Summer in Sorrento (3 page)

“
Is he settled in his room
?”
Camilla inquired as Maia re-entered the kitchen, fresh from making sure that Jacob had all needed amenities.

Wiping her hands nervously on her skirt, Maia shrugged
,“
I suppose in a manner of speakin
g—
he has a bed to sleep in, fresh bath towels and a roof over his head
.
”

“
But did you hear him? His family lives close b
y—
and his father is dying.  Clearly, something is
n’
t right between them, otherwise, why o
n
eart
h
would he stay here
?”
Camilla glanced in the direction of Jaco
b’
s room, a forlorn look on her tanned face.
 “
So sad.  I ca
n’
t imagine not being close to my family, especially my papa.  Maybe we should ask him
?
”

Mai
a’
s eyes widened.  She shook her head.
 “
No, no tha
t’
s very forward Camilla. We should
n’
t be that direct with a stranger, regardless that he is staying in this house.  Not my business
.
”
 
Maia then shot a warning glance at her.
 “
O
r
your
s
for that matter
.
”

The young woman shrugged and faced toward the kitchen window. She turned on the tap and began filling a pot with water, apparently in an effort to begin making pasta noodles for whatever lunch she had planned.  Instinctively Mai
a’
s stomach grumbled.  Camilla was an excellent cook.

“
I suppose that is the difference with Italians.  We say whatever we are thinking.  No holding back.  Probably why we have such low blood pressure, too.  If we are angry, everyone knows it.  Feeling happy, well, all those around us know it too.  There are no secrets in my family
,”
she smiled
,“
we always say what we are thinking
.
”

Maia laughed
.“
Yes,
I’
d kinda gathered that
.
”
 
Turning toward a wine rack that she kept on the counter, she grabbed a bottle of Sangiovese.
 “
What do you think?  Too early in the day?  My nerves are a bit frazzled from welcoming our first guest
.
”

“
I
t’
s never too early in the day to drink in Italy
,”
scoffed Camilla.
 “
Please, you should know that by now
.
”

The pair opened the bottle and savored a glass while Camilla cooked.  Smells wafted from the stove as finely scented basil and garlic were added to a stewed tomato base. They swirled around Mai
a’
s head, and she had a brief flashback of sitting there at the kitchen table, while Jim filled Camill
a’
s rol
e—
cooking succulent Italian dishes, just for the two of them.  She had a sudden pang of longing, spurring her to finish her glass of wine and pour another.

“
Lif
e’
s too short
,”
sighed Maia.  She was speaking to herself more than anything, but Camilla answered.

“
For what
?”
she asked, turning briefly from the stove
.“
Fighting with your family
?
”

Maia gave a meek shrug.
 “
Yes. That. And other things, too
.
”

Thankfully, her melancholy was broken by the fact that Camilla was finished cooking lunch and her attention was turned to the plate of delicious looking pasta that was placed in front of her.

“
Oh Camilla, you have outdone yourself, once again, I hope you know that I would be twenty pounds lighter if it were
n’
t for you
.
”

Camilla smiled happily.
 “
Food is the flavor of life.  Now you stay put.  I will go ask our guest if he wants to join us
.
”

Happy to do as she was told, Maia dug in, working her hardest to think happy thoughts instead of the mournful bouts that sometimes entered her subconscious.  She could
n’
t deny that she missed Ji
m—
horribly s
o—
but she also knew that she had a life to live, and that Jim would not be pleased if she wrapped herself and her brain in a constant state of wido
w’
s weeds, dwelling only on the life that she had before everything changed.

Jim would always want her t
o
liv
e
.

Feeling contentment overcome her now, she took another sip of wine as Camilla reentered the kitchen, this time with a somewhat dour look on her face.  Immediately, Maia knew what had happened.

“
Let me guess
,”
she smirked
,“
h
e’
s not hungry
.
”

Camilla sat down across the table from her with a definitive clatter.
 “
Who is not hungry in Italy
?”
It was less of a question that an accusation, Maia thought.
 “
Di tutte le cose stupid
e
…
”
her friend muttered.

“
Now now, i
t’
s not stupid.  H
e’
s just not hungry. Let the guy get settled in before you try seducing him with your food
.
”

Camilla narrowed her eyes at Maia.
 “
Fine. When he is hungry, I will just make him a new dish.  He cannot escape me for long
.
”

Maia giggled.  She had the immediate mental picture of Camilla standing over a cauldron, brewing a love potion that came in the form of fresh pasta and large amounts of Italian vino. However, the picture was interrupted by the sound of a small voice echoing from the doorway beyond where they sat.

“
Um, excuse me.
 
Perdonatem
i
?”
Pardon me
.“I’
m wondering if I am in the right place
?”
said a properly accented British voice. 

Startled, Camilla and Maia both turned to the door to find a young woman in her mid-twenties, standing in the entryway.  She had her blonde hair pulled back into a severe chignon and a pair of dark sunglasses shielded her eyes, even though she was now practically indoors.  She wore a pink sundress and gold sandals and would have looked perfectly at home as a tourist in the brilliant Italian landscape, but lines of worry that etched her forehead and around her mouth gave her away.

Tension radiated from her body and Maia immediately felt the slight buzz she had been experiencing from the wine she had been drinking evaporate.

“
It depends on where you are supposed to be
,”
she smiled kindly, getting up from the table
.“I’
m Maia Connolly. And this is Camilla. And you are
?
”

“
Amelia Crawley.  I made a reservation for this guesthouse online.  Just two days ago.  This is a guesthouse, Villa Azalea
?
”

Maia nodded.
 “
Yo
u’
re in the right place.  And yes, we were expecting you Amelia.  Did you find the place okay
?
”

Amelia stole a glance around the kitchen, as if trying to determine if her choice of lodging had been a wise one.  Her face practically screamed the words
,“
Stranger danger
.
”

“
Yes, it was fine.  I was glad you had rooms open.  My trip was a bit last minute.  Everything in the area was booke
d…
well except one place, and I did
n’
t want to stay there becaus
e…
just, because
.
”

Maia and Camilla exchanged a glance, immediately wondering what Amelia meant. After Jaco
b’
s introduction, they suddenly felt on high alert about the hidden messages in their guest
s’
words.

“
So are you in Sorrento on holiday
?
” 

Amelia shook her head sadly.
 “
Definitel
y
no
t
a holiday.  M
y…
um friend, is getting married.  On Saturday.  I just decided to come at the last minute
.
”

“
How nice
,”
Camilla crooned.
 “
Weddings are so lovely.  Especially in this area and at this time of year.  What a wonderful time you will have
.
”

Shrugging, Amelia offered a meek smile. The young woman once again looked around the kitchen, her eyes finally settling on the half-eaten meal that her hosts had obviously just been sharing.
 “
Oh I apologise, I seem to have interrupted your lunch
.
”

But Maia jumped forward.
 “
No, of course not.  You did
n’
t interrupt.  And really, would you like to join us?  We have plenty of food and Camilla is an excellent cook.  Please sit down, relax, have a glass of wine
.
”

Amelia shifted from one foot to the next and she looked poised to decline the invitation, but then her stomach gave her away.  A tiny but polite grumble was heard and she blushed.
 “
It has been a long morning.  I hate airplane food, and Gatwick is such a nightmar
e
…
 
All right then
.
”

Quickly fetching another pasta bowl and wine glass, Maia made a home for Amelia at the table.  Once seated, the slight-looking English girl had no trouble tucking into her dish of pasta
.“
This is really wonderful.  Thank you
.
”

Camilla beamed with pleasure.  There was no quicker way to win her over than by complimenting her cooking.

“
So where is the wedding
?”
Maia asked with a smile, eager to engage their new guest.

But Amelia kept her head down, focused on her dish.  Finally she spoke.
 “
Um, down the coast somewhere.
I’
d have to look at the details on the invite
,”
she offered vaguely

“
Your friends must be so happy that you made the journey her
e—
to come to their wedding.  Have you and the bride been friends for a long time
?”
Camilla pressed.

Suddenly, Amelia looked up and met Camill
a’
s eyes directly.
 “
No,
I’
m not friends with the bride
.
”

Which Maia surmised meant that she was friends with the groom. Opening her mouth to inquire more, she all of a sudden noticed the stony look on Ameli
a’
s young fac
e—
there was pain there that was far more advanced than her years and Maia felt at a loss for words and what to say next.

Closing her mouth and reaching out to grab her wine glass, she caught the look of relief that washed across Ameli
a’
s fac
e—
as if she was pleased that the questions had ended.

Taking a sip of the fragrant liquid, Maia pondered all that occurred that morning.

It seemed that they had more than one mysterious houseguest on their hands.

Later that afternoon, Maia and Camilla sat outside fanning themselves, hoping to catch a breeze as it lifted off the Bay.  They were each trying desperately to avoid the hotbox that the inside of the house had become without air conditioning when Giorgio, the handyman neighbour pulled up in his battered utility truck.

            
 “
Oh thank the Lord
,”
Maia exclaimed, casting a quick glance at the house.
 “
I love Giorgio but sometimes he moves as slow as molasses in January
.
”

              Camilla furrowed her brow as she attempted to understand the colloquialism
.“
Molasses i
n
…”

            
 “
Never mind
,”
she smiled, not wanting to go into the nuances with her Italian friend.
 “
I
t’
s just great that h
e’
s here, and before the last guests arrive too.  I just do
n’
t understand how Amelia has been able to put up with the heat inside all afternoon
.
”

              After lunch, Amelia had retired to her roo
m—
commenting that she was going to have a nap.  Jacob the New Yorker, on the other hand had emerged from his room as Camilla and Maia cleaned up after lunch. He took a quick look around and having successfully evaded Camill
a’
s attempts to cook him a meal, mumbled something about the hospital in Naples before getting into his car and driving off.

              Maia felt the mystery of her guests thicken with every interaction, while Camilla simply mourned the lost opportunity of wooing Jacob with her culinary skills. Returning her attention to the matter of the air conditioning and Giorgio, who was gathering a variety of tools from his truck, Maia muttered
,“
I just hope this is
n’
t expensive
.
”

She was weary of writing cheques and paying bill
s—
she needed just a brief respite from the stres
s—
and to make a bit of progress in paying back her investment.

“
Ciao
!”
Giorgio called as he walked up the path to the house.
 “
Ho sentito dire ch
eè
un p
o‘
una calda nella vostra casa
.”
I hear i
t’
s a bit hot in your house.

Tha
t’
s the understatement of the year, Maia thought ruefully, casting a glance at Mt. Vesuvius in the distance.

“
Just a bit
,”
answered Maia.
 “I’
m hoping you can fix it quickl
y—
I am close to having a house full of guests and I do
n’
t want to put anyone through any unnecessary discomfort
.
”

Giorgio shook his head with a smile.
 “
You know in Italy we have survived for centuries without the benefit of cool ai
r—
we have never worried so much about air conditioning. All through the ages, we have survived
.
”

Maia suppressed a gri
n—
she truly loved Giorgio, and was appreciative of everything he did for her, usually at a discount, but just then she did
n’
t need a history lesson on the superiority of the Italian people compared to other apparentl
y‘
lesse
r’
ethnicities.

“
Yes yes, I know Giorgi
o—
le
t’
s talk Italian history later.  Now, come inside the house
.
”
 
She extended a hand to her friend as if to guide him to where he needed to be when she heard another car pull up.  Realising that it could
n’
t be Jacob returning so soon, Maia knew that her wish to have the AC fixed before her last guests arrived had been an empty though
t—
they were already here.

Thinking back quickly to the other reservatio
n–
this one for a couple - she recalled the name
s—
Parish. They were also Americans, from Florida and apparently visiting Italy for their wedding anniversary.

“
Camilla can you take Giorgio into the house? Some more guests just arrived
.
”

Following her instructions, the Italian pair disappeared into the house leaving Maia to once again put a welcoming smile on her face as she worked to suppress the stress and nervousness.

“
Hello
!”
she called out, deciding this time to forego the Italian welcome given that they were American and probably more comfortable with English.
 “
You must be the Parishes
?
”

Maia headed down the walk to where the couple stood.  Taking in their appearance, she immediately decided that they had to be in their late forties, probably closer to her in age than either Amelia or Jacob.  She wondered what wedding anniversary they were celebrating.

“
Hi
,”
said Lori
,“
we are - the Parishes that is.  And you must be Maia.  We are so happy you had a vacanc
y—
this place looks perfect
.
” 

Lori had bright red hair and Maia knew right off the bat that she was a natural redhead, as much because of her pale ivory skin that was dotted with freckles as the fact that the highlights in her hair simply could not be bought in a salon.

Maia smiled at the compliment.
 “
Well, thank you for that, but in the interests of full disclosure, I just want to warn you that our air conditioning is broken at the moment.  I
t’
s a new unit though and we do have someone working on it currently. I have no doubt we will have cooler air inside shortly
.
”

With her comment Hal, the husband of the pair, perked up.
 “
I know something about air conditioning units.  For my engineering degree I worked for a heating and air company in Orlando. I can go help if you like
.
”

Maia shook her head, touched.
 “
Oh, I appreciate it.  But yo
u’
re on holiday.  You do
n’
t need to do that.  Besides, my handyman, Giorgio; h
e’
s the one who installed it. 
I’
m sure he can manage
.
”

Lori looked to her husband, clearly in agreement with what Maia was saying.
 “
Come on honey, sh
e’
s right, i
t’
s our vacation. You do
n’
t need to go mess with the AC, the
y’
ll get it fixed
.
”

But Hal was shaking his head in the negative.
 “
No really, I do
n’
t mind.  Point me in the right direction.  What did you say his name was Maia?  Giorgio
?
”
 
He pronounced i
t“
Georgie-
O”
without the necessary Italian accent.

“
Um
,”
Maia said, looking nervously between the pair and feeling immediately worried when she saw the happy expression that had been on Lor
i’
s face disappear.
 “
I mean, yes, Giorgio is his name, but honestly he has it covered.  You should
n’
t feel the need to do thi
s—
you are a guest after all
.
”

But Mai
a’
s words had obviously fallen on deaf ears.  At that moment, Giorgio emerged from the house, apparently to fetch another tool from his truck, and Hal honed in on the man.  Seemed he knew he was the AC repair guy by sight alone.

“
Hey man
,”
Hal called.
 “
You fixing the AC?  Need an extra pair of hands?  I know what
I’
m doing in that department
.
”

Giorgio, who had pulled a rag from his back pocket to wipe grease off his hands, cast a curious albeit confused look at Maia.  For a moment, she just hoped that her friend would pretend to not understand English in an effort to deflect Ha
l’
s hel
p—
but no such luck.

“
Yes. 
I’
m fixing it now, bu
t
—“

However Hal did
n’
t allow Giorgio to offer a protest.  He had already dropped the bag that he had been holding on the ground and was walking forward, ready to help the man with whatever he needed.

“
Great. I used to work in heating and coolin
g—
a long time ago, but I know my way around a repair, you know?  So what are you dealing with?  How many BTUs? Is that how an Italian system works?  I wonder if the output is the same as American units
?
”

Giorgio shrugged and looked at the women who were standing behind Hal.
 “
Yes, I think so.  I just need to grab some tools
.
”

Getting what he needed, Giorgio turned back to the house with Hal following in his wake. The bag he dropped had
n’
t moved, and Hal had
n’
t come back to fetch it.  Apparently, that was to be left to his wife, who was now looking despondent and completely crushed by her husban
d’
s actions.

Maia was
n’
t quite sure what to say, so she made the simplest of offers.

“
Can I help you with the luggage
?”
she asked quietly.

Lori looked close to tears and she bit her lip, casting her eyes downwards.

“
Ten years.  This is our tenth anniversary.  We honeymooned here - in Sorrento.  I thought that coming back here woul
d
…
”
Lori swallowed hard.
 “
But no, he wants to fix the goddamned air conditioning
.
”

Maia leaned forward and picked up the bag that Hal had dropped.
 “
Maybe he just wants to be helpful
?
”

But Lori rolled her eyes.
 “
Righ
t
.  Tha
t’
s what it is. Him bein
g
helpfu
l
.  Because at home if I have a sink clogged or need something done around the house, he simply jumps at the opportunity to help me
.
”
 
Lor
i’
s voice was thick with sarcasm and Maia felt immediately awkward. She had just met them after all, and was unsure what to do with Lor
i’
s candidness about her marriage.

“
Well all marriages have their rough spots
,”
Maia said kindly.

“
Really, i
t’
s okay. 
I’
m used to this crap
.
”
 
She looked at the scenery around her, as if noticing it for the first time.
 “
This place is gorgeous thoug
h
…”

“
Is there anything else I can do to help
?”
Maia asked - it did
n’
t seem as if they had any more to carry inside, just the two bags.

The woman smiled.
 “
Possibly, yes
.
”
 
She looked over Mai
a’
s shoulder at the house.
 “
Do you by chance have any wine
?
”

Maia emitted a laugh. 

Errant handyman husband aside, she knew she would get along with Lori Parish just fine.