There are so many things that have changed in the last ten years. Mom buried herself in work and Maggie has the boys. Then there is Dad, his new wife, and my baby stepbrother. I can’t remember the last time we spoke. Was it last Christmas? We are all on different wavelengths and pathways. Everyone has their own pathway except for me. I’m the odd one out. I don’t know where I fit in.
“While we’re on the subject, tell me more about yourself. What brings you to Europe? Vacation?”
Sabrina opened her window a crack and welcomed in the cool air. “If you had asked me last month, I’d say I was here for Jane Austen.”
“That’s a peculiar answer. Do you mean the English writer?” Lorenzo inquired.
“Yeah. I’m what you would call a Janeite, a devotee of her work. Each year, the English city of Bath plays host to the world’s largest Jane Austen festival. It’s a full glorious week of experiencing the best of Regency life. There is a costume parade, dancing lessons, shopping, and even a masquerade ball. I’ve always dreamed about being able to attend.”
Lorenzo turned on the windshield wipers. The rain from earlier had returned, lightly misting the windows. “A wild guess, but are none of your friends and family interested in Austen?”
“That would be a resounding no. Growing up, my circle was more interested in reading about vampires, wizards, and werewolves. As for my family?.?.?. Mom and my sister thought I’d grow out of my love of Austen, but with time, it’s only grown stronger. I can still remember the magical moment I discovered my first piece of JA fan fiction.”
Lorenzo raised an eyebrow. “Fan fiction? What on earth is that? Stories written by her fans?”
“Exactly. Fan fiction is one of the ways Janeites are able to celebrate Austen’s characters and the world she created.” Sabrina smacked her lips. “These days, the range on stories is hard to believe. You can find just about every single trope. You have your tamer stories set in the Regency era, with authors who might alter one of the events that occurred in the original storyline. Or you might just encounter a story set in the present day where, say, one of the protagonists, like Mr. Darcy, is a doctor. There are even some stories out there involving werewolves and vampires.”
“Werewolves? Vampires?” Lorenzo sputtered.
“Every popular book, television show, and movie has its own unique fan following. The Jane Austen fandom is no different.” She smiled. “The other popular medium that connects Janeites is the film and television adaptations of her works. Everyone has their favorite Mr. Darcys and Elizabeth Bennets.”
“Who would have thought? I’ve never read Austen, but one of my sisters is a Janeite. I’m more of a manga, comic book, and sci-fi kind of man. But this fan fiction may just be a game changer.”
“I’d be happy to offer you some recommendations if you are interested. Though I’d highly recommend browsing the classic texts likePride and Prejudice, Emma,andSense and Sensibilityfirst.” Sabrina looked out at the fog covering the top of the mountains. It reminded her of being inside a dense forest.
“We can exchange notes when we reach Riomaggiore. If you are brave enough to try the anchovies, I can reciprocate by reading an Austen novel.” Lorenzo glanced in her direction, then returned his attention to the road. He cleared his throat. “So, if Austen was your reasoning last month, what is your answer for today?”
“A change in the direction of my life.” Sabrina bowed her head. “I’m kind of here to figure out what comes next. Last month, I was fired from my job.”
I don’t know why I’m telling this to Lorenzo. He’s a stranger, but it feels like we’ve been acquainted for a lot longer than an hour.
Lorenzo sucked in air sharply. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’m not. I’ve come to terms with it and I’m all the happier for it.” She lifted her chin. “I’m just embarrassed to say I was fired. I wish I could say I had the courage to quit.”
“Was it the atmosphere? The people?”
“A bit of everything. I only stuck it out as long as I could because my mom is one of the partners in the law firm I worked for.” Sabrina breathed deeply. “For five years, I was trapped in a soul-sucking job I despised. My boss was a tyrant. The company culture was grim and unhealthy. The lawyers all thought themselves better than the assistants. We were the minions tasked with doing their bidding. But the worst was the office cliques.”
“Disgusting.” Lorenzo gritted his teeth. “What did your mother have to say about it?”
“She brushed off my complaints early on. She always thought I was making up the office-shenanigan stories for attention. So I stopped speaking to her about it.” Sabrina shrugged and took a deep breath. “In the days after Mr. Graves fired me, it was the first time in my adult working life that I had the freedom to do whatever I pleased. I didn’t have a set list of tasks to do or any places I had to be. You know what I ended up doing?”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“Aside from texting my Italian friend, I binge watched the 1995 BBC adaptation ofPride and Prejudicewith my favorite Mr. Darcy, Colin Firth.Even though I’ve seen it countless times, just having the simple luxury oftimeto watch it reminded me of what my life was like when I was happy. I cringed when I realized I’d become a person who was just going through the motions of life.”
“Hearing that makes me especially glad that I work for the family business.” Lorenzo cleared his throat. “It’s crazy to think how vastly different the work-life cultures are between Europe and America.”
Sabrina cocked her head to the side. “How so?”
“How many hours does the average American work weekly?” Lorenzo asked.
“Forty hours,” Sabrina said. She drew circles on her armrest. “But my job was different. There were weeks I would work sixty or seventy hours plus.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know how I managed it.”
“In Italy, the average for those who work in the city is thirty-five hours, but in the country, it is less. Shops close up by six. On Sundays, they close for a day of rest.” He furrowed his brow. “Of course, the Cinque Terre is an exception. We’re always busy. But my family makes an effort to get together on Sundays.”
“That sounds like heaven.” Sabrina rolled up her window.
