The Scent of Rome

by Lise Gold

  “Anything else?” he asked, pointing to the fennel. “The fennel is very, very good this week.”

  “Perfect, I’ll have two of those, then.” Rome looked over the rest of his display and was drawn to the Sicilian lemons and the huge oranges, still on the vine. “And some oranges and lemons, and anything else you recommend today.” An old lady next to her interrupted them, chiding Frederico because his radicchio looked wilted. He spread his arms in apology. “I’m terribly sorry, that’s how they arrived. Anyway, they’re not that bad.”

  “Well, you should have sent them back, this is unacceptable.” She took a wider stance, resting her hands on her hips. “I won’t pay any more than half price for them.” Rome listened in amusement as they started bickering. She’d seen the cunning lady many times, and she usually won the fight but today, Frederico was running out of patience and didn’t give in. “Fine, then I’ll go to my friend over there.” She stormed off toward the next stall, where the stallholder hid behind his apples as he saw her coming.

  “Here you go.” Frederico put the produce in Rome’s trolley and smiled as she paid him. “You’re my favorite customer. None of that with you.” He looked over at the lady who was now nagging his colleague.

  “And you’re my favorite tomato man,” Rome said, and they both laughed as she had no idea how to say ‘stallholder’ in Italian.

  Opposite the market, the no-frills café was overflowing with locals, most sitting down for an espresso after their shopping, animatedly discussing life in the neighborhood. Their trolleys were next to them, colorful produce and bakery goods sticking out of the top. There was a lot of pointing and gossiping going on, and Rome chuckled to herself as she heard them mentioning the overflowing bins on the other side of the square. She didn’t understand all of it, but by now, she’d heard Luca yell ‘trash’ and ‘bins’ so many times that it wasn’t hard to figure out what they were talking about. She joined them and was offered a chair at one of the tables after ordering an espresso.

  “I see you’re starting to live like a local. I was hoping to find you here,” Nadine said, joining her. Then she pointed to her trolley and laughed. “And I see you finally gave in and embraced my cat wheelie.”

  Rome laughed too. “Yeah well, what can I say? You were right. It’s much easier.” She shot Nadine a flirty look, glancing over her professional but very cute outfit. The navy slacks and white shirt looked sexy on her, and she loved the hint of cleavage, and the edge of her lace bra that was showing behind the button-down front. “You’re looking snazzy. How was your meeting?”

  “Great. The mall is taking a counter stand, and if it goes well, they’ll expand to other stores.” Nadine put her hands on Rome’s shoulders as she stood behind her. “And online sales have been amazing too. I’ve just received my first monthly report and guess what?”

  “What?” Nadine’s goofy grin made Rome giddy, and she nudged her. “Tell me.”

  “I’ll be able to pay the rent this month!” Nadine yelled, loud enough for everyone around them to hear her.

  Rome threw her head back as she laughed out loud, then kissed Nadine’s hand that was still on her shoulder. “Fantastic. But you do know I would have helped you out, right? I spend most of my time at yours as it is, and I’d really like to contribute.”

  “I know, but it feels good to pay my bills from real, hard-earned income. I never thought something as simple as paying the rent would actually make me so happy.”

  Rome looked up at Nadine and smiled. “Want to go home and celebrate before we start cooking?”

  “If by celebrating you mean celebrating in bed, then yes, absolutely.” Nadine took the trolley and exchanged a few pleasantries with the people at Rome’s table while Rome knocked back the rest of her espresso.

  “Hurry up, let’s get going.” Rome gave her a flirty wink. “I really, really like you in that outfit but I’d rather see it come off.”

  56

  “Hey, Michael, come in.” Rome gave him a hug and introduced herself to his wife Jeannie before greeting Anton, who she’d already met with a couple of times.

  “It’s really good to see you again,” Michael said, looking around the living room. “Nice place you have here.”

  “It’s not my apartment, it’s my girlfriend’s,” Rome said. “She’s in the kitchen, please come through.” Rome noted the surprised look on Michael’s face after mentioning the word ‘girlfriend’.

  “Hi guys, I’m Nadine.” Nadine gave them a charming smile while she greeted them and gestured to the kitchen table where she and Rome had laid out a delicious spread of antipasti. “Thank you so much for coming over tonight.”

  “Thank you for the invite. It’s good to get together, make sure we’re aligned and relax a little before this endless circus begins.” Anton handed Nadine the bottle of wine he’d brought. “Unless Matteo wants to settle right away, of course. He’s had a lot of time to think about his mistakes and basically he knows he’s fucked.”

  “Absolutely,” Michael agreed. “But if he doesn’t want to settle, this could roll on for months, or even years.” He sat down and looked from Rome to Nadine. “By the way, I hope you don’t mind me saying I’m surprised, but I didn’t know you were…” Michael paused and pulled at his tie. “Gay,” he continued with a blush on his face.

  “Well, I didn’t know either until I met Nadine.” Rome laughed and poured them wine. “Here you go. And yes, a settlement would be perfect. To have Matteo removed from the workplace sooner rather than later, and for the employees to be offered compensation, is more than we could hope for in this instance.”

  “Great wine.” Michael took a sip while he and his wife admired the kitchen while Nadine chatted to Anton in Italian, explaining something about the sauce she was making. “I see life in Rome has been good to you.” He clumsily held up a hand and shook his head. “Apart from this case, of course.”

  “Yes, this city has been very good to me, and so has Nadine.” Rome put a large bottle of olive oil on the table, along with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. They’d cooked lots of small dishes that they only had to plate or heat up, and she’d also bought some cannoli at the local bakery because they were meant to be the best in town. “Matteo has been an unfortunate exception, but I refuse to let him ruin my stay.” She put on a brave face. “It’s going to be okay, right? We need to win, for everyone involved.”

  “You have a very good case.” Michael nodded confidently at Anton. “And you’re in good hands. Anton’s done multiple cases like yours. It’s hard to find someone who’s a specialist in Italy. As I mentioned, most cases of sexual assault or harassment aren’t reported here, and big civil trials like yours are rare, so expect a media circus once the press gets a whiff of this.”

  “I’m prepared for that.” Rome turned to Jeannie and winced. “I apologize, we shouldn’t go straight into the case.”

  “Don’t worry about that, it’s what he’s here for.” Jeannie smiled. “I’m just grateful to finally have some quality time with my husband, so thank you for that. He works so hard, and we haven’t been away together since our honeymoon. We arrived three days ago, and while Michael was in meetings with Anton, I’ve been exploring on my own and I can honestly say that I’m already overwhelmed. This city is so beautiful.”

  “Yeah, it really is and I’m sure you’ll have an amazing three weeks here.” Rome gave her a small notepad. “I’ve written down some nice places and directions on how to get there, in case you don’t know where to start. Not tourist attractions per se, just pretty and romantic sites and eateries.”

  “Thank you so much, you shouldn’t have. I’m sure you’re very busy with work and the upcoming trial right now.”

  Rome shook her head as she took a sip of her wine. “It’s not so bad. Work is busy, but everything is coming together and we’re just preparing for the launch. And as far as the case goes, there’s not much I can do. I’ve got these two wonderful guys who I trust with my life and other than t
hat, I just need to show up and take the stand like the other women.”

  “I’ve spoken to all of them once more,” Anton said. “And I’ve talked them through what to expect in the coming weeks. Or months, or years,” he added, rolling his eyes. “No one’s dropped out, so I’m feeling very positive. The HR department have been meticulous with the paperwork, too.”

  “Great. That’s good to hear.” Rome turned to Nadine, who was just finishing off the sauce for the meatballs. “Do you need some help, babe?”

  “No, all done.” Nadine put the lid on the pan and joined them at the table. “Please, help yourselves. There will be more food out later, but I’m sure you’re hungry.”

  Rome was surprised at how easy the social conversation flowed between talk about the trial. She’d been a little nervous as she wasn’t used to having people over, but the evening turned out to be fun. Nadine was an amazing host and as the time passed and they had more wine, the kitchen filled with laughter and animated chatter. She realized she actually had a lot of shared memories with Michael, from their first year of college before he switched to law, and it felt like meeting with an old friend. His wife was lovely and so was Anton. He’d loosened up as the evening had worn on and couldn’t’ stop laughing when Nadine told them about Luca and all the insults she’d had to endure, and he told them about his mother in return, who had similar character traits and didn’t trust foreigners either.

  “Well, this was fun,” he said, still chuckling as he downed the last of his espresso at the end of the night. “But I must be going now. We have a big week ahead and I need to prepare tomorrow.” He turned to Michael. “Michael, it’s been a pleasure. I’ve never worked with an American lawyer before, but your insights have been very valuable, and I understand why Rome wanted you to be a consultant on her case. I might see you in court, but if I don’t, I hope to see you after we’ve settled at some point because I’d like to celebrate with you all.”

  “Absolutely.” Michael shook his hand before Anton turned to Jeannie and Nadine. “Enjoy your stay in Rome, Jeannie, he’s all yours now. And Nadine, thank you for the recipes, I plan to impress my wife with them. Rome, I’ll see you Monday. You’ll be the first to give your evidence before the judge.”

  “Thanks, Anton. I’ll see you Monday.” Rome felt her stomach drop as she said it. It was getting real now and although she wasn’t looking forward to it, she’d waited for over three months for this moment to arrive. All she could do was tell the truth.

  57

  “Can I take my girl out for dinner now that you’ve seen the judge?” Nadine asked as they walked into town. “I took the liberty of booking a nice restaurant, thought it might take your mind off things.” She pulled Rome against her and put an arm around her. “Unless you’re tired and you’d rather go home; I’d completely understand.”

  “No, I’d love to go for dinner with you. I’m just so glad it’s done.” Rome pinched her hand and smiled. The sun was setting as they strolled along the river Tiber and passed Castel Sant’Angelo, which Rome now knew to be the mausoleum of Hadrian. The beautiful cylindrical fortress towered over them and made up for an impressive sight, lit from behind. The evening light fell on the river and made the water sparkle around the remaining cruise boats that glided along the banks. They passed Vatican City, where she’d recently spent a day exploring the various religious and cultural sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica, whose iconic central dome dominated the skyline of Rome, and the Sistine Chapel where her eyes were drawn upward to behold Michelangelo’s famous ceiling—the fresco of The Last Judgement so beautiful it blew her mind.

  Surrounded by tourists until they reached the quieter streets, Rome felt like a native now, like the city was hers, too. Hearing visitors gasp as they turned corners and saw all the beauty surrounding them for the first time, like she had when she’d first arrived, also gave her a sense of pride—her heart full at the sense of being a part of it. She picked up on most conversations between locals now, and although she wasn’t fluent enough to engage in complex discussions, she was getting there. Practicing with Nadine for an hour each day had helped a lot with her pronunciation, and learning how to use slang and exclamations of outrage, plus a little acceptable swearing, made the guys at the market laugh each time she tried it out on them. Just like Nadine had predicted, Rome had grown to love the city, the language, the food, the people, and if given the choice, there was no way she’d move back home anytime soon.

  The restaurant tucked away in the corner of a small piazza just outside the historical center was perfect in every way, and Rome wanted to kiss Nadine for finding such a quiet spot with what looked to be great food and a warm ambiance after a stressful day.

  Surrounded by leafy vines and trees, and looking out onto an old church, they had made the most of their idyllic location with dimmed lighting under canvas canopies and candles, and single roses finished off the pristinely laid out tables with white linen and immaculately polished glasses and silverware. She loved how Nadine wasn’t extravagant with dates or gifts, but instead was rather thoughtful, and she always seemed to know what Rome wanted without even asking.

  “It’s not fair,” she said as they sat down. “I’ll never be able to trump you with the places you take me; I just can’t find them.”

  Nadine shot her a pleased grin and folded out her napkin. “Come on, I like that I can impress you. Showing you new places makes me happy.”

  “It makes me happy too, but I’m not going to give up trying to find gems like this.” Rome chuckled. “One day, I’m going to take you somewhere in Rome you’ve never been, and it will seriously impress you. I just need some time.”

  “One day, huh?” Nadine’s smile widened. “That sounds pretty long-term.”

  “Yeah.” Rome was aware that it had come out more serious than she intended. She’d thought of them long-term, of course, but aware of their mutual commitment issues, she hadn’t brought it up. They hadn’t had problems so far though, and neither of them had needed breathing space, even after months of being together. It was like they complimented each other naturally and being with Nadine gave her energy and made her very, very happy. “Does that make you feel uncomfortable?” she asked.

  “No, it doesn’t. Does thinking long-term make you feel uncomfortable?” Nadine kept her gaze fixed on Rome while she poured them water from the jug on the table.

  “No.” Rome smiled at the waiter, who handed her the menu and held up her hand when Nadine was about to order wine. “Please allow me.”

  Nadine looked impressed when Rome managed to flawlessly order a bottle of red wine and enquire about the daily specials, and apart from thanking the waiter before he left, she didn’t interfere. “You’re getting good,” she said, leaning in on her elbows.

  “Thank you.” Rome took off her blazer, hung it over the back of her chair and opened the top three buttons of her white shirt. “And to answer your question properly, the thought of long-term when it comes to us doesn’t make me nervous. Quite the opposite; it makes me feel calm and happy.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Nadine took off the polka dot scarf around her neck that she’d worn to the courthouse. It was unusually warm for September, and she rolled up the long sleeves of her navy colored knee-length dress. “Have you thought of what you’re going to do after the launch?” she asked, clearly trying to sound casual. Rome could see uncertainty in her eyes, though, and all she wanted was to put her at ease. “I mean, you can run the app from anywhere after it’s done, right? You could even appoint someone to take over from you.”

  “I could.” Rome waited for the waiter to pour them wine. “But I want to stay on. I’ve invested too much in this to hand it over so soon, so I’m actually considering heading up a strategic team to focus on expansion. I’ve surprised myself and seem to be a pretty valuable leader so far, and I’m thinking of applying for a job at Nero, outside my ongoing contract with them. That way, they can provide me with a work visa.” As she stretched he
r legs under the table and opened her menu, Rome noted she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. She’d been so anxious about her appointment with the judge, and even though they might still have a long way to go, she knew what to expect now and it wasn’t so daunting anymore. “Depending on the outcome of the case, of course. That’s why I didn’t mention the option earlier,” she added.

  “So you want to stay here?” Nadine seemed delighted with the news as she took her hand over the table.

  “Of course I want to stay.” Rome looked at her intently, Nadine’s warm smile making her feel warm and fuzzy inside. “Aside from the fact that I love this city… you’re here, and I love you.” She ran a hand through her hair and felt a blush rise to her cheeks. “There’s no guarantee that I’ll get the job, but I’d definitely be the most obvious choice. Aside from that, I doubt they’ll say no as that wouldn’t look great on the company after everything that’s been going on. So yeah, I’m optimistic.”

  “You have no idea how happy that makes me.” Nadine held up her glass in a toast. “Here’s to your future in Rome.” She hesitated, then shook her head. “No, I need to rephrase that. Here’s to our future in Rome.”

  “Yes, to our future,” Rome said with a beaming smile before she took a sip of her wine. “I know this is technically your date, but can I order for you? I need to practice.”

  “Go for it.” Nadine waved the waiter back. “Order anything you want. You’re so cute when you speak Italian.” Her eyes softened with tenderness as she listened to Rome, who chuckled to herself each time she made a mistake.

  “I’m really getting the hang of this.” Rome handed back her menu and studied Nadine, who seemed to ponder over something. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Nothing serious.” Nadine shrugged. “I’ve just been thinking about how you don’t sleep in your own apartment much anymore, and I thought it might be good if we talked about that.”