Correction.
Not Giovanni's mother.
Giovanni's grandmother.
Or as he calls her, Nonna.
Marvelous woman.
Intelligent.
Witty.
Sociable.
Interested in her grandchild.
Everything my grandmothers were not.
So, to listen to a grandma know everything and anything about her grandson's first time he lost his tooth or the afternoon he won his first fencing tournament was amazing, to say the least. She knew everything about him and enjoyed talking about him. I was...envious.
But most importantly.
She found me 'a beauty I would eagerly paint all of Italy with'. Going as far to say, "Darling, you are an estimable woman of rare excellency only so few are born with".
That is verbatim.
She, the Queen Dowager, found me of "rare excellency". I can't believe it. I can't freaking believe it.
"Tell me, bella, how have you been treated thus far?"
She was quite interesting. Just like Gino, she too had a whimsical verbiage. It was structured on Italian foundation, but incorporated the flare of neighboring nations.
"I can't complain," I told her. "It's everything I dreamed of...and more," I sneaked a glance to Gino who was watching me with a lazy smile and playful eyes. His Nonna caught this unspoken chat between the two of us, but said nothing. She only mirrored Gino's lazy smile, I see where he gets his flirty side from. "He stole me away to show me the best champagne Italy has to offer, but I have yet to try."
Nonna looked at Gino, who gave a bashful smile to his Nonna, while I earned a cocked eyebrow. "Well, we will have to fix this. It seems my nipote has become distracted. I shall rectify the issue, bella." She snapped her fingers and just like that everyone was at work. The guards and aids who followed Nonna here dispersed. It was quite a sight to see. "But first," one of the maids placed a tray which displayed the most beautiful and intricate designs, "we will have some tea to cleanse our palettes." It's that french design I love, but can never remember the name of. Toilet? Toile? I think that's the name. It just screamed aristocracy.
"Nonna is leading you into a trap, fiore," Gino whispered to me, not so discreetly. I looked over at Nonna who was feigning shock, a devious smile playing along her lips. "She's going to be reading your leaves...that is of course," he looked directly at me, that look still sending sparks up and down my back, "if you want her to."
"You can read fortunes," I reluctantly looked away from those breathtaking eyes and to Nonna now.
She looked quite happy with my enthusiasm, "Would you like me to read your fortune, bella?"
"Yes please," I whispered, "I'd like that very much."
Giovanni rested her cheek against his palm as he watched me with a lazy smile. His Nonna took the cup as I finished it up. As she gazed into my cup, I couldn't help but feel nervous. What was she going to see? Was it going to be bad? Was it going to be good? Is she going to get my hopes up? After a couple of minutes, she looked at Giovanni who was watching her intently. He noticed the look she had on her face.
"What is it Nonna?"
"Pericolo." (Danger)
Giovanni tensed. Well, that must not be good. Giovanni was literally about to get out of his chair, but noticed my concern and quickly settled down.
"Pericolo? By who?" He sounded so serious now, almost offended by what his Nonna was saying. "Paparazzo? Non lascerò che accada niente." (Paparazzi? I won't let anything happen.)
"Lo so," (I know) Nonna nodded her head before looking back at me. She smiled, warmly, before taking my hands in hers. "I will tell you what I read. I have already told my grandson you will experience sorrow soon." My heart stopped at the news. Sorrow. Oh god, I cannot deal with sorrow, not on my trip. "You must understand, there is not a clear reading when it comes to the leaves. It is as destiny wishes to provide, and unfortunately, it is only pieces. The leaves line the rim of the cup meaning something life-changing is coming your way." She glanced at Giovanni for a moment, before looking back at me, "This line suggest being trapped...but I don't know if it's figuratively or-"
"Nonna, that's enough now." Giovanni had become defensive now. He pulled the cup away from his Nonna's view. Nonna gave him a sad smile, shaking her head, before taking his hand and whispering into his ear. As they were speaking, I brough the mug to my view to see if I could see what she was seeing. All my leaves seemed to be in one part of the mug, which made me frown. Is it normally supposed to be like that?
"Nonna?" They both looked at me, Giovanni's eyes dropped down to the mug now in my hand. He went to reach for it, and I let him take it from me. "Why are all the leaves on one side?"
"That means many things will be happening in this current month."
"Will anything bad happen. I mean...you said I was going to be trapped. Am I going to be trapped in a place or...by a person...or by a job?" I asked her, my fingers twisting together. I had a bad feeling, and GIovanni could tell. He went to speak, but I shook my head, "It's okay Gino, I want to know."
"Chance," he whispered, pressing his forehead against my own. I flinched at first, but enjoyed the contact. He had kept his distance once again, and so for him to touch me again, it sent butterflies to my tummy, "I don't want you to believe in this, okay? I would hate for you to be nervous-"
"Something bad will always happen, bella." Nonna cut him off. Giovanni cursed under his breath, before giving his nonna a stern look, but she ignored him and continued, "That is the truth for everyone. Our lives are never perfect. I do not want you to worry about what is to come, no one can change the future, you can only deal with it when the time arrives...correct?"
I nodded my head, reluctantly. I was hoping she would mention something positive, like a romance. Perhaps I should just ask her. I mean, there's no harm in knowing whether or not I'm going to fall in love? Should I ask in front of Nonna? I glanced over at Giovanni, who was still holding my cup hostage from my reach, but most importantly, Nonna's reach. Oh for fuck sakes, just ask Chance. Stop being a scaredy cat.
"Will I fall in love, Nonna?"
The shattering of my cup on the floor told me Giovanni was just as shocked by my question, as I was at me asking it. He looked down at the maid who was cleaning up the mess, he quickly apologized before slowly looking back at me. I didn't dare look in his direction. I was serious about this question. I had always wondered if I was going to fall in love. Not once, in my 25 years of life, had I fallen in love with anyone. I want to know, I want to know that there is something lined up for me. Nonna smiled at me, but it was warm, not taunting. She didn't look down on me for my question. She almost looked, understanding.
"Seeing as Giovanni broke the cup, I won't be able to read the rest, but I did see a ring."
"A ring?"
She gave me a playful grin, "A ring is very good for love...if there is a letter beside the ring, that is referring to your future spouse-"
"What was the letter," I shouted, jumping forward with excitement.
Nonna chuckled at my excitement, "You are ready to be in love, bella?"
I realized how ridiculous I looked, practically standing on the table, my hands flat against the surface.
"I'm sorry, bella, unfortunately I could not make out the letter," Nonna admitted. "It looks like you're going to burst, nipote." I quickly stepped back, to find Giovanni was practically off his chair as well, eyes trained on his Nonna. He froze at his Nonna's statement, his eyes moving slowly towards me, to find me watching him as well. He cleared his throat, and sat back in his chair, fixing his clothes.
"I was just...excited for Chance. I'm wondering who will be the next to hear about her town meeting of stuffed animals story," he teased. I hit his arm, pointing my finger at him.
"You promised you wouldn't hold that story against me," I pouted.
He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm sorry, fiore. I am not holding it against you, I promise."
"No, you know what, now you have to tell me an embarrassing story about yourself. It's only fair," I stomped my foot, "That way I can have something up my sleeve."
"No such thing," Giovanni shrugged his shoulder, "I don't do anything I'd find embarrassing."
"Liar."
"I am not lying, fiore," he reached fro my hand, but I stepped further from his reach, "Nonna," I turned my attention to Nonna, "Tell me something embarrassing about Gino."
Nonna looked stunned, her eyes watching us both in astonishment before a knowing smile formed on her lips. She sighed, resting her cheek against her hand, "Giovanni used to have problems with his bladder until he was 12 and would urinate himself all over the palace."
"NONNA!"
I bursted out laughing, my hands clutching my stomach. A pure sight appeared in my mind, a young, good looking, obviously, GIovanni peeing himself on some ridiculous grand staircase or in some grand living area all over some rug imported from India. I could hear Giovanni shouting in Italian, but I couldn't see it, given that my eyes were clouding with tears. Oh yes, yes, this will be my revenge. I am going to remind Giovanni every single day of my life. Forever. Forever and ever. I could not stop laughing, it was starting to hurt.
"You," I wiped the tears away from my cheeks, "are so in trouble now," I teased, poking his shoulder. Giovanni glared at me, before sinking further into his chair. Regret and dread now painted all over his face. Just in time, the maids returned with an extravagant display of champagne.
"God, give me strength," Giovanni took a whole bottle for himself and downed it making me and Nonna laugh.
The rest of the day was filled with Nonna and I teasing Gio, discussing what I should see next, and all the while, Gio stayed silent and sulking in his chair. When the sun was beginning to set, Nonna was off, much to my displeasure. I really liked talking to her. As the seven cars drove off, I turned around to find Gio leaning against the pillar of the house. His hand slid into his pockets, eyes watching me closely. "The thought of you not seeing me the way you did before, upsets me."
Gio is always so honest. So beautifully honest. There is never any misunderstanding. He just...says how he feels. It's refreshing because it's so new to me. "And how did I see you before?"
"I don't have a definite answer, but I do know I made you nervous...and I liked it, now," he shrugged, dropping his head forward, almost in a boyish manner. You'd never believe he was in his thirties with his demeanour like it is right now. "Now." He didn't know what to say, so I spoke instead.
"I'm still nervous around you," I admitted. If he is going to be honest with me, all the time, I should try as well. "To be honest, that secret isn't something new...everyone has that problem."
He peeked through his now unruly hair, his beautiful chocolate brown eyes watching for any deceit in my words. "You mean that? You don't look at me differently?"
"How can I?" Especially when you look like that, I thought. "I think you are beautiful." His lips parted open and his eyes widened in awe at my statement, as if he had never expected that to come from my lips. I didn't think it would, but here it is. I am being honest. "I also think you are annoying...annoyingly amazing."
He sighed, bringing his head back, resting it against the pillar. His eyes now staring up at the night sky, "Finally."
"Finally what?"
"You're opening up to me," he tilted his head in my direction, that intoxicating gaze returning in full throttle. Oh god. My heart is going to burst right here, right now. "I can't wait to hear more from you in the near future, scaredy cat." He pushed off the pillar and reached his hand out to me, "Let's get going. I want to show you something before I return you to your hotel room." I nodded my head and ran up to him, closing our distance. And as I ran, I couldn't help but wish that the letter Nonna had seen in the tea leaves beside the ring was the letter G.
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