I waved until I could no longer see them as I moved through security.
The last time I flew was before Papa passed, and Enzo and Mama were with me. We went to Milan for my cousin’s wedding, but I was barely nineteen, having just finished scuola superiore, what Americans call high school. This was the biggest trip I’d ever taken.
The gruff sound of a security employee brought me back to the present. “All liquids must be placed in the plastic bag provided for you,” he called out, no doubt having said that a hundred times already.
Navigating the security line was stressful. Grumpy passengers and stern security personnel created an unpleasant experience, but once I was out in the terminal, I took a breath.
With Mama’s insistence on getting here so early, I had plenty of time to walk around. One of my class projects was to reimagine Rome’s airport, but nothing the class came up with could compare to the “cracked” matrix teardrop ceiling, a mix of white metal and glass with smooth wood accents. It was stunning. Taking a few pictures for inspiration, I dodged a traveler running for his gate, mumbling about being late.
Deciding to people-watch for a while, I found a seat at one of the many cafés and ordered an espresso. After sending a few texts to say goodbye again to my friends, I gathered my things to head to my gate when I received a call from Ren.
Smiling as I answered, I said, “Miss me already?”
“Woman, I’m too excited to miss you yet. Have I said how happy and proud I am?”
“Only about a thousand times since we went to dinner the other night,” I said, leaning my head around the throngs of people to find my gate. “Thanks again for coming in to see me.”
“I’m already planning my trip there,” she said. I could hear hercooking in the background, reminding me to grab a snack in case the food wasn’t good on the plane.
“That would be amazing. But I’ll see if I get past the three-month trial first," I said nervously, ducking into a store and grabbing some nuts and a protein bar.
“You’ll make it. Look how far you’ve come already. Beat out all those people to land this job. You’re not going anywhere,” she said confidently.
“I’m praying for that, too. But what about your Irishman? Think you can leave him to make a trip?” I teased. They spent every minute of their free time together, she had told me.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” she sang.
I chuckled at her approach to love. Ren went all the way in when she was sure about something, the exact opposite of me when it came to men. On that subject, I had no frame of reference.
“Well, I wouldn’t know.” I used the self-serve checkout and threw my items in my bag before continuing on to my gate.
“Maybe California will change all that, unless McHottie has started dating again.”
The white-hot shot of jealousy ran through my body so quickly, I stumbled and nearly fell into the woman in front of me. My best friend knew exactly how to rile me up.
“Girl, youknowwhat I told you. One, that man is an older single dad who is off-limits. Enzo would kill me. Two, I’m sure he sees me the way men his age usually do: as nothing more than a little sister.”
The last sentence felt like ash in my mouth as I spoke it because I knew it was true. Besides those few seconds of intense eye contact at the wedding, I was sure that once he was told I was only twenty-four, I would be placed in that category. Little sister. It made me feel itchy all over.
“Excuse me, have you seen yourself? You’re a bombshell. I can guarantee any man looking at youisn’tseeing a little sister. And what’s a few years anyway? The man is gorgeous. You make it sound like he’s an old man,” she said with a huff, taking a sip of the wine I knew she had while she cooked. “Listen, I’ve got to go, but call me after you’ve settled in. I want to hear everything.”
“Promise. Take care of yourself. Gonna miss your face,” I teased.
“It’s my beauty, isn’t it? I know, it’s such a burden,” she said dramatically. “Love you, Vicky. Have the time of your life. Ciao.”
“Love you, too.” My heart flipped at the thought of leaving my best friend and family behind.
This was becoming real. Saying goodbye to my family and friends.Sitting in an airport on my way across the world. All the nights cramming for classes. Dozens of journals filled with design ideas. A heart full of dreams, all coming together as I sat next to an older lady at my gate. I was determined to make this the start of something great.
Dream big, Mama had said. And I was going to do just that.
five
. . .
Miles
The office was still a bit chaotic after the move as my staff and I settled into our new normal. After extensive interviews, most of the vacant positions left by staff who didn’t make the jump to San Diego had been filled.
