Free Runaway Love by Nicole W. Lee

wonderful, Lorenzo, Genie said.  “I can't believe it.”
    “He is very devastated that they had spent all your money before he could catch them.”
    “Oh, who cares about money?  Tell him I could hug him.”
    “He'd enjoy that, but perhaps, it's best not to offer.  He may expect you to honour your promise.”
    “He deserves it.”
    “He told me he will personally make sure your stolen items are kept safe.  You can collect them from him when you are ready.”
    “Thank you so much, Lorenzo,” she said.
    “Niente,” he said. “Nothing.”
    “Yes it was.  It was everything.”  She reached out and brushed down his upper arm gently.  “All this...everything you've done...everything.  Thank you.”   She tip-toed and gave him a peck on the cheek.
    “The Italian way is both cheeks,” he said, offering his ignored cheek and sporting a grin than can only be described as roguish.
    “Far be it from me to ignore tradition,” Genie said, and honoured the Italian way.
    That evening, still buoyant from the good news, Genie took over the kitchen.
    “Out, out,” she said, ushering Lorenzo towards the door.  “The kitchen is mine this evening.”
    “No, no, no,” Lorenzo said in mock protest, putting up only mild resistance.  “I'm too young to die.”
    “Be careful what you wish for.”  She used the door to assist in ejecting Lorenzo.  “You'd better find your First Aid box while you're waiting.”   She shut the door.  “Just in case,” she shouted.
    After pausing for a few moments listening at the closed door to make sure Lorenzo moved away, she rubbed her hands together vigorously and set to work. 
    She'd already raided the cold room for some beef to grind up and the greenhouse for tomatoes, onion, peppers, and parsley.  This, together with the cheese and pasta that was always available, she soon produced a succulent baked spaghetti.
    Genie's ultimate reward was the delight on Lorenzo's face as he wrapped his mouth and tongue around the first forkful.  She thought it made the effort worthwhile - in spades.
    “Excellent,” he said.  “Complimenti.”
    “Grazie,” Genie responded.
    “I believe I will not need to dress up warm this evening,” he said.  “When I go out to secure everything for the night, your pasta will keep me warm all by itself.”
    “I'll come out with you.”
    “No, Genie,” he responded waving his hand over the remains of their evening meal.  “Tonight, you are in charge of the kitchen, non è vero?”  Standing up, he added, “Just make sure there's a hot coffee waiting for me when I come back.”
    “Yes Master,” Genie said.  Me too.  I'll be waiting for you to come back.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    Lorenzo studied Genie. 
    Perched on the edge of the recliner - which she had commandeered as her own, she leaned as close to the flames as she dare. “My hands and feet always seem to get the worst of the cold,” she said.  “Even that old sun up there doesn't help much.  Pretty weak, your Italian sun.”
    “Don't let him hear you say that.”
    Their evening log-fire worship had become their end-of-the-working-day, pares-dinner ritual.  Naturally, Domino welcomed the change.  Each evening, he took up residence in front the fire, his snout practically in the flames. 
    But, nowadays, there was also Genie.
    It was a source of constant surprise to Lorenzo, how rapidly he had become used to her presence.  He was beginning to hallucinate that she had always been here.  The way she so readily made herself at home from the first day, contributed greatly to his hallucination.  
    She breathed life into his life.
    Gone was the love of solitude.  
    Had it really been love?  Or did he make himself believe that?    With Genie around, he realized how sterile it had been. 
    True, he'd had a life before Genie.  He and Domino had adapted and survived since Anna.  Quite well, he thought.  The sudden death of an extraordinary