The Good Life

Chapter 19

The last day of Marla’s marathon came. She rolled out of her bed, a bit sore from running so far and so fast. She sucked it up by putting on a pair of jeans, a blue and red t-shirt and yellow heels for her youth meeting that was to be held downtown. It was early June and beautiful day in Los Angeles. Honestly, though, all Marla could think about was the 4 days that she would possibly be able to see her boyfriend. He was finishing up his United States tour and was going to be in town for the weekend and for two days after. After the meeting Marla had to facilitate a girl’s youth meeting at the office with a co-worker. The topic of self-esteem was important to both co-workers and the workshop went off without a hitch. After the 2 hour workshop the girls started clean-up the workshop. Vanessa, Marla’s co-worker was on call that day. As they cleaned, Vanessa, Marla’s co presenter received a phone call from a parent asking for assistance with a child on her caseload. She excused herself for the rest of the day, leaving Marla alone in a large conference room. She turned on the radio as she started to clean the room which was full of torn magazines, glue, markers and binders. She started dancing around to forget her troubles. By the time Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory came on she had taken off her shoes and was dancing like a 5 year old. She flipped her head around toward the door when she heard a large familiar laugh.

“Oh…my…god.” She whispered. If she were to be caught be anyone in her office dancing it would have to be her co-workers- not her boyfriend. “I thought you weren’t going to be here until tonight?”

“I’m superman.” he laughed again.

“You scared me!” she exclaimed.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just couldn’t wait to see you.”

“Awww.” She responded. She turned off the radio, walked toward the door to turn off the light and motioned to him to walk out the door.

“Follow me…” she touched his hand walking toward her office. She introduced him to the legal department who were less than impressed with him and then again walked him to Taylor who had already gushed over him calling the office to tell her he was going to stop by to surprise Marla. Taylor later told Marla that she didn’t believe it was him until he walked in the door.

Bruno followed Marla to her house where she got dressed for an impromptu dinner date. It was the first one that he had planned for them. He told her not to say anything. Just to let him handle it all. He was going to make her feel like “a star.” She wasn’t sure if she wanted that or not. She had done a very good job at flying under the radar since all of this had started – nearly 5 months ago. She put all her faith in whatever he had planned for her. He showed no sign of telling her his secret,

“Telll meee where we’re goinnnnggggg!” She whined in the car as he started to drive into the city.

“I can’t. It just wouldn’t be fair.”

“Fair? How would it not be fair for me to not know where we are going? You know I hate these games!” she pushed his arm that was sitting on the arm rest as they drove.

“I’m not telling you because when I tell you we’re going to Pinot you’re going to tell me that it’s not a good idea, there will be too many people there, people will see us and that you don’t want it to ruin my image.”

“Umm…yes. That’s exactly what I would say and exactly why we’re not going there.” She crossed her arms and pointed her eyes at him as if she were mad. “You didn’t even tell me that you were okay with people knowing we were dating. I was all James Bond about it. My co-workers, very close friends and mom, dad and brother know. That’s it.”

Bruno didn’t tell her they were going to a place where paparazzi occasionally camp out in the evenings because he knew she would have rationalized her way through the date and would end up talking her way out of evening he had planned for them.