“Every little thing she does is magic, everything she does just turns me on, even though my life before was tragic, now I know my love for her goes on…”


Marie looked up at the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. She and Marco had just entered the banquet hall along with Charlie and Erin, as they served as representatives for the team at the function. The Minnesota based charity held the dinner every year, and because the Wild were VIP donors, they were invited.

Marie was clutched onto Marco’s arm as she wobbled in her heels. Feeling out of practice from the months of pregnancy, she felt she was liable to topple over at any point. Somewhere deep in her subconscious, she figured she wanted that to happen just so she could go home and see Sofia again. She was nearly a month old now, and it was the first time Marie and Marco could have a night to themselves. While they desperately needed this for their relationship, it was no secret that Marie would rather be back at home. On a certain level, she was probably dealing with some degree of post–partum depression.

The mother in her still worried about Sofia endlessly, despite her coming along just fine in her recovery. The neonatal specialist had said she was passing all the tests with flying colors, that she would be able to live out her life symptom free. And as much as she hated to admit it, her dad had done well. He had saved their daughter from a potentially detrimental issue.

“…looking great tonight,” Marie heard a presswoman mention. She returned her attention to the present to find herself next to Marco as he grinned at the reporter. He seemed relaxed and totally in control of the moment, which was contrasted to Marie’s apparent lack of.

“Oh thank you. I had strict orders to match Marie, here…” he reached for Marie’s hand and re-linked it around his arm. “So really the credit has to go to her.”

“Is he hard to dress and get made to look presentable?”

Marie felt her breath catch in her throat as the reporter waited for her answer. She didn’t have one, mostly because she didn’t think she’d have to speak. But now she was put on the spot, being summoned to say something not completely foolish.

“Not at all. He’s used to dressing up for games, so it’s more like I’m hard to dress and look presentable,” she glanced up at Marco and noticed he was smiling at her.

“Somehow I doubt that,” the presswoman beamed. “You look gorgeous… So Marco, it’s your first time at this event, and I know you’ve only just arrived but what do you think so far?”

“It’s great, you know… I’m really grateful that the Minnesota Wild allowed me to attend. I love all the work this foundation does for families with sick children. It, uh, really inspires them to keep fighting and battling, and that’s so important.”

“It must be really hitting home for you. We learned you recently welcomed a little girl to the world… Congratulations,”

“Thank you,” Marco beamed, moving to wrap his arm around Marie’s waist.

She could feel his fingers moving back and forth over the fabric, and she clutched at his hand reassuringly.

“We heard very vaguely that she was in the hospital for awhile…?”

“Um yeah… She was born with a heart defect that ended up needing surgery to repair. We were lucky enough to have an excellent surgeon on call for us that day.”

“Are we divulging names?” The reporter pried a little further.

“Sofia,” Marco nodded, bluntly.

Sensing she may be stepping onto private boundaries, the presswoman smiled kindly, “beautiful. Thank you for your time Marco. We hope you enjoy the dinner. Again, congratulations on parenthood.”

Marco smiled back and led Marie over to their table, where Charlie and Erin had already taken their seats. It was really the first time Marie would be in such close quarters with Charlie since that one morning on Montreal. So far it hadn’t been too awkward. They greeted each other amicably outside when both couples arrived simultaneously.

And Erin was kind enough. Not that long ago, Marie was the outsider to the group of women, and now there was fresh meat. No doubt some of the women had already taken their shots at her, but Marie was careful to make sure she didn’t do the same. She remembered how uncomfortable it was to meet the wives and girlfriends for the first time. And had it not been for Becky and Alisha, she probably still wouldn’t have made friends with any of them.

Although the seating arrangements were set, the four altered their seats so Marco and Charlie could sit next to each other, and Marie and Erin could chat amongst themselves. She would’ve liked to been able to sit next to Marco, but she was also relieved that this gave her the chance to meet another woman who was still on the outskirts of the greater group of the team.

“Have you met any of the wives or girlfriends?” Marie asked, picking up her champagne glass. It was the first time since having Sofia that was she having an alcoholic beverage, despite still being underage.

“Becky,” Erin said practically in a whisper. Clearly it would take a little bit to get her to come out of her shell. She was still pretty guarded. “Met some of the girlfriends… They seem to be fairly secluded though. May not be too much room for me in their group.”

“There will be, trust me. It’s a sort of guilty until proven innocent mentality. They were closed off with me too, but Becky, and Zach’s wife Alisha, really helped with the transition. All of the women are great, it just takes some warming up. They’re protective of their own.”

Erin raised her eyebrows like she didn’t exactly believe she’d fit in. Looking back, Marie had felt the same way. The other girls seemed content with their group. In a way, it was just an exaggerated version of high school drama. Glancing over, the boys were enthralled in a conversation presumably about Sofia, as Marco held out his arm measuring the distance from his palm to his elbow; just about the size of Sofia now. He had grown fond of carrying her through the house, balancing her on his forearm with her tiny head perched in his hand.

“And even if you don’t make it into the group,” she began, shifting her eyes back to Erin, “you have me. I’m an outsider no matter how I look at it. A twenty-year-old with an infant and a baby daddy… Who am I to judge anyone?”

Erin laughed and lifted her own champagne glass, clinking it against Marie’s. “Here’s to group outcasts and social misfits,”

“Cheers,”

The night had worn on, past the dinner and the speakers, onto the festive activities of the night. Charlie had whisked Erin away to the dance floor, where they were now wrapped up in each other’s arms swaying to a slow song. Meanwhile Marco stayed back at the table with Marie in his lap, both watching the couples on the floor.

Marco’s fingers tapped along her hips in time with the song, and Marie looked back at him, looping her arm around his shoulders. “I’d say our first night out, post-baby, is a success.”

He chuckled and nodded, looking up into her eyes, “I’d say. I got one of my good friends here… got my woman, whom I must say, looks ravishing. Good food, good company, and a great looking woman,”

She blushed and leaned her head against Marco’s, staring at the way Erin and Charlie interacted with each other. She remembered a time when that was her and Marco. The way it was always playful and new. But now, after so much time together, that aspect of the relationship had begun to fade. Nothing fazed Marie anymore when it came to Marco. It was like she could predict and read him like the back of her hand. While she enjoyed that stability, it was hard not to miss the fun and spontaneity that once made up their relationship.

“Do you think your parents are enjoying their time with Sofia?”

Marco tilted his head back to look up at her, and pressed his lips to her cheek. “Of course. Any excuse to fly down is good enough for them. She’s a perk of the travel,”

Marie looked down and him and ran her fingers over the scruff on his cheek, “you know its been almost six weeks since I had her…”

“I know, time’s flying by,”

She nodded and leaned in to kiss his lips slowly. When she pulled away, she whispered to him, “it also means we can have sex again.” She pecked his lips once more as his cheeks flushed, and then she stood up from his lap.

“Where’re you going?”

“The ladies’ room,”

“Is that an invitation…?”

Marie smiled and shook her head, moving her hand over Marco’s hair, “no. I’m past the point of needing someone to assist me in the bathroom.”

---

Marco pushed open the front door, holding Marie’s clutch in his free hand, only to have Marie follow him in with a high heel in each hand. After finishing off the night with some dancing, her feet were wrecked, and the only relief she found was in being barefoot.

The first thing either of them saw was Marco’s parents on the couch. Francesco was perched by the lamp reading the morning’s newspaper, while Sandra had her head in his lap while she slept. When Francesco saw them, he put the paper down and tapped Sandra’s shoulder until she stirred awake.

“How was the night?” Francesco asked, approaching them both. He leaned in to kiss Marie’s cheek and then did the same to his son.

“Very nice. The foundation puts on a nice evening,”

The men moved towards the front door, and Marie approached Sandra as she gathered her purse. “How was Sofia?”

“Oh an angel. Bathed and fed. Changed her a half hour or so ago… you should have a couple hours more until she stirs,”

“Thank you so much for flying down on such short notice. We really ought to find a babysitter down here,”

“No trouble. Anything to see our little girl. Plus we wouldn’t miss the opening of your shop,”

“I didn’t know you were staying for the soft opening tomorrow,”

“Of course we are. We’re so proud of you for doing this,”

Marie grinned and pulled Sandra into a tight hug. It seemed Marco’s parents were more supportive than her own parents were. They moved back towards the front door. Their own conversation had ceased, and so Marie picked up on the tail end of Marco’s conversation with his dad.

“È tardi. Te lo dico domani,” It’s late. I’ll tell you tomorrow.

“Papà, stai bene?” Dad, are you okay?

Francesco waved his hand to dismiss Marco, “just fine, son. We’ll see you three tomorrow,” he grinned and took Sandra’s hand, leading her out of Marco’s condo.

Marco shut and locked the door behind his parents. He turned to face Marie and leaned against the wood with his arms folded across his chest. He appeared distraught, as his mind seemed to be reeling. “I think something’s wrong with my dad,”

“What did he say?” She asked, stepping closer to him just enough to set her hands down on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding and that only intensified her nervousness.

“Nothing really. It’s more just a gut feeling than anything…”

Marie grabbed onto his arm and tugged it gently, “awh baby come on. Let’s go to bed. If he didn’t tell you tonight, it must not be too dire… C’mon let’s get some sleep,”

He stepped away from the door and Marie wrapped her arm around his torso, like she was helping a wounded athlete off the field. When they got into their bedroom, Marie left his side to get changed for the night. She’d be happy to be out of the confining dress and in a loose, oversized t-shirt.

She reappeared in the bedroom moments later, with her hair tied into a messy bun on top of her head, to find Marco sitting in the chair in the corner, reading. Every so often, he’d pause and glance at Sofia, before returning his attention to the book.

Marie approached the chair and set her hand on top of his head, massaging her fingers through his hair gently. He looked up at her and shut the book, offering a weak smile. It was then she noticed he was reading the book of Italian fables his dad had sent down for Sofia.

“Okay…” she turned and walked to the bed, sat on the edge of it, and looked at Marco. “Let’s talk about it,”

Marco cleared his throat and ran his fingers over the worn, leather cover of the book. “I think he’s sick. It’s the only reason I can think of. Anything else he would’ve told me tonight, but he was adamant about telling me in the morning.”

“If something’s wrong, what’s it matter whether you find out tonight or in the morning…?” She didn’t mean for it to come out rude or condescending. And she knew Marco wouldn’t take it that way.

He shook his head and dropped the book into his lap, “it would give me a few extra hours to figure out how I can help him.”

“Baby, your dad probably wanted you to be able to get some rest tonight. It’s been a long day, and with the opening tomorrow, maybe he thought it’d be better just to talk in the morning.” Marie scooted back and slipped beneath the sheets, “please come to bed, honey.”

It took a moment, but Marco eventually stood up from the chair and began the process of getting undressed. Marie watched him, unwilling to say a word. She figured if he had anything else to say, or if he wanted any more advice, he’d ask for it. There was only so much she could or do.

Notes

"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police

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