“Capo.” I took a sip of coffee. “I’m confused. Where did all of this come from? And why would I want to put it anywhere? I don’t live here.”
“You do,” he said. “When we come to visit. This is my villa. We can have it redone. The look of it never mattered to me. It was just a place to sleep.”
“The plants?”
“A garden. For you. You need to plant all of this.”
Ah.He had done it, but he didn’t want to come out and admit it.Hardheaded capo.
Judging by the amount of plants already unloaded, he had already made a trip or two. I didn’t recognize all of the flowers, but I figured they had to be whatNonnocalled nectar plants. They’d attract butterflies. Capo had enough of them to create a border around the villa. Maybe even more.
Walking further out in my slippers, I surveyed the land. He walked with me, both of us quiet. When we returned to the front of the villa, I nodded.
“I want to go around the villa with all of the different flowers. I want an arbor in the backyard for grapes. We’ll do a bigger butterfly garden back there, too. We’ll place the rocks in different spots so the butterflies can bask in the sun. We’ll need a birdbath, or something similar, to put the sand in. We’re not supposed to fill it, only soak the sand in water.Nonnosaid butterflies like the moisture.”
I tapped at the coffee cup, thinking. “I’ll askNonnowhere he thinks we should put the plants. I mean, which spots would be better for each one. How about you go and get him for breakfast? You can bring him back on the four-wheeled contraption—” I nodded toward it “—and we’ll get to work after we eat.”
Capo didn’t move. He looked at me like I was a new person.
“What?” I had the strongest urge to fidget. I felt like I had grown an extra head and had no idea she was sticking her tongue out at him.
He shook his head. “You’re bossy.”
“Who knew?” I grinned.
“Me.” He hesitated. “I knew it was coming.” Even though his lips pinched, something about his tone seemed satisfied.
After he unloaded the rest of the cart, he pulled it back toward his grandfather’s villa. Before he left, he gave the men that stuck around orders to keep an eye on me. He never left me unattended. He had more men around ever since the uninvited guests had showed up.
I hurried inside and quickly dressed for the day. I had no time to worry about how I looked, not when I wanted to freshen up the villa and make a delicious breakfast. It took me five minutes to clean and twenty to make the meal. I made more coffee (café latte), croissants (cornettos), and a simple omelet. I set out numerous different spreads on the lazy Susan on top of the table. I even went outside and picked fresh wildflowers to put around the house. There were no vases, so I used old jam jars.
The sisters had taught me so much.
I heardNonnochuckling over the crackling wheels of the cart as it rolled over the rough terrain. I untied my apron and ran outside. He sat in the back, surrounded by more plants, still laughing. The sight of him made my smile grow wider.
“It was a bumpy ride,Farfalla, but I have made it!” He wiped his face with the handkerchief he kept in his pocket.
ZiaStella strode up right behind the men, a smile on her face. “You should have seen him!” She came toward me as Capo practically picked his grandfather up and set him on his feet. Capo held on to him while they made their way toward us. “He demanded that Amadeo take him all over the property. And if there was a hill, he wanted to go faster! He carried on like he was on one of those scary rides and he was seven again. He lifted his arms in the air and went,weeeeee!”
Close enough to grab me, she kissed my cheeks and then entered the villa. I kissedNonnoon each of his cheeks and gave him an arm to help him inside.
“A woman’s touch,” he said softly, looking around, “makes all the difference in a home.”
We had an enjoyable breakfast.ZiaStella andNonnomade over how much they loved everything. Capo said nothing, but when he got up to wash his dish, he kissed me on the cheek and said, “This time,I tasted all of the ingredients.”He’d even gone back for seconds.
We spent the rest of the day planting.Nonnohelped me decide where to place all of the different flowers so they’d prosper in their new homes. When Capo wasn’t looking, he nudged me with his elbow and said one word,“Radici.” Roots.
Capo worked on the arbor mostly all day. Every so often, when the sun was too hot forNonno, he’d go sit close to Capo under the tree in the back and tell him what to do.
I couldn’t believe how goodNonnolooked. He almost glowed. It seemed like he’d gotten a second wind and was riding the wave. We even enjoyed a light lunch outside, and by the time evening met us, we were done.
The villa and the yard suddenly had promises to hold onto. And in some odd way, I felt as rooted as the new plants getting used to their new homes. I made a wish—I wished that any butterflies that found their way to our home would find shelter.
ZiaEloisa brought us dinner. We gathered around the table and dinedfamily style. Platters moved from hand to hand, lots of wine was poured, and the laughter that was shared was more filling than the food and the wine put together. The stars were out by the time we were finished.
The sisters and a few cousins left first. Capo had planned on bringingNonnoback to his villa in the cart, but he wanted to sit in the yard and enjoy all of the new additions before he left.
Capo and I both helped him outside, and he took a seat on the bench, while we took a seat on each side of him. He turned his eyes up the sky and became very quiet.
