Dreaming of Florence

by T A Williams

  ‘So, Deborah, would you mind if I ask you about Dario?’

  ‘Of course not. What about him?’

  ‘I can see from the way he looks at you that he likes you a lot. I was wondering how you felt about him. I wouldn’t want to see him get hurt. I love my big brother, you know.’

  Debbie was pleasantly surprised that Dario had been exhibiting such signs, but then, as Alice never ceased to tell her, her track record at reading signs was pretty lamentable. On the one hand, this confirmation that he maybe did have strong feelings towards her was heartening, but on the other, given the present circumstances, it made the potential repercussions of her breaking the news of her affair with Pierluigi even more tragic.

  She answered honestly.

  ‘I like him a lot – an awful lot. He’s kind, he’s funny, we get on so well together and he’s so… natural.’ She caught Claudia’s eye. ‘Do you know what I mean?’ She could have gone on to say that he was so different from the other guests here tonight, but she didn’t. After all, the same applied to her host and hostess.

  ‘I know exactly what you mean. I really do.’ Claudia caught Debbie’s eye, her expression now more serious. ‘He and I come from a very privileged background. You know that. Personally, I’ve learnt to embrace it, but all his life, he’s struggled against it. The thing is, Deborah, we can’t choose our parents. We are what we are, but he can’t accept that. Tell me, has he told you about his house in the country?’

  Debbie nodded. ‘He took me out there on Sunday and we painted a bedroom together. It’s the most amazing place.’

  She saw Claudia’s eyes widen.

  ‘He took you out there?’ She reached over and caught Debbie by the arm. ‘Then that just confirms what I’ve been thinking. He likes you an awful lot, Deborah. Please don’t break his heart.’

  Debbie felt a wave of emotion wash over her. ‘I’d never, ever, want to do that.’

  Claudia smiled and patted Debbie’s arm before removing her hand and straightening up.

  ‘That’s wonderful to hear. And, Deborah, I think you would be so, so good for him. I can see the two of you together.’

  So could Debbie, but things had suddenly become very, very complicated.

  They went back into the dining room and Debbie helped collect the cheese plates and take them back into the kitchen, while Claudia prepared the dessert. From the dining room, the sound of Isabella’s voice still carried along the corridor and through the door. The kitchen, predictably, boasted every possible modern convenience, from a fridge big enough to sleep in to what looked like no fewer than three ovens, as well as a coffee machine of commercial proportions.

  Claudia chatted as she pulled the dessert out of the fridge.

  ‘I borrowed my mother’s English cookery book and I’ve made individual summer puddings. I know we’re in the middle of winter, but I just loved the idea. Do they look like they’re supposed to look?’

  She sounded genuinely concerned and Debbie was quick to reassure her. She was getting to like Dario’s sister who, underneath the inescapable bling, was really rather nice. And she was also, undeniably, a very good cook. Together, they took the desserts through and, gradually, Debbie’s headache began to fade – not completely, but enough for her to begin functioning normally again.

  By this time she had made up her mind. The very first thing she knew she wanted to do once they got out of here was to tell Dario all about last August and hope that he wouldn’t judge her too harshly.

  The summer pudding received the compliments it deserved and later they all returned to the lounge for coffee. Dario sat on the cream leather sofa beside her and the feel of his thigh against hers was reassuring. During a brief hiatus, while the others crowded round to look at the photos of Greece on Claudia’s iPad, Debbie surreptitiously rested her lips against his ear and whispered.

  ‘I really like you an awful lot, you know.’

  She wasn’t sure why she did that, but his response was immediate. He turned towards her, lowered his head and kissed her hard on the lips, with a passion she hadn’t sensed before. Then, just as immediately, he drew back and whispered to her in his turn.

  ‘That’s the greatest news I’ve heard all night… Make that all year.’

  As he was speaking, Debbie glanced over his shoulder and saw Pierluigi watching closely from the other side of the room. She took a deep breath and looked away, dreading the conversation she was due to have with Dario later. Unaware of what was going on, he was still whispering.

  ‘And in case you hadn’t noticed, I think you’re amazing.’

  Ignoring Pierluigi, she caught Dario’s cheeks between her palms and kissed him tenderly, knowing as she did so, just how badly she was going to miss him if the result of this debacle was their separation.

  A bit later on, Debbie went to the bathroom – predictably a marble wonder, or monstrosity, she thought, depending upon your taste. As she came out again, she found Pierluigi lurking in the hall.

  ‘Hi, Debbie.’

  She glanced around. They were alone.

  ‘Debbie’s what my friends call me, Pierluigi. You’re no longer one of them.’

  ‘Look, I’m sorry… Deborah. I know what I did was a bit sneaky, but you must admit we had some good times together.’ He looked anything but penitent, and Debbie felt a wave of rising anger.

  ‘A bit sneaky? You lying bastard.’

  ‘Well, yes, I suppose so, but a little white lie never hurt anybody.’ She felt his eyes roam across her body and her stomach turned. ‘Now that we’re both living so close, maybe we could find time for some fun together. I’ll always remember that thing you do, when you…’

  Debbie leapt in before he could utter another word. There was a heavy-looking brass Buddha on a side table and she was very, very close to picking it up and smashing it across his head. She took a step towards him and was rewarded by the appearance of a shifty, fearful expression on his face. She lowered her voice to a threatening growl.

  ‘If I ever see you again – even if I just bump into you at the market – I’m going to scream blue murder and tell everybody you tried to rape me. That’s not a warning, that’s a promise. Read my lips – I never want to see you or hear from you again after tonight. Is that quite clear?’

  She didn’t wait for him to reply, but his eyes told her the message had got through.

  The evening drew to a halt around midnight and Debbie received kisses from Claudia and Isabella, along with an open invitation to visit Isabella for a chat sometime. For chat, read monologue, Debbie thought to herself as she picked up her coat, shook hands with Piero and successfully avoided shaking hands with Pierluigi in the general confusion. The four of them travelled down in the lift together and, once again, Isabella’s incessant chatter was a welcome alternative to what would otherwise almost certainly been an uncomfortable silence.

  They were just repeating their goodbyes on the pavement, and Debbie was bracing herself for the talk she was going to have with Dario, when the door behind them opened and Piero came running out.

  ‘Dario, wait. Your mother’s just phoned. Your father’s had a funny turn and they’ve taken him to hospital. Claudia’s getting the car. She’ll take us to Careggi.’

  Dario stopped dead, a look of shock on his face. ‘What does a “funny turn” mean?’

  Piero shook his head. ‘I don’t know. Maybe his heart? We’ll find out.’

  Just then there was a squeal of tyres and Claudia’s silver Porsche came roaring round the corner. Dario shot a quick look at Debbie.

  ‘There’s only really room for three in the Porsche, and there’s no need for you to have a disturbed night as well. Are you going to be all right going home on your own? Why not call a taxi?’

  ‘I’ll be fine. You go.’

  Dario blew her a kiss and wasted no time in folding himself onto the microscopic rear seat of the Porsche. Piero jumped into the passenger seat, slammed the door, and they disappeared in a blue cloud of burning tyr
es.

  ‘Deborah, would you like a lift home with us?’ Isabella caught hold of her sleeve. ‘Whereabouts do you live?’

  Debbie had absolutely no intention of either getting into a car with Pierluigi or revealing her address to him, so she summoned a smile and shook her head.

  ‘Thank you, Isabella. That’s very sweet, but I live very close by. You go on, thank you.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure.’

  Debbie gave her a little wave and headed for home. The rain had stopped and the moon was just visible behind scattered clouds in the sky. It was colder than before, but Debbie hardly felt it. She was far too wrapped up in her thoughts to have time for mere physical considerations.

  She was very concerned for the count and hoped his “funny turn” wouldn’t prove to be too serious. She felt for Flora, who must be worried sick and, of course, for her children. She spared a thought for how she herself would feel if news were to arrive that something had happened to her own father or mother, and resolved to phone home the following day to check they were all right.

  She walked down the side of the river before turning left into a narrow side street leading in the direction of the cathedral. There weren’t many people about and the sound of her heels on the pavement echoed around her. She crossed Via del Purgatorio and entered Via del Inferno and she hoped these names weren’t an omen.

  Pierluigi’s suggestion that she might like to hop back in bed with him and continue where they had left off had threatened to make her physically sick. Was this all that men like him thought of her? Was she just some sort of object? She had dressed up in the peacock blue dress so as to look good for herself, for Dario, and for the people she was going to meet. She hadn’t dressed up as some sort of come-on to slimy toads like Pierluigi.

  The count’s illness hadn’t resolved anything yet – only delayed things. She had been building herself up to making her confession to Dario and now she felt slightly deflated, if a bit relieved, albeit temporarily. The sooner she spoke to him, the better. She had to know how he felt – one way or another.

  As she walked across the Piazza del Duomo, she paused for reflection between the cathedral and the Baptistery. The whole square was floodlit and the light reflected back from the white marble walls and the golden doors of the Baptistery. A few hardy tourists and a couple of cold-looking armed police were standing around, and it was as quiet as she could ever recall seeing it. It didn’t take much effort to imagine horses, carriages and immortals like Michelangelo and Leonardo de Vinci walking round the square.

  Once again she reminded herself that she was just one tiny, insignificant part of the eternal tapestry – but, just like last time, it didn’t help.

  Chapter 19

  She didn’t sleep very well and when her phone whistled just before dawn, she was awake in a flash. It was a text message from Dario.

  Minor heart attack. Not too serious. Prognosis good. Talk later. Love

  She replied immediately.

  Good news. Thinking of you all. All my love.

  She got up shortly afterwards and was in work before eight. She found she was able to clear her desk and prepare her lessons for that evening by lunchtime. When Giancarla arrived, she could see she had something – or somebody – on her mind.

  ‘Debbie, can I ask you for your advice?’

  Debbie was gradually getting used to the new, softer, Giancarla, but this was the first time she had ever been asked to give advice. She nodded.

  ‘Of course. Come and sit down.’

  ‘It’s about Steven.’

  ‘How is he?’

  ‘Better, remarkably better. The operation was a great success and I think now that he’s made the decision to retire, he feels reassured. Anyway, I don’t know if you were aware that he and I were engaged to be married at one point.’

  Debbie managed to avoid answering – not wishing to let Giancarla think that Martha or anybody else had been talking about her behind her back. It didn’t matter. Giancarla wasted no time in continuing with her tale.

  ‘Then, six years ago, he had an affair with another woman. After more than twenty years together, I could hardly believe it, but it was true. He came to me and confessed and asked me to forgive him for his aberration, but I couldn’t. I threw him out and I would have left Florence if my mother hadn’t been so poorly.’ She looked up at Debbie, her eyes damp with emotion. ‘She died last spring.’

  ‘I’m so sorry for you. It must have been awfully tough over the last few years.’

  ‘It hasn’t been easy.’

  Debbie reached across the desk and took hold of Giancarla’s hand. As she did so, the secretary looked up in surprise, before clasping Debbie’s hand tightly with both of hers. Debbie could feel the nervous tension running through Giancarla’s whole body and gave her a gentle squeeze of solidarity and support. She heard a muffled reply.

  ‘Thank you, Debbie.’ Giancarla sounded genuinely grateful.

  There was a long pause before Debbie finally decided she should be the one to interrupt the silence.

  ‘And now, Giancarla? What happens now with you and Steven?’

  Giancarla released her grip on Debbie’s hands. She ran her hands up to tidy her grey hair and took a deep breath before replying.

  ‘Now Steven’s asking me to try to forgive him and move back in with him again and I don’t know what to do.’

  For a moment, Debbie saw a parallel with her own situation. Of course, in her case, she had had the affair with Pierluigi without any idea that what she was doing was wrong, while Steven had definitely behaved appallingly towards Giancarla. But, just as she hoped for forgiveness from Dario, she urged Giancarla to do the same.

  ‘Giancarla, I saw you that night at Careggi Hospital when the ambulance arrived at the emergency department. I’ll never forget the expression on your face. I don’t think there’s any doubt about it – you still love him, don’t you?’

  She caught Giancarla’s eye and, after a brief delay, she saw her nod her head.

  ‘Then, there’s your answer. Forgive him, Giancarla. Take him back, forget the past, and enjoy the rest of your lives together.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I would.’

  ‘Thank you, Debbie.’ The tears were running down the sides of Giancarla’s face now. Then Debbie saw her reach up with her hands and wipe them away with a sudden movement as she struggled to sound businesslike again. ‘Thank you, Debbie. Now I’d better go and unlock the doors.’

  As she went off to regain her equilibrium, she left Debbie hoping her answer to Steven would be positive and that Dario would react in the same way towards her when he heard the news she had for him.

  As noon approached, Debbie decided she needed some fresh air and the chance to clear her head. She told Giancarla she would be back in good time for her evening lessons and, unusually for her, took the afternoon off.

  She took the bus to Careggi Hospital, unsure whether she would be allowed in to see Dario’s father, but she knew she owed it to him to try. Upon arrival at the hospital she couldn’t help but be reminded of the first time she had visited. That had ended badly, or so she had thought at the time. Now, looking back on it in the light of the revelations of last night, she realised that, brutal as it had been, it had saved her from much more heartache, or worse.

  The girl on the reception desk directed her up to the Cardiology Department on the first floor. The first person she saw upon arrival in the waiting area was Flora, sitting alone by a window, looking drained. Debbie went over and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. As she did so, Flora looked up and a smile spread across her face.

  ‘Deborah, my dear, how sweet of you to come.’

  ‘Hi, Flora, what’s the news?’

  ‘Quite good, I think. Enzo’s been moved out of intensive care into a private room and they think he might only be in here for a day or two. Two specialists are in there with him now.’

  ‘That’s really good news.’

  ‘Come and sit down beside me, de
ar. Dario and Claudia were here all night and they’ve gone home for a rest. I had a sleep earlier on. Claudia tells me you looked stunning in your blue dress last night. She also said how much she liked you.’ Flora paused for a moment and shot Debbie a more serious glance. ‘She also told me that Dario likes you an awful lot.’

  ‘And I like him an awful lot too, Flora.’

  Flora smiled contentedly. ‘I’m so, so pleased, Deborah. My son’s a good boy and a very bright boy, but he’s always been a bit of a loner. He needs the love of a good woman like you.’

  Debbie hesitated and then decided to take the plunge.

  ‘I don’t know how good a woman I really am, Flora.’

  Seeing the expression on Flora’s face, she took a deep breath and told her the whole sad story, starting with falling off her bike in Cambridge, right through to meeting up with her nemesis the previous night. As she recounted the events, she glanced across at Flora’s face from time to time, but could read very little on it. At last she reached the end of her tale and sat back, surreptitiously wiping the sweat off her palms on a tissue. Finally, she turned to face Flora.

  ‘I know – you must think I’m stupid, I’m gullible, and probably a tramp. I’m not like that, really, honestly, and I’m terrified I’ve messed everything up as far as Dario’s concerned. And the very last thing I ever want to do is to hurt Dario, or to hurt you.’ She looked Flora straight in the eye. ‘This will probably only confirm how stupid I am, but I think I’m falling in love with him. I know it’s crazy as I’ve only known him for such a short time, but I really believe it. And now I’m afraid my actions last summer could result in my losing him, just at the time I feel the two of us drawing ever closer together.’

  She dropped her eyes to the floor and blew her nose on a tissue. After a few seconds, she felt Flora’s hand on her arm.