Page 61 of Better Than Gelato
I don’t really know what to say so I just shrug.
“Thank you,” he says. “What a great way to remember all the things we’ve done together. I love that it has a door to add more. By the end of this year, it’s going to be filled.”
“Maybe so,” I say.
“Now it’s time for your gift.” He hands me a small box wrapped in shiny blue paper. My heart starts beating faster.
“Go on. It’s nothing scary,” Jake says.
I open the box, fold back the tissue and find…a flash drive.
“You got me a flash drive,” I say.
“You can never have too many,” he replies.
I’m truly puzzled at this random gift but then I see the edge of Jake’s mouth turn.
“There’s something on here,” I say, almost sure.
“I don’t know, put it into your computer and check it out.”
I do and it’s a video file. Behind the giant play triangle I can see Jake’s face grinning at me. I hit play.
“Merry Christmas!” video-Jake says. “For your Christmas gift, I wanted to make you a video of all your favorite things in Milan.”
The scene changes, and I see the white tents of the market. Neal Diamond’s “Forever in Blue Jeans” starts playing.
“The song choice here is supposed to be ironic,” Jake-on-the-couch says. “Because you don’t actually wear jeans anymore.”
The video shows all the tables at the market filled with shoes and purses and clothes. I’ve been there three more times since my first visit and have collected a decent Italian wardrobe. It really is one of my favorite places.
Then the music changes to “Cotton Eye Joe,” and I’m looking at the outside of Calypso.
The video goes on to showcase the steps at Duomo, Castello Sforzesco, some of our favorite restaurants. Each new scene has its own song to go with it. They’re all upbeat and happy, but it’s making me weirdly emotional.
And then suddenly, Valentina, Carmen, Diego and Paolo are on screen, sitting on the steps at il Duomo.
“Merry Christmas Julieta,” Valentina says. “Jake asked us to help him make this video for you and of course we said yes because we love you!” My eyes start to get all prickly.
“Merry Christmas Julieta,” Carmen says. “I’m so glad the new nanny turned out to be you.”
“Julieta, you are the coolest American I know,” Diego says. “Wait, sorry Jake. I forgot about you. Should I do mine over?”
“Okay, fine I’ll say it,” Paolo says. “But only because Jake is bribing me. Merry Christmas, Bestie.”
I burst out laughing. “How did you—” But I don’t finish because video Jake has come back on, and I don’t want to miss a word he says.
“Ciao, bella!I had such a great time filming your favorite people and places in Milan. Now I want to show you my favorite thing about Milan.”
The opening notes of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” start to play and the screen fills up with a picture of me. I’m sitting in a restaurant, looking down at my plate of pasta, and grinning like it’s a plate full of diamonds.
Then there’s a picture of me in the tree trying to get that shot at Castello Sforzesco. I didn’t even know Jake took that picture. There’s me dancing at Calypso. Me at the Fieri di Sapori. Me on the steps at Duomo. Waiting for the tram. Eating gelato.
I’ve never seen any of these pictures. I’ve never seen myself like this. I look happy. No, more than that. I look...transformed.
“I’m your favorite part about Milan?” I ask couch-Jake.
“You’re my favorite part about everything,” he says.
