Summer With Em Chapter 45

By Julie D Cole

After a while we managed to stir ourselves and open our cases and unpacked what needed to be hung in the small wardrobe. We decided the drawer space was inadequate but ok for underwear items so we left things in our cases to access as required. It wasn’t our intention to stay more than 2 nights although we probably had enough clothes for a week.
I really wanted to change into the more feminine clothes I was used to wearing at home but that would have to be after I’d spoken to dad in private to let him know the real purpose of my visit.

We freshened up and headed downstairs where we met dads cousin Alberto Rossi. He was similar age and build to dad but his hair was totally grey but well styled. He was deeply tanned that was not surprising for people living in this beautiful Mediterranean climate. I felt inadequate in comparison even though my skin was smooth and had a slightly deeper tone than mum and Em.

He seemed very happy to meet me and we’d arrived without any knowledge that he existed. He came around the counter to shake my hand and also to say hello to Frankie. He didn’t speak much English so he hugged me and then he called to a back office for assistance.

A much younger woman appeared from the office to assist, clearly not his wife. She wore no make-up because she clearly didn’t need it. She was strikingly beautiful. She around my age and similar height but with an hour glass figure. Her low top dress displayed her firm and full assets and I saw Frankie was immediately transfixed.

Alberto introduced her as his daughter, my half cousin Giorgia. She had deep brown eyes and she was surprisingly glamorous to be working in a hotel of this size in a small town in the mountain area of Umbria. She spoke good English and whilst she knew we were related she immediately seemed more taken with Frankie than me and perhaps I was a surprise to her too.

Once I’d recovered a little I realised Alberto had introduced me as Christiana not as Christian, my birth name, or my passport and registered name of Kimberly. Did Alberto see me as female? Surely he knew I was born Christian and that dad had a son to carry the family name.

I’m sure Frankie was being polite by just smiling when Giorgia put her arms around her waist and asked if she was also related or just a friend of mine. I did notice quite a bit of eye contact that made me feel jealous so I chipped in and said she was a best friend and already in a relationship.

I reached for Frankies hand to let her know that she was more than a best friend trying to hide my engagement ring until I had change to temporarily remove it. I should have done that earlier after we arrived. Giorgia said her and her father would be dining with us and that her mother had slipped out to meet someone but she due back in time to eat with us. She said that the hotel was quiet this weekend due to Italian holidays and that there was only one other room taken. The guests were already dining in the restaurant.

Giorgia eventually took my hand to shake it and then kissed me on both cheeks that was the custom I supposed. She whispered that I needed to visit more and that she’d love to get to know me and show me around and maybe the three of us could be friends on Facebook and chat regularly. She wanted to visit London as soon as she had enough funds and asked Frankie if she could recommend places to visit.

‘Well Giorgia the expert on London is your cousin. You do know that she lived there all her life don’t you?’
‘Sort of I suppose but you seem more experienced and more mature than us.’
‘I guess I’m older if that’s what you mean but I’m a Manchester girl like Kims aunty.’
‘Oh is that far from London. Maybe I could visit you both when I come over.’
I wasn’t sure if she meant Frankie and I or Frankie and Em the way she phrased it and she did have a sort of smirk on her face that I didn’t like.

We had only been in Italy a few hours and I was starting to understand that I had a lot more family in Italy that I had been led to believe. Why hadn’t mum or Em told me? Why hadn’t dad been in regular contact? Maybe mum wasn’t made very welcome by some of dads family which was how I was beginning to feel.

I suppose I went quiet puzzling over these questions and not wanting to risk making matters worse so Frankie spoke out and said we should go back to the restaurant to see dad and the rest of the family. Giorgia insisted to come with us since we were all guests of dad and she quickly disappeared to pick up her bag and a wrap.
When she reappeared she linked arms with me and then grabbed Frankie so that she was in the middle and we headed out into the street. The square was busy as local people walked around and there was a buzz from a bar and several small groups dotted around chatting as they promenaded. The skies were clear and filled with stars. Since we were in the mountain area there was a very light and refreshing breeze that was really nice. I was grateful since no chance that the hotel had air conditioning.

Some of the dining tables had emptied when we reached the entrance and Grandma Mia waved to us. The family table was filled with lots of nibbles and freshly baked bread and both Frankie and I were ready to eat. Dad appeared with several bottles of red wine that he opened and then dishes of pasta and plates of pizza appeared from nowhere.
Carlos was left to deal with the stragglers still finishing their meals and apparently serving expresso coffee and local Grappa leaving the bottle for them to serve themselves. Grandma Mia spoke out “Attento Christiana, dire no alla grappa per favore.” She was warning me to take care if dad started serving Grappa. It didn’t go unnoticed by either Frankie or I that she also used the feminine version of my birth name.

Dad arranged the seating so that I sat next to Grandma Mia who he referred to as Nonna Rossi leaving a space for granddad, Nonno Rossi, when he appeared from the kitchen. Giorgia somehow managed to sit herself next to Frankie across the table from me with dad on the other side of her. Dads wife Elena sat the other side of me with Gabriella and Carlos at the bottom of the table with Alberto and his wife when she arrived. Quite a reception party so not much chance to sit and talk to dad to explain my need for his support.
Nonno Rossi eventually appeared to a cheer having satisfied himself that everything was left in good hands. He looked directly at me and indeed he could easily have played a part in a gangster movie as he removed his apron and put on a waistcoat.
Unlike Alberto, his nephew, he could speak English since he’d lived and worked in London. “ bene il mio bambino alla fine sei a casa.” Which I understood to mean welcome home. Dad had filled our wine glasses so he stood up and made a toast to the family and welcome to Frankie as a guest.

There was no more ceremony and everybody just dived in to eat, passing plates around and enjoying the local red wine. Frankie complemented dad on the choice of wine as she considered herself a bit of a wine buff. To me it was fruity with a kick.
Soon after we started Alberto’s wife Bella arrived and she apologised saying she had something urgent to deal with in the town. She came to me and commented how much I looked like Nonna Mia with exactly the same features. I took that to mean facial features rather than her bust since mine were still relatively small despite them protruding quite a bit. My nipples were enlarged and sore so I was glad I’d taken Frankies advice and removed my strapping and bought some bras at the airport.

It was obvious why Giorgia had sat herself next to Frankie and she was sitting a little too close for comfort. Frankie was being polite but maybe Giorgia took it as verbal foreplay.

Dad was clearly very happy that I’d come to Italy to meet his parents at long last and they seemed really nice. It was a real family business and they’d obviously had to work very hard to run their small restaurant in conjunction with Albertos small hotel. However over dinner Nonna Mia told me that they had developed their business and that they now owned several vinyards locally as well as another restaurant in Narni that was close to Terni. That was run by family friends. Much of the success was due to dads hard work.

As we chatted quietly together she slipped something into my hand along with a piece of note paper. It seemed that she didn’t want anybody to see her do it and I sneaked a look. It was a small velvet bag with what appeared to be a necklace inside. She wanted me to have it since it had been her mothers and she had no daughter to leave it to. She didn’t want to leave it to dad since he’d just give it to Elena or Gabriella who weren’t blood.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that she didn’t have much time for Elena or Gabriella and Carlos. She’d been disappointed with dad when he returned to Italy with a pregnant girlfriend and left mum and I behind.
Until this conversation I’d thought dad had divorced mum and remarried Elana but Nonna Mia said she would have none of it that was much of the reason for unrest. They were all strong Catholics and marriage was for life as far as she was concerned. She was whispering in Italian and that was the best I could interpret from what she said.

She said they would all be going to church on Sunday morning so she hoped that Frankie and I would join them. Now I was a little worried because Frankie and I were due to announce our engagement and I was hoping to seek dads approval to start hormone treatment and medical treatment.

As soon as I had chance I read the note that was in Italian. Così il mio bambino godere il vostro soggiorno, ma prendersi cura. Famiglia Elenas erano parte del motivo per cui abbiamo lasciato la Sicilia.

It was warning me to take care and that Elenas family were part of the reason her and Nanno Rossi had left Sicily.
She took my hand and squeezed it gently smiling at me.

I wanted to open the velvet bag but I resisted.