Sicilian Dreams

by J. P. Kennedy

  ‘One should be prepared for all situations,’ said Kat, with her nose in the air. ‘Dock dolly or pampered princess, it’s important to always look ones best.’

  They followed her out to the car and were soon speeding off out of the gates of the estate and down the hill to town. They went past the old town and through a tunnel to the other side of Cefalu where looking down from the road they could see a marina with boats lined up at the jetties and a large car park on the shore. Liz parked the car and they walked on the long pier towards two larger boats moored at the end. A man was on deck carefully coiling a large rope at the bow of the boat and he called out as he saw them approaching.

  ‘Ciao, are you Marco’s guests?’ he said in heavily accented English, managing to make it sound musical.

  They walked up to the side of the boat and he quickly leap down onto the jetty and came towards them. He was of medium height with curly brown hair, bright blue eyes framed with long, dark lashes and a wide grin displaying even white teeth.

  Cute, thought Kat, sticking out her hand first. ‘Katrina Hudson, nice to meet you’ she cooed, smiling at him.

  ‘Piacere, I am Davide, Marco’s friend. It is my pleasure to have you on board today.’ He turned to Cassie and Liz, shook their hands as they introduced themselves. ‘Please, follow me. Just watch your step on gangway. It is not very steady.’

  He showed them where to put their carry on bags in large cupboards and then they went inside the cabin. It was light and airy with large windows on either side, the length of the cabin. There were comfortable seats for a dozen people, and at a small bar on one side, there was a water cooler, snacks and a small coffee machine.

  ‘Make yourselves comfortable’ said Davide. ‘We are waiting for another six people to arrive before we cast off.’ He went back on deck and the girls picked the three seats in the front row of the cabin. The chairs were wide and comfortable with padded headrests and Kat stretched out her long legs and was able to rest her feet up on a small rail in front of her.

  ‘Our captain is rather cute don’t you think.’ she said, turning to Liz and Cassie with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Those blue eyes are heavenly.’

  ‘You are incorrigible,’ said Cassie, laughing. At that moment the other passengers came on board and the next few minutes were spent stowing their gear and getting seated. They heard the engines rumble into life as two other young male crewmembers made ready to pull up the gangway and throw the thick, knotted ropes back on board. Davide walked through the door of the wheelhouse and addressed them.

  ‘Welcome aboard the Allegro. I am your Davide, your Captain, and this is Paulo and this is Gianni, my crew. We will cast off shortly and depart for the beautiful Aeolian Islands. The journey will take around two hours to reach Lipari, the biggest island of the group. Please make yourselves comfortable here or on the upper deck, but take care when climbing the steps. They are steep and we don’t want to lose anyone overboard. ‘Signorina,’ he said addressing Kat, ‘it might be better for you to go barefoot when you are outside the cabin,’ grinning and looking down at her long, brown legs and feet encased in vertiginously high heels. ‘Allora, andiamo. I will give you more information over the intercom once we are underway. Buon viaggio.’

  ‘I like’ said Kat, under her breath, admiring his tight butt in faded blue jeans as he went back through the door into the wheelhouse and a moment later the boat moved away smoothly from the wharf. The boat chugged slowly out of the harbor before passing the breakwater and picking up speed. Cassie switched on her iPod, plugged in her ear buds and sat back comfortably in her chair by the window, tucking her legs up underneath her. The sunlight was bright on the water so Cassie kept her sunglasses on, watching as the boat carved patterns in the water as it raced over the calm sea.

  She felt herself nodding off with the comforting motion of the boat and it was some time later before she roused herself from sleep and saw Liz smiling and looking at her.

  ‘Hi sleepyhead, I’ve just made a coffee, want one?’ She held a tiny cup aloft and Cassie took it gratefully.

  ‘Try this biscotti, it’s amazing. Hazelnuts and chocolate chips, yum.’ she bit into one.

  ‘Where’s Kat?’ asked Cassie, breaking off a small piece of the biscotti.

  ‘Up front with the captain’ said Liz, rolling her eyes. ‘He came into the cabin about an hour ago and asked her if she would like to come into the wheelhouse and see how the boat is sailed. On autopilot most likely’ she added. ‘You’ve been asleep for ages; we can’t be far from Lipari now.

  ‘There must be a mutual admiration society going on if she has been in there with him for that long.’ said Cassie. Liz had buried her nose back in her book, so Cassie headed up the stairs to get some fresh air on the upper deck. It was refreshing to be outside and she could now see the volcanic shaped islands in the distance. There was a slight swell but Cassie could hardly feel any movement on board and for that she was grateful. Maybe I’m finally getting sea legs she thought remembering past boat trips where she had spent most of her time head down miserably in the toilet. Above the engine noise she heard a loudspeaker but was unable to make out the words so she went back down into the cabin. Daniele had begun his commentary over the intercom and Kat was still nowhere to be seen. The other passengers were listening attentively.

  ‘Spanish’ said Liz. Daniele then switched to English and told them they would be stopping in Lipari for an hour so they would have plenty of time to wander around the town and the shops before reboarding. The boat would then circumnavigate the island of Vulcano, stopping at particular landmarks and secluded bays for lunch and swimming before beginning the return trip to the mainland later in the afternoon.

  Kat reappeared in the cabin wearing a cheeky grin.

  ‘How’s the captains first mate doing?’ teased Liz. ‘Helping to keep the vessel afloat were we?’

  ‘I’m sure my assistance was invaluable,’ said Kat, laughing. ‘Actually that was a lot of fun. The captain’s chairs are like really comfortable bar stools with armrests.’

  ‘Interesting, but not very’ said Cassie. ‘More about the Captain please.’

  ‘Well, he is about our age, and a friend of Marco’s, and he owns the boat and has been running these charters to the islands for three years. He takes several different charters to the islands. There is one that goes in the afternoon and you moor off Stromboli in the evening to see the fireworks go off. That one sounds really amazing. In winter, he works at his family’s vineyard.’

  ‘Girlfriend, wife, any other significant other?’ said Liz.

  ‘Certainly not married,’ said Kat. ‘I’m not sure about the ‘other’, but he has asked me out to dinner tomorrow evening,’ she giggled.

  ‘Nice work, that was quick.’ said Liz

  ‘Yes, I call it part of the ‘cultural experience’ when traveling. Who better to learn from than a local?’

  ‘Interesting way of looking at it,’ teased Cassie. ‘Will you let Mr Berkley know about this ‘cultural experience’?’

  ‘No. As I intend this to be purely educational, I don’t think there is any reason Peter needs to know.’

  ‘Look, we’re coming into the harbor.’ said Liz as the boat rounded a headland and the little town came into view, it’s pretty pastel colored buildings fronting the harbor with it’s long jetty sticking out into the bay. Cassie took her camera and went out on deck to take some photos as the boat docked at the end of a long jetty. Davide stood to the side of the gangway as they began to disembark.

  ‘What would you recommend we should see and do while we are here Davide?’ said Kat as she waited to disembark.

  ‘Apart from trying a local Granita; a type of sorbet made with almonds;’ he clarified, grinning at her, ‘I suggest walking up to the church and the castle. They both have wonderful views from there. See you in an hour.’ he reminded them.

  It was hot already and the girls wandered slowly among the back streets heading away from the harbor, stopping at a
cafe with an outdoor terrace for a Granita, before Liz disappeared into a shop selling wine and cheeses. She emerged a few minutes later with wine, cheese and local bottled capers.

  ‘Liz, you are amazing,’ laughed Cassie. ‘You can find something to buy in any part of the world.’

  ‘I can’t stand the idea of running out of supplies and I consider it my duty as a serious foodie to taste a little of everything while I am on holiday.’

  By the time they returned to the boat the sun was high in the sky and the air-conditioned cabin provided some welcome respite from the sun. Davide and his crew got the boat underway and soon they were motoring out of the harbor, slowing every now and again so Davide could point out some local landmark of interest to them. They crossed the narrow stretch of water from Lipari to Vulcano and headed in a westerly direction around the island.

  The grey volcanic cliffs of the contrasted sharply with the crystal clear blue water and it wasn’t long before Davide moored in a secluded inlet so they could have a swim. The crew set out masks and snorkels on the deck and helped to fit them. There was a lot of joking as Paulo, who turned out to be Davide’s younger brother, and Gianni helped the girls with their masks and snorkels. The cockpit opened at the back to a wide ledge, which made stepping off the boat into the water easy, but it was the Spaniards who jumped off first, yells and laughter coming from them as they hit the water. Cassie and Liz jumped in next, yelling as they hit the refreshingly cool water and realizing how deceptively deep it was despite the bottom being clearly visible and seemingly within toe touching distance. Kat stood on the ledge indecisively, until Davide came up behind her and suggested he give her a little push, which decided her and she leapt off the boat squealing, holding her nose with one hand as she submerged into the deep, clear water.

  By the time the girls had swum to the beach and snorkeled around the rocks it was time for lunch. Davide and the boys had set out a wonderful picnic on deck and as the swimmers climbed aboard they handed them towels and took their masks. There was a hand held shower at the back of the boat that everyone used to rinse off the salty water. Paulo came out of the cabin carrying a tray with flutes of Prosecco and passed them around as Cassie dried herself off. The water was wonderfully buoyant but salty and it felt good to wash herself off and let her hair dry in the sun.

  The lunch was simple with fresh crusty rolls, thinly sliced ham, prosciutto and salami, sliced tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and fresh salad greens all laid out on a checkered table cloth. Drinks were kept cold in a chilly bin and after the Prosecco, Cassie and Liz opted for mineral water. Kat was happy with her Prosecco and she and Davide kept up a steady stream of banter that kept everyone entertained, including the Spanish couples, who spoke more English than was first thought. Liz and Cassie tucked themselves onto padded loungers under the awning when they had finished eating, and while Liz snoozed, Cassie went through the photos she had taken, examining them all carefully and deleting where necessary. It was so relaxing, she had forgotten all about Marco until Davide called out to her.

  ‘Hey, Cassandra, I have a text from Marco asking how you are enjoying yourselves. Do you want to reply to him?’

  ‘I’ll reply. What’s his number?’ she asked. Davide gave it to her and she quickly typed a message. ‘Hey Marco, so awesome, wish you were here.’ Her phone buzzed back quickly. ‘Me too. Are you sunbathing topless? Send me a pic.’ Cassie laughed and replied. ‘You wish, it’s not that private.’ She held her phone up above she and the sleeping Liz and snapped a pic, pushing send. Her phone buzzed again. ‘The head shot is great, I’ll see the rest of you later.’ Cassie felt a bubble of excitement in her stomach. She wasn’t expecting to see him today. I wonder what time we get back to the mainland she thought. As if on cue, Paulo and Gianni cleared away the remains of the lunch and Davide started the engine. He had promised them all fresh gelato after lunch and they motored around the northwest of the island until they came to a black sand bay seemingly in the middle of nowhere, complete with a pizzeria and tables under the trees. The bay was full of boats of all sizes and as soon as they moored, a guy in a dingy with an outboard, motored out to their boat and offered them a ride into shore to the trattoria on the beach.

  It took two trips for the small dingy to take everyone ashore while Davide and his crew remained on board. The black sand was searingly hot, and Kat, who had gone barefoot, hopped and yelled with each step as she tried to run up the soft sand as quickly as she could. It was a charming setting with tables full of families munching away happily on large pizzas and barbecued steak. While the others ordered gelato, Cassie snapped away with her camera, catching the skilled pizza makers and they rolled the dough and spun it high in the air before decorating each imperfect round and then sliding them into the huge domed furnace, the heat from it making the air around them shimmer. She decided on the melon-flavored gelato and the girls sat under the trees to enjoy them.

  ‘This is another thing I love about Italy,’ said Liz, licking her spoon. ‘You can’t go fifty paces without stumbling upon food. It’s my idea of heaven.’

  ‘What did you say to Marco?’ asked Kat.

  ‘Just that we are enjoying an amazing day and that he should be with us,’ said Cassie.

  ‘He would have been pleased to hear that. Davide said Marco had already paid him for our trip today.’

  ‘No way’ said Liz. ‘That is so nice. I can imagine him wanting to shout Cassie but not all of us.’

  ‘Let you in on a secret Cass’ said Kat, conspiratorially, leaning in close to Cassie and Liz. ‘Davide said that he has never heard Marco sounding so excited about someone when he called him to book the boat trip. Sounds like you might have stolen his heart,’ she ginned at Cassie. Cassie’s stomach did another flip as she heard this and she tried to look at them nonchalantly, but failed miserably.

  ‘I think they’ve stolen each others hearts,’ said Liz teasingly. ‘It’s not like you to be tongue tied Cassie.’ she added.

  ‘It’s all just happened so fast’ she wailed, throwing her hands up into the air. ‘I mean, I am trying to keep some sort of perspective on the whole thing, but my head and my heart are saying two different things. I mean, look at it this way. One. We’re madly attracted to one another, but I hardly know the guy. Two. I want to trust him, but a guy like that has got to have some history with women, and three, he 0is geographically undesirable. I live on the other side of the world. It’s not exactly like I can leap on a plane every other weekend to see him.’ She dropped her gelato cup into the bin, and shading her eyes as she scanned the bay for the guy in the dingy. Talking about Marco had just made her want to get back to Cefalu and see him again. Soon. So, no perspective really, she thought. I can’t wait to clap eyes on him again.

  Liz looked at her knowingly. ‘You know, you are just afraid of getting hurt again Cass. I understand everything you’ve just said, but the bottom line is you are afraid. And rightly so, given your last love affair, but you can’t live like this for the rest of your life, too scared to love someone for fear of failure.’

  ‘There’s our ride,’ said Kat, waving at the dingy and starting to hop back down the beach to the sea. Once everyone was back on board, Davide announced that they would head back around the island before starting their trip back to the mainland, arriving in Cefalu at around 6pm. The trip back to the mainland passed uneventfully, except when they all raced on deck at one stage to see a pod of dolphins swimming alongside the boat for several hundred meters, leaping and diving, moving through the water with grace and speed.

  As the Allegro sailed into the marina and moved alongside the jetty, Cassie looked out the cabin window and saw Marco pull up in his X5. He climbed out and start walking along the wharf towards them as Paulo and Gianni secured the boat to the jetty and made ready the gang way. Thanking Davide profusely for the wonderful day, Cassie’s grin got even wider as she stepped off the gang way and saw Marco. ‘I didn’t expect to see you’ she said, ‘thank you so much for today.’ ‘I
missed you,’ he whispered into her ear as he lowered his head to kiss her on both cheeks, his hands resting lightly on her sides. ‘I’m very happy my meetings ended early’ he added, now looking up and grinning at Kat and Liz who had come to stand beside them.

  ‘Marco, thank you so much for our trip to the islands. That was very generous but naughty of you to pay for us all,’ said Liz.

  ‘Yes’ chimed in Kat. ‘We had a fantastic time and Davide is a great host.’ She grinned at Marco and then turned back to wave once more to David.

  ‘You are very welcome,’ said Marco, smiling. ‘I’m just sorry I couldn’t join you.’

  ‘Ciao Marco’ yelled Davide from the deck. ‘Grazie mille for sending me three beautiful ladies to entertain. It was very generous of you,’ he laughed.

  ‘Si, and you look too happy about it. Next time, I come too.’ replied Marco, waving as they started to walk down the long wharf to the car. He used the remote to unlock his car as they came close and had opened the passenger door for Cassie before she had time think about it.

  ‘Follow me when we reach the estate’ said Marco to Liz and Kat. ‘We are going to have a wine tasting.’ He winked at them and they waved before climbing into the mini.

  The traffic wasn’t heavy and they were soon ascending the hills behind Cefalu, the mini close behind them.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  ‘How did your presentation go?’ said Cassie.

  ‘Okay. This is just the first round, we will have several more meetings before things are finalized, but Luca and I felt quietly confident that they liked our concept designs and were comfortable with the budget projections.’ He looked over at Cassie and grinned.

  ‘But it was hard to keep my mind on things because I kept thinking about you. I hope the clients’ thought that I was preoccupied with their plans, but Luca wasn’t fooled. When we took a break at lunchtime, he told me to snap out of it. You are a witch Cassandra. You have cast a spell over me and now I cannot even work properly.’