Page 65 of Better Than Gelato
The next morning I shower, a glorious ten minutes that makes me feel like singing. The trip home goes by fast. The train’s not crowded, and we’re able to stretch out and sleep. When we get back to Milan, we head to Jake’s apartment so he can drop off all his dirty clothes and grab some new ones. Then we head back to the Rossis’. We only have a few more days of break left, and we want to spend it together.
On the tram home, I text Maggie a picture of the bracelets I got her.
Merry Christmas! You’ll get your gift when I see you in 7 months.
I add a picture of me and Jake in Florence.
Her text comes a few minutes later.
Oh my gosh you are in love with this boy! Don’t even try to deny it, it’s all over your face. Wow. Juliet Evans in love. This is huge. Call me ASAP. Also, thank you for the bracelets, they look lovely.
I laugh and promise her I’ll call her in three days when the love of my life has gone back to his apartment.
Her reply is a string of exclamation points and question marks.
“So, what are your New Year’s resolutions?” I ask Jake when we get back to the Rossis’ apartment.
“I want to learn to play the guitar,” Jake says.
“Ooh, I’m picturing you with a guitar,” I say. “You look very sexy.”
“How about you?”
“Yes, I would also look sexy playing the guitar,” I say.
Jake laughs. “Agreed. But what about your New Year's resolution?”
“To learn the fascinating secrets of running a small business.”
Jake sighs. “Do your parents even know you want to study photography?” he asks.
I wait a moment then ask, “Do you want to hear about my worst Christmas?”
He nods and doesn’t say anything.
“I was nine. It was Christmas Eve. I got up to get a drink of water, and my parents’ door was open. I watched my dad hand my mom a stack of cash. I watched him slip off his jacket and saw two big bandages on each arm. I listened to him tell my mom about driving to four different places to sell plasma, removing the bandage from the last place so they’d accept him at the next place. He looked exhausted.
“The dry cleaners wasn’t bringing in much, and there were four kids looking forward to Christmas.” I can feel Jake’s eyes on me, but I focus on the Rossis’ yellow curtains. “I ran back to my room and never told them what I’d seen. And I cried on Christmas morning when I got the Barbie doll I’d asked for.”
I take a second to compose myself. “And now I’m supposed to tell the man who sacrificed everything for his kids that I’m too good to run his company? That I’d rather do my own thing? That’s not going to happen.”
Jake looks a bit stunned. I don’t know why I even told him. I’ve never told anyone about that, not even my siblings.
“I love you, Jake,” I say. “And I know you love me and want me to be happy, but I won’t be happy at my dad’s expense.”
ChapterFifteen
When I pick up Isa from school on the first day after Christmas break, she looks like she’s been in a bar fight. Half of her hair is coming out of her ponytail, there’s dirt all over her uniform, and her eyes are daggers looking for something to slash. She shoves her backpack at me and walks past without a word.
We walk home in silence. When we step into the elevator I say, “I can see that you’ve had a rough day. Would you rather I ask you a lot of questions about it or pretend I don’t notice?”
She narrows her eyes, like maybe this is a trick question. Finally she says, “Pretend.”
“Very well,” I say as the elevator stops at our floor.
“Your parents are going out to dinner, so it’s just you and me tonight. I thought we could do a spa night. I’m ready to reveal all the secrets of how us California girls look sogorgeous.” I make an exaggerated smoochy face and flip my hair out.
The barest sliver of a smile shows up on Isa’s face.
