“Giorgio!” she cried out, her arms flung wide.
“Hey, Mama,” I said, and kissed her on both cheeks.
“And who is this beautiful young lady you’ve brought home?” she asked happily.
“This is Emilia.”
“Hello,SignoraNavarrini,” Emilia said, and kissed Mama on each cheek.
“Emilia – such a pretty name!” Mama said as she wrapped an arm around my girlfriend and led her to the house. “But you’re far too skinny! You need some good home-cooked food – we’re gonna have to fatten you right up!”
As Emilia gave me a panicked look, I just grinned and winked at her.
And so it began.
68
Emilia
As we approached the house, I sucked in my breath.
Though it didn’t look like the one out of my daydreams, it fulfilled all the Big Points on my list.
Out in the middle of beautiful countryside: check.
A small home I could see starting a family in: check.
Peaceful: check.
The land was beautiful. Olive groves spread out behind it on one side of the property, and vineyards lay on the other side.
And the dogs!
When we drove up, three of them ran up, barking excitedly.
Giorgio squatted down and roughhoused with two of them. “Who’s a good boy, huh? Who’s a good boy?”
Any lingering worries I had about how good a man he was?
They instantly disappeared.
You can tell when somebody deeply loves animals…
And Giorgio really loved his family’s dogs.
Just as I was getting acquainted with Dolce, his mother came out of the house.
She was short and cute in a gingham dress and an apron. When she and Giorgio embraced, I could feel the love between them.
His mother turned her smiling face towards me. “And who is this beautiful young lady you’ve brought home?”
“This is Emilia,” Giorgio said with a big grin.
“Hello,SignoraNavarrini,” I said. I walked over and kissed her on each cheek.
“Emilia – such a pretty name!” Mama said as she wrapped an arm around me and led me towards the house. “But you’re far too skinny! You need some good home-cooked food – we’re gonna have to fatten you right up!”
Oh shit.
