Sorry for the Delay. Just a short Chapter to deal with the outstanding issue.

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Summer With Em - Chapter 46
By Julie D Cole

Whatever was inside the velvet bag was chunky and heavy. It still felt like a necklace but equally I thought it could be a bracelet. I slipped it inside my bag and smiled back at Nonna Mia. She was making me feel really welcome and I wished I’d gotten to know her before now and a tear came to my eye.

I looked across at dad who smiled back. They were so alike with similar features. He seemed happy that I was meeting my grandmama at long last.

Nonno Rossi was busying himself ensuring that everybody was filling their plates and I tried to resist but no chance. He leaned over me to put the dish of pasta on the table and then put his hands on my shoulders ‘è necessario costruire i muscoli’ suggesting that I needed to build up my muscles. He was fit and strong despite his age and just as tall as dad and I although we were all below average.

I wondered what he must have been like at my age when he was growing up in Sicily. Nothing at all like London and no hustle and bustle. I felt so feeble in comparison to both him and dad. No doubt in his youth he was muscular and I imagined him in a white vest showing his body to attract the local women in his home town. Nonna Mia looked like she was quite a catch. I hoped she’d have some old family photos to show me before we went home.

Dad seemed to have inherited both their looks so it was no wonder mum fell in love with him. It was sad that something happened between them since I’d have loved to have regular trips to Italy and met his family. At home I just had mum and Em.

I looked down at Elena who didn’t seem to have mums looks and personality. What on earth had attracted him such that he left us? Or was it because of me? Was I the reason dad left? Was he disappointed in me? Why had she not found a man of her own instead of stealing dad? She must have thrown herself at him. Had she chased him to London since the families seemed to have history?

I was clearly lost in thought because Frankie had to cough and ask if I was alright. I smiled back and said that I was thinking back to my childhood and wondering what it would have been like to visit regularly as a family. Maybe we’d have even moved here and I’d have been working in the restaurant.

‘Yes and who knows you might have met some Italian beauty and been happily married by now.’

‘Yes maybe. But I suppose beggars can’t be choosers.’

Frankie laughed at my tease and screwed her nose and stuck out her tongue. It did not pass by Nonna Mia who reached out and ensured that Frankie and I held hands across the table. ‘Bellisimi Bambini.’

It seemed we had the blessing of Nonna Mia and hopefully dad would also be positive. Did Nonna Mia see me as her grandson or a grand-daughter? It seemed the latter in view of the way she was treating me and if my guess about the gift was correct. It would be so much easier if I had her support and I wandered if I should talk to her before I opened-up fully to dad.

My understanding was that in Italy whilst the husband is the head of the household the wife and mother is the power of a family and since dad had returned to Italy alone both Nonna Mia and Nonno Rossi were still seemingly controlling things. Elana and dad weren’t married so maybe that was a factor and dad had never divorced mum since the family is Catholic with strong views and links to the local church.

I wondered how dad had managed to convince them to accept Elena and what they thought about Gabriella and Carlos as children born out of wedlock. I suppose that I was their true descendant and a full member of the Rossi family. I realized that was why Nonna Mia had smuggled the velvet bag to me under the table. I assumed it was a treasured heirloom and I was keen to take a look as soon as an opportunity arose.

As the dinner progressed the family chat became louder and the local red wine from the family vineyard was clearly plentiful. Frankie and I took care to drink plenty of water and to keep our wine glasses as full as possible. The music in the background was drowning conversations but I did notice lots of glances my way and especially from Elana who was talking a lot to dad and his cousin Alberto. I tried to avoid eye contact.

I needed a toilet break that I guess was due to the excitement and my nervousness, so I slipped the bag to Frankie and when the coast was clear I headed to the bathrooms. As I approached the alcove I had a decision to make whether I went left to Donna or right to Homo. I knew I had to go to the right but I made the mistake of hesitating.

‘It’s that way for creeps like you. Don’t you dare go in there.’ It was Gabriella.

She pushed me towards the Homo door and she stood there until I entered. I felt embarrassed and awkward because they must have been talking about me and she had obviously jumped out of her seat to confront me. I was so angry. I hadn’t had chance to say two words to dad yet and explain my situation. It was already clear that as well as the annoyance of me turning up out of the blue I was doubly unwelcome. They thought I was a creep or some sort of freak. I bit my tongue since I wasn’t going give Gabriella the satisfaction of an argument or even a fight. Now I did need to talk with dad as soon as possible before they wound him up against me.

I wasn’t too impressed with the bathroom when I looked around. The urinals were clean enough but the pedestals in the cubicles had no seats. I felt I had no choice but to stand to take a pee. It had been ages since I’d done that.

As I left the bathroom I found that Gabriella was waiting for me. In broken English I interpreted what she had said into plain English.

‘When are you going to realize that you made a mistake coming here. We know your game trying to get around your father and get access to his money and business well just clear off. We don’t want any part of you. Go back to your mother you little creep. This is not your family and we all helped him accrue the property and develop the businesses. It is our inheritance, Carlos and mine, not yours. So if you think we’ll stand by you’ve got another think coming.’

‘Gabriella, I haven’t come here for any other reason than to speak with my father. My father not yours. He ran away from his business in London leaving the mess behind. I want to know why. There must have been a reason.’

‘Yes you bitch it was the love of my mother and her family helped him. He had nothing. He gave everything to your mother. That was the deal.’

I so wanted to slap her face but we were already getting looks from the dinner table. ‘For your information Miss Clever Dick all dad left behind was a mess and a pile of unpaid bills. Mum had nothing except me.’

‘She lost out there then didn’t she. No wonder he left.’

I burst into tears and ran back inside the bathroom. I banged my fists on the door of the cubicle and screamed as quietly as I could. Then I heard the door open and turned around. It was dad.

‘Kim, what on earth is going on. What’s wrong? Were you arguing with Gabriella? I thought you going to have a fight.’

‘It’s between us dad. She was rude to me because of my appearance. She upset me. I didn’t come here for anything. I came to get your permission for a couple of things and so Frankie could meet you. Nonna Mia has been so kind to me. I so wish I’d met her before today. She just seems to accept me as I am.’

‘What do you mean accepts you as your are?’

‘It’s plain isn’t it dad? I’m not the son you wanted. This is me.’

‘Look Kim I never rejected you, ever. I left London for complicated reasons that I couldn’t explain. Not even to your mother but it was nothing to do with you or the business difficulties we were having. I could have sorted them out.’

‘But dad I wish I’d never come here. I’m an embarrassment and I’m not welcome. You’ve got a new life even though you and mum are still legally married and I’m not part of it. I don’t want to be part of it. I just want your blessing.’

‘Blessing for what?’

‘Well it’s Frankie who wants to ask you something. She asked me to marry her but she feels she should ask you before we arrange anything.’

‘Kim that’s wonderful news but I’d half guessed already. The ring on your finger gave it away. Now what’s the second thing?’

‘Dad I’ve been so happy since I moved to Manchester to stay with Aunt Em. She let me find myself and her friends have been so kind. I met Frankie who was one of her close friends. So much has happened. My life has changed.’

‘So what does your mum think about this? You haven’t fallen out I hope.’

‘No, we are closer than ever. She really likes Frankie and she’s visited us. She even came with me for a consultation.’

‘Yes I know. Was it about the problem we found when you were young that needed surgery?’

‘Sort of.’

‘Well tell me please.’

‘Dad I think that problem was because I’m more girl than boy. I’ve realized that I like to live and dress as Em’s neice rather than as her nephew and mum seems satisfied that I’m making the right choice.’

‘So this appearance is how you normally socialize and go to work?’

‘Not exactly. Less of the shorts and more of a skirt like the rest of the girls.’

‘Well Kim can I say that when I saw you, I thought that you looked beautiful. You are the image of your mother when we married and your eyes are just like Nonna Mias.’

‘Dad I need a hug.’

‘Come here you need more than a hug. Let’s sit down properly tomorrow and talk things through. I will help all that I can and so will mum and dad. I want to explain a few things to you as well.’

Frankie appeared as dad let go and dad hugged her too.

‘Mr Rossi. We came so I could ask your permission to marry.’

‘Of course you can. You have my permission and Nonna Mia and Nonno Rossi will be delighted when we tell them.’

‘But dad will you tell them what I just told you?’