by Karen Moore
Eva’s face became petulant. “But I want to go now.”
Hanna bent down and hugged her tightly. “Only good little girls get ice cream, remember?”
“Okay, okay, promise I’ll be good!”
A lump caught in Hanna’s throat as Eva hopped from one foot to another in excitement, her face breaking into a smile. She seemed to be in remarkably good spirits, considering everything she’d been through.
As Luciano stared intently at the screen, his face clouded over. “Something’s wrong,” he said. “The files won’t open.”
Chapter Fifty-Three
Sicily, Saturday 9th – Sunday 10th December, 2017
Luciano fiddled with the tablet, staring intently at the screen as he tried to bring the memory stick to life. Hanna couldn’t believe it. She tightened her grip on Eva, getting ready to run.
A few tense minutes passed. Luciano’s frown lifted. “It’s okay, it’s opened now. Just let me check everything’s here…”
“Can we go now?” wailed Eva, hopping from one foot to another.
“In a minute, Eva. Won’t be long now,” Hanna assured her, trying to sound calm despite the churning feeling in her stomach.
Several more minutes passed as Luciano continued to scrutinise the contents of the memory stick.
“Everything seems to be in place,” he declared finally, pocketing the memory stick and shutting the tablet down before putting it back in his bag.
Hanna relaxed her grip on Eva.
“Remember our agreement. Don’t breach it. Take care of Eva for me. Addio, bambolina.” He planted a kiss on the top of Eva’s head, turned on his heel, and walked away without a backward glance.
Hanna remained rooted to the spot for several minutes, stunned by Luciano’s curt and icy dismissal. How could he turn his back on them so easily? He obviously put business before his own wife and daughter. Again, the thought occurred to her that maybe he had no choice.
Eva’s constant tugging on her sleeve and plaintive chant of “Gelato, gelato!” brought her back to the moment. Grabbing her daughter’s hand, she steered her in the direction of the car, hurrying her along in case Luciano were to change his mind and come after them. She glanced behind them but the street was quiet. It was only when they reached the car that she relaxed slightly, getting in the backseat next to Eva.
The little girl pounced on Orsina, her old teddy, starting a one-side garbled conversation in her curious mixture of Italian and English, all thoughts of ice cream forgotten. Hanna marvelled at her daughter’s abillity to bounce back after such a nightmare.
Sergio glanced in the mirror and smiled. “How did it go? Any problems?”
“Not really, once the memory stick opened. Everything went like clockwork otherwise. No tricks, nothing,” Hanna replied, still smarting from Luciano’s dismissal but overjoyed to have Eva back with her once more. She stroked the little girl’s hair, noticing it left an oily residue on her hand. “Bath for you, young lady, first thing we do when we get home.”
Eva chattered on happily, oblivious to Hanna’s comment. Back to normal in no time at all, thought Hanna, saying a silent prayer of thanks to whichever god or patron saint had been protecting her daughter.
Sergio put the car into gear and drove off. The traffic was sparse at that time of day due to the afternoon siesta and they soon arrived back at the apartment. Eva skipped up the stairs ahead of them, seeming none the worse for her ordeal. Hanna could only hope that she hadn’t suffered any lasting damage as a result. She didn’t appear to have been hurt physically but there was no knowing what effect the whole episode could have on her mentally. But, Hanna tried to console herself, children often have an amazing propensity to take even horrendous events in their stride.
Ceri was waiting for them at the front door. Eva flew past her like a whirlwind before finally coming to a halt and allowing Auntie Ceri to envelope her in a big hug.
“Come and see what’s waiting for you,” said Ceri, taking her by the hand and leading her into the kitchen. There, sitting on the table, was a magnificent cake in the shape of a hedgehog.
Eva clapped her hands together in delight, chanting excitedly, “Torta buona, torta buona, tutta per me! Yummy, yummy cake, all for me!”
Sergio cut a large slice, dividing it into bite-sized pieces and handing them to her on a paper napkin. She used both hands to cram as many pieces into her mouth as possible, leaving a sticky brown mess around her mouth, behaviour that would have sent Hanna into orbit on any other occasion. But in these circumstances, she just laughed indulgently and watched Eva finish off the piece of cake and then wash it down with a tumbler of fizzy orange.
Hanna wondered if she had been fed properly during her time away. She seemed hungry but it could just be high spirits; she certainly didn’t seem to be emaciated, just a bit grubby. And tired, she thought, as the toddler tried to hide a massive yawn.
“Okay,” Hanna said, “let’s get those mucky clothes off and get you in the bath. Then you can have your tea and go to bed.”
Eva’s face dropped and her mouth opened about to protest.
“And no buts,” Hanna added firmly. “That’s just the way it is. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow and we need to be up early. Alright?”
Eva nodded. She looked sleepy now, her eyelids drooping, no sign of her previous energy. Without another word, she let Hanna carry her into the bathroom and undress her while the bathwater was running. Soaping her gently with a sponge, Hanna looked for any tell-tale signs of abuse: cuts, bruises, or worse. To her relief, none were visible, at least not to the human eye. If there were any mental or emotional scars, they would manifest themselves in time. She would need to keep a close eye on her daughter's behaviour in the coming days and weeks.
For now, Eva was struggling just to keep her eyes open. Usually bathtime became one big game and could last a while, the water often going cold in the process. Not this time. Hanna had just managed to get her out of the bath, towel her dry, and put on a pair of clean pyjamas before she fell into a sound sleep.
Hanna laid her gently on the bed, surrounding her with pillows, before kissing her on the forehead. She gazed at the little tot from the doorway for several minutes, hardly believing her eyes, before tiptoeing out of the room.
She sent a quick text to Rhys to let him know that Eva was safely back with her and they’d both be on the next flight home.
The four of them left the apartment shortly after nine the following morning. They made a good start, managing to miss most of the rush hour traffic, but it was still a good two-hour drive to Catania airport. Eva had slept through the night, grumbled at being woken up, then fallen asleep again lying across Hanna’s lap in the back of the car. Hanna had slept fitfully during the night, conscious of the little warm body snuggled up next to her, snoring softly. It was as if she was afraid to sleep more deeply lest Eva should disappear again.
Now they were finally on their way home, having made the pact with Luciano, Hanna felt more at peace and able to relax. But she wouldn’t feel truly safe until she and Eva were far away from this cursed island.
Hanna managed to doze off from time to time, lulled by the warmth of the car and the drone of the engine. Whenever she woke, she was conscious of Ceri and Sergio sitting in companionable silence – Sergio concentrating on the road ahead, Ceri watching the changing landscape out of the car window.
They had spoken little since Eva’s return, focusing instead on her immediate needs and making arrangements to get the pair of them out of the country as quickly as possible. Hanna didn’t know how she could ever repay Ceri and Sergio for all their support and help, even if at times she had doubted their motives. Sometimes, she’d even doubted herself; she certainly blamed herself for not protecting Eva enough.
By the time Sergio pulled up outside Departures, Hanna’s head was throbbing from all her pent-up emotions and the stuffy atmosphere of the car.
“C’mon, sleepy head, time to wake up,” said H
anna, gently shaking Eva.
The little tot rubbed her eyes and slowly unfurled herself from Hanna’s lap. Hanna got out of the car, struggling to straighten up, her back and joints stiff from being in the same position for so long. Eva tumbled out, clutching Orsina protectively to her chest.
“You see to Eva. I’ll get your bag,” said Ceri, going round to the boot.
“I’ll park up. You go and check in. I’ll see you at the desk,” said Sergio, putting the car into gear before driving off.
Eva was looking around, confused. “Where are we?” she asked.
Hanna realised that she’d not had a chance to explain to the little girl what their long day would entail. She bent down and said, “It’s okay, sweetie. We’re at the airport and we’ll be getting on a plane that will take us home. C’mon, we need to go and check in.”
Eva clutched Orsina even closer to her chest as Hanna led her into the busy departure hall and over to the check-in desk for the Manchester flight. The queue was short and moving steadily forward. By the time Sergio caught up with them, Hanna had handed over her luggage and collected their boarding passes. They proceeded towards the security gate, an awkward silence between them.
“Well, this it it,” said Hanna. “I can’t begin to thank you both for everything you’ve done. I wouldn’t have got Eva back safely without you. I… really…don’t know what to say.” Tears welled in her eyes and her voice broke with emotion.
“We’re just glad that it ended well and you’re both safe,” said Ceri, hugging her tightly.
“And the situation’s been resolved,” added Sergio. “You won’t be in danger any more. Rest assured that Luciano will get everything that’s coming to him. And soon.”
Hanna wondered how he could be so sure, or if he was just trying to reassure her.
“Thank God for that. As long as we keep our side of the bargain,” she said gravely.
Sergio nodded and smiled. “Of course. Take care of yourselves. We’ll come and visit you.”
“I’d like that,” said Hanna, breaking into a teary smile. She scooped Eva up into her arms. “We’re going to be okay now, aren’t we, poppet?”
“Is Babbo coming, too?” the little girl asked shyly.
Hanna stared at her, struggling to find a suitable response. “Err… no, it’s just you and me now, pumpkin. Best buddies for ever, okay?” She held out her little finger and Eva giggled softly, hooking her own little finger around her mum’s.
A tricky situation averted. For the moment.
“We’d better go. Don’t want to miss the plane,” said Hanna.
A final hug all round, then Hanna and Eva moved towards the waiting security guard, Eva waving to Ceri and Sergio all the way.
At last, they were on their way home.
Together.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Sicily, Sunday 10th December, 2017
Hanna continued to marvel at Eva’s ability to bounce back to her normal self. One minute she was running around the airport concourse at full pelt, next she was chattering away non-stop to the flight attendants as they boarded the plane, then she fell asleep, curled up in a ball on her seat. Hanna smiled as she watched the little girl’s chest rise and fall, her dark lashes glued tightly shut, twitching from time to time in her dreams. No evidence of any after-effects from her ordeal so far. Maybe not knowing the the true extent of the danger she’d been facing made it easier to shrug off. Only time would tell.
She slipped on her headphones and settled back in her seat, searching the radio channels to find some easy listening that would help her relax. After wading through heavy rock, political debates,and commercial pop, she finally found an Italian station playing light classical music that suited her mood. It had the desired effect and she was on the verge of nodding off when the hourly news came on. She listened through a hazy fog. The last item made her sit bolt upright:
“In Sicily earlier today, police made a number of high-profile arrests in connection with people-trafficking operations. This follows a lengthy undercover investigation to stem the flow of illegal immmigrants into Sicily from North Africa. Those arrested include Trapani judge Edouardo Giacalone, Mario Culotta, mayor of Alcatezza, parish priest Agosto Bartolomeo from Mandragone, Michele and Luciano Cortazzo, award-winning wine producers from Alcudi, and rival clan boss Giuseppe Spadaro. The police are confident that they have sufficient evidence to secure convictions. Further arrests are expected in the next few days.”
Hanna smiled to herself. Sergio must have known these arrests were imminent. And without her divulging any information from the memory stick. Her conscience was clear. She and Eva were safe. Countless more migrants would be saved from falling into the clutches of the traffickers.
She realised that Luciano and his father could still avoid conviction, thanks to their top-level connections and a wily lawyer. And Giulio, Lorenzo’s younger brother, hadn’t been arrested. But she and Eva were free to create a future far away from this world of organised crime. She looked down at her sleeping daughter and settled back into her seat again with a sigh of satisfaction.
The plane landed smoothly and taxied to a halt on the runway at Manchester airport. Hanna thought even the dull grey buildings looked a little brighter than usual in the pallid wintry sunlight as she looked through the window. Eva was grizzly from having been woken from a deep sleep a few minutes before, and Hanna grinned at her pouting face. Things were getting back to normal. She waited patiently for the passengers in front of them to collect their belongings and make their way slowly towards the front exit.
As she gathered up their things, Hanna noticed that Orsina was missing.
“Eva, I can’t see Orsina anywhere. Has she fallen on the floor?”
Eva scowled and started to hunt for the missing toy. After a quick search, she held up the elusive bear in triumph, declaring in a loud voice, “Here she is, Mammina! I was sitting on her. She’s a bit, err…”
“Squashed,” Hanna said, laughing, helping her daughter out with the right word.
Orsina was completely scrunched up; Eva must have fallen asleep on top of her. Hanna adjusted the toy’s furry limbs and knocked the stuffing back into position. “See? No harm done. Keep tight hold of her, though. We don’t want to lose her again, do we?”
Eva shook her head in a slow exaggerated way as Hanna slipped her handbag onto her shoulder and held out her hand. “C’mon, munchkin, time to go. “
The little girl scrambled over the double seat and took her hand, following her dutifully off the plane and onto a moving walkway on the other side. This proved fascinating, and Eva kept trying to wriggle out of Hanna’s grip so she could run up and down it. But Hanna kept tight hold of her and had problems tearing her away when the walkway came to an end.
The resourceful little girl started to sing, performing little pirouettes along the airport’s cavernous corridor, much to the amusement of their fellow passengers. Hanna indulged her attention-seeking antics for a little while longer before hurrying them on, through passport control and on to the baggage claim area.
Collecting her bag off the carousel, she bowed to pressure from Eva to get a trolley. She knew what was going to happen: Eva hopped onto it straight away, taking a seat with her back resting against the bag, her legs splayed out in front of her as Hanna pushed the trolley into the arrivals hall.
A sea of faces, eagerly waiting to collect family and friends, greeted them. A voice rising above the crowd, an arm waving frantically in the air: “Hanna! Eva! Over here!”
A tall figure emerging from the swarm of people, a dog barking excitedly at his heels, tail wagging furiously.
“Welcome home, girls,” said Rhys, his arms held open wide in welcome.
Hanna smiled. All that mattered now was Eva.
And the future.
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