“She does,” Niccolo answered.
I was surprised that it wasn’t Don Rosolini who answered on his wife’s behalf.
The conversation continued, but I didn’t hear any more of it as I walked down the hall to the kitchen.
I heard them in the kitchen long before I saw them.
Behind the closed door, the voices were loud, and there was a lot of laughter.
I opened the door and saw Valentino with his arm around Caterina…
Lucia and Bianca each with a glass of red wine…
Alessandra seated at the kitchen island…
And Emilia sitting beside her.
Everyone turned to look at me –
But the only eyes I cared about were my girlfriend’s.
They opened in surprise as she sat up straight –
But she didn’t smile.
She almost looked… afraid.
My heart sank.
“Ooooooh,your boyfriend’s here!” Lucia called out, and everyone laughed –
Except Emilia.
I forced a smile at the group and said, “Don Rosolini has requested all of you join him in the parlor.”
The smiles immediately drained from everyone’s faces.
They knew what it was about.
Emilia looked panicked. “Me, too?!”
“No,” I said with a smile. “I have to go back with everyone else, but you can stay here.”
“Or you can walk around the grounds, if you like,” Alessandra suggested. “They’re very pretty.”
“Do you want to come with me?” Emilia asked her.
Alessandra smiled. “I think I’m going to go up and take a rest, but – ”
“Perdonami, Signora,”I said gently –Forgive me, Ma’am –“but Don Rosolini requested you to be there, as well. In fact, he askedallthesignorasto attend.”
Alessandra looked surprised –
And then her expression became resentful.
“Well… if I’m beingsummoned,”she said bitterly as she slipped off the stool, one arm curled under her belly.
Emilia got off her chair to help –
