Page 100 of Pomegranates and Olive

"Where are you going?"

He shrugs. "I'm going to have my own adventure, now. I think I'll go to Sicily and visit family there for a while."

"Is Rosie going with you?"

Luca mumbles as he stares out to sea. "Why would Rosie go with me?"

"Come on, Luca. If you can tell that Deniz loves me, don't you think I can tell that my little sister is in love with you? and I'm damn sure that as someone who has lovedyoufor most ofmylife I can tell that you're in love with her as well."

"I've already had my heart broken by one Russo woman. You really think I'd take a chance on another?"

"Rosie's not me."

"No, no, she's not," he concedes begrudgingly. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't really know. Ginny and Aydin's wedding is next week, plus the doctors don't want me to fly just yet, so I'll be here for a little while longer. I've given notice at the library, so I'm open to anything right now. I may just stay here, or maybe I'll do some travelling as well… when I get the all-clear to fly that is." My lips quirk up into a smile, and I raise my eyebrows at him. "Might just bump into you in Sicily."

He chokes back a laugh. "You'd be strung up by the family as soon as you walked through the gate after breaking my heart."

"I know you're going to hate me for saying this, but… "Two households, both alike in dignity "…"

"Really? You want to quote Shakespeare? "

"It seems like the perfect time for it, don't you think?"

"This might fall under The Godfather more than Romeo and Juliet."

"I'll miss you."

"I know."

Luca spreads his arms wide and wiggles his fingers at me. I step into his embrace, as my tears begin to fall again. We stand together, under my olive tree, neither one of us ready to let the other go.

Finally, Luca sighs and kisses the top of my head. "I better get back."

"What about Rosie?"

"She's just a kid, Liv."

"She's twenty-one, and you can take it from me, she's no naïve kid!"

"Fine… yes, there's something, but I don't know what it is, and I might never know. I'm not ready for anything more than friendship with anyone right now." His voice is rough as he holds back his emotions. "I've got a plane to catch and I think you have somewhere to be, don't you?"

"Yes, I think I do."

"Then go."

"I would,” I look up at him with a smile, “But there’s no way I’m going to make it back down over that ridge."

“Do you need a piggyback ride?” He turns around and bends down. “Come on. Hop on.”

I climb onto his back and crack my imaginary whip as he makes his way back down over the ridge. “Giddyup!”

24

Olive vs. The Happy Ending

Once Luca helps me down over the ridge I climb off him.

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