Page 146 of Play of Love
"I understand." I nodded.
"If I could have one of them back... I'd be so grateful. Italy was..." that look she always got when she attempted to talk about Italy filled her eyes. It was a look of pain. Heartbreaking pain. "Italy was a big part of my life. I learned to play the violin there. Everything good came from there. Including Angelo."
I gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Well, we get to go back there tomorrow." She smiled on hearing that, and her light blue eyes twinkled with expectation.
I just prayed this trip wouldn't turn into a massive disaster.
* * *
We started out early the next day to what was going to be one of the longest days I'd had in my life. I'd been lucky to get us a flight from Chicago to Berlin with a five-hour layover there and then on to Fiumicino, Rome. Grams had lived right in the city when she was last here.
She'd seemed in better spirits today and having Evie there made her all the happier.
Evie just about managed to say thanks for booking her flight and our first argument was over her insisting she give me the money back.
Twenty hours later we arrived in Rome. But while Grams and Evie were like the giggly twins talking about some reality show they'd seen, I had an impending migraine from the constant arguments with Evie. As we stood at the pick-up point loading our luggage into our taxi, I couldn't even fully appreciate the natural beauty that surrounded us, the welcoming warm weather and the exciting change of scenery that normally came with arriving in a new country.
And now she was giving me daggersagainas I attempted to load one of her suitcases.
"What now?" I asked with a frustrated sigh. "Are you going to have my head for helping?"
"No, but I can pack my own things." Evie snapped, tapping her foot on the pavement.
God, I swore I'd never met anyone like her. She gave stubborn a whole new meaning. What woman didn't want help with her luggage?
Grams laughed at us. "Evie dear, it's not good to be so vicious all the time. Sometimes it's good to let a gentleman treat you like a lady."
Evie didn't like that comment one bit, but she listened to her because it was Grams. My grandmother was the only person who could tame the wild but beautiful beast. I chuckled and took hold of Evie's violin case, which I knew was her most prized possession. Apparently, wherever she went, it went too. I handled it with care and brought it around to her while the taxi driver continued to load the rest of the luggage.
"See, I didn't drop it. I was careful like a hen with a baby chick." I told her. Evie took it doing her best not to smile at my joke but failing.
"Thank you." She shook her head at me in dismay.
"You're welcome, and please... don't chop my hands off for what I'm about to do next." With caution, I reached for the handle on the car door and made a show of opening the door ever so slowly. To my surprise, she actually laughed. It was a sound I'd never heard in conjunction with anything to do with me. I almost wanted to do it again.
"Thank you, and you may keep your hands." She slid into the seat, and I closed the door. When I looked up, I saw the curious look Grams was giving me and I shrugged.
"I'll sit in the front." She said purposely with a small smile. Before I could protest, she got into the front leaving me to sit in the back with Evie. To my relief, Evie didn't seem to mind.
Our journey began from there.
* * *
Evie
* * *
This was it. We were here, and we were on their way.
I was nervous for Lucy. Very nervous for her in fact. The next hour or so would tell them everything. It would tell us whether Angelo was alive or not.
It was a sensitive thing to wager on.
At the same time, I was so ecstatic to be here in Rome and couldn't hide my excitement. I just couldn't believe I was here. Of all the places I'd ever wanted to visit this was one of the first on my list. I'd loved the architecture, the history and the passion I'd heard so much about. I'd heard that it was the type of place where you went to create memories that would last a lifetime.
My busy lifestyle had never allowed me a holiday of more than a week or so with my family. When I was younger, my dad made it his duty to take the family away for a week in the summer. Most times we went to Miami and places like Disney World, or camping in Yosemite, but never anywhere exotic or extravagant like Europe. We couldn't afford to. Now I could afford to take the whole family there several times over, but the problem was time.
But look, here I was.I was in Rome. The circumstances in being here might have been unusual, but I was here. I was sure that while they were literally on a mission, I would be able to squeeze in some sightseeing here and there. How could I not?
