"I really don't need these," Matteo grumbles, his eyes trained on the flowers you insist on bringing him each week. "But thanks," he adds after a long pause.

He wasn't always this awkward, he used to be quite the charmer. But that was when he was younger and thought he had his entire life planned out. He was to be the next mafia head, married the perfect woman, and had five wonderful children with her.

When she passed all rationality left with her. Which made his choice to leave his family and life seem like a rational thing to do ten years ago. He hopped from place to place over the years before settling into this off-the-map town where everyone seemed to know everyone. Meaning everyone wanted to know him. Including you.

Each week you came with flowers that would end up dying in a dark corner of the house and each week he tried to decline but something about your smile made him say yes to stupid things.

He felt like he was betraying his wife each time he talked to you. So he tried avoiding it but then he felt guilty ignoring you when you were just being a friendly neighbor. He'd never entertain the thought of something more anyways, he was committed to Elvira even in death.