I can hear Jason clearing his throat, walking out on the patio.
"We... we should get going to the restaurant. They're waiting," he says but mom and I stand still, wrapped in our heartbreaking moment, without replying or letting go of each other.
"Mamma..." I finally say without moving.
"Yes, sweetie," she replies.
"Would you like to come with us? To the restaurant, I mean. I know you might be tired but..." I speak.
"Oh no, not tired at all, Eve. I took your father's jet. At least that he could do for us, being as stubborn as he is," she completes waving her hand in the air, giving a bothered frown along with it.
I smile bitterly realizing how much I'm missing my dad.
We've spent the next few days back and forth between home and the restaurant. So many things are to prepare, menus, invitations, timings, and mom has been a tremendous help.
I feel so much better lately and I'm so grateful because I want to enjoy the great event tomorrow.
We've all woken up very early today, gathered at my house, and waiting for the cars to come and pick us up. Today are the last arrangements before the opening.
But with all the excitement around, a part of myself is sunk in sadness, missing the two most important men in my life.
Enzo hasn't called or sent any sign. I know he's watching over me. I miss him to the core of my heart but something stops me from contacting him. Maybe he just wants to be away and I'll respect that.
I take another look at myself in the mirror before getting downstairs and leaving. Walking into my bedroom I see mom sitting on the armchair at the foot of my bed, whispering something on the phone.
It must be my dad. I wished he was here for this special day.
I fight a lonely tear forming in my eyes and walk a few steps closer to mom and before I o say something she jerks surprised at my presence and stares at me, trying to hide her own tears.
"I'll call you back in the evening, love," she says on the phone and I know she's been talking to dad. "I'll tell her, baby," she continues, smiling back at me and hanging up.
"That was your dad. He's kissing you," she tells me, grabbing my hand and squeezing it lightly.
I kiss her on the crown of her head and pull out my phone from the dress pocket, dialing a number.
"Tate," my father's baritone voice bellows in the phone.
"Hey, Dad," I say, my voice cracking at the end with tears that keep forming in my eyes.
"Pumpkin..." he replies in a softened voice and a deep breath as if I'm the last person on earth he expects to hear. "Is everything alright, Eve?"
"No, Dad," I say unable to stop my sobs. "I miss you, Dad," I tell him and all I hear is a groan of anger coming from the depth of his chest. I can almost see him pacing around his office, running his fingers through his hair.
"I'm coming, pumpkin. I will be there by tomorrow midnight at max. You hear me, pumpkin?" he rattles, and I laugh between sobs.
"Really, dad?" I ask him, already feeling better.
"Of course, sweetheart. I'll be there before you know it," he reassures me. "Now, is your mom around?"
"Yeah, she is," I reply and walk back to where she's sitting and hand her the phone which she grabs and walks a bit aside from me.
It is only now that I notice Jason standing in the middle of the room witnessing silently our moment.
He pulls me in a hug, rubbing one of his hands along my back.
"You did good, Eve. I'm sure it means a lot for Lucas," he tells me.
I nod and hug him with a gentle smile on my lips. Maybe dad can't be present for the opening but he'll be here tomorrow and I'm so happy.
"Now let's go, people are waiting. And I think I have an idea for the menu," I tell him while I see mom walking back to us, having finished her call with dad.
"Mamma, will you come with us?"
"I would love to. I can't wait for this big day, sweetie," she replies, showing herself genuinely happy.
And so, we did. Jason took us by car and aunt Feli and Massimo by their car. Emillia is glued to me and Jason at all times, so you can guess in which car she is.
When we arrive at the restaurant I meet the entire team. They are all waiting for us, the kitchen is loaded with everything needed to start the business the next day.
They had everything placed in order. The cooler room was filled with ingredients, cooking pots hanging along the walls, and serving plates neatly arranged on shelves.
My chef and his cooks are all ready and excited, eight pairs of eyes glaring at me and telling me "We will make this the best place to eat Italian".
The restaurant stands on the Main Street, having inside only four tables, two on the left and two on the right, the isle going from the entrance all the way to the back yard where are the rest of the twelve tables, right on the beach, bordered by wooden pillars painted in white on which is leaning a Santorini blue roof.
I did say how much I love it!
Between the wooden pillar, there are oleanders of different colors, as tall as I am, blooming with large flowers on each branch.
It's beautiful. It's exactly as I've visioned it and I look at Jason, standing in the back facing the restaurant from the beach, pretty sure weeping with joy and excitement.
It's called "Eve's".
I finally have it. I can finally see my restaurant with my own eye, and I walk to Jason and curl my arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Jason, thank you so much. I could have never done it without you," I tell him, and he hugs me back, rocking my body lightly left and right.
"Most welcome, Eve," he replies.
"And I'm sure with or without me you could have done this a least as good as I've done," he continues and smiles at me, pulling me a bit further and looking into my eyes.
We've spent the day with the two chefs in the kitchen reviewing the menu and the specialties that we want to offer for the opening.
After hours of planning and talking we wrap up the plan with hot chocolates outside and it doesn't take long until Emillia falls asleep on two chairs, so I think it's time to close the day.
"Well, I have one more thing to add to the menu and I believe I want it to stay as a permanent dish," I say, making everyone pay me undivided attention.
"I want to add lava cake on the menu and call it 'Becca's cake'," I announce, shifting my eyes to my mom whose jaws drop almost
to the ground.
"Eve..." she whispers and walks to me from the other side of the table we've all sat at and pulls me in a strong hug.
"Aw, mamma is emotional," I tease her, and she laughs, struggling to hide her tears.
"Now I know my favorite dessert," Massimo says and stands up. "But right now, I think it's time to get back home. Tomorrow will be a hard day," he continues and carefully lifts Emillia in his arms, without waking her up.
"Jason, I will take the girls home and let you lock the place up," Massimo says while we all stand up, following him back into the restaurant.
"Great," Jason replies and walks with us to the cars.
"Will you be okay, Eve?" he is asking me, holding my hand and keeping me in my place while the others are distancing from us.
"Yes, Jason. I'll be okay and besides, mom is here. Just don't stay too long. I'm going to need you tomorrow," I reply and kiss him on the cheek.
"If there is something you need, just call me. I'll be home in a matter of minutes," he insists, and I scoff.
"If mom doesn't call you first and keep all of you on your toes. You know she can do that," I say rolling my eyes and trying to ease Jason's worries.
"Take rest, don't wait for me," he replies and places a kiss on my forehead before we all get in Massimo's car, me sitting in the back, next to mom, and taking a still sleeping Emillia in my arms.
We drive back home in silence, and I've even dozed off a bit even though the drive is short.
"Let me take her," mom says after she gets down from the car and opens the door on my side, pulling Emillia out of the car with extreme care.
She's going to be a wonderful grandmother, I think to myself.
"She's sleeping like a rock, Mamma, don't worry," I tell my mom while giving her Emillia and getting down myself.
"I'm pretty sure you're no different, sweetie. You're barely keeping your eyes open," mom replies while we walk inside the house after shortly saying bye to aunt Feli and Massimo.
I go straight to my room to have the so much-needed sleep while mom places Emillia in one of the bedrooms and she retrieves herself in her room as well not before saying good night to each other.
I decide for a long relaxing shower before bed and slip right under the covers when I'm done, cuddling with a sigh and placing my phone on the nightstand.
Rolling on my back and looking up at the ceiling my thoughts go straight to Enzo and my eyebrows frown when I feel like skipping a heartbeat, missing him.
I wished so much we could share the day of tomorrow.
And why shouldn't I? I think to myself, rolling back on my left side and taking the phone to open the text messages log.
E: 'Hi Enzo, it's Eve. Tomorrow I'm having the opening of my restaurant. Wished you could make it. Love.'
I type the message and hover my thumb over the send button, not being sure I should send it or not.
I mean, he knows already where I am, it's not like I've disappeared from the face of the Earth. And besides, his reply will be clarifying enough, won't it?
I press send and... no. No reply has come, not that evening, nor during the night, not even this morning when I felt so lazy to stand up from bed and I was delaying it to the last moment when I had to finally get up and ready.
It's my big day, after all, but I'm too excited, too nervous, and too sad about not being able to reach Enzo.
The train of my thoughts stops when the bedroom door opens and Emillia's small head with yellow curls appears in the crack of the door.
Her eyes round the room in search of the bed, thinning her big black eyes, squinting at me to make sure I'm awake and when she sees me staring back at her she runs towards me, jumping on the bed and squeezing herself under the covers.
She places her left palm flat on my cheek, gluing her tiny finger to my skin while her right hand is holding the forever lollipop which she sticks between my lips.
"There. Have some, it will help you feel better," she says and makes sure half of the lollipop is nicely stuck into my mouth. "You must wake up. We have work," she speaks in her childish sweet-talking then she drops the lollipop on the pillow next to me, squeezes my cheeks between her tiny hands, and kisses me on the corner of my lips.
"Papa says that a good morning kiss is better than a lollipop. Not for me, but maybe you like it," she continues, taking back her lollipop and jumping down the bed.
Oh, I do! I love it! God, I miss the kisses of your father! I mentally scream but quickly put the thought away. For now.
And this kid, I swear she can get glued to one's heart just like that lollipop sticks on her little fingers.
I sigh, following her with my eyes and leaving the warmth of my bed to quickly have a shower and get dressed.
Today is my great day, the day when my dream restaurant will start its journey. I should be happy, I should be thrilled with joy right now but instead, all I feel is emptiness, missing Enzo more than ever.
"Eve, come on, sweetheart. Wake up. You need to eat before we leave. You need food, good food, healthy food," mom says entering my room and collecting the clothes I've dropped last night on the floor while I get out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, and grab the phone to check for a sign from Enzo.
Nothing. My heart clenches in a painful squeeze and I decide to let it be.
"Mamma, I'm opening a restaurant. I'll have plenty of food there," I reply crouching in front of the drawers to pick some panties and feeling my head heavy as if I've drunk the entire wine of Sicily.
Oh, damn! I feel a violent morning sickness coming and I run back into the bathroom with the emptiness of my stomach coming back up.
I crouch over the toilet seat and let it all out, while I can feel mom behind me holding up my hair and brushing her hand on my back.
It's for the first time when she's doing that, all I've known until now is Jason, a worried Jason that treats me like I'm sick in some final stage of an illness and he offers to even breathe in my place.
Well, with mom here it will do a great favor to him. He really needs a break from a nasty pregnant woman, and I really need a break from a hunk walking around me, being unable to jump on him and fuck the life out of his brain.
Well, trust me, pregnancy hormones are the worse enemy of a single mother.
I take a few moments more after I'm done, sitting on the bathroom's tiles, trying to regain my breath, and smiling weakly to mom.
She damps a small towel and wipes my face with it, helping me to freshen up.
"I know you are opening a restaurant, but I don't think they have the time to prepare you healthy food. At least not today, baby," she tells me, busing herself with cleaning my face as if nothing has happened.
"Come on, clean up and get dressed. I'm waiting for you in the dining," she replies and places a kiss on my forehead before she leaves my room.
And a good meal I had! Plenty of it, stuffing the food in my mouth and having a cheerful mom giggling next to me with a meaning of "I told you so".
When we're all ready, Massimo offers to take all of us to the restaurant in the same team as last night, with one slight difference though. Emillia is glued to my neck, her left arm refusing to uncurl.
I get down from the car, holding Emillia in my arms, and smile widely at Jason who is proudly standing at the entrance of the restaurant, wearing a white apron and a black shirt, smiling back at me.
His hands are clasped behind and his stature straight, although I can tell he has slept nothing last night, judging by the black shadows under his eyes.
"You should really get some sleep, Jason. You look like...." I tell him once I'm in front of him, placing one hand on his right shoulder.
"Like shit. I know. Don't worry, it's only for today because it's the opening," he whispers to me back and gives me a short hug. "Welcome to Eve's, ma'am," he becomes serious all of the sudden and grabs my hand, walking in with me.
The kitchen is already in the middle of the action. As they tell me, we have ten tables on reservation for tonight, and customers are already entering, seeing the celebration balloons around the front door.
I start helping in the kitchen little by little and finish with cooking along with my chefs, enjoying it so much that I don't feel the day passing.
Emillia has been around me and between my legs all day, saying she wants to help with the only one hand she has free. Yes, the left one because the right one is holding her candy and by the end of the day my dress ends up nicely tinted with shades of pink and yellow from her candy.
I have been taking short breaks during the day, wanting fresh air way too often for my liking, and getting out on the beach, asking Emillia to join me on short walks or sitting on the burning sand, admiring the sea and the beautiful yachts crossing along.
"Hey, Eve," Jason says sitting next to me and at that moment Emillia tightens the grip of her arm around my neck.
She becomes possessive, this tiny bean, I think to myself.
"Hey, Jas," I reply and stretch an arm around his shoulders, watching Emillia crossing over my lap and placing herself between me and Jas, forcing me to remove my arm.
"Emillia, that's not nice," I scold her in a whisper.
"Nope, it's not. My papa is nice," she replies totally oblivious to my shattered heart, remembering that I still have no reply to the message I've sent him last night.
*****
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