‘Have fun?’ asked Giulia as Libby hastily wiped the grin from her face.
‘Lovely thanks,’ said Libby. ‘Giovanna and Nicola were there; they’re both so nice.’
‘Mmm,’ said Giulia. Again, she hardly seemed thrilled that Luca and Libby were growing so close.
Libby went up to her room and closed the door, allowing the smirk to come back on to her face. She really, really liked him! And he really seemed to like her. Despite their different nationalities and the complete implausibility that they would work out as a couple, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this could be the beginning of something amazing. She fell asleep with the shadow of a smile tracing her lips.
On her days off, now always coinciding, thanks to Floriana, Luca took her to incredible local restaurants, well off the tourist trail. They went out on the boat with Gian Matteo and they drove all over the Amalfi coast, finding hidden coves and hiking along hilltop paths. Libby felt heady with happiness; she felt herself falling hook, line and sinker for Luca. Likewise, Luca seemed absolutely smitten, utterly devoted to her, the perfect gentleman, constantly spoiling her. He introduced her with pride to his parents, choosing his father’s birthday as the perfect opportunity.
Things were going so well that during a phone call with her mother she decided to tell her about Luca.
‘So, Mum, I’ve actually been dating someone out here for the past few weeks,’ confessed Libby.
‘Really darling, how fabulous.’ Her mother sounded delighted. ‘Is he Italian?’
‘Yes, he is.’
‘How exciting! So… who is he? Tell me all about him.’ Libby proceeded to tell her mum all about Luca and his family; her mum seemed impressed that she had already met his parents. When Libby had finished answering all Miriam’s questions, they moved on to discussing Helen.
‘Have you heard from her recently?’
‘No, not for a couple of weeks. I’ve been meaning to call her,’ Libby said, guiltily. She’d been so occupied with Luca recently, all other thoughts seemed to have gone out of the window.
‘I’m going to send her an email this afternoon. I’ve taken to writing a weekly update of any news I can think of, though it has to be said it is quite boring – not much goes on in Kent these days. But I feel it’s important not to let her feel too cut off.’
‘I know. I don’t feel as though I’ve got a good enough idea of what her life out there is like yet.’
‘Well I’m glad it’s not just me,’ said Miriam.
‘No, it certainly isn’t anything personal. I hope she’s all right.’
‘Me too.’
‘I’ll call her at the weekend. I usually have a better chance of catching her when she isn’t at work.’
‘OK, well let me know if you manage to get through… And good for you, darling, getting back out there on the dating scene. I’m proud of you.’ It had been about six months since she had broken up with her last boyfriend, once again not feeling that he was quite right for her.
‘Thanks Mum!’ said Libby. ‘Speak soon.’
‘Love you.’
‘Love you too, bye!’
The next day Libby got a surprising phone call from her sister. Miriam had obviously mentioned the fact that Libby was dating someone in her email, which had clearly piqued Helen’s interest.
‘Mum tells me you’re seeing someone!’ said Helen. ‘An Italian stallion, I hear!’
‘Ah, Mum’s good old weekly update… yes, I thought she might mention it. I was going to call you this weekend actually, but you beat me to it!’
‘So… who is he? I’m intrigued.’
‘He’s actually a colleague of sorts. He runs the bar in the hostel here and he’s also a freelance graphic designer.’
‘What’s his name?’
‘Luca Morelli.’
‘Luca… and you’re quite keen on him?’
‘Yes I am actually. He is kind of amazing.’
‘How so?’
‘He just looks after me pretty well, treats me all the time – and we have fun.’
‘Lucky you!’ said Helen. ‘Though goodness knows how you find these eligible men – I’m clearly doing something wrong. It’s only six months since you ended things with Nick, isn’t it?’
‘Don’t worry, Hels, it will happen for you soon. I guess it’s mainly just chance…’
‘Mmm, I’m not so sure.’
‘And taking a risk on someone once in a while…’ Libby trailed off. She tried to think of something helpful to say.
‘Well, I try to be open to possibilities,’ said Helen. ‘There just don’t seem to be many decent men around.’
‘I know you do, and it will happen, I know it will. Just keep on getting out and about and – sooner or later – someone great will come along.’
‘We’ll see. It’s just quite tough trying to meet new people. Well, for me, anyway – you don’t seem to have had much of a problem in Positano.’
‘It just so happens that Luca worked in the same place as me, that’s all. Pure coincidence… You need someone who can act as your wingman,’ Libby told her sister.
‘I thought I had that. A German girl called Rosanna, but she’s seeing someone now so she isn’t really around much.’
‘Oh dear! That’s annoying. Is there anyone else you can go out with?’
‘I’m fine,’ her sister told her firmly, changing the subject. ‘Anyway, I’m busy with work, so that’s good.’
Relieved that Helen had moved off the subject of their respective love lives, Libby quizzed her sister about the school she was working in and listened to her describing her new job in more detail. By the time she ended the call she felt a little better about Helen’s mental state. She was still fragile, there was no doubt about that, but her job seemed to be going well and she seemed to have a nice group of colleagues. Libby phoned her mum to let her know Helen’s news. She was glad they had had a good catch-up at long last, though she did wish her sister would meet someone. She couldn’t help feeling that a new man was just what Helen needed.
Chapter Seven
By the end of August, Libby and Luca had been seeing each other for over six weeks. They had finally slept together, and Libby had been overwhelmed at the strength of her feelings for him when it happened. Making him wait had certainly paid off; he had driven her wild with lust. She had felt like a goddess being worshipped, and since then barely a night had gone past when they hadn’t made love. They had also established a great friendship. He had helped her discover more and more hidden treasures in the local area, and they never seemed to run out of conversation, both enjoying finding out more and more about each other and their very different lives to date.
On one of their double days off Luca told her that he had planned a surprise. ‘You need to pack a small bag with enough clothes for two nights,’ he said.
‘Where are we going?’ Libby asked. ‘How exciting!’
‘I’m not telling you!’ he laughed. He clearly enjoyed keeping her in suspense and refused to say a word.
They drove along the coast towards Ravello, turning up into the hills and following a winding road that led away from the sea. She couldn’t imagine what he had planned.
‘No one has ever taken me away on a surprise like this before,’ said Libby. ‘It’s so fun not knowing where we are going.’
After about twenty-five minutes, they pulled into the driveway of a luxury five-star hotel.
‘No!’ gasped Libby. ‘We aren’t staying here?’ She looked at Luca, who was grinning at her and nodding his head.
‘We are. I’ve booked us into a suite for two nights!’
‘Oh my god, this place is ridiculous!’ Libby squealed with delight as she leapt out of the car and ran over to the side of the car park to look at the view. It was even more magnificent than the view from Ravello.
‘It is run by my cousin. They had a last-minute cancellation, so he’s given it to me as a very special favour. Just wait till you see the pool!’
laughed Luca. He took her hand and led her down a series of steps, past the reception and out to the swimming pool. It was an infinity pool that seemed to topple off the edge of the cliff, with a truly breathtaking panorama of the Amalfi coastline down below.
‘Wow.’ Libby was lost for words. She grabbed Luca and pulled him towards her, kissing him and muttering, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you! I don’t know how I can thank you enough – this place is incredible.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Luca, leaning to whisper in her ear. ‘I’ll show you exactly how you can thank me as soon as we get into our room.’ She felt shivers of anticipation run down her spine at the thought.
The rooms were just as you would expect from a five-star hotel. There were only twelve of them and each one was decorated differently. Theirs was named ‘Bali’ and was decked out in Balinese wooden furniture and brightly coloured cushions. Libby had never felt so spoilt. The hotel was full of couples on honeymoon, and Libby felt just as deliriously happy as any one of them. They spent the two nights entwined in each other’s arms, tearing themselves from bed to spend blissful sun-drenched hours by the pool, eating the delicious food provided by the restaurant under a canopy of stars, and taking walks around the surrounding countryside. Libby felt herself falling head over heels for Luca; he was surpassing her expectations in every way and, though she knew they were living in a fantasy bubble, that this hedonistic holiday romance was far removed from the reality of a real, day-to-day existence back in the real world, a proper relationship, she was so glad she had given him a chance.
On their subsequent days off they had visited Amalfi and many other beautiful towns and villages. They had also spent a day walking around the ruins of Pompeii, the fulfilment of a long-held ambition for Libby. She had been reading about the ancient city in a book from the hostel’s library, and had been astonished to learn all about the ancient civilisation that had inhabited the ghostly town. Her imagination was carried away by the stories. She couldn’t believe that the people who lived there hadn’t even known that Vesuvius was a volcano, that it had been dormant for nearly two thousand years until that fateful day. It was amazing to think that the city and all its secrets had lain buried until the late eighteenth century. It felt strange to be walking the streets where so many people had lost their lives. She was intrigued by the plaster casts on display. During the excavation, archaeologists had poured plaster into the cavities left by human remains, creating exact moulds of the people of Pompeii as they had met their sorrowful end: mid-flight, covering their mouths with their hands and hugging their children close to them, trying to protect them from the falling ash. It was a truly sobering sight and she was glad that she had finally visited the ruins for herself.
Luca and Libby had also explored the islands of Capri and Ischia, taking day trips with Gian Matteo and various other friends; swimming in the Grotta Azzurra and visiting Ischia’s hot springs. Her summer of love had certainly been epic, and her eyes filled with tears whenever she thought of it all coming to an end. There were only a few weeks left before her flight home on 23rd September. This left her just about a week to get settled back into her flat and mentally prepared to start her training contract on 1st October. It seemed another world away.
One morning Floriana came bustling down to the reception desk in a fluster. ‘Cara, Andrea just phoned, she has got a vomiting bug. Dio mio! Do you think you can be an angel and do some cleaning today while I man the desk? My back just isn’t good enough to be bending over and doing that sort of work. Gabi is coming in to cover her from tomorrow, but she isn’t around today.’ Gabriella was a young girl who cleaned on Andrea’s days off.
‘Poor Andrea. Of course I can! I’m more than happy to do the cleaning. Just tell me what you want me to do.’
Floriana thanked her and set her off with various tasks. She had to gather the laundry and bundle it up ready for collection, unpack the fresh delivery when it arrived, sweep and mop and dust the hostel and finally clean the bathrooms. It was tiring yet satisfying work.
Libby had left the toilets, her least favourite job, till last. Eventually she reached the last one. She dumped her bucket of cleaning products on the floor and began scrubbing away. ‘Damn!’ she said, accidentally knocking a box of tampons off the back of the loo. They rolled all over the floor, scattering this way and that. Libby chased after them, scooping them up in her gloved hand and shoving them back into the box. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. It seemed an awfully long time since she had had to buy any tampons. As she finished cleaning the bathroom, she tried to calculate when her last period had been. She knew it had been during the first week that she and Luca had been dating. This meant that her period should have arrived over a week ago… she was at least a week late.
She raced back to her room, dumping the cleaning products, mop and broom in the cleaning cupboard en route. She grabbed her diary to check her dates. Her heart was beating so fast she could feel it pulsing against her chest. She skimmed through the pages of her diary. She was right. She felt a sheen of sweat break out across her brow. She was never, ever late. She and Luca had slept together so many times; maybe one of those times the condom had slipped off, or broken, and they hadn’t noticed? She felt her blood run cold. She had to get her hands on a pregnancy test, but in this small village, how the hell would she get away with it without anyone seeing? Thinking quickly, she decided to get a taxi to Amalfi in her lunch break. She would go for a walk and book it to meet her up the road; then she would jump in and keep it on the meter as she ran into the pharmacy.
Her plan came off unhindered and, by the end of her lunch break, she was back in the hostel, the paper bag with enclosed pregnancy tests concealed safely in her room. Her mind was completely unfocused as she took to the reception desk, relieving Floriana.
‘Are you all right, cara?’ Floriana asked. ‘You look rather pale.’
‘Oh, I’m fine thanks! Probably just got a little head rush from bending over so much this morning.’ Libby laughed it off. She took refuge behind the desk, going about her duties with one eye firmly fixed on the clock, sipping water and counting down the hours until Giulia arrived to take over.
Eventually she came through the door. As soon as they had done the usual cursory handover, Libby legged it back upstairs. She took the twin-pack of pregnancy tests into the bathroom and read the instructions several times, making sure she had translated them correctly. It was pretty clear: pee on the stick for five seconds, replace the cap and wait three minutes.
She followed the instructions and within moments was waiting nervously for the results. She couldn’t bear to look at the window which would soon reveal her fate, so she covered it with the box. Her heart was still thumping like crazy as she prayed fervently for it to show a single line rather than a cross. Surely the fates wouldn’t be so cruel. She didn’t want a baby now; it was the last thing on earth she needed. She crossed her fingers and stared at her watch as the three minutes came to an end. Terrified, she kicked the box out of the way to reveal the test.
There was a big blue cross in the results window. Frantically she grabbed the paper, surely it couldn’t be… The instructions said ‘+ = pregnant’. It was there as clear as day. She unwrapped the second test and peed on it once again, grateful for all the water she had drunk that afternoon. It must be a false alarm. She stared at the results window this time, willing it to have a single line. But sure enough, a second cross appeared, faint at first but getting darker and darker. She wanted to scream in horror. The result was clear: she was pregnant. What the hell was she going to do?
Chapter Eight
She stayed on the bathroom floor for about forty-five minutes, feeling faint with panic and anxiety. Eventually coming to her senses, she stumbled back to her room and slammed the door. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. She felt as though all the blood had drained from her head to her feet, making her feel dizzy. She lay on her bed and took a deep breath. Her eyes filled with tears.
How could she have been so stupid? she thought. How on earth had she got herself into this mess? This was by far the worst situation she had ever found herself in. She knew she had messed up in the past, but this was far beyond anything that had happened before. A baby… This wasn’t something she could brush off, or run away from. This was real and growing inside her: an inescapable, unavoidable reality to face.
She suddenly felt feverishly hot. She flung the window open and gulped in some fresh air. Her head was spinning so fast she was struggling to make sense of her thoughts. She needed to get out of La Casetta. She needed to avoid seeing Luca, or anyone, until she had had some time to think. As luck would have it, her rota was free for the following two days. Making quick decisions, she stuffed some clothes into a bag, packed a few valuables and slipped out through the door. Giulia was in the bar talking to Maria. Hardly daring to breathe, Libby sneaked out of the hostel, closing the door behind her. Breathing a sigh of relief she walked quickly up the hill, her pulse racing, nervously checking over her shoulder to see if she had been spotted. She knew where she was aiming for; on the edge of the village there was a rickety car-hire shop that was open twenty-four hours a day. As the dusk settled she pounded the pavement, cutting through the back streets until she reached her destination. Without asking any questions, the elderly man behind the desk took a copy of her licence and showed her out to a small hire car. Thanking him, she flung her bag into the boot and turned on the ignition. She remembered how perilously steep the roads were and crossed her fingers that there wouldn’t be too much traffic around, given the time of day.
Putting her foot on the accelerator she set off, turning inland and away from the dangerous coastal roads at the first opportunity. She drove for a couple of hours, finally finding herself in a sleepy village with a small bed and breakfast. Parking outside she grabbed her bag and rang the bell. To her relief they had a room available. A middle-aged lady showed her upstairs. As soon as she left, Libby shut the door, grateful to have found refuge somewhere far away from prying eyes. The tears that she had been holding back spilt freely down her cheeks. She collapsed on to her bed and cried. She reached into her bag and found her phone, sending Luca a text to explain that she had gone to meet a friend from the UK who had suddenly called to tell her she was passing through on a cycling holiday. She told him she would be back either the following day or the day after. He seemed satisfied with her excuse. She lay back on the pillows once again, her mind spinning. She kept staring at her stomach, still as flat as a pancake, trying to imagine what was going on in there. Eventually she drifted off to sleep.
It Was Always You Page 7