Love Metamorphosis

Chapter 12

                  

Candice fell in love with the hills of Siena and didn't want to return with the tour bus that afternoon. Jemma had a scheduled tour to see David tomorrow and nothing would stop her from seeing that famous sculpture. Candice eventually agreed with her after seeing the statue and having spent most of time staring at is perfectly sculpted butt.

They had spent the rest of the time after staring at the naked sculpture, shopping. They took the subway over to a flea market. It was huge and covered many street blocks. Leather, that smelled and felt like real leather; she bought her father and brothers new wallets. Candice made her buy a pair of leather gloves that had cashmere on the inside.

They poured money into scarves and jewelry, laughing like little girls in a candy store. Jemma bargained and Candice demanded lower prices. They bought belts, sweaters, and matching bracelets until finally there was nowhere else to look. Their satchels full and spirits high they went to dinner and had breaded veal, with steamed spinach and tiramisu.

After that they had caught a bus that drove though the Tuscany country side and stopped in Grosseto where they would take a train onto Rome. They stopped at a few wineries, including Banfi, a wine company that was internationally recognized and the desert wine was to die for. Candice bought one for the road and it wasn't long before she broke it open.

Grosseto was in itself an interesting place, because it reminded her of sleeping beauty. There was a wall that separated the outside world, which was not in very good shape, riddled with time. It reminded her of the grottos in New York. Yet, inside the wall, a quiet city slept day in and day out, existing in a serene state it likely had 100 years ago, with a few technological upgrades of course.

The train ride was pleasant, and everyone once in a while Jemma's mind would wander back to the week before when she meet Mary and said goodbye to Jeff. He would never really leave her, he was in her heart but she had to say goodbye to their future. This trip was about moving on, letting go and finding herself. Yet she kept circling back around like a boat with one oar.

Candice touched a hand to her leg. "Thinking about Jeff?" She asked compassionately.

"He is never far from my mind." Jemma all but sighed, "But I keep thinking he would want me to be happy and not dwell on his death. Yet, I can't seem to move past it."

"You will. You always wanted to do things quickly. Get your Ph.D. before you turn 30, start driving the instant you turn 16, and decided to have a very short engagement. This is something you will just need to give a little time," Candice said patting her leg before leaning back, "Then you will be like me, single and on the prowl."

Jemma's nose wrinkled, "You are the only person I know who actually prowls when they say they are on the prowl."

"It is all part of the seduction, love," Candice replied flipping her hair over her shoulder dramatically, "Men fall at my feet."

"Laughing perhaps," Jemma said, her eyes bright with cunning.

"You sneak," Candice said sticking out her tongue like she was a scolded 8 year old.

"When was the last serious relationship?" Jemma pointed out.

"My last seriously orgasmic relationship was in South Africa before I got on that hellish plane. It was with a cop over there that wanted to write me a ticket for parking when the spot wasn't properly marked. Much like a porno." Candice cooed.

Jemma covered her ears, "You can be so vile when you're spiteful."

"Oh, look at that!" Candice exclaimed, all but pressing her face to the glass as they passed great open fields.

Jemma didn't respond, just looked out over the landscape with a quiet awe. They had been watching through the windows of the train at first as it went out of Grosseto but the countryside had started to repeat itself. Now it was new and different, the closer they got to Rome the more crowded it got; rows of houses, streets and people living in a confined area, much like DC.

Silence fell in between them and they sat content to watch the scenery and be lost in their own thoughts. Jemma was relieved to have Candice back in her life, she spent 5 months in South Africa, came back to be the maid of honor and got called away 3 days before the wedding on a do-or-get-fired job. Jemma knew she had been working on this for months and told her to go, even now she didn't regret it, but she sure wish Candice had been there.

Knowing that she would be living with Candice, just like they had for the 4 years they had gone to school together, was a relief. Having someone that she as so in-tune with, made life that much simpler; it was a love that only two close friends would understand. It is a bond that transcends all bonds, even love with a man. Perhaps it was their inherit similarities that brought them together and their obvious differences that made them inseparable. Like oil and water, once combined it was nearly impossible to completely extract one from the other.

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