Sabrina hesitated. “Will Mom be there? After today, both of us need space.”
“You can’t avoid her forever, but no, Mom will not be here. She’s on her way to Washington, DC, for some meeting.”
Sabrina was happy her sister couldn’t see her cowardice. “Fine.”
Her sister’s voice brightened. “Great. I’m working from home tomorrow. Let’s plan to have a girl’s lunch at twelve. The boys will be in school until three.” A door opened and closed in the background. Sabrina could hear her nephews running to greet their dad. “I’ll never understand why you’re an Austen addict.”
“Five words, Mags?.?.?. Colin. Firth. Wet. Shirt. Scene.” Her eyes fluttered. Sabrina conjured up an image of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy from her favorite adaptation ofPride and Prejudice,climbing out of a scummy pond, his nearly transparent white shirt clinging to his chest.
“I’ll stick to the world as written by Nicholas Sparks, thank you very much.”
Sabrina sighed. There was no convincing her sister. “We’ll agree to disagree. Give Brian, Ben, and Liam big kisses and hugs from their favorite sister-in-law and auntie.”
Sabrina clicked her phone off and set it down on the sofa cushion beside her. She reached for her laptop to complete her reply to Nora.
To: Nora
From: Sabrina
Hi Nora,
I’m indeed going to take you up on your offer. I have never been more excited in my entire life. I just hope I won’t distract you too much from your job at the music museum. I still have a few loose ends to tie up here, but I’ve just booked a one-way ticket to Munich, with plans to see a few places in Austria and Germany before I arrive in Italy. Will that work for you?
It might be easier if we exchanged phone numbers, mine is + 1 (214) 565-8792. As for your story, I’m going to dive into it right now. I’m almost sorry for Mr. Wickham if this one is anything like the last.
Always,
Sabrina
* * *
To: Sabrina
From: Nora
Ciao Sabrina,
As you say in English, “I am pumped.” Not to worry about the day job. I have the freedom to set my schedule as I would like. My mobile number is +39 591-768-0432. I’ll text you my address. Let me know as soon as you’ve locked in your dates.
Best,
Nora
Three
Market Day in Vernazza
One month later, Sabrina found herself in an area where, as far as the eye could see, the azure water of the Mediterranean Sea spread out in all directions. A gentle sea breeze brought the scent of salt to her nostrils. The sun’s rays beat down upon her still-recovering sunburnt, apple-red arms. A tangle of pastel-colored homes was clustered tightly together on a rocky ravine above the sea.
Off in the distance, she watched the waves break against the rugged rocks of the small pebbled beach below. Tourists lay sprawled out asleep, tanning their skin. Gulls cried overhead. Boats sailed in and out of the harbor at slow, relaxed paces. Sabrina squinted. She could just make out two vessels with bright white sails rocking side to side, their crews hard at work catching fish to sell at the local market.
Does Nora experience views like this on a daily basis?I guess I’ll find out when I travel up to Florence. I’ve been to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, but it’s Italy that’s captured my heart.
Sabrina was especially glad she’d taken the time out to hike the Azure Trail that connected the five remote towns of Italy’s Cinque Terre. While the trail may have been rough, narrow, and packed full of uneven surfaces, being inside a national park and experiencing the absolutely breathtaking panoramic views the trail afforded was well worth the trouble.
With her phone, she snapped a picture of the landscape and then sat on top of a stone wall under the shade of an oak tree. All around her, the scene screamed peaceful vacation, but in reality, even in the off-season, the Cinque Terre was still mobbed with tourists. Every place she had been, in fact, had been a hive of activity.
It’s sad. Pictures in books show places like the Parthenon and the Grand Canal of Venice as empty paradises, but after spending the last few weeks in Germany and Austria, it’s easy to see it’s all a fabrication of reality. The world has so few secluded escapes remaining.
