Tessa
The air smells as sweet as the figs on the trees. Sitting on the wooden garden bench, which is beautifully crafted out of sturdy dark wood, I run my hand along the smooth arm. The sun caresses my skin, not too hot, but warm enough that I don’t need a sweater today. It’s the perfect weather to read.
And read, I do. Flipping open a copy of the beginning pages Michael designed, I smile when I see solid, colorful character drawings. Before I left, he asked if I wanted to read his first chapters.You’re the perfect person to give me an honest opinion, he said solemnly.Because you’re not related to me.I enthusiastically agreed, though I can’t imagine telling him it’s anything short of wonderful.
Instead of taking the original manuscript to Italy, I made a copy at my local print store. The primary is sitting safely in a metal box on the top shelf of my tiny apartment closet where I’m confident no harm, be it the occasional pest or spilled latte, will befall it. With four days left in Brescia, I’ll definitely have enough time to finish the novel before we leave.
I read the first two pages in awe. This kid is talented. His characters are drawn in an anime-inspired style. The novel is about a boy and girl who team up together to save the world from a group of fighters who want to destroy it with robot alligators.Gripping plot. I’d read the hell out of this.
I pick up my phone and type a few notes of what I’m loving to share with him later.
“What do we have here?”
Roberto’s low, rich tone fills my ears. When I look up, he’s standing over me. From this angle, he can see Michael’s manuscript.
I smile, happy to see him. “This is the start of a handmade graphic novel. I’m not sure if Giovanni’s ever mentioned them, but he’s quite close with his employee, Lucia, and her son, Michael, in New York. This is the beginning of his book.”
“Ah yes, Micheletto the Artist! We’ve done video calls with him before. A lovely boy. He must’ve trusted you deeply to lend you this,” he says, eyes twinkling.
My face heats in response. I didn’t think about it that way, but Roberto’s right. I feel honored that Michael let me read his work.
“May I sit by you?” he asks, barely getting the question out before I start eagerly nodding.
“Of course! Giovanni is fixing a chair, I think,” I say, unsure if that’s the reason he came outside.
“I was only looking for you,” he responds warmly.
“Oh?” I tilt my head, wondering what he might need from me.
Roberto waggles his eyebrows mischievously. “I think we should fare uno scherzo a Gio.”
“Far-ay-uno-share-zoh?” I attempt to repeat.
“Sorry, I don’t know the correct English phrase, but I’m trying to say we should trick my son.”
I throw my head back. “You want to pull a prank on Giovanni?”
He snaps his fingers. “Yes! I want topull a prankon Gio. He won’t stop scolding me for feeding Giuseppe, and it’s time for us to fight back.”
“Us?”
“Yes. Me, you, and Giuseppe.” He throws me a wink.
Oh my God.I might be in love with this man. The married father of my pretend boyfriend. And his pet pigeon. Who is apparently intelligent enough to join us in prank planning.
Roberto launches into a lengthy pitch of his prank idea at a low volume, leaning close to me as though he’s providing me with top secret information. We’re like the boy and girl in Michael’s novel, which makes Giovanni the robot alligator. I’m hooked at every turn, nodding in all the right places and picturing the shocked look on Giovanni’s face.
“What are you two doing?” Giovanni’s booming voice echoes from the stone walkway.
His dad stands immediately, before awkwardly saying, “It was nice speaking with you.”
Just as I’m about to ask Roberto not to leave me, he jogs away from the bench.Huh. He’s surprisingly fast. I might be mad he stranded me here with his son if he wasn’t so darn adorable.
Now that we’re alone, Giovanni gives me a very strange but definitely warranted look.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I absentmindedly grab the graphic novel from the bench.
Giovanni points at the novel. “What’sthat?”
