Mrs. Wrong Last Name

Chapter Twenty

She arrived back to her room to find the Ole Misses collectively in a panic.

"Oh my GOD where have you BEEN?!" they asked in unison. Ole Miss #2 actually ran up stood on her tip toes and hugged her.

She leaned back smiling and started to pat Ole Miss #2 on the back. "I'm fine, I'm fine! I came down to your rooms and they were being cleaned. The front desk said you guys had left in a hurry?"

Shame and fear showed on their faces immediately as the Ole Misses exchanged a quick glance. "Umm, We got a call that was of immediate urgency, and were only gone two hours at most," Ole Miss #1 said.

Ole Miss #2 added, "You should have been asleep! And then we came back to check on you and you were gone. We were worried sick that something might have happened to you!"

She smiled reassuringly and put her hand on Ole Miss #2's arm. "Oh gosh, I am so sorry! I am just not used to having a protection detail. And well I wanted to go on a walk and you weren't there so I just did," she said.

The Ole Misses looked at her questioningly, but in any event she was back and they hadn't called Mr. Wrong Last Name yet and now they sure didn't intend to. "I hope your walk was nice?" Ole Miss #1 was struggling to be civil as he was still pretty freaked out.

"Yeah you know, it was nice. Italy in the spring," she said as she opened the large window and let the curtains blow in the breeze.

They stood awkwardly for a few moments before starting to leave. Then she asked Ole Miss #2 to stay behind just a minute.

She sat down over by the balcony while Ole Miss #2 stood dutifully beside her, waiting to see what she had to say. "Hey, I wanted to tell you that I am sorry I put you in that weird position earlier at the bank. And then again just now. I know the pressure you must be under both with your day job and your liaison position assigned to my husband and the cartel..."

Ole Miss #2 gulped and then sat down slowly.

She looked her over for a minute. "It's ok, you don't need to panic. Yes I know what he does. We just don't talk about it, like I told you and your colleague at the airport. That was all true. But I am not in the dark. I just want you to know just how thankful I am that you are with him to ensure there will be a peaceful exchange." She studied Ole Miss to see what if anything she would get out of her. Ole Miss revealed nothing.

"But anyway, he asked earlier if I would like to eat with him downstairs, and I turned him down. Even here in Italy I must stand my ground with him on some things," she looked out the window and continued. "I have not been seen with my husband in public in years- and really that means EVER- because the last time we were together in the open was pre social media and instantaneous communication if that makes sense. And if it's not on Instagram did it ever really happen at all?" she said. Ole Miss #2 chuckled.

"I guess not," she agreed.

"He protects me and I protect him. That's our gig. I get it if you don't want to eat with me and I get it if you think my husband and I seem to have a very strange arrangement. But I assure you it is one that has enabled me to raise healthy and happy children in safety and relative obscurity, and that is the true motivation for us both." She added, "No matter what, no matter where, I regard his safety and the safety of my children above all else and he feels the same."

Ole Miss opened her mouth to speak, but then didn't. And then couldn't help herself.

"There is a lot of talk about people not knowing who you are, where he keeps you and why," she offered. "He is very public- well not out all the time, but he is seen. He is hounded. I understand why he wouldn't want that for you. And this mess with Interpol... why come after the wife? No one understood that. It's just a no go."