Dinner with a Prince

Kari

Their goodbye had been quick, a stiff hug between them, but their parting words had given her comfort and renewed her sense of adventure. Life had thrown such a curveball her way, and yet because of it she was moving away from home, learning a new place and willing to eventually meet new people. The prayer was that she would meet someone who would love her the way she wanted to be loved - the way she loved.

Her phone buzzed in her purse and she checked it, her brother, Marc making sure they were still meeting for an early dinner in Times Square. She confirmed and got into her car, resting her head on the headrest before bringing the car to life. More than anyone in the world, she would miss her little brother. He was her very best friend, her closest companion, the one quick to jump each time she needed him to, to defend her and to love her with silly openness.

He was a jerk to most, a whore to many, and yet he was a perfect gentleman, a prince to her. She adjusted the rearview mirror to look at herself, her makeup smeared from crying. She fixed her eyes and smiled at herself.

"You got this... you can do it." She nodded and readjusted the mirror, focusing on the traffic around her before pulling out into the mid-afternoon busyness.

Parking was a nightmare and yet something like hope sat on Kari, her thoughts distracted by the very idea of a 'new beginning'. She was so grateful for the opportunity to move with two of her closest friends, the childish part of her excited to have roommates again and not be alone so often. She'd moved into the small apartment a year before, when she and Frank had starting getting more serious, the two of them wanting a place to spend time together without Sicily's excessive cleaning or Lisa's harping on him. Lisa hated him with a passion and was more than thrilled to remind him every chance she got.

Kari smiled at the thought, parking her small Honda in a covered garage and slipping out into the small space afforded her. Marc had chosen a quaint Italian restaurant for dinner, simply because it was Kari's favorite. She shut her door and walked quickly, hating the thought of being in the closed space. Her artistic side screamed for fresh air and open spaces. She jogged to the small elevator, the parking garage completely filled and yet not a soul was in sight. The workday still had a few hours left to it.

She moved back and held the small door for an elderly couple as they walked out, the little old woman helping to hold up the man. Kari smiled and nodded as they thanked her, her heart squeezing painfully in her chest as she slipped into the metal box and pressed her back against the far wall. She wanted love so badly that she'd almost settled for someone who would abuse her emotions with his lack of care.

"I'll be more careful this time," she whispered to herself as she walked onto the busy streets of Times Square. Being careful meant not falling for the first handsome man who holds the door open. It meant not saying 'yes' to anyone until she was assured of who she was as a single woman. Four years of belonging to someone left her quite unsure of who she was in the world. This change from New York to Maine would only compound that, but once she got settled, she could focus on learning more about herself.

She wanted to paint. She'd done so as a child, but had put it up when she got too busy in high school, and then through the divorce of her parents, there wasn't much color in the world to paint about. Kari realized that it was something that weighed heavily on her still. She needed to reach out to her father, but the situation with Frank made her angry at him all over again. How could he have cheated on her mom? She was perfection.

"Because he's a bastard, just like Frank... just like all men." She walked into the small cafe, the aroma of garlic and fresh tomatoes rushing to greet her. She stopped and let her shoulders drop, her eyes closing as she breathed in deeply and let the smile that tugged at her mouth lift her lips completely.

"Ahhhh, Kari. How's my girl?" Geno, the owner of the restaurant walked toward her, his large body pouring out from the sides of his small crimson stained apron. She laughed and walked into his hug, groaning as he squeezed her far too tight and lifted her from the ground.

"Hey... watch it, big boy." Marc walked up and extended his hand, Kari pulling off her small, lightweight coat and handing it to her brother. It was early spring, and yet the weather hadn't decided to act like anything other than winter.

"Who-a you calling big, meathead?" Geno turned to Marc and playfully patted his stomach, the older man's accent heavily Italian. Marc winked and pointed to his sister.

"Did she tell you that she's leaving us?"

Geno gasped and turned back to Kari as they started to walk toward "her” table. "What is he-a talking about? You cannot leave us. I make-a you favorite food."

Kari reached over and slipped her hand into Geno's arm, snuggling into the side of him. "I know. I just need to get out of here for a while. I'll be back. I promise."

"Did a boy do-a this?" Geno looked at Marc before he pulled out the seat and motioned for Kari to sit. She did and her brother filled up the restaurant with his thoughts of Frank. After he and Geno stopped bashing the jerk, Marc sat down and smiled across the table at her.

"Sorry. I hated that asshole the day I met him and hate him more now." Marc offered her bread from the small white basket that sat between them.

"Well, at least he won’t be in the family now." She shrugged and took her bread, pulling her napkin in her lap. "Thanks for bringing me here. I love this place."

"Yeah, I know. Remember that guy you dated in high school? What was that old boy's name? Oh yeah... Vinny." Marc laughed as Kari rolled her eyes. "Wasn’t he Geno's nephew or something?"

"He was my godson. Horrible boy. He's in jail now for stealing a bunch of liquor from old man Whistler’s." Geno's voice bellowed behind Kari as she chuckled. "You guys wanna try my new raviolis? Stuffed them a few minutes ago with goodness and a-love."

Marc pretended to gag. "I'm good with chicken parm, but I'm sure Kari will try your girly-ass concoction."

Kari swatted at her brother before turning to look at Geno, the warm smile on his portly face wrapping a sense of belonging around her. Could she go to another state? A place where there was no belonging? Where her brother wasn't going to be a stone's throw away?

"You try it for me, Kari? Your brother is too a-scared. He's a chicken." Geno started to flap his large arms and make bird noises. Kari turned back in time to see Marc's face flush. He raised his hand and waved at the restaurant owner.

"Oh, hell no. We'll both eat it. Pack my chicken parm for my dinner and I'll let you know exactly how your love pastries taste." Marc looked down at Kari, his eyebrow raising as if he'd won a great argument. She simply laughed, unwilling to correct him. Geno had very much won the argument as they were both forgoing their favorite meals and trying something new he had worked up in the back.

"Well, the good thing is that no matter what Geno makes, it's always delicious." Kari buttered her bread, sinking her teeth into the warm gooeyness.

"Yeah, well don't tell him that. His ego is already so big that I think we might have to start greasing the damn doors to get him through." Marc laughed and shoved a whole piece of bread in his mouth, smiling and letting a few crumbs fall back out.

"Gross. I swear... when are you going to grow up?" Kari mumbled at her brother as she enjoyed the wide smile on his face, her memories keeping him as a spunky seven-year-old kid with the same goofy grin.

He reached for his water and took a large drink, swallowing loudly before wiping his mouth. "I have to grow up? Says who? I love being a kid. I have two more years of college and then I'm going for my master’s degree. Seems to me like growing up would be a horrible waste of energy. I need to focus on school, silly girl."

She rolled her eyes, agreeing with him. "Yes... growing up is a horrible waste of energy. Forget I said it."

"Already done." He winked and she chuckled, sitting back as their salads hit the table before them.