"We all have obligations that make it impossible," she replies.
I nod absentmindedly. Vico hinted at it too. "You have your babies, who will soon keep you so busy that you won't have any time."
"Besides, Pietro has been urging us to move to his hometown for a long time. He wants to be closer to his family, and it would be better for the little ones inside me too." She gently strokes her belly.
Of course. Twins are a challenge, and here she has no support. Her sisters live elsewhere, her father is sick, her mother deceased. And her brother…
"Alessia is our genius. One day, she will have developed a treatment for brain tumors and win the Nobel Prize for it." Pride resonates in her voice. "She can't give up on that dream." Camilla strokes the cover of the album.
"I understand," I say, and I truly do. I know what it's like to constantly have to bend, because for years, that's all I've been doing. Maybe you can learn to be content, but you're nevertrulyhappy.
She exhales with a strained sigh. "Aurora knows nothing about farming. No plant has survived under her care for more than two weeks."
"And what about Vico?" He could stay here. He is free, or at least he claims to be.
"He was supposed to take over the estate one day." She lifts her shoulders sadly and lets her gaze wander. "But none of this holds value for him." Tears once again stream down Camilla's face as she gazes into emptiness. "I even believe he’s glad it's being sold."
I search my pockets for a tissue but find none. "Do you really think the family means nothing to him?" I shouldn't ask, especially not in such a hopeful tone.
She shrugs. "I can't imagine that."
Did I just say that out loud? And with a conviction I shouldn't have?
Surprised, she looks at me. "Has he said something?"
"Not exactly." But I want to believe that behind his facade is more than he shows us. Because sometimes, when he thinks no one is watching, a wistful expression crosses his face. He longs for something, but whether it's actually family, of course, I don't know.
"Vico doesn't like attachments. Not to people or things. He wants to be free. Independent." She wipes the tears from her cheeks.
I feel a pang in my heart that doesn't belong there. "But the most important thing you need to know about Vico is that I love him. Very much."
"That's why you surely won't force him to give up his freedom," I continue her thoughts.
Camilla is such a strong woman. I glance at her from the side, observing her high cheekbones, her strong hands, and the broken expression in her posture. She would do anything for her family, even if it means she might shatter in the process. "What do Alessia and Aurora think about what has happened here in recent years?"
Suddenly, she looks straight at me. Seconds pass without her saying anything. Then she clears her throat. "Our mother's death hit us hard, but we learned to live with it. But now, we're losing our home. The place we thought we could always return to if we lost our way in life."
Now, I’m also fighting back tears. What's happening here feels wrong. The sale. And the final breakup of the family it will bring about. It's not right.
"Can't anything be done about it?" I whisper helplessly, locking eyes with her.
Instead of answering, she just shakes her head.
***
A night later, Camilla's expression continues to linger in my thoughts. It's hard for me to push it away, but I force myself to do so.
Florian has given me a task. He relies on me, and what kind of partner would I be if I were to disappoint him? Besides, it's my goal too, the reason I'm fighting here. We won't have financial worries anymore. We'll be secure. Isn't that worth the effort?
Or is it?
Even though it's still dark outside, I get out of bed and pack my camera. They say the most beautiful photos can be taken in the gentle light of the rising sun, so I have no choice. My pictures should impress Florian. Not just him but also our future guests; they should long for Tuscany immediately.
A sense of bitterness fills me as I shower and get dressed. The thought that soon nothing in this building will be as it was saddens me.
I do my best to ignore it and finally head out with all my equipment.
The soft dawn is already visible in the sky. I cross the courtyard. Only the crunch of gravel under my feet and the cheerful chirping of birds can be heard as I walk along the long driveway until I reach the spot where Vico parked his VW van.
