Author's note To be safe I am rating this chapter M, due to the conversation.
Rafael inspected the yellow Manila envelope intently. It had no writing on it, and it was heavy. "Is there anything breakable in here?" He asked, making eye contact with Olivia. She slowly shook her head no. Before Rafael could utter another word, she walked quickly to her kitchen area, and busied herself. She got 2 cups from a cabinet. She put them on a counter. She slowly went to the fridge to get something to drink. She slowly poured the drinks.
Rafael slowly opened the envelope, and felt inside of it. He took out a long piece of white loose leaf paper. Silently and quickly, he read the short note, feeling sicker with every word. His gut instinct screamed at him After a few seconds, he read it over.Each word filled him with a new level of anger. "Olivia?" He called, his voice shaking. Olivia didn't move "Liv." He paused waiting for her to answer. "Liv." He repeated. Olivia moved into the living room area, carrying a cup. She held it out to him. "I'm not thirsty." He whispered. She took a sip from the cup, and sat down beside him, afraid that she had broken him, that she had broken them.
"I'm OK,Rafa. I am. Don't worry about me, please." Olivia whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have shared that with you, not now. not yet." He turned his body toward her, and she busied herself putting the cup down on the coffee table, and trying to avoid his deep green eyes.
"No, don't apologize to me Olivia."
"I'm OK." She repeated.
Rafael looked down at the note, and shook his head. Again,he stuck his hand in the envelope, and pulled out the next and final item. It was a hardcover book. Rafael threw it to the floor.
"Please, Rafa". Olivia, begged. "Let's not talk about it. Let's not think about it."
"That's not the answer, I'm not mad at you, Olivia, I'm not upset with you!" He said, making eye contact. Olivia averted her brown eyes a second later.
She got up from the couch, walked a few feet away, and faced the wall. She was silent for a full minute. She heard Rafael read out loud.
Dear Olive,
Enclosed you will find my favorite novel. Every time I read it, I am filled with thoughts of you. Enjoy!
"Olivia, please come here. Look at me.." Rafael begged. "You need to talk about this. We need to talk about this."
Olivia turned away from the wall. Rafael stood, and moved toward her. "No we don't. It's not what you think." Olivia, said softly.
"Let's discuss what I think." Rafael, replied, as he moved a little closer to her.
"Let's not!" Olivia said, louder than she expected,she was happy that Noah's bedroom door was closed. "Don't interrogate me, Rafa."
"I'm not." He answered, gently, walking closer to her.
"It's not what you think." She repeated,softly. "It's not what you think."
Rafael now stood directly in front of her. "I think... I think the old man who interrupted our dinner last Friday authored that note. Inside that envelope was a copy of Lolitia by Vladimir Nabokov. He gave you a copy of Lolitia." Olivia turned her face away from the man she adored. "Olivia, he gave you a copy of Lolitia, and said he thought of you. Who is he? What's his name? Talk to me." Rafael begged.