by Rimmy London
“Buona sera!” I spun around, smiling at the young man behind the counter.
“Come stai?” he asked politely.
I bit my lip. “I…I’m sorry…um…mi spiace.” He nodded, holding up one hand.
“I don’t speak the language,” I continued, feeling rude by my ignorance.
“It is no problem, signora. Welcome to Palermo, where you will find the richest beauty that Sicily has to offer.”
“Grazie,” I replied. “I am already a little overwhelmed - it’s beautiful.” Feeling suddenly anxious, I headed to the door. “Grazie,” I called again. It was foolish of me to separate myself like that. I knew it. This was no ordinary vaca… trip. My phone buzzed, and I dug through my purse.
“Where did you go?” Givanni asked, the sound of background laughter joining his voice. His uncle Dario’s booming voice rose and fell, jabbering with the family. “No, you go ahead. We’ll catch a ride.” Givanni was turned away from his phone. There were mumbles of goodbye. “Okay, so tell me where you went,” he said, now to me. I smiled at the way the usually tense feel of his voice had settled. Like a ribbon unwinding in the breeze, he sounded peaceful. “Are you near the taxis?” he ventured. I glimpsed the row of taxi signs lined up along the sidewalk ahead of me.
“I’m not quite there, but I can see them.”
“Okay, I’ll find you.” The line went dead and I walked a little slower, gazing over the buildings. White like a cloak with strips of shadow and color, the walls huddled together and squeezed the alleys into barely a sidewalk. I took a deep breath, savoring the sea air that was so different from the Western Coast, with flecks of sage and spice mixing under a hint of smoked fish.
I was studying the buildings when I saw Givanni, walking up the sidewalk dead center. The way he cut through the crowds was impressive, but then it seemed more like the crowd was parting for him. His lips pressed together with something like anger on his face. But even with his intense eyes, he managed to seem almost regal. The dip of his chin, the way his coat flared with each step. Every time a man or woman moved aside they watched as he passed. Step aside. Glance. Always a glance. I puzzled at how carefree his voice had been a moment ago when now he looked like the messenger of death, albeit stunning.
Before he reached me Givanni caught the attention of a gangly youth and handed him a wad of money, whispering. The young man lifted his hand above Givanni’s and dropped a small set of keys in his palm. He swept a hand across his bushy hair, revealing enough of his face to see he believed himself to come out on top with their deal. When he reached me, with what looked like mountains of effort, Givanni forced his lips into a tight smile. “What’s going on?” I asked, not sure what could have turned him into such a statue. He shrugged and stepped off the sidewalk next to a grey moped.
“Nothing. We’re riding home on our own.” His words came out calm but his expression still simmered. I gave up and hopped on behind him, wrapping one arm around his middle. We took off in a buzz, and I caught more than one irritated face as we whooshed past. The cobblestone beneath us was dangerously uneven, and I held on tighter at each dip in the road. Givanni’s muscles were tense and rigid, keeping him unnaturally upright. But the city was small, and it was a relief to finally meet smooth country road. In no time at all, we were buzzing past almost isolated wilderness. Without a single drive or rooftop, I decided it must be a protected area. The deep greens and bright patches of wild blossoms had me again relaxing and feeling on vacation. Givanni’s posture had settled, and his head turned as if taking notice of the scenery. Jet lag flowed through my veins like lead, smothering any thoughts but those of sleep. “How long?” I yelled, not sure if my voice was blown away by the wind. Leaning back Givanni kept his face forward, and I found it easy to hear his smooth voice.
“Half an hour.” he huffed. Leaning against his back, I was glad we had left the crowded city behind. Hills like small mountains undulated in a lazy dance as we drove. Turning my head to the opposite side of the road I was mesmerized at how the view dropped off, the ocean sparkling in the setting sun like diamonds glittering throughout the waves. A little beach came into view for only a moment. It seemed wholly inaccessible, bordered by a steep rocky incline. A tiny, brightly colored umbrella sat bravely along the shore. On impulse, I leaned forward.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” I spoke into Givanni’s ear, feeling bad that I knew almost nothing about his family or childhood. Socially we had only spent time together once - after my apartment had been broken into. But I felt like I knew him more than I knew my own family. Maybe because he kept saving my life. I smiled. His head swung back, one arm dropping to his waist to rest across mine.
“It’s okay Ella, don’t feel bad about that. I should have told you earlier.” We slowed to a side road and disappeared under the bushy trees that towered overhead. Their branches reached across the span and nearly joined together above so that it felt like a nature-made cave. A modest Mediterranean house came into view, covered in the creamy white that went so well with the country. Wide arches ran the length of the patio and disappeared around the back of the house. I hopped off the moped as it rolled to a stop and noticed the empty garage.
“Is your family not here?”
Givanni kicked out the parking stand. “No, they’re up at the house.” I stared at him for a while.
“So, this is the ‘little apartment’.” I brought my fingers up, forming quotation marks in the air as I repeated the phrase he had used.
“It is.” He smiled back at my exasperated expression. “A lot of privacy here, I doubt we will see my family except for at parties.”
“We won’t?” I asked, longing settling in my chest. His family was something I had never known. I couldn’t imagine not wanting to spend every moment of our visit with them. Givanni’s attention was on something else, and I walked with him to the back of the house. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving a pastel trail of color in its wake. The city’s soft glow of a thousand twinkling lights joined in the show and reflected off the ocean. I felt more peaceful than I could ever remember.
“Loriel, I need to go see Falen. He’s been shot. I got a text and I can’t reach anyone, so I really don’t know how bad it is.” Givanni’s voice hardly broke the stillness, but his words wrapped around my tranquility and slowly tightened. I kept my eyes focused on the city, feeling increasingly desperate at the thought of being alone. “There is absolutely no way anyone could reach these houses. Not unless they set a helicopter down right in the middle of it.” His confidence was unwavering, but I was hardly convinced. “Trust me,” He was watching my face, and I tried to force a show of strength through my nerves. To be in a new country was one thing. To be alone surrounded by a foreign world was another.
He pulled out his phone, his eyes still on me. “Hello. Grazie. No, we will be very comfortable here, I am sure. But... perhaps we could spend our first night at the house?” I smiled, and he nodded at my reaction. “Then it’s settled? Yes, we’ll walk up. Grazie. Ciao.” He slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“So, are my bags up at the main house then?” I asked, ready to be surrounded by family, even if it wasn’t my own.
“Yes, and we can head over there now if you’d like.” I could see the way Givanni kept staring off as if he was thinking about something he wasn’t going to share.
“Let’s go,” I said, wanting to be surrounded by people as quickly as possible. We left the moped in its place and took a path through the trees. The moon cast an impressive light as we made our way farther up the hill. Givanni talked confidently about every member of the family. Listening impatiently, I wondered if he would bring up the “non-member” of the family, Enrica. Her beauty had been so unnerving.
“So how do you know Enrica?” I asked. He stopped talking mid-sentence. “It - seemed like she was almost a part of the family.” I fumbled through my explanation, catching onto his discomfort although I wasn’t sure where it was coming from. He cl
eared his throat.
“She grew up with me and probably knows me better than any of the others who greeted us at the airport. Adriano and Emilio are my cousins. I spent time with them, but we never fought and tormented each other as we would have if we were brothers. Zoe is my sister. I’m very close to her… ” Feeling the chill in the air, I wrapped my arms around my sides. Givanni continued slowly, his voice quieting as we neared the house. “Enrica and I dated for a couple years before I moved to California.” I tried to keep my expression from changing while I mulled over this news.
Stopping, Givanni turned toward me and I imitated his movement, feeling suddenly like I should apologize for my question. He spoke to the ground. “I suppose you should know that we were engaged at one time.” I bit my lip. A girlfriend was one thing. A fiancée was something else. “I tell you that only because it would be something you would know if we were here as a couple.” I nodded, seeing only the girl’s creamy skin and pale blue eyes. “It was a long time ago.”
“Givanni?” Oriana stood shading her eyes as she peered into the darkness. “And Loriel? Is that you?” We walked forward together, me a bit grudgingly. There were so many questions I could have asked, and maybe this turning, twisting feeling in my stomach would have been calmed by just a few answers. Oriana abandoned English at the doorway, pouring out a nonstop narration in Italian as we wandered through the house. The entire ground level seemed to be visible from the entryway, spreading out in every direction, with a stairway winding from the center of the room before curling around and splitting off to either side of the house. Givanni chatted back and forth with Oriana. She seemed inclined to head for the comfortable couches, but Givanni waved one hand toward our small pile of bags with his voice sounding like he was framing an apology.
I moved to take my bag, but Givanni stepped in front of me, intertwining himself with every strap and smiling with a wink. I nearly tripped. His ability to go from stressed, to personal, to fun always threw me off guard. Oriana waited politely until I had stumbled quickly up enough steps to satisfy her. She did not resume any conversation, and I wondered if she had been offended by Givanni’s very polite-sounding refusal of the sitting room. We stopped at the first door, with her swinging it open and stepping aside. A wide bed was at the end of the room, a row of windows behind it. Oriana did not follow us. “Buona notte,” she said quietly. Givanni dropped our bags and stepped forward.
“Oriana,” She hardly had time to turn before Givanni wrapped his arms around her. “Grazie,” he whispered. I dropped my eyes at the sincerity in his voice. When he released her, I caught a glimpse of her glowing face and the shine in her eyes, her hair whipping out behind her as she retreated. Givanni closed the door softly. “Maybe we should not stay with my family.” He walked to a small desk in the corner and sat down with his back to me. His hands came to his face. “It might be difficult.” I joined him at the back of the room, not sure where his discouragement was coming from. Oriana seemed overjoyed to see him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, waiting as he let out a deep breath and rubbed his temples in unison.
“Mi scusi, Loriel.” It took me a minute to piece together the beautiful words that tumbled out of his mouth.
“Givanni,” Kneeling down beside him, I was finally able to look at his lowered face. “Wouldn’t it help just to tell me what’s bothering you? Maybe it’s not as bad as you think.” He looked at me silently and I waited, hoping that for once I would be able to help him.
“There is so much that has not been resolved. It’s just that coming here now when I need to be able to concentrate on finding answers…” He paused, shaking his head slightly. “It’s making me feel crazy, like I can’t focus on what I need to.”
I said the first thing that came to mind. “Maybe you are focusing on what you need to.” He raised an eyebrow. “You said you had not been home for years, right? So how much longer are you going to wait to clear things up? Who knows how long it will be until you’re back here.” He nodded at me slowly.
“What you’re saying sounds right, but it is such a tangle of problems that I don’t know where to begin. Things have been this way for so long, I’m not sure if it can change.” I stared back at him, not able to put a scenario together that would match what he was describing. It sounded like more than just past grudges and hurt feelings.
“So, what exactly happened?” I asked, trying to act more casual than I felt asking such a direct question about his personal life. I could see the uncertainty on his face, the worry in his eyes, and the conflict that played out in front of me as I watched him deliberate. Finally sitting back in his chair, I knew before he said it that my opportunity had passed.
“It’s complicated,” he answered. “Really a long story. And with Falen needing some assistance, it’ll have to wait until another time.”
I stood up. “Okay. How long will you be with Falen?” I knew better than to ask where he was.
“It won’t be long,” he said quietly while slinging the familiar backpack around his shoulders. I wondered how he would come and go without anyone knowing, and thought about asking, but it suddenly irritated me. Why should I have to pry information out of him? Why didn’t he tell me what he was worried about? Maybe we weren’t as close as I thought. The culture in Italy was different from what I was used to. What if he considered me only an acquaintance?
“Loriel?” Givanni was sliding the window up. “I’ll be back, hopefully in four hours’ time.” I suppressed the urge to look at the clock as he disappeared into the night. Shuffling a circle in the empty room, I wondered what I was supposed to say if a family member came to the door and Givanni was gone. Rolling my eyes, I decided that I didn’t care. The way Oriana had exited, I doubted she planned on seeing us until tomorrow. Would I just be tucked away in the bedroom all night? I circled the perimeter one more time and then turned on my heels and headed for the door.
The house felt completely deserted. I wandered through all the main living spaces, finding them clean and empty. Wandering down a back hall I navigated my way to a heavy black door. It looked like the entrance to a shop or garage, but besides the doors leading outside it was the only other direction to search. I knocked. My knuckles stung and I shook my hand, waiting only a few seconds before I reached down and turned the handle.
Music and laughing filled my ears the minute the door had opened. A small continuation of hallway made me invisible to those in what I imagined was a very large room. It sounded like a party and although I was curious, I couldn’t imagine barging in on them without an invitation. Just as I was about to leave a young man walked past the opening, a delicate glass of sparkling liquid in one hand. Checking off names in my head, I remembered the sandy-haired brother, the taller of the two, was Emilio. His dramatically straight hair looked like he had spent hours with a flatiron to sculpt it to perfection, but I doubted he had used any effort - he looked too casual for that. Wrapping one arm around my good shoulder, he escorted me forward, talking animatedly in Italian. His slightly tinted cheeks made me wonder if the gently sloshing liquid in his glass was making him more outgoing than usual.
“Loriel!” he announced, swinging his glass in the air and making my cheeks tint to match his. Practically everyone in the room turned, and I recognized each face that had been at the airport, accompanied by a couple that hadn't. The girl with dark, smooth skin and lively green eyes could only be Givanni’s sister. She was the last to notice the distraction, her attention so absorbed in the man whose hands were tangled with hers. But when her eyes did meet mine, she stood immediately and crossed the room. “Buona sera, Loriel!” Her beautiful voice was thick with accent. “I am Zoe, Van’s sister.” Stepping close, she held my hands, kissing the air next to my face as she pressed each cheek to mine in turn.
“It’s good to meet you, Zoe, and congratulations on the wedding. I’m so glad I could make it.” Zoe’s skin was beautiful with the same smooth tan as her older brother, but also a light sprinkling of
freckles across her nose incredibly similar to my own.
“I’m sorry we did not invite you tonight,” she continued easily, threading her arm through mine.”Givanni had mentioned that you were likely to be too tired from such a long trip.”
I nodded. “It’s fine, Givanni actually went to sleep, but I wasn’t feeling tired.” I could hear the false tones in my own voice, and I hurried onto another subject. “This house is absolutely beautiful.”
Her eyes swept the room appreciatively. “It is beautiful. Givanni worked a lot on the designs, even assisting with the building here and there. He is a very talented man.” Her voice had taken on a nostalgic tone to it, and I wondered what would possibly be keeping Givanni away from such an obviously loving sister. She glanced back at me, her smile lighting the shadows that had crept into her beautiful face. “I am so glad you have come to celebrate with us!” She towed me to a wide cushioned chair before taking her place beside her fiance again. He was quick to smile back at me, extending one hand while keeping the other secured around her waist. His strength was made obvious by the muscles that protruded the instant his arm was straightened. I clasped his hand, and he held mine gently while he spoke.
“I am Gaio. It is very good to meet you, Loriel. Givanni has indeed found a treasure in America.” His voice was soft and deep, his English amazingly good.
“Grazie,” I answered. He released my hand as he sat back, winking and dipping his head at me.
“Prego signora, it is my pleasure,” he answered, turning his attention to the mounting conversation of the rest of the party, Emilio seemed to be on the defensive while the family laughed and yelled, urging him on. He glanced at me with a wide grin spread across his face.
