“There’s a lot of it,” I said, the words just sliding out.
He only smiled. “Sì. Our family is an ancient olive tree on a hill. We have been here since the beginning of this land. Our roots spread from here to Sicily.”
“You are Italy.”
“We areItalia.”
The way he said that, with so much passion and belief…goosebumps spread on my arms. Even though I hadn’t had a lot of life experience, except for what that retched woman and her cronies allowed me to have, I could tell this family was passionate. The men seemed to be all about their women and this family. The women about their men andtheirfamilies. I could get down with that.
“Can I be honest with you…Nonno?”
“You please me so by calling me that.” He squeezed my hand in a way that was so nice, I hoped he kept my hand in his the entire time. His was warm, like the early morning sun or the late evening one. So pleasant, I almost wanted to close my eyes and take a nap.
I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “I don’t want to mess this up. I’m worried about what to say or not to say…that I might say something stupid that will offend you. I…know it’s soon, and my life hasn’t even started yet, but…I love your grandson.”
We turned toward each other, and his eyes were different. He wasn’t giving me a hard stare, but more of a puzzled one, maybe. Matteo’s eyes were like that too. So expressive, even though I didn’t always get the intention behind the look right.
Yet.
After a second, I turned my face and whispered, “That’s all I wanted to say.”
“That is everything, Estella. I am proud to call you the granddaughter of my heart.” Surprising me, he pulled me in and set a tender kiss on my forehead. “Now. Let us walk and enjoy the day.”
He directed me down another path. This one seemed to be taking us higher on the hill overlooking all the beautiful wildflowers rolling with the sloped landscape. The red color was so vibrant, it was almost like they were a pattern on the green earth carpeting.
“Wow,” I breathed, looking over at the view. “This is so beautiful. You were so lucky to have this view growing up.”
I thought about my own view and how much of a prison it was compared to this.
He nodded to an iron bench that seemed ancient and new all at the same time. The ground underneath had no grass, only dirt, even though everywhere else the grass grew almost wild. “We will take a seat and talk.”
The seat was warm beneath my dress. The sun hit us, but not directly. Not with all the trees giving us shade. And when a light breeze lifted my hair, it carried the scent of mud, fresh flowers, zesty lemon, and what seemed like the scents of food from the house—er, villa. I thought maybe this was what heaven looked and smelled like. I didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with words. This was pure peace.
After a few minutes, Nonno cleared his throat. He pointed to another section of the property and started telling me stories. Things he’d done with his brothers, his mamma and papà. All his aunts and uncles. Even his grandparents. He was such a good storyteller, and I found myself crying and laughing at the things he was telling me. This property held so many memories. Not allof them good. His mamma died here, so had his father, but it all seemed like…life.
The good. The bad. The beautiful. The ugly. The happy. The sad.
That was what I desperately wanted—it all. Instead of only one mode: survival.
“I have been told this spot is a spot of truth,” Nonno almost whispered, his voice like gravel. “I can believe it, can you, Estella?”
“Yes,” I breathed out.
“Your agreement has inspired me to go on. I can see it. My grandson. You. Your children. You are running after them, laughing, while Matteo Leone protects his family from the shadows, taking so much pleasure in you all, it will almost make him weep.”
I turned my face towards his, watching him carefully. I could hear the sadness in his voice. Or maybe regret? But it didn’t seem like men like him had regrets. He was too strong for that. I squeezed his hand, then entwined our fingers.
“I would love that a lot,” I whispered. “You will be here to see.”
“This is not for me to decide. There are things a man knows he can control and others he knows he cannot. I have made peace with not having control over that aspect of my life long ago.”
And I could tell that was his final words on that.
He turned, blinked at me, then smiled. His teeth were near perfect. “You remind me of my wife. A spirit that is wild, but a love that will be rooted in your husband, your family. This family.” He tapped the back of the bench with his pointer finger. “Now, shall I give you a gift? Yes. Yes. I shall.”
Not a second later, a towering man with salt and pepper hair stepped out of the shadows and handed Nonno a…
“Kitten!” I almost squealed. My hands turned into sticky digits as Nonno handed over the small purring animal that looked more like a leopard with its spots. It had the most gorgeous gold eyes!
