Summer With Em Chapter 43
By Julie D Cole

We had an hour to kill before boarding so we spent it looking at cosmetics and buying dad a bottle of Malt Whisky. I wasn’t sure if he’d like that but Frankie thought it was a good idea and that he might like to share it with his father.

We bought a nice perfume for dads partner that might have been a mistake since the sales girl insisted to spray my wrist and it wasn’t cheap so it was a strong and pleasant smell that wasn’t going to wash away easily.

I needed the bathroom and couldn’t wait until we boarded so we went up to the Business Class Lounge where I thought there may be more privacy. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d visited male bathrooms so I was nervous. At least the bathroom close to the lounge were quiet compared to the public ones at ground floor level. I wasn’t about to use the urinals and I was relieved to find both cubicles were vacant. I didn’t hang around it felt wrong and I’d forgotten how mens bathrooms smelled. I should have used the ladies and risked any complaints.

I stayed long enough to freshen up a bit and was almost tempted to apply a little of a lipstick that I’d purchased. I removed my cap and tidied my pony tail loosening my hairband so it t was more comfortable. Frankie was right my eyebrows were arched and thin for a man and my soft features and lack of facial hair growth were not helping my image. It seemed difficult to go back to the boy who left London to spend summer with Em.
Nobody came in to disturb me and Frankie was waiting in the corridor with our carry-on bags.
‘Hurry up. I thought you’d met someone in there you took so long.’
‘As if. I think I’d have been more comfortable with you in the Ladies.’

By the time we reached our departure gate Business Class passengers were already boarding. There weren’t many of us and there were only 3 rows of seats 2 either side of the aisle and 3 on the other side. We were in the third row and Frankie had arranged for me to sit in the window seat so I could look out. I was very nervous since I was worried about being involved in an air crash so we held hands.

Once again I was mistaken for female by the stewardess who checked we were fastened in properly and I realised that it was because I had removed the binding and my comfort bra was providing some uplift to my boobs.
Frankie said to just be myself since we just looked like two girfriends so enjoy the experience of being spoiled. The breakfast tray appeared not long after we took off but I was more interested in looking for landmarks than eating. I was also nervous about seeing dad after so long.
The coffee was nice so I had a second cup.
We had a short flight to Amsterdam and a bit of a hike to a separate departure area for the flight to Rome. It was a bigger aeroplane than the one from Manchester so it was very comfortable. I said I’d like us to take a break there sometime because it had a great reputation for nightlife and fun.

After we landed in Rome we were first to disembark the aircraft and we were headed to passport control. The customs officer hardly lifted his head as he checked my passport so I could have been an alien for all he cared. We linked arms and headed for the carousels. I was so nervous by now that I needed the bathrooms again but this time I went with Frankie into the one marked Signore/Donne. It was busy and we had to wait in line.

It didn’t take long for our bags to come and we were soon collecting the hire car that Frankie booked and setting up the GPS. It was weird to be sitting in what is normally the drivers seat and luckily Frankie had driven left hand drive cars on previous occasions. We were soon heading to Terni to find dad and get all this over with. I couldn’t concentrate on anything so lucky I wasn’t map reader and Frankie had hired a GPS.

We were heading inland towards the mountain area and the scenery was beautiful. It was a bit scary at times with lots of heavy trucks and crazy Italian drivers breaking the speed limits nipping in and out of the traffic as if they were Riccardo Patrese just moving a place at Monza. Frankie refused to be intimidated. She would have accepted the challenge of course at home on the right side of the road.

The journey time was forecast at less than 2 hours so we expected to arrive just before dads restaurant got busy. We made good time reaching the edge of the town 20 minutes ahead of forecast. Frankie had entered the address of dads restaurant that was actually more of a Trattoria according to the sign with the friends hotel alongside. It was compact but it seemed to have character and I was looking forward to see inside.
Dads restaurant was already busy with most outside tables filled and decorated in colorful red and white check. There was a frame around to hold canvas and perspex wind breaks that clearly weren’t needed this time of year. It looked really romantic with lots of coloured lights hanging from the frames. I looked across at the entrance area and I saw dad with his back towards me. His black hair now had grey streaks but it was still curly and plentiful. He disappeared into the restaurant since he was obviously busy serving someone.

At least we had managed to park on the roadside opposite the restaurant. It was strange to see cars parked in prohibited zones and on pedestrian crossings that would never be allowed in the UK. Frankie just shrugged her shoulders and said ‘When in Rome.’
We were squeezed tightly between two luxury open top sports cars and the owners left items in that could easily have been stolen. It looked like dads restaurant was popular with the more prosperous residents of the surrounding area of Umbria. So hopefully he was having a better time than he had in London.

Frankie was first to speak. ‘So here we are at last. Your roots are here. You are half Umbrian that I’d never even heard of before we set off so no wonder you have a nice skin tone and a slim figure. It must be the olives and the wine around here. What a wonderful place to live. Shall we move?’
‘Frankie you can’t be serious. You have your career and I have my education to complete. But if my dad accepts me I’d love to come here on vacation and explore. It might be a bigger problem if his family are prejudiced.’
‘Come on Kimmie I was only half serious. Look around this is Italy. Maybe they are different here. So laid back that is not a surprise looking at this place. We could spend ages people watching in the square.’

I caught my breath and opened the car door and Frankie followed my lead. We left our bags in the car and resisted holding hands and crossed the road towards the entrance of the Tratorria. Glancing quickly across the tables the food looked wonderful and there was plenty of wine being consumed. We had probably arrived at a bad time.

‘Buonsera Signore posso aiutarvi’

I just smiled trying to understand what he said.
Frankie turned to me ‘Oh at least he seems to think we are both male.’
‘No I think I understood. He referred to us as ladies.’

The waiter turned back to deliver wine to a table near the entrance and I shrugged my shoulders. He wasn’t very old and was probably around my age and he was wearing a short sleeved black shirt tightly fitted to show his muscular frame and pecs. He was a good six inches taller than either Frankie or I. He had bright blue eyes and I supposed he was a local heart throb.

I tried my best to respond in Italian but he had to come to my rescue and he then welcomed us in English. I felt like he was inspecting me from head to toe as he spoke that made me feel awkward and I obviously looked to the floor embarrassed.
Frankie answered for us. ‘We aren’t looking for a table we are here to meet Kims father.’

‘Mi scusi signore.’

‘I am not a signore Carlos. This is the son of your boss.’

He laughed. ‘Hai frainteso le signore. I’m sorry to speak in my tongue we don’t get many English visitors in Terni.’

I chipped in to clarify to Frankie to explain he was apologizing. Just as I did my papa arrived to find out the problem.

‘Kim you’re hear at last. Carlos this is my son Kim. Here to meet our family’

He grabbed hold of me and hugged me lifting my feet from the ground. I did my best to hug back but my arms were trapped. Everybody seemed to turn and look at us.

‘Kim this is the son of my Elena and he’s working in the business. Elena is in the kitchen with his sister Gabriella and my father. They prepare the food. Oh Kim it is so long since I saw you. I’m so sorry. Please come inside I have a family table all prepared and your grandmother wants to meet you. She has only ever seen photos.’

Tears were rolling down my cheeks. ‘Dad I am so sad we lost contact with each other. I’ve really missed you.’
‘It’s all my fault don’t say sorry. Sometimes business pressures affect relationships. Your mum and I just fell out of love. Then Elana arrived to work for us and we just connected.’

‘Dad please let me introduce Frankie, my girlfriend. She is a close friend of Aunty Emily and we met in Manchester when I was invited to spend the summer there.’

‘Yes I miss Emily. She wasn’t very old when I left London but she helped your mum handle the situation. I owe her a lot. Come on inside since we have customers to serve and we need to let you both settle down. Carlos will take you next door soon to set your bags down so have a glass of local wine first and we’ll all sit down around 10pm to eat and talk. I have some help coming to free us up.’

Grandma appeared from nowhere as we arrived at the table. ‘Il mio bambino sei finalmente tornato a casa’ She smothered me and dad translated for Frankies benefit. ‘My baby you came home at last.’

She hugged Frankie and squeezed my hand without letting go. ‘Carlos per favore servire lo speciale Orvietto’

A special bottle of white wine appeared with 4 glasses and dad joined us to toast each others health. Then Elana escaped from the kitchen to say hello. I remembered her immediately even though we’d only seen each other on two or three occasions. She was polite and she kissed me on both cheeks to welcome me.

‘Kim sei molto dolce.’

Elena coaxed her daughter out of the kitchen to say hello and dad arrived back at the table.

‘Kim this is my daughter, your half-sister Gabriella.’

I was taken aback. Did mum know? Surely she did.’

‘Papà pensavo che Kim fosse un ragazzo. È una ragazza.’

Nobody spoke so Frankie whispered and asked me what she said.