Page 72 of Sunrise By the Sea

Chapter Forty-five

Nonna wanted to know everything, of course.

‘Oh, a wedding,’ she said happily. ‘What did the bride wear?’

‘There . . . uh . . . wasn’t a bride,’ said Marisa a little tentatively. She wasn’t entirely sure how hernonnawould deal with this. There was modern and there was something a little too far for Italian grandmothers in Imperia.

‘Oh! Two men. Well, good.’

Marisa smiled. ‘You don’t mind?’

‘Well, now our pope is gay, who should mind?’ said Marisa’s grandmother, to Marisa’s profound surprise.

‘Is . . . wait . . .’

‘So. There was a cake?’

‘I don’t know – you know I don’t stay at these things.’

Hernonnasniffed. ‘But you don’t do weddings any more. You could have stayed there.’

She could have. Nonna was right. Alexei had woken her up stumbling in at goodness’ knows what time, humming a jolly song to himself and shouting good night to friends out the door. He seemed to have made friends with half the village.

‘Well, I did go,’ she said.

‘That is true, yes. Good girl.’

She told her about Alexei turning up to play.

‘You don’t cook for him any more?’

‘No,’ said Marisa, conscious that the twins were playing next door. ‘No. We kind of . . . He doesn’t really like me.’

‘Men like anyone who cooks for them,’ said hernonna. ‘You should take him a plate. What are you making tonight?’

‘I thought . . . saltimbocca?’

‘Oh! Good, very good. Take him a plate. He is from a good family?’

Marisa laughed. ‘I don’t know, do I?’

‘Although. You know. Piano teachers. They don’t make any money. Ever.’

‘So? Anyway, that doesn’t matter. I don’t make any money these days either.’

‘So. You need to find someone who has nothing to do with pianos. He is Catholic?’

‘He’s Russian, Nonna.’

‘Oh. Heathens. Never mind.’

‘This is a ridiculous conversation anyway. We’re just neighbours. Who don’t like each other.’

‘Okay. Well. Best not go. You cook for a man, that means something. They are simple creatures.’

‘Not these days.’

‘I know men.’

---