Chapter Twenty

Nine-forty-one.  Jesus, let this go allright.  With a nervous sigh, Natalie looked down at
her clothes for what seemed the eightyth time that hour and ran a hand through her
hair.  Scanning the numerous amounts of passengers exiting  the plane and coming in
her general direction, she prayed that the amount of awkward silences would be scarce.
It would have been easier if she had seen him at the dinner she had held a while back
but he had been unable to make it.
“ ‘Cuse me, aren’t you Natalie?” A deep voice poked through her thoughts and she
looked up and offered a slightly nervous smile.
“ Yes, I am,” He grinned and patted his pockets for what she assumed was something to
write on.
“ Did you-?...” She started but stopped once he retrieved an old receipt and a pen.
“ Could ya sign this?” While uncapping the pen and listening to the guy chatter, she
saw the crowd thinning from the corner of her eye.
“ Thanks a lot,”  He said when she was done.
“ No problem,” Catching glance of Matthew, she put a smile on her face and used all her
will to hide the apprehension from her expression.
“ Natalie, hey,” Matthew greeted her with what she sensed was a warm hug.
“ Did you have a good flight?” She inquired when pulling away.
“ Yeah, it was fine,” 
“ Great,” 
“ You look terrific,” He complimented, stepping away to get a good look at her.
“ Thanks...Shall we get going?  I’ve got a car waiting outside,” 
“ Sure,” They made their way to baggage claim and was soon on their way back to her
house.
“ So I get to see Famous Natalie’s house, huh?” He grinned as they sat in the limo.
“ Well, you might just be a tad bit disappointed, it’s not quite as glamourous as Brad
Pitt’s.” (*I couldn’t resist, a.g,lol*)
“ I’m sure it’ll be fine,” He reassured and Natalie was struck with how at ease she felt
with him.
“ So it’s been about...three?  Three years you and I have really seen each
other...”
“ Yeah, it’s been awhile,” She agreed, surveying his face which hadn’t seemed to age a
bit since he was twenty-four and three years younger.
“ Have you talked to Dad recently? He went and bought that car, remember?” She
laughed with him as they caught up on current events and twenty minutes later, Hal
stopped the limo and opened the door.  
“ Nice,” Matt enthused once out of the limo.
“ Thanks...Thanks, Hal, if you could just put those on the front stoop, I’m sure Matthew
can manage from there,” Natalie rang the doorbell and Mary opened the door for them,
greeting Natalie.
“ I’ll be on my way then, Ms. Trevante?” 
“ Yes, thank you , Hal,”
“ Call me if you need me,” He answered before exiting the house and pulling away.
“ Pretty snazzy ride,” Matt commented, coming in with his luggage.
“ Want me to show you the rest of the house?” 
“ Yeah,” Natalie led him around and eventually showed him to his room.
“ You can unpack and I’ll go downstairs and see what’s going on with Mary,”
“ Sure thing,” She walked downstairs in search of her housekeeper and found her in the
living room.
“ Were there any calls?”
“ One, from Donna double-checking her appointment with you for the week after next,” 
“ Oh, ok, thanks...”
“ Will you and Mr. Trevante be needing anything?  I need to go to the grocer’s, we’re a
bit low on produce for dinner,” 
“ Um, no, thank you, Mary.”  Natalie watched as Mary scribbled on a piece of paper and
slipped on her sweater.  After saying goodbye and heading to the front door, she turned
back and called to Natalie.
“ One fella did call, the neighbor next door, he said you had your cell phone turned off. 
I’ve got his message on the table by the phone,”
“ Ok, thanks,” Natalie read over the tidy handwriting standing in the hall.
 ‘ Alex called:  Just called to say hello, the flight’s long and boring, he ’ll give you a call
tonight, keep your phone on.’  Gee, how personal was he?  She sighed and sauntered up
the stairs, impatient yet trying to give a good impression as she checked on...














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