Chapter 22
Vico
How tiny she is. So delicate and fragile. And how she smells! I absorb the scent, unable to get enough of it. She lets out a squeak.
I hold her gently, supporting her little head so she doesn't hurt herself during her little cries. "You're quite active, little lady," I say.
"That must run in the family," Hanna says.
My gaze lands on her face. A mixture of longing and unease is evident in her expression. And suddenly, I realize what I'm doing here.
In my arms lies a baby. And I haven't just admired her, but I've genuinely cherished our connection. She's an Olivetta, just like me. We are family.
Panic surges within me. Why am I thinking this way? Where are these feelings coming from?
As my chest tightens rapidly, Pietro enters the room, whistling a melody. "Well, have the little ones behaved themselves?"
I quickly rise from my seat and place his daughter back in his hands. "They were exemplary," I manage to say with effort. "But now, I must… go away."
Urgently so. My gaze flicks to Hanna, who stares at me with incomprehension. I can just make out how her expression hardens before I turn away and rush out of the room. Of course, she judges me for valuing my freedom over family. But I have no choice. I race through the corridor, push open the door to the outside, and take a deep breath.
Unchanged, I feel as if a giant snake has me in its grip. What is wrong with me? First, I can't tear myself away from Hanna, and now I lose myself in the sight of a baby.
I'm losing my mind.
Yes, that must be it.
I'm going crazy.
It's time to pull the emergency brake. So I fish my phone out of my pocket and message my coach that I urgently need confirmation from the talent scout for sponsorship. I need something to hold on to. Too often in the past few days, I've forgotten what matters most in my life. I was distracted, but a professional career as a cliff diver remains my greatest dream.
Next, I dial Adriano's number. "Feel like grabbing a beer?" I ask him directly when he answers.
His response is a warm laugh. "Have you looked at the time?"
Right. It's only nine o'clock. "Then how about breakfast at Caffè delle Arti?"
"Sure thing. I'll just start work later today," he says with an amused tone.
He's putting his job on the back burner. Even though we haven't seen each other in years, he's still the same old Adriano. "I'm looking forward to it."
We say our goodbyes, and I start walking. It's about a fifteen-minute walk to the café, and when I arrive, Adriano is already waiting for me. A pair of sunglasses casually rests in his short hair, and the first three buttons of his white shirt are undone.
"It feels so good to see you again," I say, giving him a brief hug as a greeting.
We sit at the bistro table outside the café and order espressos and cornetti. Even before the cups are placed on the brightly painted table, Adriano leans over to me. "So tell me, how's the wild life of freedom?"
That's the perfect topic. "There's a competition in Bari in mid-April. My coach thinks I have a chance." Well, after not returning to training as planned, he was a bit less enthusiastic. But there are still six weeks until then. Hanna has been here for almost two weeks; surely, she'll have everything sorted out soon. And once she leaves, I'll be free again.
Hopefully.
"You're positively brimming with enthusiasm," Adriano says in a sarcastic tone.
I quickly turn up the corners of my mouth. "No, it's great. It's just that being stuck here is a problem." And not just because I can't train.
His expression turns serious. "You have to be the rock in the storm here," he says sympathetically.
I wave it off. "That's not a problem."
