Part 15 (1/2)

”There's nothing happening between us! We're two people who have both lost someone they once loved, and now we've become friends. What's wrong with that?”

Filomena stood and brought her cup to the sink. ”Trust me on this, figlia mia,” figlia mia,” she said as she rinsed it out. ”Men and women aren't supposed to be friends. They're supposed to be lovers and husbands and wives. It's what makes the world go around, in case she said as she rinsed it out. ”Men and women aren't supposed to be friends. They're supposed to be lovers and husbands and wives. It's what makes the world go around, in case you've you've forgotten that.” forgotten that.”

”And you you make my head go around,” snapped Lucrezia, holding her forehead. She collapsed wearily onto a chair, then suddenly sat up straight. ”You haven't talked about this to Papa, have you?” she said, clearly alarmed by the prospect. ”He hasn't said anything to Peppi, has he?” make my head go around,” snapped Lucrezia, holding her forehead. She collapsed wearily onto a chair, then suddenly sat up straight. ”You haven't talked about this to Papa, have you?” she said, clearly alarmed by the prospect. ”He hasn't said anything to Peppi, has he?”

”Please,” said Filomena with a dismissive gesture. ”Men almost never figure these things out for themselves. Your father is as blind to all of this as Peppi. It amazes me sometimes how stupid men can be.”

Lucrezia stood up once more. ”I can't talk about this anymore,” she said as she started to leave the kitchen.

”Go to him,” Filomena called after her. ”Go today, don't wait. Just let it happen.”

Lucrezia whirled around. ”I won't,” she said, gritting her teeth.

”But why!” cried her mother.

”Because I'm not ready!” she screamed back. ”And because...and because I'm afraid!”

”Afraid of what?”

”That he'll die, all right, Mama? There, I've said it. I lost one man and look what it did to me. Once was enough. I can't give my heart to someone again knowing it could all end tomorrow.”

Filomena stood there with her arms crossed. ”Lucrezia,” she said very softly, ”listen to me. There are no guarantees in this life. You of all people should understand that. Young man, old man, it makes no difference. If G.o.d wants him, He takes him. So Peppi's no spring chicken. Maybe he's got ten years left in him. Maybe he's got twenty or thirty. Or maybe he's only got one. But if it means one good year of happiness for you, isn't it worth it?”

Lucrezia covered her ears and turned away. ”I told you, I don't want to talk about this anymore!” she said, hurrying to her room.

”But where are you going?”

”I'm going to take a shower,” she cried, ”and then tomorrow I'm going to Milano!” With that she slammed her bedroom door so hard that a painting fell off the corridor wall.

”L'amore,” Filomena said, shaking her head in wonder. ”Who can figure it out?” Filomena said, shaking her head in wonder. ”Who can figure it out?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE.

Peppi s.h.i.+fted the chain of the bike to a smaller gear. The hill they were ascending was not particularly steep, but just the same he was having trouble keeping up with Luca and the rest of the group. Taking several deep breaths, Peppi sat up straight, relaxed his back and shoulders, and did his best to spin his legs at a nice even cadence. Nothing seemed to help, though, and he drifted further and further back. At last, Luca looked over his shoulder. At seeing his friend struggling behind, he sat up and waited for Peppi to catch up to him. the chain of the bike to a smaller gear. The hill they were ascending was not particularly steep, but just the same he was having trouble keeping up with Luca and the rest of the group. Taking several deep breaths, Peppi sat up straight, relaxed his back and shoulders, and did his best to spin his legs at a nice even cadence. Nothing seemed to help, though, and he drifted further and further back. At last, Luca looked over his shoulder. At seeing his friend struggling behind, he sat up and waited for Peppi to catch up to him.

”Cosa fai oggi, Peppi?” he chided him. ”What are you doing back there?” he chided him. ”What are you doing back there?”

”Mannagia,” Peppi groaned, ”I'm really suffering today. I just don't have the legs.” Peppi groaned, ”I'm really suffering today. I just don't have the legs.”

”Eh, what did you expect? That's what you get for staying out till all hours of the night. You should have stayed in bed this morning.”

”What, and miss all this fun?” Peppi grumbled.

”Hah!” Luca laughed. ”It's days like these that will turn you back into a tough Abruzzese.” Abruzzese.”

”Or maybe a dead one,” Peppi replied.

”Don't worry,” Luca told him. ”We can turn off from the group and stick to the valley today if you like.”

”Only if you insist,” puffed Peppi.

As they approached the foot of the mountains where the roads would start to climb in earnest, Peppi and Luca bade the rest of the group farewell before turning off onto a flatter road that would wind its way through the valley. Peppi led the way, for by now he had once more become familiar with most of the roads throughout the region. He was in the mood for a leisurely ride, so he chose a route that would take them by the mulino.

The fresh coolness of the mountain air that had greeted them when they first set out from the piazza early that morning had vanished. By now the sun had climbed high into the cloudless sky and was beating down upon them. The sweat rolled off both men's arms and legs. As if on cue, they reached for their water bottles and squirted a few drops on their faces and across the back of their necks before taking a swig. They were both thankful that they had chosen to avoid the arduous mountain roads that day.

It was nearing midday when they finally came to the mulino. Peppi dismounted his bike and leaned it against what remained of the front wall. Luca, though, stayed by the edge of the road. He clicked out of his pedals, straddled his bike, and rested his elbows on the handlebars.

”Where are you going?” he called after Peppi, who had wandered off to the other side of the building.

”I pommodori!” Peppi replied. ”I want to see how my tomatoes are doing.” Peppi replied. ”I want to see how my tomatoes are doing.”

The prospect of having fresh garden tomatoes again one day soon was enough to motivate Luca into joining Peppi. He leaned his bike up against Peppi's and hurried off to see how matters stood in the tomato garden.

Peppi was already fussing with the plants by the time Luca arrived. Kneeling in the soil, he went from plant to plant, meticulously pruning away with his fingers any unwanted branches or yellowing leaves. It was important to constantly trim off the little offshoots, the suckers as Peppi called them, otherwise the plants would never grow to their full potential. By limiting the number of branches, the plants might bear slightly less fruit, but the tomatoes would be lush and full and bursting with flavor. Judging by the number of little yellow flowers blossoming on the branches, there would be an ample crop.

”Your plants are doing very well here,” Luca observed. ”How are you keeping them watered?”

”From the river,” said Peppi, nodding his head toward the little stream tumbling down from the mountains nearby. ”I just fill up a bucket or two and that's all they need.”

”Good,” said Luca approvingly. ”That water is the purest in all Italy. It's the best thing for them.”

”I know,” smiled Peppi. ”I grew up drinking it, remember?”

”Just remember not to give them too much or it will break their skin when the tomatoes start to grow,” Luca warned him. He let out a sigh and looked with longing eyes at the garden. ”Dio!” ”Dio!” he cried. ”I can't wait. I can almost taste them already!” he cried. ”I can't wait. I can almost taste them already!”

”Who says you're going to get any?” Peppi teased him.

”Ayyy, I'll come and steal them in the night if I have to,” said Luca, and the two of them laughed. Luca sat down at the edge of the garden and watched while Peppi pulled up some weeds that had dared to start growing between the plants.

”I don't get out here often enough,” said Peppi when he was finished. ”This garden needs a lot more attention.” He straightened up and let his gaze roam across the property. Except for the well-ordered s.p.a.ce of the tomato garden, everything was in disarray. ”The whole place needs a lot more attention,” he added ruefully.

”What are your plans for the place?” asked Luca.

”I don't know yet,” Peppi admitted. ”I've thought about trying to rebuild the house, but I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of project.”

”Why bother?” said Luca. ”Sell the land and leave the work to someone else. There are plenty of people who would love to have a house on a spot like this. Why give yourself agita?” agita?”

Peppi looked about and smiled. ”I couldn't let it go,” he said, ”not yet.”

”Eh,” shrugged Luca, ”everything in its time.” Letting out a grumble of irritation, he settled back on one elbow and stretched out his legs.

”What's the matter?” asked Peppi.

”I was thinking about tomorrow.”