by Patricia Mar
“Merry Christmas!” answered Daniel in a cheerful voice.
“Same to you! So, is the family reunion going okay? Is that bloodsucker of a mother feeding on you?”
“No, you idiot!” said Daniel, glancing over at Sara who was standing next to him.
Virginia, meanwhile, reached out and tried to snatch the phone from him. “Come on, give it to me.”
Daniel shook his head, and continued to speak. “How are you?”
“Well, Christmas Eve dinner was a massive bore. I was over at the wax museum – you know, my uncle’s house, with the plastic surgery gang, all kitted out in dresses he designed. I wonder why we always end up going there for dinner. Half the people there don’t even know who he is. But there’s no point arguing with my mother. As far as she’s concerned, family get togethers are sacred. Thank God it’s his turn to come over to us today.”
Daniel chuckled. “That’s the price you pay for being Dario Gualtieri’s nephew.”
“True, but at least I get three hundred and sixty-four days a year to prepare myself psychologically for it. I’m a fragile fellow, as you know.”
“Come on, let me talk to him, you owe it to me.” Virginia reached out again and literally snatched the phone from Daniel’s hands while he protested in vain.
“Hello, Alessandro?” Her cheeks were so red that Sara and Daniel couldn’t help giggling.
Virginia had heard them talking about this nice, adorable young man and she was desperate to meet him, but in all those months fate had got in the way and, for one reason or another, it had never happened. By now Alessandro had become an obsession for her and Daniel and Sara were intrigued, because they thought he and Virginia would make a perfect couple. Alessandro, however, did not want to arrange a blind date, and wasn’t much of a fan of double dates either.
Sara tried to hear what Alessandro was saying. It was fortunate that he spoke in such a loud voice.
“Who’s that? That’s not Sara.”
“It’s her sister, we’ve already spoken to each other a couple of times.”
“Hello, Sister, merry Christmas.”
Virginia pulled a face that seemed to mean He can’t have forgotten my name, surely?!
“So when are you going to be lucky enough to meet me, then?”
“Errr, when fate’s kind enough to let it happen, I suppose?” she heard him mutter at the other end of the line.
“Well, we could give fate a hand – he’s a pretty lazy individual.”
“We could, of course, but I know that our time will come, so why force things?”
Virginia rolled her eyes while Sara put a hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing. Daniel was pretending to be distracted, but his expression made it clear that he was listening and was also enjoying himself.
“You’re a real tough guy.”
“Some people say so. It’s part of what makes me such a charmer.”
“I’ve got the charmer standing right here in front of me, or am I missing something?”
“Touché. But I can easily compete with him, unless I have to take my shirt off. In that case, he wins, but it’s only because of that weird oil they rub all over him – that stuff makes anyone look good, you know what I mean?”
Sara and Daniel gave each other a complicit look.
“Are you trying to win me over? Just one more word and I’m yours.”
“Then I’d better keep quiet – I don’t want to force you to run after me.”
“Maybe one day it’ll be you running after me.”
“Right, that’s enough, you two have had your chat,” said Daniel, taking back his phone.
“Alessandro is already in love with me,” commented Virginia, blowing on her nails and polishing them on her jacket.
“Hey girls, I’m just going to go over here so I can talk to Alessandro for a minute – it’s too noisy around you two!”
Daniel walked a few steps away from them in the hope of being able to exchange a few words with his friend.
“Was that crazy woman Virginia?” laughed Alessandro.
“Be patient with her. You’re being stupid, by the way – she’s a really beautiful girl. Very smart and bright too. You would like her. I don’t understand you.”
“You don’t you understand why I keep putting off this meeting?”
“Something like that, yes.”
“Perhaps because you’re always reminding me that I’m single and it’s depressing and then you try to convince me to meet Virginia? Why do I have the distinct feeling that you are trying to play cupid in all this? No thanks, buddy – I can find women by myself.”
“What women? You’re a hopeless misogynist.”
“Come on, I’m not that bad. I’m just a bit… picky.”
“You haven’t had a girlfriend in three years, if you don’t mind me saying.”
“I’ve been busy!”
“Yeah, right – busy having all night X-Files marathons, or reading the dictionary…”
“What can I say, I’ve got a thirst for learning.”
“Well there’s other things you should start trying to learn.”
“Let’s see… like a girl’s bra size? Or what gift I can give her on Valentine’s Day?” Alessandro commented.
“All right, I admit it – I cheated with the trip to Australia.”
“You played dirty, my friend, very dirty. You put her back against the wall. There’s not much chance that they’ll give her the time off. But you already know that, right?”
“I’m not that sneaky.”
“You’re talking to me, Daniel, don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes.”
“And you can give me a break with this story of being an eternal bachelor.”
Alessandro moaned in annoyance. “Sara won’t be able to go and you’re going to make her feel guilty.”
“It’s not like that, I’m sure she’ll be able to take a few days off.” How did his friend manage to know him so well? It was frustrating.
“In the real world – the world Sara and I live in – a job means performing your duties responsibly every day, including holidays, if it’s necessary. No trips, unless we become representatives of tour operators or models.”
“Come on, give me a break.” Daniel turned round and glanced at the two girls who were about ten yards away, chatting without a care in the world.
“I seriously think you’ll have to deal with this problem soon,” said Alessandro.
“I’ve already tried to, but Sara keeps avoiding the subject. I don’t know how I should behave.”
“I’ve never seen you sounding so uncertain in a relationship.” There was disbelief in Alessandro’s voice.
“Well, I’ve never been in love before. Sometimes I feel insecure, it’s all totally new to me.”
“Sure – you didn’t exactly have a serious, profound relationship with Delphina and the others.”
Daniel turned his back to the girls so as to focus more on the conversation. “You’re right, that’s exactly it, and all this makes me unsure of myself. I’ve been out with models and actresses and their lifestyle was pretty similar to mine, so it wasn’t a problem.”
“But now you’re going to marry Sara De Michele…”
“Can you believe it?”
“To have got to this point you really must be crazy about her, but you know that I approve of your choice. She’s the first girl I’ve approved of one hundred per cent. In fact, if things went wrong between you two…”
“Fuck you!”
Alessandro exploded in a thunderous laugh. “I love it when you lose your English aplomb and come back down to earth among us common mortals.”
“Yeah yeah, you and your lessons on life. And what about Spank, is she behaving herself with you – and you with her?” Daniel was often forced to leave his dog with his veterinarian friend. He couldn’t always take her with him, but she was like a daughter for him, and he missed that ball of fur.
“Spank is as being an angel
as usual – and of course, I’m an angel too!” laughed Alessandro. “Anyway, are you having fun? Are they treating you well?”
“Sara’s family is wonderful. I feel completely at home with them, everything is going wonderfully.”
“Including Caterina the vampire?”
“Vampire?”
“Yes, Sara’s mother, the one you were worried would go for the jugular as soon as she saw you.”
“Come on, she’s not like that. Sara isn’t very objective when she talks about her.”
“That’s a disappointment. There I was imagining you wearing a necklace of garlic and carrying a stake to defend yourself.”
“No stakes at Christmas.”
“So she’s a God fearing woman, is she?”
Daniel laughed. “I wouldn’t say that – she keeps going on at me to make sure I ‘satisfy’ Sara as much as possible, because that will guarantee us a long, healthy and happy life…”
“Really? Wow, that’s a remarkably original observation!”
“And don’t you want a healthy and happy life?”
“Hmmm…”
“Your level of resistance is remarkable – are you trying to win a prize for abstinence or something?”
“I’m just a bit rusty.”
“You’re not a car that’s ready for the scrapyard, Alessandro. Ok, your previous girlfriend might have traumatised you a bit, but…”
“Traumatised? Excuse me, my dear Mr Freud, but I’ve got no desire to be psychoanalysed on Christmas Day, and especially not before lunch with the family. So shut it, or I’ll have to come up there and punch you in the face!”
“I get it – you don’t want to talk about it.”
“Well, I’m not exactly jumping up and down with joy at the thought of it, no.”
“I give up.”
“And anyway, I hate blind dates.”
“When have I ever set you up on a blind date?” Daniel asked innocently.
“With Virginia… that’s when.”
“She wasn’t a blind date.”
“And what would you call all these attempts of yours to get us to meet, then?”
“Errr… not-very-good-traps?”
“I’m smarter than you are.”
“If you say so.”
“I do say so. Anyway, are you going to lunch now with the whole family?”
“Yes. I brought Sara and Virginia to mass, and now we’re going to meet the others for lunch.”
“Then I won’t take up any more of your precious time. Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas to you.”
“Say hello to everyone.”
“I will, especially Virginia.”
“Fuck you! But with love… of course.”
Daniel laughed as he hung up. They knew each other so well, and Alessandro was like a brother to him. The only real friend he had ever had before meeting Sara. With him, he knew he could let off steam, and even admit his deepest uncertainties and express his weaknesses. And he had plenty of them, but it was easy for others not to bother looking below the surface. Daniel Gant was attractive, rich, famous – what kind of problems could he possibly have? What fragilities could he be hiding? Daniel was quite happy to play along with the image of a man without worries. Yes, he was sure of himself, he had character, he didn’t waste time fretting about stuff. Yet now he was beginning to have doubts, mostly related to his relationship with Sara.
When you care a lot about something or someone, the fear of losing them becomes the off-key note in your happiness – the shadow that darkens the clear sky. Daniel saw that shadow looming and didn’t know how to avoid the decisions that sooner or later they would have to take together. For the umpteenth time, though, he decided that it was better if, for the moment, he forgot about them and just enjoyed Christmas. He went back to the girls, rubbing his hands and raising them to his mouth to breathe on them. “Come on, I’m freezing to death.”
Sara put her hands on Daniel’s back and started pushing him in the right direction.
“And I’m hungry.”
“Come on, come on. Auntie will be waiting for us with a bowl full of tortellini in broth!”
The three of them set off, as Virginia’s voice echoed off the ancient city walls.
“So when am I going to get to meet Alessandro, then?”
8
Sharp Teeth and Hot Chocolate
Once again they found themselves in their car. Their three days in Gubbio were already over and he was feeling sad. The welcome they had given him and the affection and kindness they had shown him had been important for Daniel, and for that reason he was more eager than ever to introduce Sara to his mother now. He wanted his girlfriend to be even more a part of his life, so that she could understand him totally and feel completely at ease. He wanted to prove to her that he was not like his father, and would never make the same mistakes he had. He wouldn’t be an absent, uncaring husband, and he would never abandon her. He would be there for her, he would comfort her in her darkest moments, he would stimulate her to achieve her goals. In a nutshell, he would love her…
“Hello! Is there anybody home?!” asked Sara, tapping him on the arm to get his attention. Daniel had been so immersed in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed that she was talking to him.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” he said, shaking his head. He turned to smile at her. “I was just concentrating on the driving.”
“You had a pretty gloomy expression on your face – don’t tell me that you’re afraid now?”
Daniel frowned. “Afraid?”
“Yes – afraid of this important meeting between me and your mother. Admit it, you’re scared she won’t like me.”
“What are you talking about, she’ll adore you just as much as I do!” said Daniel, relaxing again. Sara was way off-track.
“Anyway, don’t you start trying to be the paranoid one in this couple – that’s my job.”
Daniel burst out laughing, finally free of any negative thoughts.
“There’s one thing I would like to know, though.”
“I’m all yours…”
Sara blushed. “Now, I’m getting impure thoughts that have nothing to do with what I want to ask you.”
“What kind of thoughts?” he teased her, feeling flattered.
“Of you, completely naked, rolling about with me between the sheets and doing that little thing – the one you taught me the other night…”
Daniel bit his lip. “Now, I’m getting turned on.”
“It’s your fault – you started teasing me when all I wanted was to have a serious conversation…”
“What did you want to know?” he asked, taking a deep breath to calm himself down.
“I wanted to ask you something about your mother.”
The furrowed expression on his forehead relaxed and Daniel found himself saying, “Right now, I couldn’t be happier to talk about my mother.”
“Why haven’t you ever told me anything about her?”
Instinctively Daniel turned and looked at her in surprise. “What do you mean? I’ve talked loads about her!”
Sara tilted her head and gave him a sweet smile. “You know what I’m talking about – you’ve told me about your past, about your father, about how much your mother suffered, but I know so little about her, except that she lives in Pienza and that she’s very proud of you. What I mean is, I’ve told you tons about my mother, about who she is, about her personality, but I don’t even know what your mother looks like.”
“She doesn’t like being photographed,” he admitted laconically.
Sara raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”
Daniel’s voice was charged with a tenderness dictated by his deep affection for his mother. “She just doesn’t really like her appearance, and she thinks that photos are pointless. She thinks that they’re only good for reminding us of what we’ve lost, whether it’s youth, a dear one, or a particular moment in time. Photos are just a pale imitation.”
&nbs
p; Sara leaned her head back and looked out the window as the winter colours blended with the asphalt of the ring road. “That’s a sad way of looking at things. Very sad.”
“If you think about it, it’s true, though.”
“Photos let you keep what you’ve lost with you so that you never forget them.”
“Perhaps you might want to forget them.”
“And what about your photos? What does she think of your photos?”
“That’s work, they pay me, I’m satisfied. My mum’s a pragmatic woman, you’ll see.”
“Exactly the opposite of mine, then. She has turned being unpragmatic into a fine art. Caterina and pragmatism are parallel universes which are destined never to meet.”
“My mother would say that all that time is wasted – what’s the use of meditating when there is so much to do at home?” laughed Daniel. “But anyway, these two parallel universes are going to meet – at our wedding.”
Feeling slightly annoyed, Sara looked thoughtfully out the window for a moment, then asked, “Has she ever met any of your other girlfriends?”
“Oh-oh, that’s a minefield.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I knew that you weren’t a virgin when I met you.”
“I certainly wasn’t.”
“So?” she insisted, even more curious.
Daniel took her hand and squeezed it. “This will be the first time that I’ve introduced my mother to my fiancée – the only fiancée I’ve ever had. But yes, she did meet Delphina when she came to see me last year.” He looked into her eyes and saw the disappointment there. After all, he knew how allergic Sara was to a certain ex-girlfriend and famous model. “So are you flattered enough by what I said or did you not hear anything except the name Delphina?”
“I’m just thinking about the right answer to give you.”
“‘I love you, my darling Daniel, don’t ever change!”
“Too late, the damage is done.”
More than nervous, Sara was feeling emotional. She wanted Elena Sangemini’s approval – not so much to satisfy her pride, but for Daniel’s sake. He had been so taciturn during the trip. Perhaps he was worried that his mother wouldn’t approve of her. Sara, however, was intent on being herself, and she hoped that Elena would be able to grasp the strength of their bond, the joy they gave to each other. But she was smart enough to realise that a good first meeting was like the first chapter of a novel: from it, you could understand the rhythm of the story and the style of the author.
