Runaway Love (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Genie was greatly pleased with her new look. 

The ministrations of Fabiana, the beautician, had begun the process of transforming her into a more appropriate image of “La Signorina di Lorenzo”.  Within an hour, Genie's hair was washed, blow-dried and trimmed to resurrect her favourite Bob, and she had been thoroughly facial-ed, waxed and made up.

It turned out that the next door Boutique was an extension of the Beauty Parlour.  Fabiana introduced Violetta, her sister, and stayed to assist. 

Genie's original intention was to buy a single outfit for the current outing but the girls had different ideas.  They tempted Genie with so many wonderful, in-vogue, outfits, she was spoilt for choice.  So she didn't choose. 

She took the lot.

“Why not?” she'd rationalized.  “After all, those damn thieves trashed most of my clothes.  And anyway, my own clothes should make me look less like an Anna substitute.”

For 'coming out' on this day, Genie carefully selected items to wear immediately that fitted in with the general local snow fashion but with a subtle aura of elegance.  She wanted Lorenzo to say, “Wow” - or whatever the equivalent was in Italian.

The girls approved enthusiastically and, while Genie dressed in her new outfit, Fabiana and Violetta boxed and tied up the remainder of her purchases and the clothes Genie had worn previously.

Genie slipped into black leggings, scarlet patterned wool socks, and a pair of brown lace-up snow boots.  A light blue wool crew-neck top overlaying a very un-sexy thermal vest felt snug and warm.  Just right for the brisk Alpine air.  She completed the picture with a tartan scarf tied off in a neat bow in front of her left shoulder. 

The touch of elegance came with the pure white three-quarter length wool coat.  It was cut to fit the figure - and it fitted Genie's figure so perfectly that it might have been made for her.  Nevertheless, she left it undone to suggest casualness.

She checked herself in the mirror.  “That's more like it.  I am now me.” 

Fabiana and Violetta were very excited by the final 'product' and to show how much they enjoyed helping Genie recreate her image, they insisted on giving her a pair of black leather gloves, and a pair of RayBan sunglasses.

“Now you are complete,” Fabiana said.  “A mystery Signorina.”

“That's me - a mystery.”  She inspected herself in the mirror once more.  “Cast your eyes on this lot Lorenzo Calderone.”

Even Domino came in for a minor makeover.  Fabiana found a bright red bow tie with yellow spots.  She extended the neck strap with a ribbon of a similar shade of red and tied it around the St. Bernard's neck.  “Che elegante,” she said, standing back to admire her work.

While Domino accepted the attention, and even his new neck-adornment, he snuffled in disgust at the ensuing laughter at his expense.  To demonstrate his disdain, he turned his back on his tormentors, ambled over to the door and sat down to watch the passers-by.

As a part of the total experience, Genie took photos of the girls and then posed with one after the other while the 'spare' girl operated the camera.

The fun over, Genie made ready to go. 

Violetta handed Genie her neatly tied up boxes.  All three buzzed each other on each cheek - twice - to emphasize how sad everyone was about parting.  Finally, Genie and Domino stepped out into the bright sunshine and the cold snow, ready to blow Lorenzo away.

She rubbed behind Domino's ears.  “Good job you're with me, Dom, old friend,” she said.  “I don't have a red rose.  Lorenzo'll have to spot you first.”

The evidence of her shopping spree in one hand and her camera bag in the other, Genie made her way down the street that Fabiana had told her led to the skating rink.  Not that she had need of directions.  All she had to do was follow the music.

The street opened onto a vast vista of the ski slopes, full of the continual movement of ski lifts and skiers. 

Spread out before it was the skating rink.  It sported a sturdy grandstand at one end, and platforms around two other sides, covered with tables and chairs and a bevy of viewers.  A variety of food and drink outlets served their designated 'patches' while experienced and not-so experienced skaters did their thing on the ice.  Few of them, as far as Genie could see, skated in time to the beat of the music blaring from speakers mounted on the roof of the grandstand.

She spotted Lorenzo seated at a table at the edge of the rink.  He had his back to her engaged in intense conversation with a couple on the next table. 

Genie's heart stepped up the pace and a lump began to form in her throat.  The moment of stating her intention to leave was fast approaching.  Here she was, dressed to create a feast for Lorenzo's eyes, eager to see his pleasure and yet, she was planning to go to him and begin the countdown to her announcement.

It took her almost five minutes to pluck up her courage to move.  She took a deep breath, muttered, “In for a penny..,” and marched towards Lorenzo.  She managed to reach his table before he realized and just as the couple stood up ready to leave.  While they said their farewells, Genie stood behind Lorenzo's and waited.

The couple smiled broadly at Genie with a familiarity that is usually reserved for old friends.  It was painfully obvious that they were aware of who she was.  The San Rafaele grapevine was alive and kicking with extreme vigour.

Gene created and returned her best 'old friends' smile.

Lorenzo turned to see who they were smiling at.  First, he gave Genie a cursory glance and then looked down at down at Domino.  Immediately, and in some degree of surprise jerked up his head to examine Genie's face.

“Genie,” he said slowly rising to his feet, wide-eyed with surprise, “you look...sorprendente.”

“That'd better be a compliment.”

“It is.  In English it means amazing.”

“Amazing's about right - thanks to the incredible skills of my new friends Fabiana and Violetta.”

He moved around the table to pull back a chair for her,
and then hesitated.  “Genie, I'd like you to meet...”  But the couple had already made themselves scarce.

“I think they think we want to be alone,” Genie said.

“I wanted them to meet you.”

“They already knew all about me.  It appears San Rafaele is a-buzz with stories about “La Signorina di Signor Lorenzo.” 

Lorenzo nodded sagely.  “That's the way of small towns.”  He retrieved Genie of her packages and pretended to weigh them. “Did you buy up everything?”

“Not quite,” Genie said, stamping her feet before sitting on the proffered chair.  “Just a few things, that's all.”     

“This is what you call a few?  Uno, due...”  His voice level dived below the ambient noise as he continued his count.  “...Nove.  Nine boxes.”

“One box has the clothes I wore before.”

“Va bene.  So you have eight boxes.”

“I didn't want to overdo it.”

He laughed. “You must be worn out after such a shopping expedition.  Let me get you a drink to restore your energy.”

“I'm all for that, grazie.”

Lorenzo waived to a waiter.  At first, Genie thought he had ignored Lorenzo, but he soon appeared at their table with three steaming glasses of gluwein and a small bowl. 

“Three?” Genie queried.  “Who's coming?”

“No one.  It's for Domino.”

He poured one gluwein into the bowl and lowered it to the ground.  It had barely touched the floor, before Domino slurped it into oblivion.

“Any more, and I think Domino will become a candidate for Alcoholics Anonymous,” Genie said.

  She sipped at the hot spicy liquid.  “Ah,” she said.  “This certainly hits the spot.”  The gluwein spread out inside her body as it made its way down to her stomach.  She patted her feet on the ground to encourage the heat to move down more rapidly and warm them too.  Her new boots and wool socks were barely holding their own. 

After the gluwein had done its stuff and, after Genie had regaled Lorenzo with tales of Fabiana and Violetta, he suggested moving onto to a restaurant he knew about for lunch.  “They do a pasta like you've never tasted before,” he said.

“Couldn't we stay here, Lorenzo?” Genie said.  “It's so pleasant.  Don't they serve food here?”

“Well, yes.  But it's very basic.  You know, fast food.”

“Fast is good.”  She reached out and laid her hand on the back of his.  “And, to be frank, I think we've eaten pasta in every way known to man and woman over the past few weeks.”

Lorenzo rolled his head back in laughter.

“Don't be offended but I'd really like something basic - and fast.”

“I’m not offended.”  He signalled the waiter. “If you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

Genie liked that.

Moreover, she could see how happy Lorenzo was. 

She worked hard at keeping a reciprocal smile in place.  But, never far from her thoughts was her intention to announce her imminent departure.  It was bound to take the mood down several notches.  It was their first time out and here she was, planning to ruin the day.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lorenzo ordered steak, mixed vegetables and fries and a separate dish for Domino but, without fries.

As they waited for the meals to arrive, Genie fell into sharing Lorenzo's ebullient mood.  He commented several times about how good she looked, how her outfit suited her so well and encouraged her to show him what she had bought.

It was turning out to be a wonderful day.

Everything was so right.

Everything.

Except...

Knowing that she was about to spoil everything, took the edge off the 'wonder' of the day.

She didn't want to spoil...everything.

Her resolve under fire, she rifled through her options. 

Perhaps it would be better to tell him later - when they returned home. 

Or, what about tomorrow morning?  Might be better then.  That seemed like it might work. 

On the other hand, she could just sneak out early in the morning before he woke up.  She could leave a note.

“Coward,” said her little devil.

Genie decided not to decide right now.  She'd wait until the time is right.

That’s it.  Wait until the time is right.

They ate at a leisurely pace, eschewing dessert, and opting to round off the meal with a large Irish coffee. 

After allowing time for the meal to settle, Lorenzo made an announcement.  “I think we need a bit of exercise.”

“Exercise?  And the walk this morning - what would you call that?”

“I'd call that a warm-up,” he said, standing up and taking charge of her packages.  “Come.”

“Come where?”

“I have a surprise,” he said with a grin. “You will need to know the size of your feet.”

“My feet?  What..?”

“You will see.” He picked up his gloves and held out his hand.  “Come.”

Genie retrieved hers, took his hand and rose to her feet.  The heat from his touch flowed up her arm and danced her insides in time with the music.  Genie thought this worked even better than the gluwein.

Lorenzo's surprise was a visit to a stand where he handed over her packages and camera bag for safe keeping.  He then hired two pairs of ice skates.

“Lorenzo,” Genie said, stepping back. “I haven't been on those things since I was a kid.”

“In that case, you can be a child once again.  It is good to be a child sometimes.”

“At that age, I didn't think about what could go wrong.  Now, I'm acutely aware.”

“You'll be fine,” he said.  “It's like riding a bike.  You never forget.”

“Yeah, well, after my last experience on skates, I couldn't ride a bike for weeks.”

He laughed one of his genuine, infectious laughs, infecting Genie in the process.  He raised his right hand and said, “I swear to protect any part of you that involves bike-riding while you skate.”

“Huh,” Genie said.

“And at any other time you need such protection.”

His offer created a wild array of risqué images in Genie's mind.  She looked away quickly in case he could read in her eyes what was going on in her head.  “It'll be sufficient if you keep me upright,” she said.  “I'll take care of my bike-riding parts.”

She allowed the fantasies to run for a while - and with them arose a new, heart-stopping realization.  Despite everything - despite her fears - she felt closer to him than she had to any other man.  He had a place in her heart that would stay forever - even though, soon, he may no longer be in her life.

No.  That wasn't quite true. 

Even if she never saw him again, she knew that Lorenzo Calderone would always be in her life. 

She experienced an overwhelming urge to reach out, embrace him.  Lorenzo, her mind said, I could fall in love with you quite easily - if I'm not careful.

That silent confession at once frightened her and enshrouded her with a dark cloud of sadness.  If only it could be.  To be in love with a man whom she could not have is the ultimate in emotional pain. 

Memories. 

That's all she could take home with her.  Memories of an Italian farmer-recluse with a talent for painting wonderful pictures with whom she had to stop herself falling in love.

Life is cruel.

Stepping onto the ice with extreme caution made her shift her thoughts away from what could be to what is.  She focused all her concentration on her feet.

Skating close to the fence, she aided her focus by reciting her schoolteacher's instructions, mantra-like, under her breath. “Lean forward.  Take small steps.  If you think you're going to fall, lean forward and plant your hands on your knees.” 

Genie did a lot of 'knee planting' for the first ten minutes until her confidence took hold.  In fact, the speed with which she was able to resurrect her long-absent ice-skating skills was a source of wonder for her.  Lorenzo had been right.  It was like riding a bike.

Lorenzo kept pace with her all the time she tested out her 'skating legs', stopping when she stopped, and making his hands ready to catch her if she started to fall.  Now and again he praised her progress - not so much that it made her feel like a fool.  But sufficient to motivate her. 

Then, when she felt she had gained enough skill to stay upright consistently, she reached out and gently grasped his hand.  

They skated around the extreme edge of the rink side by side for a while and then steadily moved ever closer to the centre.  Gradually, Genie's concentration lifted from her feet and leg movements, to the music.  Without conscious design, she began moving to the rhythm.   It wasn't a dance as such.  She just felt the music driving her to skate to the beat of 'Volare'.  

Lorenzo moved in close, faced her and held up his hands as if he was about to break into a ballroom dance.  Genie relaxed and gave in to his lead.  Together, they 'danced' their way smoothly in and around the other skaters, lost in their own mutual touch, with the music flowing through their feet. 

His skating skill poured out from him and somehow lifted hers.  She could feel him giving strength and prowess to her feet, legs - her entire body.  At that moment, he made her feel...more.  It was as if they were one - a single entity. 

Complete.

There was no hesitation this time. 

Their lips drew together as though they were magnetized, crushing against each other with fervour that released long-standing pent-up feelings.  Genie matched his passion with hers, so strong it isolated them from the rest of the world.  As they slowly turned on the spot, the other skaters evaporated; the music and the excited voices disappeared under the roaring in her ears and the drumbeat in her heart.

She increased the tension in her arms and crushed him to her with all her strength.  She wanted to hold on to him forever - to hold on to this moment.  Never let it go. 

Never let him go. 

Never go.

Ask me to stay, Lorenzo.

No, don't.  If you do, I might...

Her heart re-connected with the beat of the music as it began to weave its way back into the real world.

Their lips parted.  Genie nestled her head against Lorenzo's chest, nuzzling in her body as close to his as she could.  If they had been home, Genie knew exactly where that kiss would have taken them. 

As if harbouring the same thought, Lorenzo pulled her in tight and took up the rhythm of the music, leading and gliding them in perfect harmony.

Genie melded with his movements, allowing Lorenzo to lead her wherever he wanted to
go.

I could get used to this, she mused.