I look around at the cabin, sensing eyes on me. I catch a sympathetic smile from an older woman a few rows ahead of me, but I don’t miss the dirty looks I’m getting from several other passengers.
“Let me take her,” Griffin says.
He cradles her against his chest and walks the length of the cabin and back. The movement seems to settle her, and she lays her head against his shoulder. His large palm strokes up and down her back in a soothing motion, and before long, she’s fast asleep.
“Where can I get one of those?” A feminine voice says from across the aisle to my left. She’s about my age with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She has a toddler beside her in the window seat, perfectly content with a coloring book and crayons on the folding tray in front of him. “Hot and a good dad? You won the lottery, girl.”
I smile. “He’s a good one.”
She introduces herself as Krista with a K, then she proceeds to trauma dump about her ex-husband and his office manager. Before I know it, half an hour has passed, and Griffin retakes his seat, resting his head on my shoulder.
Nearly fourteen hours later, we finally land in Rome. We spend three days exploring the main tourist attractions, walking the cobblestone streets, and enjoying the incredible architecture. On our last day, we booked a tour of the Colosseum and made a wish at the Trevi Fountain.
A short train ride takes us to Naples, where we spend two days feasting on incredible food and taking in the vibrant city views. Griffin stays behind with Jessie at the suite while I explore the ruins of Pompeii. On my way back, I stop at a gift shop to purchase a few souvenirs from the trip. I take my time, basking in the solitude and the feeling of finally seeing one of my biggest dreams come true. I knew I’d get here someday, but it still feels so surreal.
On day four, we backtrack to the most important stop on our trip—Fano, Italy, where we meet up with my parents to explore the town my dad grew up in for the first thirteen years of his life before his parents immigrated to the United States.
He introduces me to the large, boisterous family that still lives in the area. They feed us way too much food and tell incredible stories in their rich Italian accents. Griffin struggles to keep up, but I manage to relay the more pertinent information. By the end of the visit, he’s in the thick of it with them, laughing and smiling. We end the day at the beach, dipping our toes in the Adriatic. The water’s so blue it almost doesn’t look real.
Mom sits beside me as I watch Griffin walking toward the water carrying Jessie in his arms. She’s wearing the adorable swimsuit that makes her look like a strawberry. He wades into the water until he’s chest deep, then he sits down and dips her toes in.
“You look happy, Lina,” Mom says. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I lay my head on her shoulder and sigh wistfully. “Me too, Mom.”
“Is it everything you hoped it would be?”
“No. It’s so much better.”
Our final stop on the Italian leg of our European tour is the small seaside town on the Amalfi Coast that Mom and Dad call home. They live in a sprawling three-bedroom villa on the cliffside. You have to walk up a few flights of stairs to get there, but the views are worth it. The houses are painted in pastel hues, stacked vertically on the mountainside overlooking the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
I’m seated on the balcony overlooking the water with my morning coffee and a new project I started knitting on the flight over. Mom’s sitting next to me with a book in one handand an espresso in the other. Voices drift over from the neighbors next door.
Mom leans in close and whispers, “That’s Stacia.”
I perk up as I listen more intently. It seems she’s back with Gino, and she’s telling him he has to stop seeing his mistress or she’ll leave him again. He’s less than thrilled by the ultimatum. I side-eye my mom, who covers her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Griffin joins us, sinking onto the chair opposite me. Dad comes out next, carrying a bright-eyed Jessie chomping on her banana teething toy. He leans down to kiss Mom on the top of her head.
“You two catching any good gossip this morning?” he asks.
The chatter instantly dies down, and a door slams shut.
She backhands him in the chest. “Not anymore. You ruined it with your big mouth.”
We don’t hear anything else from Stacia and Gino for the rest of the visit, much to my mom’s dismay.
A week into the trip, we leave my parents behind in Italy and fly to Athens. The Acropolis and the Parthenon are more breathtaking than I imagined. After visiting all of the ancient ruins in Italy and Greece, my world feels infinitely bigger. It puts so much into perspective. All of it existed long before we were ever born, and whatever we leave behind will outlive us long after we’re gone. I’ve always loved history, but seeing it in person is an experience I’ll never forget.
We do all of the recommended tourist-y things in Athens and Delphi before checking into a gorgeous resort on the island of Santorini for a three-night stay. My body is achingfrom all of the walking we’ve been doing, and I’m looking forward to something a little more low-key.
On the second day on the island, I wake to an empty bed and a quiet hotel room. Griffin and Jessie are nowhere to be found, but there’s a note next to the coffee maker with breakfast already laid out for me.
Good morning, Mama.
You’re scheduled for an in room massage at noon, then a hair and makeup team will be arriving. Enjoy a day of pampering. Me and my little tater tot will see you later.
Love,
