—except for the part where she had worried about paying her rent and eating! Alex wasn’t like the others, who often questioned her sanity when she suggested that she’d preferred her small life before she went corporate.

“What’s next for you?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve been asking myself that same question!”

Time and location all seemed to blur together while Valeria was with him. She tried to analyze why that was. When Valeria noticed Alex looking away for a moment, she wondered if he was laughing at her little life, so devoid of…life. But then he gazed at her with a look of absolute delight in his eyes, and she scolded herself for doubting him. She thought about how odd it was—she couldn’t recall ever feeling this at ease with anyone in all of her life. She couldn’t imagine what someone like Alex, so perfectly…perfect, saw in her. No one else saw anything in her that remotely equated to special. In fact, if anything, the responses she had received most of her life were completely the opposite.

So much about him, and her response to him, was foreign to her. They talked almost all night without either showing the least sign of tiring. When the subject of books came up, Alex’s face lit with a new excitement.

“So what’s your favorite?” Alex's eyes narrowed inquisitively.

“Why is it that people think you have to have only
one
favorite?” Valeria teased. “Okay, favoritest…I’d have to say
To Kill a Mockingbird
. I love how she conveys the concepts of prejudice and ignorance. I think it’s a story that changed how people thought about the mentally ill and race.” She paused, cocking her head to the side. “Such a beautifully told story! If I could write, I’d want to write like her.”

Alex tapped his little finger lightly on the armrest of the first class seat as if in agreement. “I love that story myself. I enjoy reading
Walden
. It sits so close to my heart: ‘For what are the classics but the noblest recorded thoughts of man.’ Fantastic! By the way, I definitely agree that one can never have too many favorite books. Do you have a favorite author?"

“Hands down, Jane Austen,” Valeria replied. “Harper Lee would have been…”

Alex smiled and added with Valeria in unison, “…if she had written more than the one novel.” They both laughed.

“Jane Austen seems to be writing about women from an enlightened viewpoint in a time when women weren’t really appreciated as anything more than ornaments or domestic help. Did you know that she had to publish
Sense and Sensibility
anonymously? In those years, authors were warned against challenging the status quo.”

Alex narrowed his eyes in thought. “Let’s see, wasn’t that about the same time as the Thomas Paine trial?”

Lost in his eyes, she nodded, without evaluation of his words. “I…I believe so.” She shook her head. She would really need to look away from him if she wanted to talk intelligently. “Did I just say
I believe so?
” She laughed nervously. “I’m sorry. Actually, I don’t know anything about Thomas Paine,” she confessed. When she glanced back at him, the corners of his mouth turned up in the most delightful way, causing her heart to quicken.

Swallowing her embarrassment, she continued, “What were we talking about? Oh! Jane Austen’s characters…they seemed to know their own value even if no one else did. And despite her feminism, her books are filled with just the most delicious romance!” Valeria made the mistake of meeting his eyes, and she was lost again.

Longing to reach over and take her face in his hands, Alex clasped them in his lap to keep from moving too fast. Now was not the time! As he might with a skittish fawn, he would wait for her to come to him. “I’ll have to read more of her work.” He sighed. “I’m a fan of Aristotle and Dickens, Homer, Hawthorne...too many authors.”

“You’re an Ancient History Professor and yet no Plato?”

Alex shrugged. “I love
The Cave
. But I disagree with Plato's view that forms exist beyond and outside the ordinary range of human understanding. I believe the human mind is capable of amazing feats! But enough about me.” Valeria listened as Alex performed his typical turnabout and veered them back to her interests…again.

As they exited the baggage claim area, a valet pulled up in an ocean-blue Porsche Panamera. The valet almost clicked his heels as he ran to open Valeria’s door. She slipped into the tan leather seat. It was the most comfortable car seat she’d ever sat in. The valet loaded the luggage into the trunk and she noticed that Alex tipped him well before he slipped into the driver’s seat.

One thing she knew was that he didn’t skimp on tips! Valeria hated when David would assess the perfect percentage—never adjusting it based on quality of service—and then round down. Her father had been even cheaper! He used to toss a dollar or some coins down on the table regardless of the amount of the check. Or worse, ask Valeria if she had any change!

Before pulling out from the airport, Alex turned to Valeria and brushed his hand over her hair. She felt a thrill at his touch
and even if she wanted to, she was too tired to turn away. They sat for a long moment just staring. He said softly, “You look tired.”

She nodded sleepily in response. Valeria was surprised at how easily her face rolled into his hand. Alex winked at her. “No worries. I want you to be able to enjoy the drive. So, I thought we would stop to let you get some sleep and clean up.” He ran the back of his hand up his jaw line. “I know I could use a shower and shave.”

“Okay,” Valeria whispered, drawing in a deep breath.

Alex pulled out expertly into the lane and drove only a few miles before he signaled into a beautiful country estate turned hotel. She wished that she were more awake to appreciate it. After they pulled around the circular drive and stopped at the front of the hotel, a uniformed doorman opened Valeria's door, making her feel suddenly shy. She felt grungy from the road and too sleepy to make any decisions about Alex.

She knew other women jumped in bed with men far less entrancing than Alex. But she wasn’t other women! If this was a romantic trip, and Valeria had her doubts, she would need time to think about it and to get to know him better. Right now, she was so exhausted and just needed a shower and some rest. Her anxiety built and she was almost in tears, until she saw the clerk hand Alex two keys and saw their luggage held by two separate bellmen. Alex walked with her to the elevator. He leaned over and brushed his lips against her cheek, creating that now familiar electricity. Then, he stepped back.

“I’ll be in my room. Sleep until you’re rested and give me a ring when you’re ready. It’s another three hours to Morgana. So don’t sleep too long.” He winked. “I’d like for you to be able to see the drive.”

As the elevator door closed, Valeria’s emotions flipped and she was surprised that she now felt disappointed that Alex hadn’t wanted her, or at least tried to stay in the same room. She found herself pouting all the way to the elegant suite. The bellman unloaded her luggage and she was about to tip him, but he was gone before she could think that fast. She sat on the edge of the bed as her world began to buzz around her from her exhaustion. She laid back and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, Valeria noticed that the light coming in through the windows had changed, and it must be afternoon.

She picked up the phone and tried to recall Alex’s last name. But the operator didn’t seem to require any information and connected her to Signore Morgan’s room. Alex Morgan.
What a nice name.

Answering his phone on the first ring, Alex said he would see her downstairs when she was ready. There was a knock at her door and it was room service with fresh fruit, warm brioche, and cheese. Valeria ate a strawberry and found she was famished. She ate every bite before jumping in the shower. She dried her hair and realized that this was the first time she had dressed for a date with Alex. She pulled out the cotton wrap dress with the three-quarter length sleeves that she had purchased the previous year. It was simple, comfortable and yet there was an elegance about it. The dress had hung in her closet for almost a year because David always insisted on something more stiff and formal for their dates, leaving her no opportunity to wear it. Not wanting to take too much time, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and brushed on some blush, mascara, and lip-gloss before heading downstairs.

Alex had showered and changed, too. He was wearing a greenish-gray V-neck shirt, blue jeans, and a sports jacket. Valeria was careful not to comment on how much she enjoyed his wonderful scent or how incredibly handsome he looked.

They drove through the countryside and Valeria felt a thrill as she saw the
Verona
sign. “Verona! I’ve always wanted to go there!”

Alex smiled. “Home of Romeo and Juliet.”

She beamed as Alex touched her shoulder. “I thought we would have an early dinner here, if that’s all right with you, before heading on up the hill.”

“Up the hill? I guess I should ask—where are we going?”

“I’m sorry. I thought I’d bring you to meet my family at our home near Trento; it’s called Morgana.”

“Morgana?” Valeria drew her eyebrows together. “As in Morgan? The estate must have been named after your family.”

Alex flashed a smile. “Other way around! Our family name came from the estate; Morgana was the wife of the original owner and their son named it for her.”

“Your family is Italian? You don’t have a hint of an accent.”

Alex smiled, as he easily parallel parked on a cobblestone street. “I’ve spent much of my life traveling. I guess I’ve developed the ability to pick up subtleties in languages and dialects.”

“So, I’m going to meet your family?” One thing Valeria was absolutely certain of was how she felt about meeting Alex’s family—mortified! She hadn’t even met David’s family yet. She was particularly concerned with what they would think of her. Especially if that family had any concept of who Alex was.

“Well, we aren’t related, that way. We are related by common experience. But we are closer than family. They are looking forward to officially meeting you.”

From the meeting with Mani, she somehow sensed that there was some kind of business that had to take place. What that business was, she hadn’t bothered to find out.

The breeze was a teasing shimmer on the air, calming Valeria. It smelled rich with grapes and Italian cookery. They sat in a beautiful courtyard with Italian music playing softly. They drank wine and ate Caprese con mozzarella and warm bread with olive oil. Alex offered his arm to her as they strolled the narrow cobblestone streets of the ancient town, barely surviving a swarm of brightly colored Vespa scooters with women in business suits and helmets.

“Would you like to see where Juliet lived?” Alex teased.

“Juliet was fictional,” Valeria said, smiling back.

“Maybe. But she has a home and a museum here. Would you like to see it?” Valeria nodded.

It was a romantic tour. An opera singer sang from Juliet’s balcony. When it was over, they wandered, wonderfully and without purpose. Alex guided Valeria into a small antique shop where the shopkeeper greeted Alex by name. Eyeing the extravagances casually, Valeria saw a beautiful Limoges box with forget-me-nots painted on all sides. Alex nodded to the clerk, who took the box and placed it in a bag with several lengths of fragrant, dried flowers. Valeria looked at Alex in surprise. He winked and smiled to thank the shopkeeper. Valeria saw the exchange of looks and caught herself wondering how many women Alex Morgan had brought to Verona. She took a moment to evaluate the tight feeling in her chest and then realized that it was jealousy—a completely unknown emotion to her.

Back in the car, Alex loaded a carefully chosen selection of songs by Jason Mraz. His romantic guitar and beautiful vocals filled the air as they drove into the foothill of the Alps.