Waking in the early morning, still groggy, Gabby was unsure what time it was. Trying to locate her phone on the bedside table, her hand accidentally touched the lamp, flooding the room with low light. Covering her eyes, she peeked through her fingers, allowing her eyes time to adjust. It was only 3:34 a.m. Not wanting to go downstairs for fear of waking Ignazio, she tapped the light and turned it off. Cuddling in closer to her daughter, Gabby attempted to go back to sleep; however, unable to do so and feeling famished, she decided to take the risk. Throwing a pair of socks on to take away the chill from the floor, she tiptoed down the stairs.
Unfamiliar with Ignazio's home, using her phone to help light her way, Gabby opened the fridge. Usually, not a cold pizza fan, it was something quick to grab. Sitting at the table, she stared out the window at a moonlit night. The last 24 hours were a blur, yet here she sat in Bologna, Italy, with her daughter, about to eat pizza at Ignazio's home. A year ago, travelling to a foreign country wasn't even a someday I want... kind of thought. A year ago, she was just blindly going through life, but now she lived life how she was supposed to. Taking her first bite of pizza, Gabby stopped chewing and stared at the slice in her hand. So simple in its ingredients, each flavour became known on her tastebuds. Devouring it, she went back for seconds.
Drawn to Ignazio's music room, Gabby viewed the awards and pictures on the wall and shelves. Running her fingertips along the edge of the piano, she stared at the pages of sheet music spread out in front of her. She had seen several Instagram posts of Ignazio playing songs in this room. Skimming her fingertips across the keys and accidentally hitting one a little too hard, her eyes shot to the door. Not sure if he would have wanted her to be in here, she quickly left.
Navigating her way back to the living room, the morning chill, made her shiver. Wrapping herself in a knitted throw she found bunched up in the couch's corner, its warmth and coziness enveloped her. Picking up what she thought was the TV remote and hitting the power button, she again covered her eyes with her fingers when the side table lamp turned on. Thankfully, already dimmed low, her eyes adjusted quickly to the warm glow that filled the room. Hitting a second button, flames appeared in the fireplace. Afraid to hit a third in case the stereo came on or, heaven forbid, the chair reclined, Gabby set the remote back down.
Finally able to clearly take in her surroundings, she liked the room's ambiance. Filled with comfortable seating for many to sit, she easily imagined Ignazio, surrounded by friends, enjoying good food, good wine, and lots of laughter. Intrigued by a photograph on a bookshelf, she had to investigate it. Holding the framed photo of three baby-faced teenage boys, she smiled. If they only knew what was in store for them.
Perusing the many book titles that filled the shelf, most were in Italian, with only a few in English. And, while some looked old and had been enjoyed, others looked untouched. Running her finger down the spine of a familiar title, she pulled out the photo book she had created for him. Opening it, the finger-printed pages told the story that it had been looked at quite a bit. Finding several photo books of different countries, Gabby pulled out one titled '28 Hidden Gems of Italy.'
"Wow!" she exclaimed, skimming through the first few pages.
Taking the book with her and returning to the couch, she propped a pillow behind her shoulders and head. Tucking the throw under her feet and pulling it up, she laid back. Fully engrossed in reading each caption and studying each picture, she did not hear Ignazio enter the room.
"I thought I heard someone wandering around down here."
"Ohh! You scared me." Tipping her head back, she puckered her lips and accepted a quick kiss from him. "Have you ever been here?" she asked, pointing to a picture of a village with pastel houses nestled between hills, like sherbet candies in a bowl. Whether he heard her or not, Gabby didn't mind, and she smiled when he asked, "Why are you up?"
"My growling stomach woke me, so I came downstairs to get something to eat. I'm sorry if I was too noisy."
Looking sleepy and dishevelled in navy pyjama pants, no shirt, and a dark green bathrobe, Ignazio stifled a yawn and answered, "It's OK. Do you want me to make you something?"
"No, I had some of your leftover pizza, which, by the way, was fantastic."
Motioning for her to scoot over, Ignazio sat down. Grabbing the same remote from the end table and pointing it at the light, it slowly diminished. Pulled in for a cuddle as he stretched himself out, Gabby slid her hand between his bathrobe and his body. Wrapping her arm around his waist and hugging him tight, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Ignazio wore a few different scents. However, on their first official date, she smelled what would become her favourite: a sweet and spicy cologne called "Million." This same scent remained on his tie many weeks later, and she faintly smelled it now on his neck.
"You smell good," she said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing," Gabby giggled, snuggling closer and kissing his cheek.
"Mmm... this is much better than sleeping alone," Ignazio mumbled as he dozed back to sleep.
Gazing at the dancing flames in the fireplace and daydreaming about her life with Ignazio, Gabby felt blissfully content. Together for ten months now, their relationship was solid and strong. They had weathered a few storms and had come out of it all the better. She agreed to be more open when communicating how she was feeling, and he settled with being softer in his expectations. Most importantly, jealousy was unnecessary as neither allowed it to enter.
As for Addilyn, Ignazio worked just as hard at maintaining his relationship with her. Helping her not to miss him so badly, instead of sending more t-shirts, stuffies, or little trinkets, he sent postcards from everywhere he went. Only addressing it to her, she looked forward to receiving something in the mail.
Feeling the occasional gush of breath from a snore that escaped Ignazio's lips, Gabby tried to rise without waking him. Awkwardly holding herself up with one hand pressing on the couch's arm, she looked down at her man. Still resting her free hand on his chest, she lightly kissed his cheek. Lifting her leg over his hips, she dropped her foot to the floor, unintentionally jostling him half-awake.
"Sweetheart, go back to your bed," she said.
Guiding him to the stairs; this time, it was she who gently pushed him from behind. Leaving Ignazio to make his way back upstairs, Gabby pointed the remote at the fireplace. Watching as the fire went dark, she returned to her bedroom.
***
"Brrr."
Her bed felt chilly and massive compared to where she had just come from. Laying in the dark wide awake, her mind pondered, will Ignazio's parents like me? Addilyn could charm the stink off a skunk, so there was no doubt that Vito and Caterina would instantly fall in love with her. It was going to be she who they would be unsure of. Anticipating the many questions they would have, her stomach tightened into knots. Feeling anxious, Gabby forced herself to breathe deeper and remember Lisa's advice; 'just let it be and have fun.' Have fun... Ignazio made it easy to have fun. Trusting that he had informed his parents enough so she could relax and be herself, a pang of guilt filled her for not making his introduction to her parents and in-laws as easy for him.
Though more than ready to start her day, it was far too early to wander around. Taking the chance that someone could chat, she texted Tressa. Getting an I can chat back, Gabby called her friend.
"Hey, my friend," Tressa said, "I was just thinking about you. Where are you now?"
"I'm in Bologna, at Ignazio's."
"So, what do you think of Italy thus far?"
"The little bit of Rome I saw was fabulous, and the Italian countryside is gorgeous. YouTube does not do this country justice. However, the drivers here are crazy. You know how I love my Beast and the security it gives me; well, here, the cars are all small and zip in and out all over the place. I had to close my eyes a few times in Rome as even the pedestrians were nuts."
Conversing back and forth, Gabby chuckled many times. Learning that Calgary was heading for heavy snowfall and wind-chill temperatures in the minus thirties for the next few days, she shared with Tressa her effort to convince Ignazio that Canadian winters were not that bad.
"Canadian winters suck!" the two simultaneously declared.
"What is the time difference between us?" Tressa asked.
"We are eight hours ahead."
"So, it's... 4:47, Friday morning in Bologna?"
"Yup."
"Why are you awake? I hope Addilyn is still sleeping."
"She is."
Turning her phone so Tressa could see her knocked out daughter, Gabby asked, "Have you ever suffered from jetlag?"
"No, not really."
"I hadn't either but have now. It's not fun. I had a massive headache, felt dizzy and just overall horrible. I thought, oh great I'm coming down with something, but Ignazio assured me it was jetlag. On his insistence, he looked after Addilyn so I could go to sleep early."
"Awe! What a sweetheart."
"I know!"
Seeing her daughter begin to arouse, Gabby finally said goodbye. Watching Addie tuck her arms underneath her chest and rub her face into the pillow, she brushed Addilyn's curls off her face and waited for her daughter to open her eyes.
"Good morning, my love!"
"Is it morning time?" Addilyn asked, flipping over, and stretching out as big as her four-year-old body would allow.
"Not quite, but soon."
"Can I get up?"
"No, not just yet. But what you can do is, quietly go potty, and then come back. We can watch TV in bed until it is time to get up."
Bounding out of bed with full energy, Addilyn hurried to the washroom.
"Quietly," Gabby repeated, "Ignazio is still asleep."
"Shhh," Addie said, bringing her finger to her lips.
Waiting for Addilyn to return, Gabby scrolled through the TV stations. Finding one channel that seemed to be geared towards kids, it didn't matter that neither she nor Addie understood Italian all that well; cartoon humour was funny no matter the language. After watching several back-back episodes and now eager to not have to stay in bed any longer, Gabby and her daughter went in search of something for breakfast.
***
Sitting on the back porch, curled under warm blankets, and eating cereal, Gabby and Addilyn watched as the deep red ribbon along the horizon grew wider, illuminating the shadows of buildings and trees into a softer shade of grey. Disappearing momentarily behind a broad band of muted blue clouds, the sun magically cast its sunbeams in every direction. Bursting forth to take its rightful place in the sky, the two of them felt the first touches of the sun's warmth on their faces. Listening to the birds announcing the dawn of another day, Gabby squeezed her daughter's thigh.
"Do you know what Ignazio needs?" she asked.
"What?"
"One of Daddy's birdhouses."
Giggling in agreement, Addilyn said, "We could put it by my house."
"Your house?"
"Ignazio bought me a playhouse," Addilyn proudly announced, pointing to the pink and white structure in the far corner of the yard.
"Come see," Addie said, jumping off the porch. Landing on the cold grass barefooted, she hopped back onto the porch. Cupping her toes in her hands, she suggested, "Maybe I'll show you later."
Standing at the kitchen sink and staring out the window, Gabby's gaze landed on the playhouse. Annoyed about another extravagant gift; once again, she would have to talk to Ignazio about spoiling her daughter. Though understanding his reasoning for wanting to have some toys for Addilyn, a doll and some clothes would have been sufficient.
Feeling the sun's rays starting to warm up the room, Gabby glanced at the time: 6:40 a.m. She had been up for three hours already, and it was getting trickier to keep Addilyn quiet. Suggesting that the two of them get dressed and check out the cottage, the two tiptoed back upstairs to get changed.
***
"This is so awesome!" Gabby exclaimed as she peered inside the cottage. "How much fun is this?"
Sitting on a chair, she listened as her daughter revealed all the cottage had.
"And look, Ignazio brought me flowers."
"They are beautiful. Do you know what this cottage needs to feel even more like home?"
"Uh, uh."
"Some artwork. You could draw some pictures, and we could tape them to the wall."
"Yes, yes! I can do that!" Addilyn exclaimed, clasping her hands, and jumping up and down.
No longer concerned about the need to keep quiet, Gabby turned on the CD player and grinned as music filled the room. Spotting the photo book she had been looking at earlier lying on the floor, she sat back on the couch. Continuing to browse through it while Addilyn started on her drawings, she reread every caption and studied every picture again. Hearing water running upstairs, tossing the book to the side, she said, "Addilyn, I think Ignazio is awake. Let's go see."
***
Not thinking before entering, Gabby realized she had better warn Ignazio in case he came out inadequately dressed. Hearing the water stop and the shower door open, she lightly tapped the bathroom door to get his attention.
"Quick, Addie, hide so you can scare Ignazio when he comes out."
Watching Addilyn scoot under the covers, Gabby laughed when lying flat and pulling the covers over her head; her daughter lay perfectly still.
"Don't move. I think he's coming."
"Hello," Ignazio said, emerging from the bathroom wearing pyjama bottoms and drying his hair with a towel. Giving Gabby a deeply dimpled grin, Ignazio drew her in for a morning kiss.
"Thanks for giving me the heads up," he whispered. "I usually walk out naked."
Looking at him sideways, she gave him a small grin. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered, "To save you from embarrassment and me from having to have a talk with..."
Muffled giggling came from the lump in the middle of the bed.
"Is Addilyn up?" Ignazio asked, walking closer to his bed.
"Oh yes, she has been up for quite a while now. She wanted to start our day, so I came to wake you."
"Nice. Let me make my bed first, and then we can go."
"Surprise!" Addie shouted, sitting up. "Did I scare you?"
"Yes, you did," Ignazio said, putting his hand on his chest and jumping back. Pushing Addie back onto the bed and holding both her hands above her head with his hand, he gave her tummy tickles. Done with Addie and rolling her over, he glanced at Gabby.
"Don't you dare!" she warned.
"Do it, Nazio, do it!"
"Addie, stop encouraging him," Gabby said, clutching her daughter under the arms and pulling her back. "We'll see you downstairs," she said, smirking.
"I'm not done with you yet!" Ignazio warned as she walked out of his bedroom.
***
Sitting on the porch swing, Gabby hugged her knees to her chest. Glancing back at the cottage, she went to check it out again. Touching its gable roof and running her hand along the small flower box, she fingered every tiny detail.
"What do you think?" Ignazio asked, approaching her girlfriend.
"This is amazing, but..."
"Before you say anything, let me explain. When I knew the two of you were coming, I wanted to have a few toys here. I didn't know what to get, so I asked Piero's sister to accompany me. At first, we picked out the usual Barbie dolls and clothes, but then Maria Grazia saw the cottage. She was positive Addilyn would love it, so I bought it."
"You should have been here when Piero and I tried to assemble it. It was not good." Showing a good-sized cut on his forearm, Ignazio made a sad face and said, "I got hurt." Receiving a sympathy kiss on his arm, Ignazio tried to draw Gabby in closer.
"I'm not annoyed that you bought her toys," she said, pulling back. "What annoys me is that it's such an extravagant gift."
"It wasn't that extravagant. It was less than €120."
"That's not the point. We are only here for ten days, and I don't want her thinking that you will always buy her these big, grand things."
"I thought you might think that, but that's not why I bought it."
"It's not?"
"No. My plan was that you would fall so in love with Italy that this would become Addilyn's permanent backyard."
Gabby could not remain mad.
"Did she at least thank you?"
"Oh yes—" rolling his hand around in a circle—"over and over and over again."
"Good." Holding Ignazio's gaze until he raised one eyebrow and gave her a sexy side grin, Gabby chuckled and confessed, "I'm actually jealous. I wish I had something like this when I was four."
Enveloping her from behind, Ignazio rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Maybe one day, I will buy you a bigger version," he said. "One that overlooks a waterfall or has a creek running past it."
Leaning to the side and tilting her head so she could look up at him, a slow smile crossed her lips. He remembered!
***
It had been a glorious morning, and Gabby had fallen 100% under the allure of Italian culture. Finishing their shopping with a final stop at a local bakery, she and Addilyn enjoyed the sights and smells of fresh-baked goods and pastries.
"Bambina e mamma, venite qui," a heavy-set, white-haired man with a wrinkled face and wise eyes called, motioning for Addilyn and Gabby to come closer. "Ti piacciono le bomboloni?"
"Would you like to try a doughnut?" Ignazio loosely translated, looking down at Addilyn.
"Si!" Addilyn said, entwining her fingers under her chin and flashing the gentleman a dimpled grin.
Passed a rectangular, golden pastry, all eyes watched as Gabby and Addilyn took their first bites.
"Ooh," Gabby said, bringing her hand up to hide the cream that oozed from the top and onto her lip.
"È molto buono, vero?" the gentleman's wife asked, beaming with pride.
"Si," Addie said, twisting her finger into her cheek.
Making the mistake of offering Ignazio a bite, Gabby bellowed, "Hey!" as he grabbed her wrist and shoved her half of the doughnut in his mouth.
With no reason to ask if they should bring some home, Ignazio held up five fingers and pointed. Handing the bag to Addilyn, he said, "for dessert tonight."
Receiving a text message that his parents were only half an hour away, the three of them hopped back into the car and raced home.
***
Sending Addilyn off to entertain herself, Gabby helped Ignazio prepare lunch. Cutting up the cheese and bread and placing it on a platter, she remained unusually quiet.
"What's up, my love?" Ignazio asked, popping a piece of meat into his mouth. "You are strangely quiet and keep looking at the clock."
Shrugging, Gabby pulled down five plates from the cupboard. Taking the dishes away from her and placing them on the counter, Ignazio wrapped his arms around her. Giving her hips a slight shake, bending his knees, he asked, "Are you worried about my parents?"
"Sort of. I'm just nervous. That's all."
"Why?"
"I just am," she repeated. Taking a bite of cheese and feeding Ignazio the other half, she added, "Now, I know how you must have felt meeting my parents. I'm sorry I didn't make it easier for you."
"It was fine. You'll be fine. As I told you yesterday, they know all about you. There is nothing to worry about." Lifting her chin, he sweetly said, "Do you trust me?" Seeing Gabby nod and give him a small smile, Ignazio continued, "Then you have to believe me when I say my parents are going to love you."
***
"They're here!" Ignazio exclaimed, rushing for the door. Removing his parents' coats and hanging them in the closet, stepping to the side, he grasped Gabby's hand and pulled her forward. "Mamma, Papà...vorrei presentarvi Gabby."
"It is so nice to meet you."
Extending her hand, Gabby pulled it back and nervously giggled when Caterina held her arms out open.
"E questo ..." Ignazio continued, pulling Addilyn in front of him and squeezing her cheeks, "Il mio piccolo amore."
Laughing and pushing Ignazio's hand away, Addilyn waved and said, "Ciao." Hugging Ignazio's mother and looking up at Vito, she gave him a dimpled grin.
"And what is your name?" Vito asked, stroking Addilyn's cheek.
"Papà, chiedi a lei in italiano," Ignazio said to his father.
"Come ti chiami?" Vito repeated.
"Io mi chiamo, Addilyn," she said, looking back at Ignazio for approval. Receiving a thumbs up from him, she giggled.
"Quanti anni hai?" Vito continued.
"Ho quattro anni," Addie answered, holding up four fingers.
"Brava," Caterina and Vito said together as Addie danced on her toes and high-fived Ignazio.
Placing his arm around his mother, Ignazio led the way into the kitchen.
Chuckling, Gabby took Addilyn's hand and whispered in her daughter's ear, "Good job, sweets."