by P. M. Thomas
“My favourite, strawberry.” she could already taste it in her mouth as she told him, she could not wait to savour it after all those years.
Tommaso found it unbelievable. He never would have guessed it in a million years. “Mine too, who would believe it?”
Sara was astounded, all those years and they had something else in common, “You learn something new every day.”
Tommaso reached in his wallet. “One strawberry ice cream coming up.”
“There's no need to pay for it. I want one, it's only fair that
I pay for it.” Sara had to draw the line somewhere with his generosity, otherwise she would feel like she was taking advantage of Tommaso's dedicated kindness, and that was something she could never do.
He looked at her insistently, Tommaso would feel like he was failing to live up to his duty if he had his superstar paying for her own ice cream. Not only that, Tommaso always jumped at any opportunity to offer his own tribute to her. “Ah, come on, let me pay for it. It'll be my treat.”
She looked into his eyes, softened towards him. “Oh, how can I refuse that face?”
Tommaso was ecstatic. “Great, I'll be back shortly.”, he hurried off to the ice cream stand to get a treat for his devout sweetheart.
“Try not to drop it.” playfully teased Sara.
“I'll do my best.” joked Tommaso, playing along to the harmless teasing, sparking them to both laugh light-heartedly.
They were in affinity, joined together by rapport. Sara and Tommaso were an inseparable twosome that could never be parted by anything or by anyone in the whole world. One could not exist without the other. It was unimaginable to ever see the pair divided.
Part II
CHAPTER 15
Paulo observed Sara from the distance, he wanted to go over and greet her, his nervousness held him back, he was star struck by her imposing demeanour as a diva. Meeting her had to be flawless, he had to greet her with class and talk to her with gallantry. His stance had to be confident, his hair had to be neat and his face had to be immaculate, his clothes had to be presentable to be in her respectable vicinity. He had to speak calm, and not ramble on about her and her films, he had to show he was dedicated to the phenomenon that was Sara Sarracini, but not bore her to tears at the same time.
First impressions were of the utmost importance of making or breaking any ship built between two people.
He had to tread carefully and choose his words well. He wanted Sara Sarracini to know Paulo for who he was and what he was, a charming and well mannered gentleman who could treat a luxurious lady rightly.
Gloria was losing her patience with Paulo, she was tired of seeing him standing gormless at the other side of the side-walk. The sooner he got her out his system, the sooner they could go on with their own lives. “Are you just going to stand there all day or what?”
He keyed himself up. “I'm going to go over there and ask her for an autograph.” his mind wanted to go over there, his legs refused to correspond, they hesitated to move.
“What are you waiting for?”
“I'm not waiting.” his mind may have projected himself heading for her, his legs told a different, more grounded story, they still hesitated to take a step forward.
“Go on before she leaves.” Gloria snapped, she wanted him to get it over with and endure the jealousy of seeing him talking to his admired starlet. She could not stand all this waiting around, imagining the worst case scenario that could possibly transpire, it was agonizing for her.
“I will.” Paulo took a deep breath, ingested the rich taste of salt and sea. “Here I go.”
He gathered the courage, his legs were acknowledging his mind's commands and cooperated, Paulo actually stepped forward, he was making huge progress. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck.” Gloria said flatly. She was putting him before herself and not pleased one bit but figured if he could purge himself from the superstar's intoxication, he might get Sara Sarracini out of his mind. If not, there would be the stern alternative waiting for him back in the suite. The claws would be coming out and he would have to take it like a man.
Paulo walked onwards, he holding onto his bravado, trying his hardest to keep it firmly on him, refusing to let go and waver from it.
“You're going to need it.” she murmured. At the rate he was going, she had nothing to fear, her competition would be the least bit impressed by her bumbling, nervous fan.
Paulo's legs were stern like stone, they would not crumble into retreating dust. He could not falter, this was the moment he had been waiting for, he had to grab a hold of it and not let it escape his grasp, such an august opportunity might not have came his way a second time.
He could never live with himself if he let his trophy diva elude him. There was no sense in stalling for what one desired the most, less they never wanted to have it, and instead were destined to chase after a shadow they could not catch.
Paulo never could understand why people had a habit of hiding from their heart's desires and denying themselves the happiness they were entitled to claim.
The doubts may have clouded their heads and fears may have blocked out their hearts, he could attest to that, he was as nervous as one could be with meeting his legendary darling star, uncertain of how it may go down but if he did not speak to her, he would never know how it could have gone, it might have been a complete disaster but it also might have been so completely extraordinary in every meaning of the word.
One had to have an iron strength, to disperse the clouding doubtful mist and strip the heart of any restrictive vindictive fear so it could beat with courage. Only those who were brave enough to go for it would be enriched by their aspirations. Fortune only ever favoured the boldest, not the meekest.
One could suffer more from not trying than one who did try. Paulo was a trier, not a quitter.
He was drawing nearer to the goddess standing so elegantly in the plaza, shining brighter and brilliant than the glowing sun overhead. The heat waves she generated touched his face more warmly than the sweltering climate smothered all around him at every angle and every turn. Sara Sarracini was more hotter and glorious than all the summer days combined in all its gold tinted radiance.
Paulo would go with the flow of the conversation, as to not have it feel stiff and robotic like he was reading lines written on a cue card.
He would speak from his heart, where the most fluid and natural of the warmest words sprang. Rather than the calculated and rehearsed colder words resided in one's own mind playing the conversation out like a scene in a movie. It would never turn out as one planned, so it was best to hang up the blueprint and go in blindly, seeing where it took him without being hindered by expectations that went nowhere.
Paulo reached her, she was so close to him he could detect the sweetest fragrance of her strawberry scented perfume drifting from her neck and whiffing up his jubilant nostrils. He was right behind Sara, a few feet from making his dream come true. He had built up the courage this far, he was ready to take the bold next step and make himself known to her.
CHAPTER 16
“Hi.” came a smooth and gallant voice which waltzed calmly and confidently behind her ears.
Sara was turned around by the charming voice to see it belonged to a young and handsome man who was every bit as charming as his vocalization suggested. She was compelled to smile at him, so warmly and kindly. She wondered how she could be of assistance to the young man, maybe he needed to know the time or directions. There was no possible way he was a fan of her, he was from another generation, a different era, most kids in the modern era were oblivious to her existence, she was just another mature woman in their eyes, they were too occupied on marvelling over the stars of today, in their wave length. “Hi.”
Paulo was nearly taken off his feet by her gleaming beauty intensified by her dazzling smile, he quickly regained his composure and resumed talking as cool headed as he could be around her. He had broke the ice well enough, he had to keep g
oing. “Sara Sarracini?”
“Yes.” she was flabbergasted, although she hid it well, Sara was not expecting a youth of his age to know her name with such familiarity. It was actually possible, Sara had a modern day fan, she was flattered and honoured.
The young man introduced himself with a great amount of gusto. “I'm Paulo.”
“Pleased to meet you, Paulo.” that was not a friendly formality, she really was pleased to meet her first young fan of the present century.
Paulo was star struck harder by Sara, his words refused to come out for a moment. It was a minor hiccup, but one that worked in his favour rather than a detriment. She found it cute. Her sweet expression managed to give his nerves the push to finally have him speak. “I'm a big fan of you and your work. You're an amazing actress.”
“Ah, thank you.” Sara was moved by his genuine words, she still was awe struck herself by a young man relishing the work of a woman who was acting long before he was ever conceived. She was already in her thirties by the time he was ten with the wide time gap placed in front of them. It was a gap that was easily crossed if they willed it to. The way it looked, they were already working towards making the leap.
Paulo wasn't through giving her the complimentary tribute of his devotion to her. “I've always said that no one will ever compare to the beauty and magnificence of Sara Sarracini and they haven't. You'll always be number one.”
Sara was left embarrassed at such a compliment. She never heard such beautiful words spoken to her from the heart by someone in his age category. Life was full of surprises, even for Sara who thought she had seen everything it had to offer a woman of the world. “You're very sweet, aren't you? Are you always this sweet to the ladies?”
Paulo was stunned, he was doing great, making a powerful impression that showed no signs of fading, it was evident from receiving a compliment from the unparalleled Sara. If he kept it up at the rate he was going, he would be finding himself receiving something more spectacular than an autograph. He could detect it instantly, although he wasn't sure if it was his own subconscious perceiving it as the case. Either way, Paulo could have sworn she was love struck by him as he was with her since first laying eyes on the wonder that was Sara on the screen and even more so in person.
CHAPTER 17
“Would you like an autograph, Paulo?” Sara good-heartedly offered, it would be her gift of appreciation for meeting such a kind and avid young fan of her work and by the sound of it, herself as well, more so than the films. He was fascinated by the woman behind the roles, rather than the woman playing the parts in front of the camera.
He smiled, an autograph signed by his glittering angelic diva would be treasured greater than had she gave him a solid gold bar. “Yes, please.”
Sara took out a notepad and a pen from her dark blue handbag, she always came well prepared with her equipment for signing autographs and making her fans so very happy. She had to be organized and therefore planned ahead, with the amount of potential fans wherever she was who could have spotted her and requested her signature, it would have been disheartening if neither had the means of granting the request. Sara Sarracini could never disappoint her fan base or let them down, she would never have forgave herself. They made her a famous icon, it was the least she could do to dedicate a moment of her time to give something from herself in return as her own tribute to them, representing her gratitude for making her name glisten in the lights like the star she was. And no matter the age of her charming young man, he was still an admirer of her, therefore it was the sworn duty of Sara to make him happy, as well as another reason which was a tad on the stronger side. She was stricken by it the minute she heard him call out to her. The case broadened out since then, and was growing bigger in her pumping heart with every passing second in unison to her beats.
“How do you spell your name?” she asked, leaving the tip of the pen to hover just over the paper, waiting for the answer to commence signing his autograph.
“P-a-u-l-o.”
She smiled “I always like to make sure I get a fan's name right.”, with that, she wrote her special message to her special fan in the blink of an eye, her wrist movements were fast, Paulo's eye could hardly keep up with her writing speed.
Completed, she tore the paper from the notepad and handed it to her idolizing admirer. “There you go.”
Paulo could not contain his high spirits at receiving her gift to her devoted fan.
To my sweetest, biggest fan of all time: Paulo, you are truly unique, don't ever change. Love, Sara Sarracini xxxx
He was lost for words to express his feelings for the autograph. All he could do was show his appreciation to her and his new prized possession. “Thanks a million, Sara. I will keep this to the day I die.”, he wasn't kidding at all, he would hold this piece of Sara close to him from now to the very finale of his own life.
Sara was actually surprised to hear a fan call her by her first name instead of always referring to her as 'Ms. Sarracini', he wasn't letting up being a refreshingly original fan in her life. Among also charming her with his sweetness like a gallant gentleman, he was fascinating her without end, she was interested a great deal in getting to know him a lot better, and not just as a fan, it went deeper than that.
“Do you live here or are you on vacation?”
Paulo answered her question in a more relaxed and comfortable manner, the stunned blow of speaking to a star had eased, he was more at home talking to her like the gorgeous woman she was. It was like he had known her his whole life and was speaking to her again after so many years away. “I'm on vacation, been here for three days now, it's a great place to chill from studying.”
“A student?” she replied with great interest, she wanted to delve more into the young man behind the admirer “What are you studying?”
“Art.”
Sara's eyes lit up like two gleaming sapphires caught under a ray of sunshine. “That's fantastic, I love art.”
“You do?” Paulo was astounded, he never would have guessed, his beloved diva had the same love as him, they had something in common, it was incredible.
“Ever since I was a little girl.”
The small talk was in full swing, this was his chance to delve deeper into the woman behind the actress, he had always dreamed of learning more about her, it was coming true for him, he was entering a part of her personal life not seen by anyone but those closest to her, he was engrossed to know more, he would have been mad not to. “Do you paint?”
She was very happy to let him know, she enjoyed sharing a part of her own personal lifestyle to the fans, to let them know about the real Sara Sarracini, but this was a lot different, it felt more personal and intimate discussing her life to him. “A lot in my youth, I stopped when I became an actress, my output changed to much more when I retired, only a little now that I'm back to starring in movies.”
Paulo found her amazing. She was shaping up to be a true incredible, true phenomenal, true sensational woman, a truly beautiful phenomenon and truly fabulous sensation of many spectacular gifted skills. “You're a very gifted woman of many talents. I bet you're an incredible artist.”
Sara was taken by his kind words. “You definitely know how to make
a woman feel special.”
“Well, you're a very special woman.”
“You're quite the charmer too.” her reflexes caused her to flutter her eyelashes at him.
Paulo's suspicions were correct, she was taken by him, smitten by his irresistible charms. He was growing hotter under his loose collar. His meeting with her was going greater than he ever could have planned, he would play it cool and go at it smoothly “So, you're on vacation too?”
“That's right, a little sun, sea, relaxation, and above all else, fun after filming my new comeback movie: 'A Tender Madness 2'.”
“I've read about that. I'm really looking forward to seeing it.” he said with a keenness, he was counting the days to its premier, he would be first in line, in the best se
at to watch her big comeback feature. He could not wait to see her grace the silver screen once more. She was after all so incredible so brilliant on the only screen that could contain her glorious and fabulous presence that left all completely speechless and completely breathless in true wonder at her sheer beautiful magnificence and sheer captivating energy shining so passionately and so compellingly. She was a phenomenal diva, a incredible great, and a spectacular sensation, the most extremely greatest star to exceedingly dazzle, exceedingly sparkle and exceedingly enchant the whole world of cinema. He stood by his belief the art of film was so immensely fortunate the splendid and momentous day its cameras were graced with the true majestic, true elegant, true stylish goddess with the most absolutely divine name that was hers, the one and only: Sara Sarracini.
“We had a lot of enjoyment making it, I hope you enjoy watching it. It's a fun movie. Outdoes the first one by a milestone in my opinion. Which says a lot, because I love 'A Tender Madness' so much, it was a delightful experience, my first taste of business and pleasure blended together.”
“Great. I've seen the first film many times, you were outstanding in it. So sexy and so dominating, the way you seduced the main character in your swimsuit was the stuff of teenage dreams.” Paulo could picture one stupendous frame of her that stood out from all the rest in the film within his captivated mind's eye. “Not to mention the sight of you in that sexy two piece bikini. Oh, and the best of it all, the love making scene at sea, in the middle of a raging tide on the rocks.”
Sara found it wonderful to hear him talking fondly about her film, and complimentary he was enthralled at her exalted womanliness on screen. “I'm glad you liked the film so much. It's nice to know that I'm still the subject of young men's fantasies.”
