‘Santa Maria!’ Marcella made the sign of the cross. ‘Ma no?’
‘Ma,sì!’ Stella teased back.
‘I’m going to come have lunch with you at work. Enough of Bar Luna e Lupa!’ Marco laughed. ‘I’m going to grade up!’
‘It’supgrade, actually.’
‘Oh,grazie.’
The three of them laughed as they shared in the happiness of Stella’s wonderful news.
‘Allora, we can say,vaffanculoto April second,no?’ Marcella’s eyes practically sparkled by the fire.
With the most gloriously renewing breath, Stella announced, raising her glass high in the air, ‘VaffanculoApril second! And that plane ticket can piss right off!’
Marco cheered, and the force of his joy threatened to burst his cheeks. ‘Evviva! Daje!’
Stella turned. ‘Marco, I love when you go intoproperRomandajemode!’
‘The moment called for it!’
Giacomino arrived at the table with a second round of drinks as the trio cheered again. ‘What are you celebrating over here,eh?’
Stella noticed that Giacomino’s hand lingered on Marcella’s shoulder, but also noted that Marcella made no move to react to it.
‘We are celebrating Stella’s new job!’ Marcella announced, raising her glass.
‘Auguri, Stella! In that case, I will send some food over.’
‘No, really, you don’t need to,’ she insisted.
‘No, I must! You will need it to soak up all the alcohol!’ He winked before turning to leave.
Stella swung her chair around to face Marcella. ‘You’re sleeping with him again, aren’t you? You’ve rekindled the old flame!’
‘What?Me?’ Marcella was embarrassed.
‘Yes, you! Don’t try to play that shy and coy game with me. I knowthatface. I saw his hand on your shoulder. You guys are doing it!’
Marcella stammered and stuttered for a second before conceding defeat ‘Sì!Va bene,sì! We are having lots of sex, ok?’
Stella clapped her hands gleefully. ‘Yay!’
‘We have sex here. We have sex at our apartment. We have sex at his apartment. We haveallthe sex! Ok!?’ Her chest and neck immediately flushed red.
‘I have much to learn about women.’ Marco looked at the scene unfolding in front of him with a quizzical expression across his face.
Stella noted the difference in her demeanour. When Marcella usually spun her stories of sexual conquests and outlandish erotic tales, it was almost as if she were boasting. In this case, she had been hiding the fact.
Putting her drink down, Stella said, ‘Oh my God. You love this guy, don’t you? After all these years. You love him.’
‘You’re crazy! I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘No, seriously! I’ve never seen you like this. You’re head over heels.’
‘Marco, please, take her drink away, she’s had enough.’ Marcella shoved Marco in the side, nudging him to remove Stella’s source of Dutch courage.
‘Marcella, there’s nothing wrong with liking or even loving him. He seems like a great guy. You’ve known each other forever.’ Stella gushed at this revelation. ‘Are you officially together?’
