“Catina. CATINA!” Marcus finally got her attention. “Would you like to join us on our journey back to Rome? We’ll be staying overnight in Ostia—” Before Marcus could finish the sentence, she was nodding.
“I just need time to pack. I’ll have our maid bring my things here in a couple of hours so we can all leave together. Don’t leave without me.” She left like a whirlwind.
“God help us when she’s the one getting married. She’s gone crazy.” I faced Marcus again.
He chuckled, shaking his head.
By early afternoon, we were headed to the port in Campania to begin our journey. My stomach was a knotted ball of nerves. Our trip to Rome will be an adventure I never imagined experiencing in this lifetime. I would actually arrive at a port that no longer exists and then drive by carriage through Rome, past the Senate house and through empty city blocks where someday the glorious coliseum will be built.
All that aside, within a few short days, I will be a married woman—a woman who was born in modern day civilization and marrying in ancient Rome to a man who only existed in an ancient world. May the gods always be on our side and in our favor. I wrapped my arms around my waist bracing myself for the journey on this wretched canoe they called a sailboat and praying for smooth waters.
“Are you all right, love?” Marcus stood close by my side. The punishment for disobeying and disrespecting the emperor’s rules of public affection were severe.
Catina wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Too much?”
“Yes, but not for the reasons you think. I am just feeling a little jittery, that’s all.” I forced a smile.
Catina and I boarded the sailboat arm in arm with Marcus and his parents on our heels. We found seats on the open deck making ourselves as comfortable as possible on the wooden benches for the trip north. It was a little unnerving to brave the open Mediterranean in the brisk late fall in a sailboat with oars for a backup plan to keep the vessel on course. What if the water was too rough and swept us under? There wasn’t a single life jacket on this damn boat or even a small raft to carry us to safety should disaster befall us.
I sat back and tried to enjoy the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea, the unusually calm waters and crispiness of the salty air. The breeze cast a blanket of goose bumps over my entire body. I wished I could be in my own warm clothes instead of this thin tunic. My hair whipped and twisted forming a ball of messy tangles, I was sure. Not my most attractive moment, but at least I was still alive.
We sailed at moderate speed leaving Pompeii behind. The irony of sailing from the tree that linked my current life to my old life wasn’t lost on me. After this week, life as I knew it will be forever changed. Even so, I embraced the change. All that mattered was I was marrying Marcus. The rest would sort itself out. It had to.
Chapter Seventeen
By early evening, we arrived at the beautiful seaside town of Ostia. The place was vibrant with restaurants, outdoor cafés, and shops. I was drawn to the buzzing energy, enchanted by the colorful flowering pots hanging from most every windowsill.
“I take it you like Ostia?” Marcus whispered in my ear.
“I love it!” I wanted nothing more than to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him in celebration.
“I feel the same.” He grinned. “It won’t be long ‘till we’re alone, my love.” His talent for reading me sent a tingling sensation up and down my back.
While the housemaids carried our luggage to a nearby hotel, our posse of five walked toward the heart of the city. Marcus’s family moved with familiarity that led me to believe they enjoyed the city on more occasions than when they passed through from Pompeii. The city reminded me of Pompeii, but on a much grander and wealthier scale.
We settled at a restaurant with outdoor tables and a wonderful view of the narrow street. The layout clustered with shops, vendors and residential housing reminded me of Little Italy in NYC. Charlotte, Kate and I had spent a couple of weeks sightseeing in Manhattan after college. We loved it so much, we briefly considered moving there…until we learned how cold it gets during the winter.
If our destinies are somewhat mapped out at birth, then it made perfect sense why we were deterred from leaving Los Angeles. In this moment, I couldn’t be happier for the divine intervention.
We dined on fire-roasted fish with grains followed by a plate of cheese, bread and dried fruits accompanying each bite with an amber colored homemade wine. The evening seduced my senses. I couldn’t get enough of people watching, of conversation, and of daydreaming what life would be like living here.
Maybe I could open a business here. Ideas swirled in my head at the possibility of becoming a contributing part of ancient society. The options were endless and so exciting. I really should be participating in the discussion about my wedding plans with Juliana and Catina, but I didn’t. I’ve never been a fussy person. All I wanted was for it to be over—and married to the love of my life.
“What are you thinking? I know it’s not our wedding menu,” Marcus teased making me giggle.
“I was thinking about maybe opening a business in Ostia. What do you think?” I whispered.
“What did you have in mind?”
“I’m not sure yet. I haven’t gotten that far in my thinking.”
“I see. Well, when you come up with something, let me know and I’ll help in any way I can.” He sipped his wine.
“Let’s make our way to the hotel so we can get a good night’s rest. We’ll leave early for home. I’ve sent Antonia and Julius ahead to get the house ready,” Maximus declared.
By the time we arrived at the hotel, it was dusk and we were extremely tired. Maximus spoke to the woman at the front desk and she escorted us upstairs to our rooms. It was a small hotel; our party occupied all her available rooms.
A dark, narrow staircase led to a second floor dimly lit with lanterns. It was a lot more spacious than I expected and despite the old establishment, everything looked pristine and very clean.
Marcus’s parents occupied the bigger room at the end of the hallway. Marcus was next to them while Catina and I were given a room by the staircase across from the hotel owner’s room. This arrangement would make it difficult to sneak into Marcus’s room. My cheeks heated at the idea of being intimate with him so close in proximity to his parents and then I blushed even deeper at the realization that he was probably reading my mind. His mischievous smile confirmed.
Maximus asked for a pail of warm water for each of our rooms so we could freshen up. As the hotel owner left, Maximus turned to Marcus and told him that he was expected to sleep in his own room, making me blush from my hair to my toes.
“Father, this conversation isn’t necessary,” Marcus said.
“Good then, we’re all of the same understanding.” His dad looked exhausted from the day’s travel.
“Father, I wouldn’t disappoint you and I will never do anything to hurt Lexi’s reputation.”
“Thank you, son. And I like the name Lexi very much. Do you prefer that to Alexandra or is that his special name for you?”
“All my friends and family call me Lexi. I would be happy for you and Juliana to call me that as well.” I sounded much more proper and formal than I intended.
Maximus’s speech made me reevaluate how casual we’d been and I vowed to be more careful.
Marcus defiantly closed the gap between us, ignoring my glares of discouragement and kissed me good night, first on the cheek and then on the lips. His liquid green eyes twinkled with mischief. Lord, help me! Was he determined to have us publicly humiliated? His father sighed in exasperation and his Mom suppressed a laugh.
“Oh Maximus, they’re in love. He reminds me of another man who behaved exactly the same at his age.” Juliana gave his arm an affectionate squeeze.
“Yes, and we almost lost everything because of it, remember? All right everyone, get a good night’s rest. We’ll see you in the morning. We need to start the day very early.” He stood there ‘till Catina and I were locked securely in our room. I stifled a giggle at the absurdity of Maximus chaperoning his thirty-year old son.
Catina and I slept peacefully only stirring at the sound of the city coming to life with the morning hustle and shopkeepers opening their stores.
“Mmmm. Good morning…” I yawned. I don’t think I’d slept this soundly in months.
“Good morning, bride-to-be,” chimed Catina. “We’re officially in planning mode. Come on. Get dressed, we need to be downstairs for breakfast.”
Was she always this chirpy?
“I thought we were already in full planning mode.”
“That was just discussion mode. Now we actually plan and meet with the dressmaker, the magistrate, and the…” she rambled on.
“All right, all right. Geesh.” I rushed out of bed splashed cold water on my face, brushed my teeth with the toothpaste and toothbrush I had sneaked in and dressed in my pale yellow tunic and gold sandals. I pulled my hair back in a matching yellow ribbon embossed with turquoise beads, wrapping a turquoise colored cloak of soft linen material over my shoulders to ward off the morning chill.
“Not bad for an impostor.” Catina giggled as she fastened a necklace around her neck. She wore a beautiful ruby tunic with a cream cloak. The front of her hair was braided to form a crown around the top of her head leaving the back half cascading down her back. What time had she gotten up? I needed to learn some hair tricks from her.
“Very funny. Let’s go, we have much planning to do and little time. Chop chop,” I mocked her, laughter erupting uncontrollably from both of us.
Downstairs, we found Marcus and his parents nibbling from the various dishes of cheese, bread, fruit, and eggs before them. Juliana looked beautiful in a cream tunic, navy stola, and a matching cloak. Her jewelry was equally impressive from the choker around her neck to the gold bracelets accentuating her delicate wrists. She was the vision of elegance.
Maximus looked regal in his stripped toga, red cloak, and colored shoes distinguishing him as a member of the senate. And then there was my beautiful Marcus in his cream-colored toga and brown cloak wrapped around his broad shoulders as he waited anxiously for my arrival. He beamed brightly at me. To his credit, he remained seated and only stood when we came closer to the table. He took precautions not to touch me in any way.
“Good morning,” I said.
“Good morning, dear. Come girls. Eat. The coach should arrive shortly to take us back to Rome,” his mom said.
I wolfed down my breakfast eager for the next phase of my life to unfold.
Our coach was spacious and comfortable although bumpy at times. I didn’t mind one bit.
Holy heavens, I was about to drive through ancient Rome
. The five of us squeezed in the cab and braced ourselves for the hour-long ride. Marcus made sure I sat by the window so I could look out.
We drove through open fields that at times had small clusters of buildings followed by more open fields. The landscape changed as we entered the city limits and, just as I had imagined, the architecture was intricate—from the design of the structures to the magnificent stonework. Even the most modest buildings looked majestic. The city was breathtaking and I struggled to maintain my composure.
As with Ostia and Pompeii, there seemed to be a similar pattern in planning the layout with the city center’s higher end shops, restaurants, bars and whorehouses strategically placed along with residential homes that hovered above the first floor of the merchant shops. And then there was the cluster of homes and businesses located on the outskirts. These belonged to the wealthier members of society with their homes being more spacious with the convenience of running water, bathroom facilities and at times a second floor.
As we drove around the city center, I couldn’t help but tear up at the secret knowledge that within the next ten years, an even more magnificent building will be erected here that will forever change the landscape. I made a mental note that during our next trip to Los Angeles, I would show Marcus photos of the coliseum in its glory days.
We arrived at a beautiful large building made of white stone braced with a massive double wooden door. The doorknocker was a lion’s head made of shiny yellowish brass. I was certain it was worth more than my laptop and desktop combined. Unreal. My senses were on overload, but I didn’t dare blink for fear of missing something.
The coach had barely pulled to a full stop in front of the building when the double wooden doors swung open. Out stepped Antonia and Julius, smiling and waving. I was a little uncomfortable with having a maid cater to my needs. I took Marcus’s word that they were generously compensated. I handed my bag of tunics, shoes, and jewelry to Antonia and thanked the heavens that I’d had the foresight to buy more than one outfit.
The marble floors covered every inch of the place. As far as I could tell it was even used in the frescoes on the walls. The foyer was larger than some master bedrooms in modern day. At the center was a comfortable-looking oversized sofa in deep maroon with swirls of a lighter shade of that same color. The throw pillows were the same color as the swirl. They looked plush and perfect for an afternoon nap. Surrounding the room was an endless array of different colored clay pots with blooming flowers in each. It gave the place an airy outdoor feel despite the small windows. Then again, who needed large windows when you had an atrium in the middle of the house?
Marcus’s parents and Catina went straight to the atrium to divide and conquer the wedding plans. Sensing Marcus behind me, I turned to face him longing for him to wrap his arms around me before I floated away in his world of magic. He showered me with kisses that started off chaste and innocent and moved to knee-buckling. Breathless and crazed with need, I felt him tug at my tunic before remembering that we were still in the foyer.
“Marcus, not here.”
“I know…let’s make our way upstairs to my room.” He was breathless and had a one-track mind.
As much as I was on the same page, it wasn’t the right thing to do. Holding him by the shoulders seemed to get his attention for the time being. “Marcus. Your father will kick us both out of this house… or worse, disinherit you.” None of these things would actually happen, but I needed to talk sense into him. “Besides, we should participate in our own wedding plans.”