‘He didn’t say. Only that it was about something Nonno did when they were kids.’
‘It was a long time ago.’ Stella kept her eyes down, checking for her purse and sunglasses before fastening her handbag.
‘I told Domenico there was no point looking back. Whatever Nonno did or didn’t do in the past, none of us will ever know what was going on inside his head. It’s too easy to sit here making judgements about the past but none of us will really know what made people act the way they did.’
‘I guess you’re right. Look at the things people said about Violetta. Now, are we going to the bar for coffee or is your beauty regime going to take all day?’
‘You always were impatient.’ Marta stashed the lipstick away.
Stella put her finger to her lips. ‘We’d better be quiet. We don’t want to wake our pair of sleeping beauties.’
Marta picked up her sandals. They crept barefooted down the stairs.
The tables outside the bar were all taken. Amy gave Stella a little wave.
‘Hey! Come and sit with me.’
‘Thanks! You two met last night, didn’t you?’ Stella ushered her sister towards one of the spare seats. ‘Oh, there’s only three chairs, we’ll need a fourth.’
‘Leo’s not coming. He’s making an early start on his next project. He’s so fired up after the success of the plaque.’
‘Is everything okay with Leo?’ Stella said. ‘Tell me to shut up if I’m out of order but you seemed so happy last night.’
‘That’s the problem.’ Amy sighed.
Marta stood up. ‘I’ll go inside and order at the bar.’
Amy passed her phone across the table. ‘Last night I got this message from my brother Jack.’
Jack
Hope you had fun at the village party. Now where to next? My mates say Prague and Berlin both rock!
‘Hmm. Why does he think you want to go there?’
‘I told him I was staying here until after the unveiling. Now he assumes I’ll go off travelling. He’s amazed I’ve stayed so long in one village. Jack’s been travelling all over: Mexico, Thailand, Japan… He’s been rafting, bungee jumping, you name it. He’s always been fearless…’
‘He’s visited all these places, done the backpacker trails but you’ve done something he hasn’t. You’ve been living here. And you don’t look to me like you want to leave.’
‘I don’t, but I don’t know how to stay.’
‘You and me both,’ Stella said.
‘Sorry it took so long. The coffee and pastries will be here in a minute. The poor woman is run off her feet,’ Marta said. She sat back down.
‘Amy’s been telling me about her brother Jack’s travels.’
Amy chewed the skin around her thumbnail. ‘He must think I’m pretty dull, staying here.’
‘You didn’t look like you were having a dull time last night.’ Marta’s eyes flashed mischievously. She moved her bag so that the waitress could put down her tray. ‘You don’t really want to leave, do you?’
‘Sometimes the biggest adventure is staying somewhere and not going anywhere,’ Stella said.
‘But even if you stand still, things change,’ Marta said. ‘Remember how Mamma used to send us to pick up the goat’s cheese and flour from Signora Togliatti? I can hardly believe her oldalimentarihas closed down.’
‘Uh!’ Stella spluttered. She began to cough.
Marta slapped her on the back. ‘Are you okay? Here, have some water.’
