The small cottage was vacant when we entered it's welcoming door. "They must've gone to town. The air is cool and nice as I breathe in the familiar aroma.
My pace is quick as I made my way to the old room Lisa and I used to stay in when pa was being loud. The crib that George had just outgrown right before we left for America has been put away.
Instead of the two separate single beds I find them pushed together as one. On the old wooden desk a bunch of feminine products lay about across its surface. A mirror with a slender crack running through the glass has been put up above the desk.
"Was this your sister's room?" I jump back not sensing Louise behind me. "It was both of ours and George's when we stayed here. Did your father and mother send you here when you three annoyed them to bits?" She jokes.
"Something like that." I force a sour smile onto my lips. Louise had none of these feminine items back when we were here. She was too young for them. Perhaps nonna accidentally left it behind when she was cleaning up. It pains me to think about how old they are and how much work there is to keep their little farm running.
"I'll be in here if you need me. I'm going to try and get some rest on the sofa." Louise calls behind her.
I find myself walking into the bedroom with shaky legs. It's been almost ten years since I left and it feels as if nothing changed. The desk drawer has a bunch of unfamiliar items in it but one item I do recognize is a picture of Lisa, George and I when we were young. Like really young.
I find myself waking to the bed and sitting down. My eyes not once leaving the photo. I hadn't seen a picture of Lisa since pa burned almost all of them before we moved to America. Even looking at George as a baby makes my heart swell. I miss his stupid face.
"Joseph!" Louise's voice breaks me away from my trip down memory lane. "One second." I called out. My lips quiver up to a shaky smile as I hold the photograph close to my heart.
"Joseph, please come in here now!" Her voice is a scream which makes me a bit annoyed since I just wanted some time alone.
"Louise, what is it?" I trudge into the living room. My eyes widen as I find a pretty young woman with dark brown curly hair pointing a pistol at Louise. "Put the gun down," I plead in my own language. When she hears me her aim changes to me.
"We can settle this in a calm manner. Please just put the gun down." I step closer to the young woman. Louise looks up from the ashy brown sofa with frightened eyes.
"What are you doing in my family's house?" I can't tell if Louise is understanding since I remember her Italian not being too swell.
"Your family's house? I live here." Did they move to a different house without telling me? It has been a little less than a year since I've communicated with them. Perhaps they left our baby pictures behind on accident.
"I know all this is a funny mistake." Louise stands up trying to communicate in Italian. The woman quickly returns her aim to Louise. If we ever make it out of this alive, I'm going to teach her how to properly speak in Italian.
My feet quickly move in front of Louise. I know, very chivalrous. I'm sure her mother would appreciate me doing this.
"Look, we might be in the wrong house. I'm Joseph Capurso, this is Louise Decker." I motion behind her. Suddenly the woman lowers her gun. Her eyes soften as she takes me in. I'm guessing my name means something to her.
"Joseph, don't you remember me? It's me, Elenanora." My shoulders drop, relaxing in realization.
"Elenora Ricci?" Her smile grows as she sets the gun down on the coffee table. "Yes, Joseph. It's me." She runs into my arms holding onto me tightly. My heart flutters as I take in her familiar scent.
We were best friends when we were in school together. We'd been crushing on each other even before we knew what crushing on each other really meant. Even two years after I left for New York, we wrote letters together. Our letters to each other got more scarce as time went on. We were too busy with our own lives by that time but I'd thought of her often.
"So is your friend not going to kill us?" I hear Louise squeak out from behind us. "No, let me introduce you to my childhood friend, Elenora." I step aside. "You're gorgeous," gasps Elenora in english before running to hug Louise. Louise uncomfortably pats Elenora on the back. "Thanks for not killing me." She chokes out.
"I've never met an American before." She smiles broadly at Louise as if she's a new discovery.
"How is it that you know English so well?" I question her. "Well," Elenora blushes a bit. "When you and your family left for America, I picked up the language in hopes of visiting you one day. It, unfortunately, never happened."
She looks so different I can't keep my gaze off of how much she's changed.
"So why are you here and with the American? It almost seems scandalous. You better be careful." She tells Louise.
"We're kind of on-"
"You two are on a honeymoon? Oh my I didn't know. Your nonna and nonno didn't mention-" She begins.
"No, we're not together." I interrupted her.
"It's not like that. Joseph and I are friends, good friends." From the corner of my eye I see a hint of pink on Louise's cheeks. Pinker than usual.
"Oh well then why are you two here?" Elenora inquires.
"We're in search of the blue diamond. You remember the story my nonno used to tell us when we were younger?" She nods. "Si, my papa used to tell it to me as well. God rest his soul." Elenora clutches the shiny cross necklace that hangs around her neck.
"I'm sorry about your papa. How's your mama?" I ask with sorrow in my eyes. "Dead," her eyes don't seem too wounded since it must've been a while ago.
"They both died in a boating accident three years after you left. I'd been living with my sister Mary and her husband Vincent. About two years ago Vincent was drafted off to the Italian army. Now he's serving Mussolini, that cursed man and his facism beliefs." Elenora goes on.
"I've not heard good things about Mussolini back in America." Louise adds. "There are others who think differently here. If your nonno and nonna thought differently I don't know if I'd be able to live with them." She sits down next to Louise on the sofa.
"When Vincent was drafted, my sister moved as close as she could be to him. I've been graciously staying here since. I help out around the house and the farm. I do what I can do for them," says Elenora.
"Thank you for that. I appreciate it." I thank her the best that I can.
"So why are you two trying to find a fake diamond? It's nearly a myth."
"My father has had men do research stating that it's real." Louise pauses looking over at me. "The reason we want it is a matter for the U.S. Army. It belongs to Joseph's ancestors, we're here to ask Joseph's grandfather for help on finding it."
"He has a map but has never presumed to look for it himself," I explain.
"Your nonno has a bloody map and you never told me? You know how long Lisa, you and I searched for that diamond?" Elenora is taken back.
"My nonno said not to tell anyone about it. He said if people knew he had a map of its location, then all of Italy would be at our front door." We all laugh together.
"You know we said we'd use that diamond's expenses to get married one day." The room grows quiet at Elenora's words. Louise is the first of us to break the silence. "So where are they? Your, uh nonno and nonna."
Just then the door barges open. "We got the fish-" Nonno and nonna's eyes lock into mine before they drop their cloth bags full of items from town.
They immediately ran into my arms, hugging me.
It's nice to finally feel my family's presence for a change.
~ ~ ~
Chapter posted: 6/25/2021
Hey so I decided to add a new character. What do y'all think of Elenora?
Until next time. . .