by Rimmy London
“No, not today. Senic and Max are following a person of interest. We get to party.” He laughed a little before sinking back into the cushion.
“I thought we already partied,” I said dryly. He shook his head.
“No, that was just a dinner to make sure everyone was included in the celebrations. Today is what Zoe is really excited about.” Frowning, I wondered if I would have to beat it out of him. He laughed, although his eyes were still closed. “I think you’re staring a hole through my forehead,” he mumbled.
“That’s because I am! Are you going to tell me already?”
“Okay, aspettare. Let’s just say that the last boat we were on was a teacup in comparison to where we will be spending the entire day, just offshore.”
Wow. That was more than I had expected. He didn’t seem as impressed, the conversation ending with a slight nod of his head. A hushed string of Italian brought my head around, a little too quickly as I felt a pinch in my neck. Rubbing it with one hand I sat up, turning to see Gaio and Zoe both stopped in their tracks. With Zoe in a delicate pink camisole and shorts and Gaio with only light, cotton drawstring pants, I doubted they had planned on meeting anyone on their way to breakfast. “Oh… hi.” I fumbled, turning to face them partly out of politeness, and partly to relieve my aching neck. They both smiled quickly, although as their eyes surveyed the situation, they seemed a little uncertain of what to say about Givanni sleeping on the couch and me on the floor. Laughing a little, I decided to avoid an explanation altogether. “What’s for breakfast?” I asked as I walked past Givanni, who was already dead to the world and headed into the kitchen. Zoe untangled her hand with Gaio’s and skipped to my side, directing me to an open pantry that was like its own little produce market. We selected a variety of fruits and breads, but Gaio took them from us before we could object.
“You two sit,” he said, ushering us to the barstools. “And feel free to admire me.” With a grin that had Zoe giggling, he got to work slicing and arranging the pieces of bread. Dark baguettes sprinkled with oats he sliced diagonally, spreading a lavish amount of butter along one side before staggering the delicate slices onto plates.
“He thinks this is some kind of…” Zoe pressed her lips together, looking for the word. Waving one hand in the air, she laughed “Art…or maybe performance would work better.” Gaio smiled wider but didn’t stop his performance, flipping the bread knife in the air and catching the handle lightly. Tossing oranges above his head, spinning kiwis like a top, and cutting strawberries into what looked like tiny delicate flowers, I had to admit I had never seen anything quite like it. Taking in my mesmerized expression, Zoe shrugged. “Well, I guess he does have maybe a little talent.” I shook my head, suddenly wondering if he just might have as many sides to him as Givanni. Finally balancing three large square plates, Gaio placed them along the counter before sitting next to Zoe.
“And there we have it,” he said, looking quite proud. “Breakfast.” I sunk a fork into the closest juicy red flower, the sweet fragrance making my mouth water.
“How in the world, Gaio?” I laughed, chewing on the edible art and watching as he piled the fruit on a slice of bread before plunging it all into his mouth. Not able to respond, he simply nodded at me.
“Am I missing something?” Givanni’s voice sounded considerably more alive, and we all turned in unison to see him standing a few feet away, looking more fabulous than should be allowed, especially with his lack of sleep.
“Not much, Van,” Zoe said, rolling her eyes but not managing to wipe the smile from her face. “Gaio is just showing off.” Givanni nodded dramatically.
“Ah, yes, well then, I definitely haven’t missed much.” Walking into the kitchen, he punched Gaio in the arm as he went. Gaio rolled his shoulders a little. It didn’t look like he had changed his opinion of Givanni much since the wedding dinner.
“I can’t believe everyone is still sleeping!” Zoe said, her face bright and cheerful. Givanni leaned a little to the side, glancing at the clock.
“I know,” he said sarcastically, “and it’s nearly seven o’clock. What are they thinking?”
“Well, it would seem,” she started, swallowing a couple slices of kiwi, “that with Nonna arriving within the hour… ” I blinked, having completely forgotten about Nonna. “That they would want to be up and ready to greet her.” Zoe paused briefly. “Really, we don’t need to leave until ten or so, but…” Her voice dropped off suddenly. Givanni even looked up from his plate, slices of orange arranged neatly to one side. Her suddenly serious face was directed back at him. “You are coming, aren’t you, Van?” Gaio glared hard but Givanni paid him little attention. Instead, he walked up to Zoe, leaning over the counter to hug her.
“Of course, Zo,” he mumbled into her hair before stepping back. “Wouldn’t miss it.” She seemed considerably relieved, and I wondered how effective this charade of ours had been. The family bought it. Sure, they clearly believed we were in some type of close yet unhealthy relationship. I stuffed a slice of bread in my mouth, feeling a tinge of irritation. But with all this effort put out to show them we were a couple, for the most part, they all seemed to see that Givanni was mixed up in something and that he was keeping it from them. I frowned. So what in the world were we pretending for?
“Do you not like it, Loriel?” Gaio was leaning over the counter, taking in my expression. I pasted a smile quickly on my face, my thoughts scattering.
“Oh no, sorry - it’s delicious Gaio.” He didn’t move, waiting for me to explain my earlier frustration that he’d seen clearly enough. I stared back, nothing coming to mind.
“Do you need a drink?” Givanni chimed in, already pulling four glasses from an open cabinet. When he was blocked by the refrigerator door, Gaio leaned in.
“Loriel,” he whispered. Zoe stared at me with an aware kind of sympathy, like they had spoken about this before. “You can talk to us anytime…you can trust us.” With that he leaned back over his plate, concentrating again on his breakfast. Givanni clanked the glasses down in front of us, keeping his eyes on Gaio. I took a long drink of orange juice, knowing that if anyone in the family could handle what I was about to do, it was these two. Setting the glass down I pushed my plate away, turned in my seat and automatically gaining the attention of both Zoe and Gaio. They stared back with a hint of surprise on their waiting faces.
“Givanni and I… ” Glancing at Givanni, I saw the alarm on his face and regretted it immediately. I turned back. “We are not together.” With not much reaction, all I could see on the young couple’s faces was a little confusion. This was clearly not what they had expected.
“Loriel,” Givanni whispered, his voice sounding like it was trapped in his throat.
“The reason I am here is because Givanni knew I would be safe.” I continued. Zoe blinked a few times, glancing once at Givanni before turning back to me. I kept my eyes on her. “ I say the reason I’m here, but I also mean the reason I’m alive.” Gaio stood, his stool wavering precariously as it slid back with a jerk. Without saying a word, he simply shot a harsh glance at Givanni. Clearly, this wasn’t getting him off the hook like I had planned. “You can’t blame Givanni. He has saved my life more times than I would like to admit - and really,” I stood, taking Gaio’s arm and pulling until he turned toward me. “There’s no reason for you to be upset. None.” Gaio took my hand, enveloping it in his large grasp.
“That is not what I see, Loriel,” Finally he directed his attention to Givanni, who remained in his shocked expression. “I see someone who does not… does not see clearly at all.” He glanced back at me, releasing my hand. Shaking my head, I meant to object, but Givanni had found a way back from his frozen state.
“Listen,” he said, irritated. “There are too many objectives to explain right now, and even if I chose to tell you every detail involved, which I won’t, it’s not in the least bit of any advantage for you to know them. Can you understand that?” He looked at Gaio, who seemed larger than I rememb
ered. “So despite what you seem to believe about me, Gaio… ” It sounded alarmingly like a threat, and I felt my eyes widen. “I have not forced anything on Loriel. Not this trip to Italy, and not any prepared speeches.” My heart dropped. This couldn’t possibly be what Gaio thought of his soon-to-be brother in law. Looking back and forth at them, I could see it all in his eyes and felt more amazed than ever at Givanni’s talent for discerning. Gaio’s shoulders dropped, and he turned his attention to me.
“Is this true, Loriel?” he asked, his soft voice filled with so much concern I could hardly believe the story they had weaved from our confusing act.
“It is,” I said quietly. “We just didn’t want everyone to get too involved with all that’s going on. But let me tell you that Givanni is not in any way the man you seemed to have defined him as.” Looking down at Zoe, and I could see her eyes were dangerously close to spilling over. I smiled, shaking my head in disbelief at how completely they had framed my hero as the villain. I looked back at his smooth features that were now calm and perfect. “I’m completely safe when we’re together.” Givanni’s lip curved up on one side as he stared back. I hugged Zoe, hoping I was forgiven. She stood quickly and crushed me with more strength than I would expect from her slender arms.
“Oh, Loriel,” she whispered. “I was so worried that you… ” She stepped back, shaking her head.
“It’s my fault, I suppose,” Gaio admitted, turning to Givanni and clasping hands firmly. “Zoe was inclined to see everything good in you, Givanni, but I…” he stepped back, wrapping his arm around Zoe again. “I wasn’t so sure.” Givanni didn’t seem in the least bit concerned, and he waved it off comfortably.
“If it’s anyone’s fault, Gaio, it’s mine. This was all my idea, and apparently, it didn’t work as smoothly as I’d thought. He dropped his voice as a door closed at the other end of the house. “But I hope you both know that... no one else has any idea.” Gaio and Zoe stared back with identical expressions, and I tried my hardest to decipher them. Finally, Zoe spoke up.
“You’re sure about that, are you?” she asked. I leaned on the barstool’s edge, thinking she just might have a point with that one.
“Well, good morning!” Dario strode into the room, all smiles and warmth. “Looks like I haven’t fulfilled my host duties so far today. What is to be said about a bride making her own breakfast the day before her wedding?” He kissed Zoe on the cheek before standing grandly in the center of the room, fists resting on his hips. I smiled, thinking that he without a doubt knew something was going on. Gaio stepped forward.
“Well, Dario, don’t punish yourself too much over this. I somehow managed to get a few people to eat breakfast without complaint.” We laughed lightly, the remnants of his expertly sliced fruits still on display around the kitchen. Dario pulled a plate from the cupboard.
“Well then, I guess I’ll just worry about myself this morning.” Piling a few slices of bread and the remaining fruit onto his plate, he wandered to the table, winking at Zoe as he passed. “Guess I slept in just long enough, huh?”
* * *
With Nonna arriving and Adriano and Emilio teasing Zoe relentlessly, the morning passed in a buzz. When Zoe stepped out of her room in bright multi-colored strings, I felt a little frozen. Draping a lacy top over her tiny frame and tying another tropical fabric around her waist, Zoe finally looked up.
“You should probably get ready too, Loriel,” she teased, laughing at my expression. “Today isn’t going to be formal, in case you were wondering.”
“I was putting the pieces together just now,” I admitted, shrugging. “But I’m actually not sure if I have a swimsuit up there in my piles of clothing.” Zoe’s eyes bugged out a little.
“You don’t? Well don’t worry, I have about a million, and you’re more than welcome to borrow one of mine.” Panicking, I hoped desperately that Givanni had gotten me a swimsuit. Preferably one with a tad more fabric than Zoe’s.
“I’ll just go check and let you know,” I said in a rush, turning and heading up the stairs before she could respond. Hurrying into the closet, I flipped through hangers before heading to the dresser, pulling the top drawer open. Seeing only lacy, stringy material, I pushed it closed, opening the next drawer.
“Could I help with something?” My hair whipped around as I stood. Givanni was smiling at me from across the room, wearing a pair of swim shorts.
“I’m just looking for a swimsuit, that’s all,” I grumped, suddenly realizing that Givanni would be parading around me half naked all day.
“Don’t worry about that,” he said. I jumped at his voice directly behind me. He reached around me and pulled the top drawer open. I looked over at him. Shifting a little, he shrugged. “The saleswoman put one in there with all the rest of your... stuff.” I raised my eyebrows, having distinctly seen only strings and sheers in that drawer. He stepped forward, plunging his hand into the pile of silks. “I admit, she was a little…um…” he searched the drawer deeper, “risqué, I guess.” Pulling out a halter top and what looked like dental floss, he dropped the bright teal material in my lap. Holding up the top, I nodded - definitely enough material. But the bottoms… I looped my finger through the tiny strap, holding it up. Givanni cleared his throat.
“I’m not wearing a thong anywhere,” I practically shouted. “Not even if everyone was blind!” Raising his hands up in surrender, he stepped back.
“Hey, I didn’t pick that out. I didn’t even know Zoe was planning… ”
“Do you have any scissors?” I asked, ignoring his alarmed expression. He returned in less than a minute with what I assumed were the largest scissors he could find. He held them out carefully. “Perfect,” I mumbled before pulling open the bottom drawer and reaching for the jeans that fit me best. Measuring down from the back pocket a few inches, I dug into them, cutting off the legs and holding them up.
“Ah,” Givanni said, suddenly understanding. “But didn’t you already have shorts?” I nodded, laying the outfit out on the floor and eventually smiling.
“I did, but not any that would pass for a swimsuit,” I answered. He didn’t look convinced, but from what I could see, this was much more promising than the strings I had imagined myself in only minutes earlier. “It’s fine if I change when we get there, right?” I asked, reasoning that I would stand out less in a large group of swimwear-clad partiers.
“Um…sure,” Givanni mumbled as I whisked past, bag slung over my shoulder. The looks I got from the rest of the family, who were all stripped down to beachwear, were ignored - especially when they caught sight of Givanni’s almost frightened expression the second they went to open their mouths.
The ride flew by, mostly due to the way Emilio kept trying to lose Dario. Dario would complain in Italian and swerve around a couple cars before pulling up behind the shiny red one again. I had heard him tell his son he wasn’t sure of the location, and as we turned a corner with a screech I thought maybe he should have kept quiet. The distinct look of laughter animated the silhouettes in Emilio’s car. A hint of laughter almost broke through my irritation as well.
When we pulled into the parking lot, their laughter rang out before I could hear them hushing each other. Dario ignored them and headed toward the pier, and after another glance at the giddy group in front of me, I decided to follow Dario - we were in similar moods. Givanni followed a safe distance behind myself and Dario. The cruise ship was waiting impressively at the end of the dock. At the sight of it, my mood shed like a coat in summer heat. I turned to Zoe who was trailing behind with Emilio, Adriano, and Gaio - all of them still trying to stop laughing. “It’s incredible!” I yelled, the wind nearly whisking my voice away. She smiled, her nose wrinkling. The platform was steeper than I thought and I leaned forward, admiring Nonna’s quick, able steps. Suddenly I remembered… she knew who I was! She knew about my relationship with Givanni. I stopped in my tracks and Emilio collided with me. Luckily he caught me before I could meet with the floor. “Oh, Sorry,”
I mumbled, attempting to squirm out of his hands. He held on tighter.
“No problem at all Loriel,” he teased, stepping in closer. “You can run into me anytime.” With one glance at my expression, his smile fell and he stepped back a fraction. Adriano leaned over from behind to investigate the holdup. I shook my head.
“It’s fine,” I practically growled, trudging up the rest of the ramp. Once on deck, I rushed to Nonna’s side, pulling gently on her arm until we were out of earshot. “Nonna, I know you must be confused about Givanni and me and our… relationship,” Nonna waved her wrinkled hand in front of me, stopping my explanation.
“No, dear. No. You don’t need to explain to me. Well, I’ve been on a few of my own wild adventures, let me just say. Falling in love takes seconds, so why not enjoy it?” She smiled at me and patted my stunned face. “I say good for you.” With a wink, she left me to join Oriana at a table by the water. I stumbled into the bathroom. My face in the mirror was a mixture of pale and red, with splotches of anger still showing on my cheeks. I sighed, not sure what was causing all my frustration. We were free for the day, after all. Just spending hours in the sun and water on an incredibly polished boat. But for some reason, the thought was like a pretty candy store with no money. It didn’t satisfy. ‘At least my swimsuit’s wearable,’ I thought, still feeling glum. With a huff, I dressed quickly and left the bathrooms.
A warm breeze hit me along with the sunshine and blew my hair across my face. Attempting to subdue it with one hand, the long strands only wrapped around my arm. Finally, I bent forward, using both my hands as I stood up to sweep my hair behind me. Blinking at Emilio and Adriano a few feet in front of me, I kept my hair held up, attempting to tie it with a rubber band. Emilio looked like he was in shock, a blank stare on his pale face. “You gonna be alright there, brother?” Adriano laughed. Thinking that this might be the best time to sneak in an apology, I plunged ahead.