by Maria Herren
Charly couldn't understand the words but she was relieved to watch Paolo back away from her and head toward the appetizers.
Carlo turned toward her and bowed slightly. "I'm Carlo Carruci," he said. "It's my pleasure to finally meet you, Charly."
She liked the way her name sounded when he said it. She smiled and awkwardly held out her hand, which he took and kissed lightly. Her hand tingled from the brief contact.
They moved together around the room, and she found herself enjoying his company. He made her laugh when he talked about his sister, Catrina. He told her that, if she hadn't already guessed, Catrina had always gotten anything she wanted. He thought it was good that there was finally something that she wanted that she couldn't have. He seemed very philosophical about his sister's broken heart. "There are plenty of other men to choose from," he smiled.
"Maybe, for her, there's only one," Charly suggested.
"There is nothing that Catrina has only one of," Carlo replied, stopping for two more glasses of champagne. "Vincenzo has told me quite a lot about you, Charly."
"Really? There's not a lot to tell," Charly said, modestly. "He mentioned your name quite a bit as well. He missed you a lot this year."
"We're brothers," Carlo said, simply. "He is the dove, I am the hawk."
"He told me he thought of you as his brother. He didn't mention that you were a hawk."
"We got the names when we were a lot younger," Carlo laughed. "We were always together. He would get us into trouble and I would get us out of it. Only a few people still call us by those nicknames."
"You two look like opposites. He's so dark and you're so blonde," Charly said.
"Yes, my family is originally from northern Italy. My heart is always here, in Sicily."
"I can understand why. What a beautiful place to grow up! Were you at the beach every day?"
"Yes, every day in the summer we were at Mondello. In the winter we were in the mountains for skiing. It is a schedule that my sister still keeps," he said, watching Catrina glide by.
It was Vincenzo and Simone who drew Charly's gaze. "I hope that God will bless them," she murmured.
"Vincenzo will take very good care of her," Carlo assured her. "This is the only time that I've ever seen him really in love. She's a very fortunate woman," he said softly.
"He's a very lucky man!" Charly countered.
"Agreed. They're two lucky people to have found each other. Do you know who you remind me of?" he asked.
"I have no idea," Charly said.
"Do you have any glass slippers?"
"What? You don't like my dress, either? You're as bad as your sister!" Charly laughed.
"Did she say something rude?" he asked, sharply.
"Well, she told me how nice it was," Charly admitted.
"I'm sorry," Carlo sighed. "She has very bad manners. May I have this dance, Cinderella?" he asked, holding out his arm.
He was an elegant and practiced dancer, leading Charly fluidly among the other couples. She closed her eyes and for a moment pretended that he was Eric. Her eyes flew open when she felt his arms tighten, aggressively. "Where's your friend, the American?" he asked, reading her mind.
"Uhh... he had to go home. Illness in the family," Charly stammered, feeling unexplainably guilty and tripping on his foot.
"You're tired," he said. "It's been a very long day."
⇼
It was Paolo's mistake to choose that moment to blunder into her. "Spero che c'e sarebbe una opportunità d decidere quale e megliore a letto," he leered at her.
(I hope you'll have the opportunity to find out which one of them is better in bed.) The look on Carlo's face told her whatever had been said was not appreciated.
"Would you excuse me for a moment, Charly?" he asked, politely.
"Of course," Charly said.
Carlo reached out and put his hand roughly on the back of Paolo's neck, leading him quickly out of the room while the remaining guests tried not to stare.
Suddenly Silvia was there. "Vieni con me," she murmured to Charly, leading her outside.
"What did that guy say, Silvia? Why is Carlo so pissed off? Did I do something wrong?" Charly asked, with concern.
"No, no. Do you mind if I smoke, Charly?" Silvia asked, politely. "I don't smoke very often but I always enjoy it."
Charly waited while Silvia inhaled deeply.
"We've known Carlo and Catrina since they were infants," she finally said, almost apologetically.
"Yes. I know that they grew up together."
"Vincenzo and Catrina have been expected to marry since they were children. For years even I thought it would be a wonderful thing," Silvia continued. "She can be a very nice girl, and so very pretty. I didn't expect him to come back from America with a wife."
"I watched a lot of the women at the university try to catch his eye. Some of them he liked for a little while. After he met Simone no one else mattered. He's been in love with her from the day he met her," Charly said.
"I can see that. I know him. I've never seen him in love like this, before. I know that he has made the right decision, even though it is difficult for Simone. He will treat her well. We will make sure of it," Silvia said.
They sat together in companionable silence.
"Remember Eric, my guest at the wedding?" Charly asked.
"Of course,” Silvia said.
"I've been totally in love with him for years."
"I know,’’ Silvia answered, without surprise.
"Really? How do you know?" Charly demanded.
"I know because you were not attracted to Vincenzo when you met him at the university, so there must be someone else," Silvia said. "It is too bad that he has left. I think that he will eventually regret it very much."
"What do you mean? He had to go. It doesn't bother me that he's gone. Not really," she added, with little conviction.
"In any case, you need to enjoy these last days. I think Carlo will be happy to accompany you," Silvia said, putting out her cigarette and taking Charly's arm. They passed together through the heavy wooden doors toward the music.
⇼
It was difficult for Vincenzo not to wake Simone up when he came to bed. Too difficult. "So ... what did Charly say about Carlo?'' he asked her, rubbing her shoulders.
"Not too much," she said, reaching up to caress him. He molded himself to her back. They both lay awake with their eyes closed. Simone broke the silence. "I'm not sure about the two of them. They're like fire and water, I think. It's too soon for Charly to be interested in someone else. What are you thinking?" she asked.
"I think that Carlo knows what he's doing. I think that there's something wonderful about the Sicilian sun. I think that everything happens for a reason. I think that Charly can take care of herself and she doesn't need you to worry about her. I think it's time to go to sleep."
"Goodnight, my love," Simone said, drifting off to sleep, holding his hand against her belly.
⇼
The morning sun glistened through the half opened curtains in Charly’s room as she stumbled around to put on a shirt and answer the persistent knock on the door. She flung the door open.
"Buon Giorno! Good morning, Cinderella! Maybe the Sleeping Beauty would be more appropriate?"
Charly stammered an insipid reply. Carlo admired that she didn't clutch at the shirt to cover herself. "We're all outside on the veranda. Would you like to join us?"
Charly nodded and shut the door.
With her eyes closed she walked with her arms straight out in front of her like a zombie to the bed. I really hope I'm dreaming, she thought, because if I'm not I just totally embarrassed myself.
It was a half an hour before she made her way outside.
⇼
"Buon Giorno, Charly!" Silvia said cheerfully, tossing her silvery blonde head back to look up at her. "What a glorious sunrise you've missed already today!"
"I saw a nice one last week, and another one earlier in my life," Charly said,
sinking into a chair and accepting a steaming cup of espresso.
"Charly's not a morning person," Simone explained.
Carlo took in Charly's ruffled black hair and still sleepy green eyes. What a gorgeous creature she is, he thought. "That's a pity. I find many times that the early morning is the best part of my day," he said with a smile at Charly.
"Yeah. Well, my mama told me that if you eat a toad for breakfast nothing worse will happen to you all day, so I guess I can see your point," Charly smiled back at him.
His spontaneous, rich laughter surprised everyone. "Maybe your mother has the right idea!"
It had been a long time since Vincenzo had heard Carlo laugh out loud like that. He squeezed Simone's hand and enjoyed the Sicilian sun.
"Today will be a nice day for the young people on the beach," Silvia said. "Davide, Antonio, Lily and I will go back to Palermo. There are some new negozzi, some nice shops that we must visit."
Both of the men groaned loudly.
"We can't have you go on empty stomachs!" Carlo said, laughing again. "Please, bring out our freshest platter of toads!"
⇼
The day was already warm when they said their brief goodbyes but the constant breeze from the sea made it pleasant. Charly and Simone stood arm in arm, waving to the departing car.
Vincenzo and Carlo were inside, organizing a picnic basket. "We're going to the sea," Vincenzo said, looking up as they came in the room. "Get your swimsuits and meet us on the rocks."
"I didn't bring a swimsuit," Charly said.
"I set some out for you to choose from," Carlo said. "You look the same size as my sister."
Charly hadn't purchased a new swimsuit in several years, and she'd never owned any that looked quite like the ones on the bed. "Just another difference between a city that's built on the Mediterranean and small town, America," she sighed. She tried on the most outrageous bikini first, just for fun. "Now that is scary," she said to herself, stepping quickly back out of it. She tried another with a lot of small, intricate straps. I don't know if I'm smart enough to wear this, she thought, surveying the tangled straps on her thighs. Finally she selected a simple one-piece suit. It was white, cut high on her legs.
Simone let out a low wolf whistle when she saw Charly coming down the hall. "My Lord, Charly! You're beautiful!"
Charly felt suddenly shy and put on the robe. "Do you think it's cut a little too high?"
''No. Just high enough. You look great and my life is perfect. Let's go!"
The steps that had been carved in the stone of the cliffs were wide enough for them to walk down together. "I don't see any sand. Where's the beach?" Charly asked.
"There's not a lot of sand around here. Just the cliffs and some really big stones to lay on. There they are!" Simone said, excitedly, pulling herself through a small pass in the rock.
Vincenzo grabbed her around the waist, swinging her from the last step to his chest. He kissed her nose and laid her on the thick blankets. He and Carlo were both wet from the sea. "The water's warm!" Vincenzo declared. "Do you want to come in with me?'' he asked Simone.
"Let's go!" she yelled, cheerfully.
Let them always be at least this happy, Charly thought, watching the two of them in the water. She looked out over the incredible blue of the sea. It was more than peaceful, more than merely beautiful. Then, for a split second the darkness of the cliffs blended with the light from the sun and the reflection on the water was golden. In that moment she felt a sadness so deep and overwhelming that she understood that it was not her own. She found out later what she knew then. Eric's grandmother had died.
She took off her robe and threw it against the rock. Her hot tears blended with the breeze from the sea and she tasted the salt on her lips. "Is the water deep?" she asked Carlo, clutching the edge of the rock with her toes and staring into the waves.
"Only if you jump out far enough," he told her. "Why are you crying?" he asked, totally mesmerized by her.
Charly didn't answer him. She could hear Vincenzo and Simone splashing each other underneath the overhang. She bent her knees sharply and then uncoiled hard, pushing as far as she could from the stone, jumping high to compete with the Sicilian sun. She sliced into the oncoming wave and circled down in the icy water.
⇼
Charly and Carlo were inseparable for the next two weeks. He took her to the exclusive private club at Mondello. They sailed on several of his boats. He took her to parties and to museums, to dinners all over Palermo and dancing afterward. It was fun. A whole lot of fun, and Charly was enjoying every minute of the attention.
They were walking on the beach at Mondello the first time he kissed her. She'd been expecting it but hadn't expected to respond to him the way she did. For a second she felt guilty, as if Eric would care if he knew. He doesn't care, Charly thought, leaning forward for another kiss.
Nine
In the end it was more difficult to say goodbye to him than she had expected. She had felt a rush of tears and he lifted her chin and kissed her nose.
"Stop," he said. "This is not really goodbye. I'll be coming to America again, soon. I'll see you then, piccolina mia."
He'd first called her his "little one" after the first time he kissed her.
"I'm not little!" she finally told him, "I'm huge in my heart!"
"I see!" he laughed. "Piccola, grande amore!"
"What does that mean?"
"It means, "little, huge love," he smiled. You are my huge love, little one, he thought to himself.
"Okay. So what does that mean?'' she asked, again.
"It means you ask too many questions!" he laughed.
She liked it when he laughed. She liked it a lot. "I really like the way you laugh," she told him. "Sometimes with me, sometimes because of me!" she admitted.
"You're right. I do laugh a lot when I'm with you," Carlo admitted. "When I'm working, a lot of the time I'm too serious. Money is serious."
"I've never had a lot of money so I don't know. Does it have to be serious?" Charly asked.
"I've never been around anyone who had a lot of it who didn't think so. Except for the gamblers," Carlo said, "And they have trouble keeping money around them."
"I don't like to be serious," Charly said. "I like to laugh," Carlo replied.
"We do have a lot of fun, together," Charly said, her head to one side, considering him.
"Don't forget me before I come to America!" Carlo demanded.
"Okay, I won't!" Charly replied, dashing off for one more long hug with Simone. She bent down swiftly and kissed her tummy. "Goodbye, baby!" A hug for Vincenzo, one more kiss for Carlo, and she was gone.
Mio Dio, Vincenzo thought, watching Carlo. I wouldn't have thought he would fall in love with her so quickly.
⇼
The funeral service was short, but gracious. Eric read one of his grandmother's favorite poems as he stood in front of the small gathering. There weren't many flowers, but his father had brought a handful of daffodils. Eric wiped his cheeks, laying the bright yellow flower on her coffin. "I know how much you loved them," he whispered in a hoarse voice.
He and his father sat together for dinner that evening, trying to enjoy the tough meat in the stew a neighbor had brought over. Growing up, his father had been all over the globe. Sometimes they'd been together. They'd always been comfortable together, even when he was young. They liked each other.
"This is pretty good stew. Not quite as good as what your grandmother used to make," his father said.
Eric swallowed the piece of beef with a small struggle. "Yeah. It's pretty good."
"Sorry I haven't had much chance to talk to you. How was Italy?" his father asked.
"Nice. It was real nice. The wedding was beautiful," Eric said.
"How was Charly?" his father asked.
"What do you mean?"
His father raised his grizzled head and stared at his son. "I mean, how was Charly?"
"Oh. Right. Okay. She's fine. She looks gre
at. Seems to be doing pretty well in college."
"Does she have a boyfriend?"
"What?"
"Son, I'm asking a simple question. If she doesn't have a boyfriend, maybe you'd like to invite her to your graduation."
"I hadn't thought about that. I don't really need anyone there, besides you, dad."
"Maybe I won't be able to make it."
"Maybe asking her is not such a bad idea. Do you think she'll come?''
"You went to Italy, didn't you?"
They chewed together in silence for a minute. "There's something your grandmother wanted me to give you," his father said, pushing his chair back. "Let me go get it before I forget."
It was a sealed envelope. Inside were numerous certificates for various stocks, a check made out to him for an outrageously large sum of money, and a copy of her recipe for chocolate chip cookies with a handwritten note that read, "For you, Eric, I've always doubled the chocolate chips."
⇼
Recruiters for both the Federal and the Central agencies had watched Eric’s progress through his years at the Academy. Eric was the only one who was surprised when he finished at the top of his class of eight hundred graduates.
Graduation day dawned bright and clear.
Straightening the stiff collar on his uniform he walked proudly across the stage to accept his diploma. He gave a quick salute, then held the paper high over his head the way he'd been instructed not to do, searching the stands to find his father.
His father was happily seated between Charly and Margaret.
To the delight of the crowd he saluted his father and combined it with a rolling dip of his cap to the two women.
First his father accepted his hand in a warm handshake, then grabbed him tight in a bear hug. "I love you, boy!" he yelled in his ear.
Charly was next in line, nervous and excited to see him.
