Granny here,
How could he have let himself get into a predicament like this, of course you don't always know what your heart is going to do? This had certainly been poor judgment on his part, but he couldn't change it nor did he want to, the memories he had made with Cesca were worth the pain he would carry the rest of his life and he was sure she felt the same.
Cesca was looking forward to the next few weeks, not for the scenery but for the time she would be spending with Alex, he had made her happier than she ever thought she could be, although the thought of leaving him brought tears to her eyes and pain to her heart. He was so wonderful, so different than any man she had been involved with before. She would leave him reluctantly, but with her heart full of lovely memories of the man who gave her a few weeks of bliss at a time in her life when she needed them most. No matter what happened in her future, he would always be there, in a special place in her heart that nothing could touch and no one could take away. She would spend as much time as possible with him, making as many memories as possible, they would have to last her a lifetime. She wanted to be alone with the only man that had ever made her feel loved and she knew her heart would never give him up.
The next few weeks were filled with days of laughter, food and time together that only they shared in a world filled with war, pain and uncertainty. The time spent alone was like being in another world, another place that was theirs alone. A place that no one else could enter, the villa became their escape from a world that only made them more aware that the day of their parting was swiftly approaching. They spent time on the mountains, in the valley, at the winery, on the beaches, in the villages; it was as if the world was all theirs to do with as they pleased.
The day was gorgeous as Alex made his way to the hotel just as he did all the other days; he was humming a love song to himself as he thought of her and how much he loved her. He thought of all the time they had spent together thus far and what the days ahead would hold in store for them.
Today, Alex was taking Cesca to the ruins of the ancient temples of Roman gods on the sun kissed hills of Catanzaro, some of them were still standing and some were being excavated by those looking for clues to a time gone by. It would be a lovely day spent with each other alone on the hills surrounding an area filled with history and intrigue. In a way that was how he saw Cesca, full of intrigue, full of life that may never be lived or at least not the way she wanted to live it. He wanted to surprise her so she had no clue where she was going; she was never disappointed, just being alone with Alex was enough for her.
Their routine had become just that, a routine, Cesca could hardly wait to get to the place where Alex would stop and let her get into the front seat close to him where she could feel his presence, smell his cologne, and let him know how happy she was just to be near him. This day was no different, she jumped into the seat beside him, laughing as she did so, "This day is so lovely, Alex, where are we going?" "I have a surprise for you Cesca, just hold on tight and the day will take on a life all its own. I love you so." Said Alex as he kissed her on the lips. Without hesitation Cesca threw her arms around his neck and put more passion in her kiss than Alex was expecting, this was her playful way of teasing him knowing that he had driving to do and couldn't take advantage of her invitation. He laughed and returned the kiss as he pulled onto the highway.
As he drove along the shore leading along the winding highway, their conversation centered on their love for each other and how happy they were spending these few days together. Cesca continued to play her love games, running her fingers through Alex's dark hair, kissing him on the ears and neck, squeezing him on the leg, he enjoyed all the little touches that she gave him even though it made his male instincts kick into high gear and he desired to have her but knew that would not happen because of the respect he had for her. Although he couldn't be sure that it wouldn't happen if she chose to make that decision herself.
The day was so lovely and Cesca enjoyed her excavating adventures on the hills of Catanzaro. The food they enjoyed was grown locally in the area by the farmers and the fish was caught fresh daily by the local fishermen, which made them taste even more delicious. The wine was made from grapes grown in the beautiful vineyards there in Calabria and surrounding areas. Cesca couldn't have asked for a more exciting day and being with Alex made it extra special for her.
Each day brought something new and exciting for Cesca, Alex took her to all the sights of the country side and all the sounds of the city but the most exciting for the both of them were the hours spent at the villa in each others arms. They had one more week together and it would all be over, their arms would be empty, their hearts would be hurting and memories would be all that would be left for him and Cesca. All they could do now was make every day a day to remember. They had discussed their plans for the following week and decided to spend each day at the villa alone with each other, with their dreams, with their memories. Alone to talk, to laugh, to reminisce of the days that had spent together, the happiness they had brought each other if only for a moment in time, to melt into one another in spirit and with a love that was theirs to take with them when they parted, a love that was theirs alone that would live in their hearts forever.
Everyday when Alex picked up Cesca he thought she was more beautiful than the day before, she really wasn't of course, it was just his love for her that kept getting stronger and stronger with each passing day. The days spent at the villa became more and more important to them and it was getting more and more difficult for them to leave each other in the evening when Cesca's curfew was near. The villa had become a haven for them , a refuge where Cesca could be herself, a girl in love with a boy with no strings attached , with no expectations, sharing the love that they had for each other.
The farther away from the hotel they got the happier Cesca became, with a day of skiing planned the drive to the heights of the mountain was breathtaking, and they enjoyed their conversation all the way. Cesca used the time to tell Alex of her love for him and how she was going to show him as much as possible in the time they had left. She loved laying her head on his shoulder and caressing him in the small ways she could as he drove without causing too much distraction. The ski slopes were in good condition and the skiing was excellent, Cesca was an expert skier while Alex expertise was lacking to say the least. Cesca couldn't help but laugh at him as he made his way down the mountain stumbling in all directions. He was willing to be the fall guy if it brought her laughter ringing out, echoing through the valley and over the mountain tops. There was no happier sound to Alex's ears than that of Cesca's laughter.
The moonlight shown over them as their desire led them from one moment of ecstasy to another each one more intense than the last. As the evening came to an end Alex and Cesca could hardly face the separation they knew lay ahead of them, how they wanted to spend the night wrapped in each others arms but knew that was impossible. Cesca put her arms around Alex's neck and pulled his identification chain out of his shirt and kissed it as if to add her love to it , them she took off the beautiful ring she was wearing and placed it on the chain, it was the only part of her she had to give that he could have forever. "I want you to have this Alex as a reminder of my love. It will be a constant reminder of our time together and the love that we shared that no one can take from us, a love that we can hold within our hearts from this day forward."
It was almost time to say goodbye and their hearts were breaking, how could they say goodbye, how could they turn away from each other and walk away? Alex took Cesca in his arms and held her as long as he dared, he knew that he had to take her back and the thought left him with an ache in his heart that was so intense he could hardly bare the pain.
He lifted her up to his lips and with the softness of new fallen snow he pressed his lips on hers, he tasted the salty tears that had fallen from her eyes and across her lips, this was just too painful he thought as he carried her to the door. The end was here, an end they always new was coming but wouldn't let it destroy the love they had found for one another.
It was a gorgeous day, their last day to be together. As Alex made his way to the hotel, singing to himself as he thought of Cesca and his love for her. The thought of leaving her cast a shadow over his excitement, but he would ignore it for the remainder for their time together. He couldn't let anything jeopardize that , it had to be perfect and it would be if at all possible.
The villa would be their haven for the day, theirs alone to spend their last hours together. There they would be free from staring eyes, the stress from having to look over their shoulder they would have a freedom that allowed them to enjoy each other, to express their feelings maybe for the last time. Alex would have these memories to comfort him for his remaining months in the military, and then he would take them home to America where he would cherish them for the rest of his life. Cesca would hide them in her heart as she returned to the stuffy life of her royal family where her life was synchronized down to her every move. These few weeks would be a time in her life she would remember as hers, a time that she made her own decisions, a time when she was her own person, a time when she was just a girl, a girl in love, in love with a soldier, in love with a time, just a woman in love.
As they arrived at the villa, Alex opened the door, lifted Cesca from the car and carried her over the threshold, his lips coming down on hers with
all the tenderness that was in him. The flame of desire engulfed the two of them; their kisses became more passionate as they crumbled to the floor. The fire was roaring in the fireplace and the aroma of fresh coffee filled the room but they hadn't noticed, Alex's buddy had made preparations for them as his contribution to their last day together.
Their lovemaking lasted until the fire had dwindled down to ashes and Alex noticed it was time to add more logs, the villa, made of stone always had a chill inside so the fireplace came in handy in any season. Although fire was not needed to keep them warm it did add to the ambiance of the moment. Alex added a log and returned to his place beside Cesca on the soft, furry rug that had made the perfect place to spend their last hours together.
After making love to the point of exhaustion, Alex took Cesca by the hand and lifted her from the floor kissing her as her lips came close to his, why miss an opportunity when it presented itself, he laughed to himself. She freshened herself and took a seat on the Victorian sofa facing the beautiful stone fireplace. Alex retrieved coffee for the two of them and some cookies his buddy had made the night before. they sat facing each other for maybe the last moments they would be together, their conversation went on for hours, and there would be nothing they wouldn't know about each other by the end of the day.
Their escapade on the floor had left them famished so Alex led Cesca into the kitchen where food had already been prepared compliments again of his friend and roommate. It was spread out on the table, a feast fit for the countess and her count, there was an assortment of cheeses, breads, and fruits, a pot of soup was simmering on the stove and it filled the air with a delicious aroma and of course there was a choice of local Italian wines.
After having their fill of good things to eat, Alex poured two glasses of wine and they made their way out to the veranda where the evening view was so breathtaking that tears filled Cesca's eyes. "It is so beautiful here, Alex." "Only because you are here, Cesca," commented Alex. as he kissed her on the cheek feeling the tear that had just fallen from her eye. As he looked into her eyes, through the tears, he could see a love that he knew was for him and him alone, their time together would soon come to an end but the love they had for each other would live forever.
Alex took her by the hand and led her into the garden, as they strolled along together, Cesca poured out her heart,"Alex, our time together is coming to an end, I want you to know that I will never feel about anyone the way I feel about you. You are the beat of my heart, you are the light of my soul, I love you more than I could have imagined. I don't know how I will ever be able to go on without you but we both know a union between us is impossible. We knew that from the beginning but I was willing to make that sacrifice for the love that you gave me and hope you feel the same. I hope you never forget me, I hope I have won a place in your heart that will always by mine." Cesca pulled the chain with ring out of Alex's shirt once again, holding it in her hand she said, "Each time you look at this ring, remember it has all my love within it and it will never be given to another," and she placed it back inside his shirt, her hands moving over his chest and then to his face enclosing it in her hands, she looked into his eyes now filled with tears. As a tear made it's way down his cheek she kissed it away but tears from her own eyes were making it difficult, as they kissed there in the garden, their tears became one as if to say we two are now one.
Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, he opened it and there was the most beautiful cameo that Cesca had ever seen, he placed it around her neck and as he did he laid her back on the large stone that was their favorite place in the garden and when their lips met time was forgotten. The passion of the moment was too much for them and they became lost in each other but neither of them cared, it was the ending of their love affair and this was all they would have to remember.
The rest of the evening was spent silently on the lounge in each others arms, they felt that all had been said and now they just wanted their love to blend in these last moments together. Alex tried to give Cesca enough kisses to last the rest of her life, the thoughts of leaving him had brought her tears to a sob as the end of the day approached and they would have to go back to the hotel. She, back to her life as a royal, a life empty of the one true love she probably would ever know. He, to the life of an American soldier who fell in love with a countess, a woman thought to be above him by everyone but her, but for this day they were one, one with each other, one for each other, one for all time.
Cesca's curfew was quickly approaching; Alex would have to take her back soon and the moments were becoming more and more intense. He just wanted to hold her, hold her tight until nothing or no one could ever come between them, but he knew that was impossible and so did she. As he turned out the lights and kissed her for the last time their hearts became one, they felt a bond they knew would never be broken by distance, by loves, by time. They were one, by chance, by choice, by circumstance, but most of all by love.
Alex and Francesca knew that the love they had for one another would forever be part of them although they may never see one another again and chances were they probably never would. Yet, they had been willing to take this chance for a love they felt was the only one for them. It was a short moment of time in their lives that could never be forgotten and neither one of them intended to forget nor were they capable of forgetting such love that they had for each other. Francesca had never known such freedom, such bliss, she had always been confined t the desires and wishes of her family and what was expected of her as a member of the royal family. this time she had spent with Alex was so different from anything she had ever experienced, how could she not fall in love with him and he with her.
This month had been a dream come true for the both of them, finding each other under the most dire of circumstances which could have proved detrimental to both of them yet they gambled it all and came out with memories to last a lifetime although it would be hard to let go of each other and walk away with only memories but they knew that from the start.
The drive back to the hotel was somber, silent and foreboding. Alex, fulfilling his last assignment in the line of duty, returned the Countess to her hotel, as he opened the door for her exit and he leaned into the car a tear fell from his cheek; he knew he would never forget her, as the month they had spent together flashed before him, all the good times and the moments when they realized this day would come he knew she would be in his heart forever and the time they had spent together would be with him for the rest of his life. Their eyes met as he bent over to assist her out of the car, as he took her by the hand words were not spoken, their hearts were silently saying all they wanted to say, words of love and tenderness, words of goodbye without their lips having to move, at that moment they were so in touch with their feelings that the love they had for each other was as a mist that engulfed their very being and as their eyes said goodbye Alex knew that he would never forget the time he had spent with her and she too was telling him silently that she could never forget the love that he had so willing given her, a love that was forbidden but a love worth the chance. How could she forget the sacrifice that he had made for her, without him she would have never know love could be felt so deeply nor would she ever again?
As he held onto her hand never wanting to let go his heart was in so much pain that he could hardly breathe, how could he let her go, how could he give up the greatest love he had ever known or that he would ever want to know? She was the very soul of his life, she was the breath that he breathed, how could he go on without her?
As Francesca looked into the depths of his soul she could see the pain of separation that he was feeling at that moment, the tears began to fall from her eyes as Alex lifted her from the car, as the aroma of his cologne filled her senses she knew that it was over. She felt the same pain within her own heart but knew this was the end , duty calls and she must return to Countess Victoria Francesca Castalina. She must put on the cloak of duty and return to her life of responsibility not with anticipation but with dread and fear but knowing that the broken heart she would carry for the rest of her life was a small price to pay for the love she had gained in return. With his white gloved hand Alex wiped her tears as their eyes met for the last time silently saying I will always love you.
Alex lifted Francesca from the car and as she made her way into the hotel he watched her every step as she walked out of his life forever, leaving him with memories and a broken heart.
Cesca opened the door to her room and fell against it as it closed behind her, she was exhausted from the pain within her heart, she fell upon the bed sobbing uncontrollably at the thought of never seeing Alex again. She reached into her dress to retrieve the locket that would bring him closer to but to her dismay she had lost it during the evening, she was devastated, there was no way it would be possible to retrieve it even if she knew where she had lost it. It was gone forever just as Alex was now gone forever leaving her only memories to keep her alive. Her sobs became almost an agonizing groan as she lay on the bed until she finally fell asleep still dressed in her clothes.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Francesca and Alexander Cont'd
Granny here,
Francesca & Alexander
As he awoke the next morning, Cesca was his first thought, although it was six in the morning it was never to early to think of her. He made his way to the shower, than to the mess hall wishing that his day would be filled with her presence again but he had no appointment with her that day. Just as he was finishing his breakfast, his superior officer came over to him, "Alex, an order has come in from the young Countess, requesting you as her escort for the day, whatever she wants to do, accommodate her with the reverence she deserves, do the army proud, don't let us down." Alex, saluted the officer and said, "Yes, Sir!" with a grin in his heart but not on his face, Alex was about to bust with joy, he was going to spend the day with her again. Was he kidding himself, would she be the same excited, happy young lady that he had spent the day with yesterday? Had she just been caught up in the moment or had it really meant something to her? Alex had a lot of questions, would he find his answers?
Alex returned to the villa to change into his royal uniform, he was to pick Cesca up at ten a.m. He met her at her door which was expected of him by protocol guidelines. Alex liked what he saw as the door opened and Cesca made her appearance. She was striking in an ankle length print dress that fit her form with no room to spare; the bodice was fitted with see through lace that displayed one of her best features, her breasts. The cleavage was just enough to cause heads to turn and Alex's heart to flutter. "Good morning Alex," she said with that smile that started Alex's day off just right. "Good morning Countess, what is the plan for the day?"
"I would like to go sightseeing today, this is such lovely country and I would like to see as much as I can in the short time I will be here, is that possible?" "We can sight see together, I haven't had time to see very much of the area, Uncle Sam keeps me quite busy." Alex wasn't allowed to touch the countess in public so his escorting was kept to a minimum, his desire to touch her was almost overwhelming, he caught himself several times reaching out to take her hand but refrained just in time. He opened the door for her to enter the car and took the opportunity of whispering sweet nothings in her ear as she slid in; she gave him a grin of approval and lightly squeezed his hand which came as a surprise that she had actually allowed them to touch each other.
"Where would you like to go first, your Royal Highness, asked Alex, in his teasing manner which brought her laughter ringing through the car, it was music to Alex's ears, he loved her laughter. "It doesn't matter; being alone with you is all that matters, that's all I really want." Her comment took Alex off guard but in a surprising way, his heart started to beat so hard he was sure she could hear it in the back seat. "I feel the same way, Cesca, you know we are in jeopardy of being caught and that could mean real trouble for both of us." "I'm willing to take that chance if you are, I get very little out of life that I want, and I want you, Alex, you make me happy, you make me laugh, I enjoy myself when I'm with you, am I worth the gamble?" "You don't know how much you are worth to me, Cesca, you have brought a joy to my life I didn't know existed, I'm willing to pay the price if that's what it takes to spend my time with you."
Alex had heard from the other soldiers of a remote section of the city that was set among the Greek ruins so prevalent in the area. He thought that would be the perfect place to be alone with Cesca, but really any place would be the perfect place as far as he was concerned. He drove for miles describing the sights as best he could, he wasn't that well versed in the history of the region but told Cesca what he knew. She was fascinated with it all, especially with him, she leaned up closer to him and laid her head on the seat right behind his head which distracted him very much. Her perfume filled the car with the aroma of a flower garden; teasing him she breathed on his neck, whispered in his ear and tickled his ear lobe. This was having a distinct affect on Alex and he could barely keep his mind on his driving but Cesca found it very amusing.
He was just about to his limit with her teasing when he came upon the perfect spot where they could be together. He pulled over, thrust open the door and pulled Cesca into his arms, his kiss said "I'm so glad you're in my arms and in my life." She was as responsive as he hoped she would be, the kisses kept coming and the passion heated to the point that Alex wanted to lay Cesca back in the seat but had a change of heart out of respect for this woman with whom he found himself falling in love.
"This is a great place for a stroll, Cesca, let's take advantage of the day and get the most for our gamble," laughed Alex as he took her by the hand. As he felt her hand in his he noticed she was wearing a beautiful diamond ring but refrained from asking any questions for fear it was a token from someone in her past and he didn't want to hear abut that. "You have a crazy sense of humor, Alex, that's what I love about you; I've never known anyone quite like you. All the men in my life have been stuffed shirts, so full of themselves there wasn't room for anyone else. My life has been planned for me from the clothes that I wear to the men I am seen with, I have very little to say about any of it and that can be very disheartening but there is little I can do about it. This time with you is like heaven to me, please say that the remaining days will be ours alone." "I would love to spend the rest of my life with you, Cesca, if it were possible, but we both know that it isn't, we must make the most of the time we have left," explained Alex as he turned Cesca toward him to look into her eyes which sparked a fire in both of them and their lips met once again with the same passion as before.
They walked and talked as the day faded away from them, they were so involved with each other that they had forgotten to eat and it was getting late. Along the shoreline they had passed a small quaint café and decided to go back there and have some wine and a bite to eat. They decided on penne pasta with marinara sauce, and some famous Italian bread that was made right there on the premises. The day was quickly turning into evening and Alex had a deadline for returning Cesca to the hotel, she would be leaving soon and taking her back was getting more and more difficult each time for him and for her. She had expressed her feelings about leaving him on more than one occasion but knew the time was closer than either one of them wanted to admit. the fact that they would soon part brought a degree of sadness to their time together, they were more determined to make the most of the time they had left, making memories to last them a lifetime because memories would be all they would have of this moment in time.
The Countess had made it clear to her family and the army superiors that Alex would be her own personal guard and guide for her remaining days in Calabria. She had not enjoyed her outings with Lt. Donovan; he was just not her type, too quiet, too reserved and not a very good conversationalist. Lt. Donovan had it figured out himself and approached Alex about the subject. "You're falling in love with her aren't you, Alex? You knew to be on your guard when you took this assignment. How could you set yourself up like this?" "Oh, I know you're right, I am a fool, I never dreamed that it could happen so quickly, but I do love her very much and it's too late now, she will be leaving soon, I'll get over it I just hope that she does, I would never want to hurt her in any way."
Alex wanted to spend as much private time with Cesca as possible and the only place that was possible would be at the villa where Alex lived off base with one of the other guys from his company, so he did what any American soldier would do , he made a deal with his house mate, he would be gone as much as possible when Alex was with Cesca and they would have the villa to themselves, with no worries of being interrupted.
Alex actually dreaded the next few weeks knowing that he would have to give her up when it was over but he couldn't ruin her only chance of having a taste of a life that she could only dream of. How could he let her go? Was it his decision to make? She had told him that her life was planned for her so she had little to say about it so how could he take this away from her?
Francesca & Alexander
As he awoke the next morning, Cesca was his first thought, although it was six in the morning it was never to early to think of her. He made his way to the shower, than to the mess hall wishing that his day would be filled with her presence again but he had no appointment with her that day. Just as he was finishing his breakfast, his superior officer came over to him, "Alex, an order has come in from the young Countess, requesting you as her escort for the day, whatever she wants to do, accommodate her with the reverence she deserves, do the army proud, don't let us down." Alex, saluted the officer and said, "Yes, Sir!" with a grin in his heart but not on his face, Alex was about to bust with joy, he was going to spend the day with her again. Was he kidding himself, would she be the same excited, happy young lady that he had spent the day with yesterday? Had she just been caught up in the moment or had it really meant something to her? Alex had a lot of questions, would he find his answers?
Alex returned to the villa to change into his royal uniform, he was to pick Cesca up at ten a.m. He met her at her door which was expected of him by protocol guidelines. Alex liked what he saw as the door opened and Cesca made her appearance. She was striking in an ankle length print dress that fit her form with no room to spare; the bodice was fitted with see through lace that displayed one of her best features, her breasts. The cleavage was just enough to cause heads to turn and Alex's heart to flutter. "Good morning Alex," she said with that smile that started Alex's day off just right. "Good morning Countess, what is the plan for the day?"
"I would like to go sightseeing today, this is such lovely country and I would like to see as much as I can in the short time I will be here, is that possible?" "We can sight see together, I haven't had time to see very much of the area, Uncle Sam keeps me quite busy." Alex wasn't allowed to touch the countess in public so his escorting was kept to a minimum, his desire to touch her was almost overwhelming, he caught himself several times reaching out to take her hand but refrained just in time. He opened the door for her to enter the car and took the opportunity of whispering sweet nothings in her ear as she slid in; she gave him a grin of approval and lightly squeezed his hand which came as a surprise that she had actually allowed them to touch each other.
"Where would you like to go first, your Royal Highness, asked Alex, in his teasing manner which brought her laughter ringing through the car, it was music to Alex's ears, he loved her laughter. "It doesn't matter; being alone with you is all that matters, that's all I really want." Her comment took Alex off guard but in a surprising way, his heart started to beat so hard he was sure she could hear it in the back seat. "I feel the same way, Cesca, you know we are in jeopardy of being caught and that could mean real trouble for both of us." "I'm willing to take that chance if you are, I get very little out of life that I want, and I want you, Alex, you make me happy, you make me laugh, I enjoy myself when I'm with you, am I worth the gamble?" "You don't know how much you are worth to me, Cesca, you have brought a joy to my life I didn't know existed, I'm willing to pay the price if that's what it takes to spend my time with you."
Alex had heard from the other soldiers of a remote section of the city that was set among the Greek ruins so prevalent in the area. He thought that would be the perfect place to be alone with Cesca, but really any place would be the perfect place as far as he was concerned. He drove for miles describing the sights as best he could, he wasn't that well versed in the history of the region but told Cesca what he knew. She was fascinated with it all, especially with him, she leaned up closer to him and laid her head on the seat right behind his head which distracted him very much. Her perfume filled the car with the aroma of a flower garden; teasing him she breathed on his neck, whispered in his ear and tickled his ear lobe. This was having a distinct affect on Alex and he could barely keep his mind on his driving but Cesca found it very amusing.
He was just about to his limit with her teasing when he came upon the perfect spot where they could be together. He pulled over, thrust open the door and pulled Cesca into his arms, his kiss said "I'm so glad you're in my arms and in my life." She was as responsive as he hoped she would be, the kisses kept coming and the passion heated to the point that Alex wanted to lay Cesca back in the seat but had a change of heart out of respect for this woman with whom he found himself falling in love.
"This is a great place for a stroll, Cesca, let's take advantage of the day and get the most for our gamble," laughed Alex as he took her by the hand. As he felt her hand in his he noticed she was wearing a beautiful diamond ring but refrained from asking any questions for fear it was a token from someone in her past and he didn't want to hear abut that. "You have a crazy sense of humor, Alex, that's what I love about you; I've never known anyone quite like you. All the men in my life have been stuffed shirts, so full of themselves there wasn't room for anyone else. My life has been planned for me from the clothes that I wear to the men I am seen with, I have very little to say about any of it and that can be very disheartening but there is little I can do about it. This time with you is like heaven to me, please say that the remaining days will be ours alone." "I would love to spend the rest of my life with you, Cesca, if it were possible, but we both know that it isn't, we must make the most of the time we have left," explained Alex as he turned Cesca toward him to look into her eyes which sparked a fire in both of them and their lips met once again with the same passion as before.
They walked and talked as the day faded away from them, they were so involved with each other that they had forgotten to eat and it was getting late. Along the shoreline they had passed a small quaint café and decided to go back there and have some wine and a bite to eat. They decided on penne pasta with marinara sauce, and some famous Italian bread that was made right there on the premises. The day was quickly turning into evening and Alex had a deadline for returning Cesca to the hotel, she would be leaving soon and taking her back was getting more and more difficult each time for him and for her. She had expressed her feelings about leaving him on more than one occasion but knew the time was closer than either one of them wanted to admit. the fact that they would soon part brought a degree of sadness to their time together, they were more determined to make the most of the time they had left, making memories to last them a lifetime because memories would be all they would have of this moment in time.
The Countess had made it clear to her family and the army superiors that Alex would be her own personal guard and guide for her remaining days in Calabria. She had not enjoyed her outings with Lt. Donovan; he was just not her type, too quiet, too reserved and not a very good conversationalist. Lt. Donovan had it figured out himself and approached Alex about the subject. "You're falling in love with her aren't you, Alex? You knew to be on your guard when you took this assignment. How could you set yourself up like this?" "Oh, I know you're right, I am a fool, I never dreamed that it could happen so quickly, but I do love her very much and it's too late now, she will be leaving soon, I'll get over it I just hope that she does, I would never want to hurt her in any way."
Alex wanted to spend as much private time with Cesca as possible and the only place that was possible would be at the villa where Alex lived off base with one of the other guys from his company, so he did what any American soldier would do , he made a deal with his house mate, he would be gone as much as possible when Alex was with Cesca and they would have the villa to themselves, with no worries of being interrupted.
Alex actually dreaded the next few weeks knowing that he would have to give her up when it was over but he couldn't ruin her only chance of having a taste of a life that she could only dream of. How could he let her go? Was it his decision to make? She had told him that her life was planned for her so she had little to say about it so how could he take this away from her?
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Out of the Past Cont'd
Granny here,
"Francesca and Alexander"
"Sometime During the Eighteen Hundreds"
The war was unsettling to say the least for the countries involved and all of their people. American soldiers had been deployed to the regions surrounding Calabria and were doing what they could to keep peace in the area. The Italian people were grateful but somewhat apprehensive of the American soldiers but had no other choice but to accept help wherever they could find it.
The soldiers had been given orders to what lengths they were allowed to go with the Italian women and would be disciplined if they went outside the boundaries set for them. Being American males they were brave men but they were also lonely men, they often took chances and had affairs with the young ladies of Calabria and the surrounding villages. Many of them paid the price when caught and spent many hours confined to the brig, but were willing to do so in order to enjoy a few hours of sexual satisfaction with the girl of their choice. Many of them fell in love with hopes of marrying after the war was over. The superiors knew the dangers of this behavior which would include many unwanted pregnancies and babies born out of wedlock were so great that great strides were made to avoid such occurrences.
The soldiers were assigned to different details such as keeping peace after hours in the city streets, in the mountainous areas where the enemy would often hide. They were also assigned as escorts to various dignitaries throughout the region when the occasion called for it. This included the echelon of the military, the Italian government and members of royal families whenever they visited the area.
The American Post was set up on the outskirts of Calabria at the foot of the mountains where the men would have a good view of the surrounding areas including access to the mountains. They were beautiful with their snowcaps along the peaks and dark green forestry as they descended to the valley below that led to white sandy beaches. The soldiers had access to various sports depending on the season of the year whenever they had a few days leave to enjoy themselves, but with loneliness the number one problem among the men , women was their chosen sport. Some of the men were not having flings they were falling in love therefore complicating their situation even more, getting married during wartime was not easy by any means but in a foreign country it was virtually impossible.
Many of the men found themselves in love and having no solutions to the problem they had created for themselves. Man of them chose to live off base with their "wife" and sometimes children, this practice was frowned upon by the U.S. Military but little could be done about it except locking the men up and that only added to the situation and they needed every man to be available for duty when they were needed.
Rumors were spreading among the men that some members of a royal family would be visiting the area for a month and that escorts would be needed to guard them during their stay. Many of the men were hoping for the assignment, they all had different reasons, some just for the prestige that the assignment would carry with it, others for the chance to meet royalty and make some memories to last them a lifetime and go home with some great stories to tell their families. This was something that would only happen once in their lifetime. One of these soldiers was Lt. Robert Alexander Neilson, a tall, dark and handsome young man in his early twenties.
The day for finding out who had be given the assignment was filled with excitement and apprehension for the men, most of them wanted this assignment so when the listing was posted all of them were there to read it. The selection consisted of six men all with experience in guard duty somewhere in the past. The list read Pvt. Donald Louis Watson Pvt. Maury Lee Olsen, Lt. James Smith Donovan, Pvt. Bradley Wayne Littleton and Lt. Robert Alexander Neilson. The sis men were thrilled with the news but still had days of preparation for the event, they had a lot to learn about royalty.
After the final choices were made for the royal guard duty, the men had to study for days learning all the rules of protocol that was involved with such an assignment. It was very important that the men knew what was allowed and what was not in a situation such as this. Security would be of the utmost importance and how the soldiers conducted themselves in the presence of royalty could bring unwanted publicity to the American military if not handled correctly.
The soldiers chosen as the "Royalty Guard" were given a list of all the royal family members that would be under their care. It would be King Garibaldi and Queen Alisianna, and their niece The Countess Victoria Francesca Castalina, a beautiful young lady about twenty years old. The men were given photographs of the family so they would be familiar with them and the men liked what they saw in the young countess, they also knew that the hands off policy would definitely be applied in this circumstance and that the penalty would be severe if not adhered to.
The big day finally arrived, the Royal Guard was trained and ready for duty and was well prepared for the task at hand but as far as the Countess was concerned the men did not look at this as work but pure pleasure. Special uniforms had been commissioned for the men and they were the pride of their company. There was also a degree of jealousy among the men not chosen for they understood it was just the luck of the draw and wished the men chosen well in their assignment. This assignment would last for a month and included various events that the royal family would be participating in. Two of the men would be assigned to the King, two of them to the Queen and two of them to the Countess.
They received their assignment by random drawing with Lts. Neilson
and Donovan being assigned to Countess Francesca which made them feel fortunate indeed, but they also knew they would have to conduct themselves as gentlemen at all times or pay the consequences if caught. This may not have been too much of a concern for Lt. Donavon, who was a shy, quiet man who was considered a wall flower by all the other men and he usually would rather spend his time alone than with the other guys. On the other hand Lt. Neilson was very popular, outgoing type of guy who was always the life of the party and thought taking chances was the spice of life. All the men teased the two about how lucky they were and wondered which one would wind up with the countess. Little did the two men know what lay in store for them, especially Lt. Robert Alexander Neilson.
The two lieutenants were introduced to the royal family at a formal gathering that included the entire company and was it a royal affair? The men were dressed in their royal best and the countess' beauty took their breath away. When the countess was introduced to Lt. Neilson it was a little different that meeting Lt. Donovan, she seemed to linger just a little longer, look in his eyes a little longer and have a smile that seemed to say more than "I'm glad to meet you."
It wasn't long before the Countess was learning the personalities of her two escorts and they were as different as daylight and dark with Lt. Neilson being the daylight. He made her laugh, made her feel good in a time when it was hard to find anything to feel good about, where Lt. Donovan was quiet and adhered strictly to military protocol and added nothing to her time out with him.
Lt. Neilson's schedule for the day was to pick up Countess Francesca and take her to the beach for a day of swimming and relaxation. Not a bad assignment by any man's standards and Lt. Alex as he was called would make the most of it, one could be sure of that. As she came out of the royal suite, Alex's breath was taken away for a moment; she was beyond gorgeous, tall and slender, with long legs, a dark tan on what flesh he could see, her eyes looked like brown jewels and her hair was the color of coffee. He knew this day was going to be more than special if he had anything to do with it.
He escorted her to the special vehicle that had been assigned to the Countess for these occasions and opened the back door for her, as she stood near him she couldn't help but breathe in the aroma of his cologne which made her feel light headed but in a good way. She smiled at him as she slid into the back seat, her long legs peeking from under her royal skirt. He grinned back at her as if he had not noticed them and leaned inside the car to make sure everything was secure, giving her an extra close look at this physique and another whiff of his cologne, it never hurt to take extra measures to get things to go the way you wanted them to and Lt. Alex knew all the tricks and he wasn't afraid to use them.
Countess Francesca opened the conversation which was the only way the men were allowed to talk to the royal family; they had to indicate that they wanted conversation by initiating it. Any conversation had to be initiated by them otherwise it would be considered an intrusion on the part of the soldier and that was unacceptable. "How long have you been in the army, soldier?" Asked the young countess. "About two years, answered Alex, I like it very much, especially my present assignment." "Do you plan to make a career in the armed forces, there's lots of opportunity you know." "I'll have to give that some thought, Countess, do you think that would be a wise decision?" Asked Alex, bringing the conversation down to a more personal level. "I can think of worse vocations, can't you? The military has a great deal to offer and more men like you need to take advantage of it, don't you think?" "Yes, I guess you're right there, but I'm not sure it's the best decision for all of us but a lot of the men do choose to stay. I'll have to give it some more thought before my time is up." "By the way, please call me Cesca, all my friends do." "Thank you Countess, I mean Cesca, for adding me to the category of friend, do you grant that liberty to all your escorts? Ask Alex. You may call me Alex if you like, I would count it a privilege to call you my friend, and it's not every day that a soldier gets to add royalty to his list of friends." As the conversation continued Alex took the opportunity to look back through the rearview mirror and observe Cesca's expression and trying to figure out what she was really thinking and where she may be going with this conversation. Please discard the royalty, for the month we are together, I am just a girl seeking a good time and I hope you will be part of that, I will put the royalty back on when I return to my life, right now I want this to be a new life, new memories, and most of all a good time." Alex was taken by surprise but it was a good one and he would do all in his power to bring the countess' desires about. The conversation helped pass the time and they were at the beach before either one of them realized it, it was a special section that had been designated exclusively for the royal family for security reasons so Alex had her all to himself.
The sun was hot on the sand as Alex opened the door for Cesca, as she slid her long legs out on the sandy beach Alex offered his hand for assistance, she was about to stand up and when the sand shifted beneath her she landed in Alex's arms, which he didn't mind, but needless to say it was an embarrassment for both of them. As Alex caught her, their eyes met and both of them felt something electric go between them, this could not be, this should not be but there was no doubt for either of them, they were definitely attracted to each other more ways than one.
Alex, remembering his orders and the rules of protocol, quickly let her go and preceded to set up the area where she would be comfortable, spreading the blanket, setting up the beach umbrella and the royal picnic lunch. He carried her satchel and placed it under the umbrella, out of the corner of his eye he could see her untying the wrap she was wearing as a cover up. Her bathing suit, a navy blue sailor style, the latest fashion of the day, fit her like she had been melted and poured in it. Alex almost lost his composure, he was a young man after all, who had been away from female companionship for a while and she certainly fit the bill that would fill in all the lonely moments he had had up until now.
Cesca brought Alex back to reality, "You did bring swim trunks, didn't you , Alex? Why would a hunk like you go to the beach without getting in the water?" She asked. "If that is your wish, Cesca, I am prepared, but only at your invitation," Answered Alex, delighted that she had invited him to join her in her swim. His heart was beating faster as his thoughts went farther than he had anticipated, how lucky could a fellow be, this is what you write home about he thought as he dove into the water. Coming up, Alex, found himself face to face with Cesca, he didn't dare do what he felt like at that moment, he was very attracted to her and he knew that pose some serious problems for both of them.
Cesca initiated the play that ensued as Alex came up out of the water, what choice did he have but to go along with her, he had no authority to say no to royalty, not that he wanted to . She began splashing him and chasing him, trying to dunk him beneath the water, she was laughing like it was something she didn't get to do that often and Alex enjoyed the sound of her laughter as it rippled over the waves. He knew this kind of behavior would not be acceptable if found out, either by the royal family or by his superiors, so it would be their secret and he felt there would be many more to come.
Alex found it so surprising that he and the countess had such an attraction to each other so soon. Was it because he was a lonely soldier and she, a manipulated young woman with no control over her own destiny? Could one fall in love this quickly or was he leading himself into a situation that would only bring heartache for both of them. Was it fair to Cesca to let this go on with the reality of knowing it could go nowhere, that it could never become their life or would it be unfair to rob her of the only happiness she may ever know, Alex would leave that decision up to Cesca, wherever she would lead him, he would go, he knew already that he could love her that much.
The morning swim had given both of them a ravenous appetite and they made a run for the picnic basket that had been prepared by the hotel kitchen. It contained delicious fruits, cheeses, breads, and a bottle of wine. Alex spread the food out on the blanket, Cesca made her way through the hot sand to offer he assistance, Alex was about to stop her when she took him by the hand, "Remember I'm just a girl having a good time with a good looking gentleman," she said in a low sultry voice that made Alex believe there was more to Cesca than he realized. "Whatever is your pleasure, your royal highness." "Please, Alex, don't ruin this moment for me, I love being just a plain girl, on a lonely beach with a handsome soldier having the time of my life." Alex, at that moment saw a side of Cesca that was lonely, foreboding, he saw a young woman hungry for life, who knew that she only had these moments in time to make the memories that she would carry with her the rest of her life and how could he deny her that.
Cesca poured the wine and handed Alex a glass, as their hands touched he could feel the warmth of her flesh against his, "May I pose a toast, Cesca? May this moment last forever, if not in real time, in our memories, to you Cesca, a plain girl, with a handsome soldier, on a lonely beach." Alex took her in his arms, their lips met wit such tenderness and passion, a tear made it's way down her cheek, they crumbled down to the blanket weaken by the intensity of the moment, the picnic was forgotten as they lay wrapped in each others arms the remainder of the afternoon. Alex kissed her over and over again as they watched the afternoon sun go down, "We must be going, Cesca, it's getting late, we don't want to bring to much attention to our behavior, we don't need a lot of questions." "Oh, Alex, do we have to, I haven't had this much fun in my life, but I know you're right , can we do it again?" "You know I will be alternating outings with Lt. Donovan, so I won't always have the pleasure of being your escort." He hated to take her back but had his orders and didn't dare do anything that would bring suspicion upon their behavior.
Alex returned to the villa that night with a song and a secret in his heart. Sleep did not come easy, his thoughts were only of Cesca and when he would see her again. He knew that she would only be in his care for so many days during her visit and he was already resenting the fact that she had to be shared with Lt. Donovan. Why had he let himself become involved so quickly, what would he do when she left him, how could he face losing her when he had just found her? He knew all he could do was enjoy what time ha had with her and as he drifted off to sleep she was still on his mind.
Granny here, just saying!
"Francesca and Alexander"
"Sometime During the Eighteen Hundreds"
The war was unsettling to say the least for the countries involved and all of their people. American soldiers had been deployed to the regions surrounding Calabria and were doing what they could to keep peace in the area. The Italian people were grateful but somewhat apprehensive of the American soldiers but had no other choice but to accept help wherever they could find it.
The soldiers had been given orders to what lengths they were allowed to go with the Italian women and would be disciplined if they went outside the boundaries set for them. Being American males they were brave men but they were also lonely men, they often took chances and had affairs with the young ladies of Calabria and the surrounding villages. Many of them paid the price when caught and spent many hours confined to the brig, but were willing to do so in order to enjoy a few hours of sexual satisfaction with the girl of their choice. Many of them fell in love with hopes of marrying after the war was over. The superiors knew the dangers of this behavior which would include many unwanted pregnancies and babies born out of wedlock were so great that great strides were made to avoid such occurrences.
The soldiers were assigned to different details such as keeping peace after hours in the city streets, in the mountainous areas where the enemy would often hide. They were also assigned as escorts to various dignitaries throughout the region when the occasion called for it. This included the echelon of the military, the Italian government and members of royal families whenever they visited the area.
The American Post was set up on the outskirts of Calabria at the foot of the mountains where the men would have a good view of the surrounding areas including access to the mountains. They were beautiful with their snowcaps along the peaks and dark green forestry as they descended to the valley below that led to white sandy beaches. The soldiers had access to various sports depending on the season of the year whenever they had a few days leave to enjoy themselves, but with loneliness the number one problem among the men , women was their chosen sport. Some of the men were not having flings they were falling in love therefore complicating their situation even more, getting married during wartime was not easy by any means but in a foreign country it was virtually impossible.
Many of the men found themselves in love and having no solutions to the problem they had created for themselves. Man of them chose to live off base with their "wife" and sometimes children, this practice was frowned upon by the U.S. Military but little could be done about it except locking the men up and that only added to the situation and they needed every man to be available for duty when they were needed.
Rumors were spreading among the men that some members of a royal family would be visiting the area for a month and that escorts would be needed to guard them during their stay. Many of the men were hoping for the assignment, they all had different reasons, some just for the prestige that the assignment would carry with it, others for the chance to meet royalty and make some memories to last them a lifetime and go home with some great stories to tell their families. This was something that would only happen once in their lifetime. One of these soldiers was Lt. Robert Alexander Neilson, a tall, dark and handsome young man in his early twenties.
The day for finding out who had be given the assignment was filled with excitement and apprehension for the men, most of them wanted this assignment so when the listing was posted all of them were there to read it. The selection consisted of six men all with experience in guard duty somewhere in the past. The list read Pvt. Donald Louis Watson Pvt. Maury Lee Olsen, Lt. James Smith Donovan, Pvt. Bradley Wayne Littleton and Lt. Robert Alexander Neilson. The sis men were thrilled with the news but still had days of preparation for the event, they had a lot to learn about royalty.
After the final choices were made for the royal guard duty, the men had to study for days learning all the rules of protocol that was involved with such an assignment. It was very important that the men knew what was allowed and what was not in a situation such as this. Security would be of the utmost importance and how the soldiers conducted themselves in the presence of royalty could bring unwanted publicity to the American military if not handled correctly.
The soldiers chosen as the "Royalty Guard" were given a list of all the royal family members that would be under their care. It would be King Garibaldi and Queen Alisianna, and their niece The Countess Victoria Francesca Castalina, a beautiful young lady about twenty years old. The men were given photographs of the family so they would be familiar with them and the men liked what they saw in the young countess, they also knew that the hands off policy would definitely be applied in this circumstance and that the penalty would be severe if not adhered to.
The big day finally arrived, the Royal Guard was trained and ready for duty and was well prepared for the task at hand but as far as the Countess was concerned the men did not look at this as work but pure pleasure. Special uniforms had been commissioned for the men and they were the pride of their company. There was also a degree of jealousy among the men not chosen for they understood it was just the luck of the draw and wished the men chosen well in their assignment. This assignment would last for a month and included various events that the royal family would be participating in. Two of the men would be assigned to the King, two of them to the Queen and two of them to the Countess.
They received their assignment by random drawing with Lts. Neilson
and Donovan being assigned to Countess Francesca which made them feel fortunate indeed, but they also knew they would have to conduct themselves as gentlemen at all times or pay the consequences if caught. This may not have been too much of a concern for Lt. Donavon, who was a shy, quiet man who was considered a wall flower by all the other men and he usually would rather spend his time alone than with the other guys. On the other hand Lt. Neilson was very popular, outgoing type of guy who was always the life of the party and thought taking chances was the spice of life. All the men teased the two about how lucky they were and wondered which one would wind up with the countess. Little did the two men know what lay in store for them, especially Lt. Robert Alexander Neilson.
The two lieutenants were introduced to the royal family at a formal gathering that included the entire company and was it a royal affair? The men were dressed in their royal best and the countess' beauty took their breath away. When the countess was introduced to Lt. Neilson it was a little different that meeting Lt. Donovan, she seemed to linger just a little longer, look in his eyes a little longer and have a smile that seemed to say more than "I'm glad to meet you."
It wasn't long before the Countess was learning the personalities of her two escorts and they were as different as daylight and dark with Lt. Neilson being the daylight. He made her laugh, made her feel good in a time when it was hard to find anything to feel good about, where Lt. Donovan was quiet and adhered strictly to military protocol and added nothing to her time out with him.
Lt. Neilson's schedule for the day was to pick up Countess Francesca and take her to the beach for a day of swimming and relaxation. Not a bad assignment by any man's standards and Lt. Alex as he was called would make the most of it, one could be sure of that. As she came out of the royal suite, Alex's breath was taken away for a moment; she was beyond gorgeous, tall and slender, with long legs, a dark tan on what flesh he could see, her eyes looked like brown jewels and her hair was the color of coffee. He knew this day was going to be more than special if he had anything to do with it.
He escorted her to the special vehicle that had been assigned to the Countess for these occasions and opened the back door for her, as she stood near him she couldn't help but breathe in the aroma of his cologne which made her feel light headed but in a good way. She smiled at him as she slid into the back seat, her long legs peeking from under her royal skirt. He grinned back at her as if he had not noticed them and leaned inside the car to make sure everything was secure, giving her an extra close look at this physique and another whiff of his cologne, it never hurt to take extra measures to get things to go the way you wanted them to and Lt. Alex knew all the tricks and he wasn't afraid to use them.
Countess Francesca opened the conversation which was the only way the men were allowed to talk to the royal family; they had to indicate that they wanted conversation by initiating it. Any conversation had to be initiated by them otherwise it would be considered an intrusion on the part of the soldier and that was unacceptable. "How long have you been in the army, soldier?" Asked the young countess. "About two years, answered Alex, I like it very much, especially my present assignment." "Do you plan to make a career in the armed forces, there's lots of opportunity you know." "I'll have to give that some thought, Countess, do you think that would be a wise decision?" Asked Alex, bringing the conversation down to a more personal level. "I can think of worse vocations, can't you? The military has a great deal to offer and more men like you need to take advantage of it, don't you think?" "Yes, I guess you're right there, but I'm not sure it's the best decision for all of us but a lot of the men do choose to stay. I'll have to give it some more thought before my time is up." "By the way, please call me Cesca, all my friends do." "Thank you Countess, I mean Cesca, for adding me to the category of friend, do you grant that liberty to all your escorts? Ask Alex. You may call me Alex if you like, I would count it a privilege to call you my friend, and it's not every day that a soldier gets to add royalty to his list of friends." As the conversation continued Alex took the opportunity to look back through the rearview mirror and observe Cesca's expression and trying to figure out what she was really thinking and where she may be going with this conversation. Please discard the royalty, for the month we are together, I am just a girl seeking a good time and I hope you will be part of that, I will put the royalty back on when I return to my life, right now I want this to be a new life, new memories, and most of all a good time." Alex was taken by surprise but it was a good one and he would do all in his power to bring the countess' desires about. The conversation helped pass the time and they were at the beach before either one of them realized it, it was a special section that had been designated exclusively for the royal family for security reasons so Alex had her all to himself.
The sun was hot on the sand as Alex opened the door for Cesca, as she slid her long legs out on the sandy beach Alex offered his hand for assistance, she was about to stand up and when the sand shifted beneath her she landed in Alex's arms, which he didn't mind, but needless to say it was an embarrassment for both of them. As Alex caught her, their eyes met and both of them felt something electric go between them, this could not be, this should not be but there was no doubt for either of them, they were definitely attracted to each other more ways than one.
Alex, remembering his orders and the rules of protocol, quickly let her go and preceded to set up the area where she would be comfortable, spreading the blanket, setting up the beach umbrella and the royal picnic lunch. He carried her satchel and placed it under the umbrella, out of the corner of his eye he could see her untying the wrap she was wearing as a cover up. Her bathing suit, a navy blue sailor style, the latest fashion of the day, fit her like she had been melted and poured in it. Alex almost lost his composure, he was a young man after all, who had been away from female companionship for a while and she certainly fit the bill that would fill in all the lonely moments he had had up until now.
Cesca brought Alex back to reality, "You did bring swim trunks, didn't you , Alex? Why would a hunk like you go to the beach without getting in the water?" She asked. "If that is your wish, Cesca, I am prepared, but only at your invitation," Answered Alex, delighted that she had invited him to join her in her swim. His heart was beating faster as his thoughts went farther than he had anticipated, how lucky could a fellow be, this is what you write home about he thought as he dove into the water. Coming up, Alex, found himself face to face with Cesca, he didn't dare do what he felt like at that moment, he was very attracted to her and he knew that pose some serious problems for both of them.
Cesca initiated the play that ensued as Alex came up out of the water, what choice did he have but to go along with her, he had no authority to say no to royalty, not that he wanted to . She began splashing him and chasing him, trying to dunk him beneath the water, she was laughing like it was something she didn't get to do that often and Alex enjoyed the sound of her laughter as it rippled over the waves. He knew this kind of behavior would not be acceptable if found out, either by the royal family or by his superiors, so it would be their secret and he felt there would be many more to come.
Alex found it so surprising that he and the countess had such an attraction to each other so soon. Was it because he was a lonely soldier and she, a manipulated young woman with no control over her own destiny? Could one fall in love this quickly or was he leading himself into a situation that would only bring heartache for both of them. Was it fair to Cesca to let this go on with the reality of knowing it could go nowhere, that it could never become their life or would it be unfair to rob her of the only happiness she may ever know, Alex would leave that decision up to Cesca, wherever she would lead him, he would go, he knew already that he could love her that much.
The morning swim had given both of them a ravenous appetite and they made a run for the picnic basket that had been prepared by the hotel kitchen. It contained delicious fruits, cheeses, breads, and a bottle of wine. Alex spread the food out on the blanket, Cesca made her way through the hot sand to offer he assistance, Alex was about to stop her when she took him by the hand, "Remember I'm just a girl having a good time with a good looking gentleman," she said in a low sultry voice that made Alex believe there was more to Cesca than he realized. "Whatever is your pleasure, your royal highness." "Please, Alex, don't ruin this moment for me, I love being just a plain girl, on a lonely beach with a handsome soldier having the time of my life." Alex, at that moment saw a side of Cesca that was lonely, foreboding, he saw a young woman hungry for life, who knew that she only had these moments in time to make the memories that she would carry with her the rest of her life and how could he deny her that.
Cesca poured the wine and handed Alex a glass, as their hands touched he could feel the warmth of her flesh against his, "May I pose a toast, Cesca? May this moment last forever, if not in real time, in our memories, to you Cesca, a plain girl, with a handsome soldier, on a lonely beach." Alex took her in his arms, their lips met wit such tenderness and passion, a tear made it's way down her cheek, they crumbled down to the blanket weaken by the intensity of the moment, the picnic was forgotten as they lay wrapped in each others arms the remainder of the afternoon. Alex kissed her over and over again as they watched the afternoon sun go down, "We must be going, Cesca, it's getting late, we don't want to bring to much attention to our behavior, we don't need a lot of questions." "Oh, Alex, do we have to, I haven't had this much fun in my life, but I know you're right , can we do it again?" "You know I will be alternating outings with Lt. Donovan, so I won't always have the pleasure of being your escort." He hated to take her back but had his orders and didn't dare do anything that would bring suspicion upon their behavior.
Alex returned to the villa that night with a song and a secret in his heart. Sleep did not come easy, his thoughts were only of Cesca and when he would see her again. He knew that she would only be in his care for so many days during her visit and he was already resenting the fact that she had to be shared with Lt. Donovan. Why had he let himself become involved so quickly, what would he do when she left him, how could he face losing her when he had just found her? He knew all he could do was enjoy what time ha had with her and as he drifted off to sleep she was still on his mind.
Granny here, just saying!
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Out of the Past Chapter 10
Granny here,
Chapter 10
As Daisy tried to drift off to sleep her head was spinning, she had so much on her mind. Would she find out more about the ring? Was the decision concerning Tory the right one? Would her parents retire to Italy? Would Leslie decide to stay? So many questions going around in her head, it would be a miracle if she slept at all.
daisy was so intrigued with the ring she had found that she decided o spend all day Saturday investigating it, her first stop would be the jewelry stores to have them take a look at the ring. Surely they would know something about its value.
The first place was so small they didn't have any knowledge at all about it; the second store passed it off as costume jewelry from the twenties. Daisy thought this guy is a joke; he doesn't have any idea what he is talking about. Daisy had heard of a jeweler who only dealt in antique jewelry so she decided to give him a try, it was quite a drive but she thought it would be worth it, so she got a cup of coffee and off she went to Reggio di Calabria.
Mr. Pizzario, the jeweler at Antiques Reggio, was a jovial man, short in stature and sharp in his knowledge of antique jewelry. In his Italian English he began his inquiry, "Where did you get this piece of jewelry young lady?" "I found it buried in the garden of the villa that I leased." Replied Daisy with an air of excitement. Mr. Pizzario put on his magnifying eye to have a closer look, "First, the mounting is platinum, that is obvious, the main stone is a diamond, but it will take further study to determine it clarity, style, age and the era that it comes from. Are you willing to leave it in my possession so that I may have more time to study it?" He asked as he placed the ring in a box that he retrieved from the drawer. "The ring will be insured by the company that will be doing the examination and you will receive a receipt and be kept up to date on the findings. Will this meet with your approval?" Daisy thought for a moment and decided if she was going to find out any information this was probably her best option. "I think I can do that, how long do you think the search will take?" "That, I have no idea, but I would say at least a month, maybe two, I will call you form time to time and keep you up to date." Daisy signed the permission form and took her receipt and left, wondering if she had done the right thing.
Daisy decided to give Leslie a call on her way back to town. "I' so glad you called Daisy, I was going to call you with the news." "What news, Leslie?" Came Daisy's inquisitive reply. "My job in America has come to an end, I have decided to stay in Calabria, and I received word last week of their decision." "Oh, Leslie, I'm so glad, not that you've lost your job but that you are staying in Calabria, can we get together for dinner tonight?" "I'd love that, let's meet at the Café Cuinsino at six, ok?" "Tell Tory, hi and I will call him later, bye." Daisy got home with plenty of time to relax before meeting Leslie that evening. She poured herself a glass of wine and made her way to the veranda, her favorite place , to chill out for a while. She had no idea how exhausted she really was and before she could drink her wine she fell asleep and of course what else would Daisy do, but dream.
It was almost five o' clock when Daisy woke up, she jumped up, seeing how late it was she would have to rush to make it in time to meet Leslie at the café. She freshened up and out the door she went. Leslie had just been seated when Daisy arrived, the two hugged a friendly hello and sat down. "Oh, Leslie, I am so glad you are staying in Italy, you are my best friend, I really did want you to stay." "You aren't any happier than I am, Daisy, my job was so boring. I had contemplated quitting before I heard that things had a chance of changing in the near future. My parents plan on retiring here in a few years so I will be glad that I stayed." The girls ordered their food and discussed their futures and life in general.
"Leslie, you remember that ring I found, I took it to an antique jewelry specialist and they are going to examine it, they said it could take a month or two. I wonder what they will find out. I've been to the library once but I'll go again when I get their report. I know there is a mystery about that ring and I won't rest until I find out what it is."Yes, Daisy, I do remember it, it sounded lovely when you described it to me, do you think it's real? It will be fun to learn the history behind it. It would be great if it had some mysterious story of love and intrigue to go with it, wouldn't it? What will you do with the ring Daisy?" "If the jeweler decides that it is real, I will have to have it insured and place it in a safe deposit box at the bank. He is experienced enough to know and with the research they are doing they should find out for sure if it's real. After I hear form the experts, all I can do is trust them and their opinion, I will then decide what to do with it, who knows maybe I will find the real owner or at least the family to which it belongs." "You are a dreamer Daisy, to think you will be able to find them after all these years, but maybe you can with enough research, we'll wait and see, it should be very interesting." Daisy and Leslie had a lovely time making plans, since they were going to have more time to spend together their conversation covered everything from A to Z. They spent the entire evening going over the day and what they planned to accomplish in the future. It was late when Daisy returned home, she didn't waste any time getting to bed because she had a busy day ahead of her.
So far Daisy's new life in Italy was becoming far more exciting than she had ever anticipated, she had made new friends, she had fallen in love, she was living in the home of her dreams and she had found a mysterious ring with this intriguing mystery surrounding it which she hoped to solve with a happy ending. Daisy thought moving to Italy was the right decision and she knew there was so much more awaiting her as she moved forward into her Italian future.
Daisy didn't have a clue what her life in Calabria was going to be like when she decided to go there all she knew was that she wanted to go more than anything she had ever wanted in her life and now she was here living her dream. She thought she had found the man of her dreams in Tory, she had made good friends and had an excellent job and lived in a dreamy villa with years of history and secrets to discover.
Her new life was taking shape and she felt that she had made the right decision in coming to Italy and now with the discovery of the ring she had new avenues to investigate and new territory to search.
The weeks were flying by and daisy had not heard from the jeweler, she was getting anxious about what the report would reveal. She gone to the library again and found a picture that looked similar and the story that was told about it revealed that it was said to have belonged to Countess Victoria Francesca Castalina, a countess that was rumored to have had an affair with an American soldier during the war in the eighteen hundreds. Of course this conduct was frowned upon by the royal family and so the story has always been told only as rumor and never believed to have been true.
The story goes that during the war, the countess was visiting Calabria and was given a American soldier escort during her visit. They became very close and eventually lovers, their affair lasted the entire month she was in Calabria. Although she tried to keep it a secret from her family they suspected that something was going on but chose to keep it quiet because it would bring shame upon the royal family.
Daisy began to remember the story her father and other members of the family would tell at family gatherings of one of the grandfathers bragging that in the eighteen hundreds he had an affair with a member of the royal family but no one ever believed him. She couldn't remember all the details or the names but surely there was no connection between the stories and the ring that would be too cool, she would have to call her dad, he should have more information.
Chapter 10
As Daisy tried to drift off to sleep her head was spinning, she had so much on her mind. Would she find out more about the ring? Was the decision concerning Tory the right one? Would her parents retire to Italy? Would Leslie decide to stay? So many questions going around in her head, it would be a miracle if she slept at all.
daisy was so intrigued with the ring she had found that she decided o spend all day Saturday investigating it, her first stop would be the jewelry stores to have them take a look at the ring. Surely they would know something about its value.
The first place was so small they didn't have any knowledge at all about it; the second store passed it off as costume jewelry from the twenties. Daisy thought this guy is a joke; he doesn't have any idea what he is talking about. Daisy had heard of a jeweler who only dealt in antique jewelry so she decided to give him a try, it was quite a drive but she thought it would be worth it, so she got a cup of coffee and off she went to Reggio di Calabria.
Mr. Pizzario, the jeweler at Antiques Reggio, was a jovial man, short in stature and sharp in his knowledge of antique jewelry. In his Italian English he began his inquiry, "Where did you get this piece of jewelry young lady?" "I found it buried in the garden of the villa that I leased." Replied Daisy with an air of excitement. Mr. Pizzario put on his magnifying eye to have a closer look, "First, the mounting is platinum, that is obvious, the main stone is a diamond, but it will take further study to determine it clarity, style, age and the era that it comes from. Are you willing to leave it in my possession so that I may have more time to study it?" He asked as he placed the ring in a box that he retrieved from the drawer. "The ring will be insured by the company that will be doing the examination and you will receive a receipt and be kept up to date on the findings. Will this meet with your approval?" Daisy thought for a moment and decided if she was going to find out any information this was probably her best option. "I think I can do that, how long do you think the search will take?" "That, I have no idea, but I would say at least a month, maybe two, I will call you form time to time and keep you up to date." Daisy signed the permission form and took her receipt and left, wondering if she had done the right thing.
Daisy decided to give Leslie a call on her way back to town. "I' so glad you called Daisy, I was going to call you with the news." "What news, Leslie?" Came Daisy's inquisitive reply. "My job in America has come to an end, I have decided to stay in Calabria, and I received word last week of their decision." "Oh, Leslie, I'm so glad, not that you've lost your job but that you are staying in Calabria, can we get together for dinner tonight?" "I'd love that, let's meet at the Café Cuinsino at six, ok?" "Tell Tory, hi and I will call him later, bye." Daisy got home with plenty of time to relax before meeting Leslie that evening. She poured herself a glass of wine and made her way to the veranda, her favorite place , to chill out for a while. She had no idea how exhausted she really was and before she could drink her wine she fell asleep and of course what else would Daisy do, but dream.
It was almost five o' clock when Daisy woke up, she jumped up, seeing how late it was she would have to rush to make it in time to meet Leslie at the café. She freshened up and out the door she went. Leslie had just been seated when Daisy arrived, the two hugged a friendly hello and sat down. "Oh, Leslie, I am so glad you are staying in Italy, you are my best friend, I really did want you to stay." "You aren't any happier than I am, Daisy, my job was so boring. I had contemplated quitting before I heard that things had a chance of changing in the near future. My parents plan on retiring here in a few years so I will be glad that I stayed." The girls ordered their food and discussed their futures and life in general.
"Leslie, you remember that ring I found, I took it to an antique jewelry specialist and they are going to examine it, they said it could take a month or two. I wonder what they will find out. I've been to the library once but I'll go again when I get their report. I know there is a mystery about that ring and I won't rest until I find out what it is."Yes, Daisy, I do remember it, it sounded lovely when you described it to me, do you think it's real? It will be fun to learn the history behind it. It would be great if it had some mysterious story of love and intrigue to go with it, wouldn't it? What will you do with the ring Daisy?" "If the jeweler decides that it is real, I will have to have it insured and place it in a safe deposit box at the bank. He is experienced enough to know and with the research they are doing they should find out for sure if it's real. After I hear form the experts, all I can do is trust them and their opinion, I will then decide what to do with it, who knows maybe I will find the real owner or at least the family to which it belongs." "You are a dreamer Daisy, to think you will be able to find them after all these years, but maybe you can with enough research, we'll wait and see, it should be very interesting." Daisy and Leslie had a lovely time making plans, since they were going to have more time to spend together their conversation covered everything from A to Z. They spent the entire evening going over the day and what they planned to accomplish in the future. It was late when Daisy returned home, she didn't waste any time getting to bed because she had a busy day ahead of her.
So far Daisy's new life in Italy was becoming far more exciting than she had ever anticipated, she had made new friends, she had fallen in love, she was living in the home of her dreams and she had found a mysterious ring with this intriguing mystery surrounding it which she hoped to solve with a happy ending. Daisy thought moving to Italy was the right decision and she knew there was so much more awaiting her as she moved forward into her Italian future.
Daisy didn't have a clue what her life in Calabria was going to be like when she decided to go there all she knew was that she wanted to go more than anything she had ever wanted in her life and now she was here living her dream. She thought she had found the man of her dreams in Tory, she had made good friends and had an excellent job and lived in a dreamy villa with years of history and secrets to discover.
Her new life was taking shape and she felt that she had made the right decision in coming to Italy and now with the discovery of the ring she had new avenues to investigate and new territory to search.
The weeks were flying by and daisy had not heard from the jeweler, she was getting anxious about what the report would reveal. She gone to the library again and found a picture that looked similar and the story that was told about it revealed that it was said to have belonged to Countess Victoria Francesca Castalina, a countess that was rumored to have had an affair with an American soldier during the war in the eighteen hundreds. Of course this conduct was frowned upon by the royal family and so the story has always been told only as rumor and never believed to have been true.
The story goes that during the war, the countess was visiting Calabria and was given a American soldier escort during her visit. They became very close and eventually lovers, their affair lasted the entire month she was in Calabria. Although she tried to keep it a secret from her family they suspected that something was going on but chose to keep it quiet because it would bring shame upon the royal family.
Daisy began to remember the story her father and other members of the family would tell at family gatherings of one of the grandfathers bragging that in the eighteen hundreds he had an affair with a member of the royal family but no one ever believed him. She couldn't remember all the details or the names but surely there was no connection between the stories and the ring that would be too cool, she would have to call her dad, he should have more information.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Out of the Past Chapter 9
Granny here,
Chapter 9
Sunday morning found Daisy still in bed; she had slept in since getting home so late the night before. Her encounter with Tory had left her dazed and confused about their relationship, she had to decide, either she was going to purse it or bring it to an end altogether, she couldn't go on like this. She did care deeply for him but was she ready to settle down if that is what he wanted. She had not dated anyone else since coming to Calabria, could she be sure Tory was the one? How would she know? She didn't like the position that she had allowed herself to be in and no she was faced with decisions she didn't want to make at this time in her life.
Daisy reached for the telephone and dialed her mom, she would know what Daisy should do, and she could always count on her mother to give her the right advice. "Hello," Daisy breathed a sigh of relief, just the sound of her mother's voice brought peace to Daisy's troubled spirit. "Hi, mom, how are you?" Asked Daisy, trying to sound as normal as possible, but her mother was too smart for that old trick. "You sound troubled, Daisy, what's bothering you? Are you homesick?" "No, mother, it's Tory, I don't know what to do where he's concerned, I care for him very much but am afraid that it is getting too serious this early in our relationship. When I'm with him, he has such an affect on my emotions that I don't think straight and before I know what's happened I am in the grips of his charms and my emotions." "Sounds like the love bug has taken a big bite out of you girl, what do you want at this time in your life, Daisy? Is it just sexual attraction or are there deep rooted feelings there for him?" " That's the problem, mom, I have both, the attraction between us is so strong it's hard to keep my thoughts in order when I'm with him. His is strongly attracted to me and that is a volatile situation when we're together, help mom!" "Well, what I'm seeing here is, if you are not ready to give your all to Tory and settle down, I'd say you will have to bring it to and end at least for a period of time to sort out your feelings and find out where you really stand. It may take some time to sort this relationship out, but you also will be taking the chance that Tory will find someone else in the meantime." Daisy was silent for a moment, thinking over what her mom had said, "Thanks, mom, I will spend some time thinking this over, I know one thing, I can't go on like this, I've got to get on with my life one way or the other, thanks again, tell dad I love him, bye," and she hung up the phone, pulled the cover over her head and began to sob. Daisy cried until her eyes closed in much needed slumber with hopes that she would see things in a brighter light in the morning.
Daisy had cried so much the night before that she was almost sick when she finally talked herself into getting out of bed, it was ten a.m. She turned on the coffee pot and jumped in the shower, maybe that would make her feel better. She threw on her favorite robe, poured herself a hot cup of the fresh coffee and headed for the veranda; she looked out on the view that lay before her, thought going around in her head. Why had she allowed this to happen? Did Tory feel the same? Should she bring it to an end? Should she allow it to go on? One thing she new for sure, she had to confront Tory! She would call him and get this settled and then she could go on with her life, could it be that easy? She was about to find out as she dialed his number.
"Hello, this is Maria, hi Daisy, nice to hear from you. How are you this morning?" "I'm fine; may I speak to Tory, please?" "Sorry, Dais, Tory has gone to Cantanzaro for the weekend, he won't be back until later today, and shall I have him call you?" "I would appreciate that, if you don't mind giving him the message. Thanks, have a great day, bye," and Daisy hung up the phone pleased that she had made the call at least it was a beginning.
It was eight that evening when the phone rang, it was Tory, "heard you called, what's up?" "Tory, I need to talk to you; do you think you could come over for a while?" Asked Daisy feeling nervous about the evening but realizing that this discussion was needed and there was no easy way to get it over with but going into it head on. "Sure, I'll be over as soon as possible, maybe within the hour, will that be ok?" "That will be fine, thanks, I'll see you when you get here, bye."
Daisy paced the floor as she waited for Tory to arrive; going over in her head was thoughts of what she was going to say when he did get there. Would he agree? Would he be willing to work on the relationship over a long period of time? Was he ready to settle down? So may questions, did Tory have the answers?
Daisy heard the knock on the door, as she opened it Tory had her in his arms before she knew what happened. "Tory, stop that, that is exactly what I want to talk to you about. Come in and sit down we need to talk about this very thing, where are we going with this relationship?" "Daisy, I care a great deal for you, is this what you want?" Asked Tory still trying to embrace her. "One part of me does but the sensible part of me says wait and take it slow but you don't seem to want to slow down, how am I suppose to handle this?" Daisy was backing away to try and catch her breath, she made her way into the living room and sat down. Tory followed and tried to sit beside her but she wanted to face him as they talked so she moved across the room. "I'm not going to do anything, Daisy, that is unless you want me too, I've fell for you Daisy, and I've fell hard, don't make me go away, please, I'll play it your way, you can set the pace, how's that?" Pleaded Tory as he tried to make his way closer to her.
She stood up to face him and she felt as if her heart was going to burst, her palms were perspiring, and she felt faint. Tory took her hands in his , he raised them to his mouth and kissed them gently, "Daisy, you have stolen a part of me I didn't know I would give away, do you understand what that means?" Said Tory as he tried to convince Daisy of his feelings. He unfolded her hands and placed them around his neck bringing her face closer to his and when their eyes met Daisy lost all sense of rationality, she felt his lips touch hers in the tenderest kiss she had ever had, she melted into his caress and they found themselves crumbling to the floor swallowed up by a moment that was beyond anything they had felt before, going far enough so that they understood each other but not going too far. Daisy had made her commitment there on the floor of the villa that now was her home. Had she done the right thing? Only time would tell if Daisy had made her decision and it certainly looked as if she had.
The two of them lay on the floor wrapped in each others arms, feeling the beat of their hearts, as the clock ticked away the hours. When they awoke it was two a.m. Daisy was embarrassed that she had fallen asleep in Tory's arms, but loved every minute of it. "Tory, you have to leave, it's the wee hours of the morning what will people think?" Tory grabbed her and kissed her again as she was pushing him out the door, she laughed at him as she tried not to kiss him back but she failed miserably. "Good night and good riddance, you heart breaker," she said as she locked the door behind him. Daisy jumped into bed and pulled the cover up to her chin, she turned out the light and smiled to herself, I have given my heart away she thought, and she drifted off to sleep, committed but happy.
The next morning found Daisy still smiling to herself, I think I'm in love she thought, is this what love feels like? Does Tory consider himself in love too? What if it was just a fling to him? "Daisy, you worry too much, : she said to herself as she got dressed for work. It's a new week, a new life, a new love, what more could a girl ask for? Daisy was ready to meet the day, her hart singing, her life on the move and finally feeling that she had her life and her feelings were in order.
As Daisy sat at her dressing table doing her makeup, she caught a glimpse of the ring still wrapped in the tissue lying on the dresser. "I had forgotten about you," she said as she picked up the ring to take another look. I need to find out more about this ring and that means a trip to the library, she thought, I know it has a story and I'm going to find out what it is.
The ring looked to be white gold or maybe even platinum, it had a large center stone, and a cluster of smaller stones around it. It looked to be Daisy's size so she tried it on and to her surprise, it fit her perfectly.
Daisy left work excited about the idea of finding out more information about her mystery ring. She headed straight for the library which was just around the corner form work so she left her car in the parking lot and took the opportunity to walk and get some exercise too. She asked the librarian to direct her to books on old jewelry and there were plenty to choose from. Daisy chose a book on antique rings which was quite old, she searched page after page and there were some pictures that had a resemblance to the ring but nothing identical.
She had been looking for almost an hour and she was about to give up when she came across a picture of a ring that was identical to the one she had found,. She started to read about it and the more she read the more she wanted to read. The ring had belonged to royalty and had been either stolen or lost sometime during the war. The story was intriguing but it was getting late and the library as about to close so Daisy would have to put this off until another day, she had to get home; she had things to do, like call Tory.
By the time Daisy arrived home it was getting late, she quickly dialed Tory's number, she just had to hear his voice before she could call it a day. Their conversation lasted an hour and then she was ready to have a bite to eat and get ready for her day tomorrow, what would a new day hold in store for her? Something great and something unexpected just what she was looking for.
Chapter 9
Sunday morning found Daisy still in bed; she had slept in since getting home so late the night before. Her encounter with Tory had left her dazed and confused about their relationship, she had to decide, either she was going to purse it or bring it to an end altogether, she couldn't go on like this. She did care deeply for him but was she ready to settle down if that is what he wanted. She had not dated anyone else since coming to Calabria, could she be sure Tory was the one? How would she know? She didn't like the position that she had allowed herself to be in and no she was faced with decisions she didn't want to make at this time in her life.
Daisy reached for the telephone and dialed her mom, she would know what Daisy should do, and she could always count on her mother to give her the right advice. "Hello," Daisy breathed a sigh of relief, just the sound of her mother's voice brought peace to Daisy's troubled spirit. "Hi, mom, how are you?" Asked Daisy, trying to sound as normal as possible, but her mother was too smart for that old trick. "You sound troubled, Daisy, what's bothering you? Are you homesick?" "No, mother, it's Tory, I don't know what to do where he's concerned, I care for him very much but am afraid that it is getting too serious this early in our relationship. When I'm with him, he has such an affect on my emotions that I don't think straight and before I know what's happened I am in the grips of his charms and my emotions." "Sounds like the love bug has taken a big bite out of you girl, what do you want at this time in your life, Daisy? Is it just sexual attraction or are there deep rooted feelings there for him?" " That's the problem, mom, I have both, the attraction between us is so strong it's hard to keep my thoughts in order when I'm with him. His is strongly attracted to me and that is a volatile situation when we're together, help mom!" "Well, what I'm seeing here is, if you are not ready to give your all to Tory and settle down, I'd say you will have to bring it to and end at least for a period of time to sort out your feelings and find out where you really stand. It may take some time to sort this relationship out, but you also will be taking the chance that Tory will find someone else in the meantime." Daisy was silent for a moment, thinking over what her mom had said, "Thanks, mom, I will spend some time thinking this over, I know one thing, I can't go on like this, I've got to get on with my life one way or the other, thanks again, tell dad I love him, bye," and she hung up the phone, pulled the cover over her head and began to sob. Daisy cried until her eyes closed in much needed slumber with hopes that she would see things in a brighter light in the morning.
Daisy had cried so much the night before that she was almost sick when she finally talked herself into getting out of bed, it was ten a.m. She turned on the coffee pot and jumped in the shower, maybe that would make her feel better. She threw on her favorite robe, poured herself a hot cup of the fresh coffee and headed for the veranda; she looked out on the view that lay before her, thought going around in her head. Why had she allowed this to happen? Did Tory feel the same? Should she bring it to an end? Should she allow it to go on? One thing she new for sure, she had to confront Tory! She would call him and get this settled and then she could go on with her life, could it be that easy? She was about to find out as she dialed his number.
"Hello, this is Maria, hi Daisy, nice to hear from you. How are you this morning?" "I'm fine; may I speak to Tory, please?" "Sorry, Dais, Tory has gone to Cantanzaro for the weekend, he won't be back until later today, and shall I have him call you?" "I would appreciate that, if you don't mind giving him the message. Thanks, have a great day, bye," and Daisy hung up the phone pleased that she had made the call at least it was a beginning.
It was eight that evening when the phone rang, it was Tory, "heard you called, what's up?" "Tory, I need to talk to you; do you think you could come over for a while?" Asked Daisy feeling nervous about the evening but realizing that this discussion was needed and there was no easy way to get it over with but going into it head on. "Sure, I'll be over as soon as possible, maybe within the hour, will that be ok?" "That will be fine, thanks, I'll see you when you get here, bye."
Daisy paced the floor as she waited for Tory to arrive; going over in her head was thoughts of what she was going to say when he did get there. Would he agree? Would he be willing to work on the relationship over a long period of time? Was he ready to settle down? So may questions, did Tory have the answers?
Daisy heard the knock on the door, as she opened it Tory had her in his arms before she knew what happened. "Tory, stop that, that is exactly what I want to talk to you about. Come in and sit down we need to talk about this very thing, where are we going with this relationship?" "Daisy, I care a great deal for you, is this what you want?" Asked Tory still trying to embrace her. "One part of me does but the sensible part of me says wait and take it slow but you don't seem to want to slow down, how am I suppose to handle this?" Daisy was backing away to try and catch her breath, she made her way into the living room and sat down. Tory followed and tried to sit beside her but she wanted to face him as they talked so she moved across the room. "I'm not going to do anything, Daisy, that is unless you want me too, I've fell for you Daisy, and I've fell hard, don't make me go away, please, I'll play it your way, you can set the pace, how's that?" Pleaded Tory as he tried to make his way closer to her.
She stood up to face him and she felt as if her heart was going to burst, her palms were perspiring, and she felt faint. Tory took her hands in his , he raised them to his mouth and kissed them gently, "Daisy, you have stolen a part of me I didn't know I would give away, do you understand what that means?" Said Tory as he tried to convince Daisy of his feelings. He unfolded her hands and placed them around his neck bringing her face closer to his and when their eyes met Daisy lost all sense of rationality, she felt his lips touch hers in the tenderest kiss she had ever had, she melted into his caress and they found themselves crumbling to the floor swallowed up by a moment that was beyond anything they had felt before, going far enough so that they understood each other but not going too far. Daisy had made her commitment there on the floor of the villa that now was her home. Had she done the right thing? Only time would tell if Daisy had made her decision and it certainly looked as if she had.
The two of them lay on the floor wrapped in each others arms, feeling the beat of their hearts, as the clock ticked away the hours. When they awoke it was two a.m. Daisy was embarrassed that she had fallen asleep in Tory's arms, but loved every minute of it. "Tory, you have to leave, it's the wee hours of the morning what will people think?" Tory grabbed her and kissed her again as she was pushing him out the door, she laughed at him as she tried not to kiss him back but she failed miserably. "Good night and good riddance, you heart breaker," she said as she locked the door behind him. Daisy jumped into bed and pulled the cover up to her chin, she turned out the light and smiled to herself, I have given my heart away she thought, and she drifted off to sleep, committed but happy.
The next morning found Daisy still smiling to herself, I think I'm in love she thought, is this what love feels like? Does Tory consider himself in love too? What if it was just a fling to him? "Daisy, you worry too much, : she said to herself as she got dressed for work. It's a new week, a new life, a new love, what more could a girl ask for? Daisy was ready to meet the day, her hart singing, her life on the move and finally feeling that she had her life and her feelings were in order.
As Daisy sat at her dressing table doing her makeup, she caught a glimpse of the ring still wrapped in the tissue lying on the dresser. "I had forgotten about you," she said as she picked up the ring to take another look. I need to find out more about this ring and that means a trip to the library, she thought, I know it has a story and I'm going to find out what it is.
The ring looked to be white gold or maybe even platinum, it had a large center stone, and a cluster of smaller stones around it. It looked to be Daisy's size so she tried it on and to her surprise, it fit her perfectly.
Daisy left work excited about the idea of finding out more information about her mystery ring. She headed straight for the library which was just around the corner form work so she left her car in the parking lot and took the opportunity to walk and get some exercise too. She asked the librarian to direct her to books on old jewelry and there were plenty to choose from. Daisy chose a book on antique rings which was quite old, she searched page after page and there were some pictures that had a resemblance to the ring but nothing identical.
She had been looking for almost an hour and she was about to give up when she came across a picture of a ring that was identical to the one she had found,. She started to read about it and the more she read the more she wanted to read. The ring had belonged to royalty and had been either stolen or lost sometime during the war. The story was intriguing but it was getting late and the library as about to close so Daisy would have to put this off until another day, she had to get home; she had things to do, like call Tory.
By the time Daisy arrived home it was getting late, she quickly dialed Tory's number, she just had to hear his voice before she could call it a day. Their conversation lasted an hour and then she was ready to have a bite to eat and get ready for her day tomorrow, what would a new day hold in store for her? Something great and something unexpected just what she was looking for.
Happy and Thankful
Granny here,
Happy and thankful are two words that just seem to go hand in hand, their like twins, one adds to the other. They may not be identical but they bring out the best in each other and I can say that because of Jesus Christ I am able to have both.
I'm happy for numerous reasons, salvation, health, family, financial needs, life in general, oh, I could go on and on. But because of my thankfulness I am also happy. It's not the euphoric kind of happiness but the genuine kind that is always there although others may not be able to see it. That kind of happiness is only for the moment, you're happy because you just got a new car, you're happy because you're kids just moved into their new apartment or happy because you just got a raise. But genuine happiness is the kind that comes from knowing that Jesus is always with you, knowing that He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Being happy doesn't mean that you won't have those life moments when you feel that the floor has dropped from under you but this kind of happy knows that knows it will be built again. Thankfulness brings happiness into it's perspective, thankfulness puts happiness in its place.
When I think of the blessings that God has brought into my life over the years I am overwhelmed at His goodness. I'm not rich but I get by, I'm not beautiful but I can look in the mirror, I don't own a lot of I'm thankful and that makes me happy.
I'm thankful each time I walk into my warm home in the winter, my cool home in the summer, when I turn on the lights and they bring me out of the darkness, when I sit at my table and eat whatever I want, when I go into the grocery story and God says here it is for the taking just pay for it on your way out. Folks, that happiness, that's thankfulness. When my family gathers around my Thanksgiving table, when they gather on Christmas Eve I'm thankful. It's a job, it takes time, it may not go smoothly but my heart is still overflowing with joy that we are still sharing these moments together.
Yes, I'm happy that I'm thankful and I'm thankful that I can be happy. Life is filled with all kinds of moments, it's like a crazy quilt, it's made up of all kinds of scraps but the final product can be beautiful because it's put together with love. That doesn't mean that it will never rain on your parade but it does mean you can put up your umbrella and when life tries to steal you happiness and your thankfulness just clench them tighter and hold them closer.
Life has many lessons and some of them aren't easy to learn but through thankfulness and happiness we can come through life a little wiser.
Granny here, just saying!
Happy and thankful are two words that just seem to go hand in hand, their like twins, one adds to the other. They may not be identical but they bring out the best in each other and I can say that because of Jesus Christ I am able to have both.
I'm happy for numerous reasons, salvation, health, family, financial needs, life in general, oh, I could go on and on. But because of my thankfulness I am also happy. It's not the euphoric kind of happiness but the genuine kind that is always there although others may not be able to see it. That kind of happiness is only for the moment, you're happy because you just got a new car, you're happy because you're kids just moved into their new apartment or happy because you just got a raise. But genuine happiness is the kind that comes from knowing that Jesus is always with you, knowing that He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Being happy doesn't mean that you won't have those life moments when you feel that the floor has dropped from under you but this kind of happy knows that knows it will be built again. Thankfulness brings happiness into it's perspective, thankfulness puts happiness in its place.
When I think of the blessings that God has brought into my life over the years I am overwhelmed at His goodness. I'm not rich but I get by, I'm not beautiful but I can look in the mirror, I don't own a lot of I'm thankful and that makes me happy.
I'm thankful each time I walk into my warm home in the winter, my cool home in the summer, when I turn on the lights and they bring me out of the darkness, when I sit at my table and eat whatever I want, when I go into the grocery story and God says here it is for the taking just pay for it on your way out. Folks, that happiness, that's thankfulness. When my family gathers around my Thanksgiving table, when they gather on Christmas Eve I'm thankful. It's a job, it takes time, it may not go smoothly but my heart is still overflowing with joy that we are still sharing these moments together.
Yes, I'm happy that I'm thankful and I'm thankful that I can be happy. Life is filled with all kinds of moments, it's like a crazy quilt, it's made up of all kinds of scraps but the final product can be beautiful because it's put together with love. That doesn't mean that it will never rain on your parade but it does mean you can put up your umbrella and when life tries to steal you happiness and your thankfulness just clench them tighter and hold them closer.
Life has many lessons and some of them aren't easy to learn but through thankfulness and happiness we can come through life a little wiser.
Granny here, just saying!
Friday, January 9, 2015
Out of the Past Chpt. 8
Granny here,
Chapter 8
The day was beautiful and Daisy was thinking of going sightseeing and thought Leslie might like to go along, she would give her a call after she had a cup of coffee. The aroma of the black liquid permeated the villa as Daisy strolled from room to room thinking how lucky she was to live there. She went into the kitchen and retrieved her favorite cup from the cabinet, she poured it full and added cream and sugar and went for a walk in the lovely garden along the side of the villa. It was a small garden but had an air of mystery about it, there were stones of all sizes scattered throughout and the fence that surrounded the garden was also made of stone. As she strolled through what appeared to be ruins form a time gone by, she couldn't help but think of all the events that could have happened in this garden. She was sure that some lovers met here, that children played here; maybe someone had even been murdered here. Her imagination was running away with her. Whatever had taken place here would be interesting in any case, but she would have no way of finding out any of the stories or would she?
In the middle of the garden was a huge stone, it made a great place to sit and day dream and Daisy was good at that so she decided to have a seat and finish her coffee. This is such a beautiful place, I wonder how many people have lived here and sat on this very rock, what stories could this garden tell if it could talk, what could the walls of the villa reveal if given the chance she thought as she sat enjoying the morning. There was a wide variety of flowers growing in the garden, pink, white, lilac, blue, they were all gorgeous, so Daisy decided to pick herself a bouquet for her kitchen table, she had picked several colors and was just pulling a beautiful lilac one from the ground when she noticed the sun reflecting off an object that evidently had come up with the flower. As she investigated it further, to her surprise it was a beautiful stone encrusted ring, it looked as if it could be something of value if cleaned up. daisy thought I'll clean it up and maybe I can tell more about it, surely it's not real, why would it be left here? Daisy had a thousand questions going over in her head. How did the ring get her? Who had lost the ring? Were the stones real? Was it valuable? What story could the ring tell? Had it been buried intentionally or had it been lost? How long had it been there? Could the owners still be looking for it? Daisy's spirit of intrigue kicked into high gear, she would have to dig into this further, maybe she could bring the ring and its owner back together, was it possible?
The ring was so dirty from being in the earth that Daisy could hardly tell what it looked like but she thought that maybe it could be real. Daisy took her treasure and ran into the house to call Leslie, the day was getting away from her and if she was going to see any sights today, she needed to get going. She wrapped the ring in a tissue and laid in on her dresser, she would deal with it later; right now she had things to do and places to see. It probably wasn't real anyway so why worry about it, she would have plenty of time to play Sherlock Holmes but right now she had to get dressed and pick up Leslie for a great day in Calabria. She had totally forgotten the old family tale she had heard many times from her grandparents, could the ring possibly be a link? Only time would tell.
Leslie was glad that Daisy had invited her out for the day, her aunt and uncle had gone to visit family and Leslie was alone with nothing really to do. Daisy made haste to get herself dressed in denim shorts, a red tank top that enhanced her breast to the max, she put on her escadrille sandals , put her hair in a pony tail, grabbed her ball cap, camera, cell phone and out the door she went.
Daisy picked up Leslie and they were off for a day of exciting adventure. Leslie was quite the fashion statement in an adorable pale blue sundress with spaghetti straps, white T-strap sandals and a large brimmed straw hat. "Where are we headed? Asked Leslie as she jumped in the front seat, to the mountains I hope." "That's a great idea, Leslie, hold on, here we go," shouted Daisy as she put the car in gear and stepped on the gas.
"Mountains, here we come," said Daisy. The snow capped mountains were so picturesque as they drove along the curvaceous highway. Along the backdrop were rustic villas and impressive Greek ruins, an ideal spot for a lesson on Greek history. "There is a great deal of Greek heritage in and around Calabria, said Leslie; we should have brought Tory along to give us his tour speech. What is the situation between you two, anyway?" "We're taking it sow and easy, just friends for now, maybe someday our relationship will blossom into more," answered Daisy as they were coming into one of the small villages at the foot of the mountains. "Let's stop for a while, looks as if this is a great arts and crafts region, lots of street vendors, markets and places to eat. My kind of place," laughed Leslie as she caught her straw hat as it started to blow off her head.
Daisy parked, the two of them grabbed their totes and set out on foot to discover all the interesting history that may be hidden. Daisy was swallowed up by the charm of the village; she loved all the quaint buildings, craft stands, and cafes. She tried on straw hats, hand made sandals, shawls; she was like a kid in a candy shop. Leslie had seen it all before so she was not quite as overtaken as Daisy, but she was still having fun just watching Daisy. She was going from vendor to vendor asking question, looking at things, trying on everything she could, she loved the hand made jewelry and bought several pieces as gifts for her family.
"Let's get something to eat, what do you say, are you hungry, Daisy? I'm starved as usual," and she sat down at a table at one of the sidewalk cafes.
Daisy quickly agreed and before she could sit down the waiter was at their side, "What can I get for you lovely ladies?" He asked in broken English with an Italian accent on the side as he poured them a glass of complimentary wine. "I'll have the Greek salad, please," said Daisy. "I'll have the same," said Leslie as she winked at the waiter who was good looking. He smiled as he walked away and looked back to repay Leslie with a wink of his own. The girls enjoyed the ambiance of the area as they finished their lunch and continued sightseeing for the rest of the afternoon. The day was quickly coming to an end and it was time to head home.
Daisy pulled into the driveway at Maria and Joe's to drop Leslie off when she caught a glimpse of Tory standing on the veranda, as she parked the car Tory made his way to open the door for Daisy although she had not intended to get out for that reason, she didn't want to face him tonight, she was just too tired to fight her own emotions. Leslie was out of the car before Daisy had time to plead for her assistance by remaining close by. Daisy knew herself and if she were left alone with Tory the evening could have consequences she didn't want. Tory opened the door and reached for Daisy's hand, as she brushed his face, the scent of his cologne made her head start spinning, I just can't take this she thought, I must get away, but it was too late, Tory had fixed his eyes on hers and was holding her prisoner with the desire that had taken hold of her. His lips were coming down on hers, there was nothing she could do, she couldn't get away. Tory had her in his grip, she didn't want to make a scene, so she surrendered to him trying to convince herself that she had no other choice, but knowing in her heart she wanted it too.
The kiss brought emotions Daisy didn't know she had and she certainly didn't want to deal with them here and now. She had no other choice, Tory was too close for comfort and she was losing the battle with her emotions. Before she knew what was happening he was kissing her again, she had no time to get lose from his clutches not that she wanted to, who did she think she was fooling?
Leslie had gone in the house so there was no one around but the two of them and that was proving to be a strike against her. Before she knew it she was returning his kisses with the same passion he was giving them, how could she gracefully get out of this situation, did he have this much control over her? She had to bring this to an end and as soon as possible, this was not the time or the place for this although her heart was telling her something entirely different.
Daisy finally got the opportunity to ease herself out of the car; at least she could make her way to the veranda or better yet into the house where there would be others present. This would break the spell that Tory seemed to have over her when she was with him and bring them back to reality, thus giving her a chance to make a decent exit. It worked; Daisy found Aunt Maria and started a conversation to get her mind off the scene she had just taken part in. Tory was glad that Daisy had taken the initiative to do what she did; he knew it was the right thing to do for the both of them. Dais vowed she would not let this happen again although it was as much her doing as Tory's, she couldn't blame him totally and didn't intend too.
Daisy would have loved to have spent the evening with Tory, but thought it best that they weren't together after the encounter they had just had, it would be too much temptation for the both of them and there was no need asking for trouble. They had plenty of time to work on their relationship and they weren't ready to get serious just yet. Daisy had a lot going on in her head; she was taken off guard by Tory's actions although she can't deny that she enjoyed the little fiasco. She knew herself too well and knew that she did have strong feelings for him but she also knew it was too early in the relationship and didn't want to commit herself to anything right now. It was just too early to get serious no matter how much she like him.
Chapter 8
The day was beautiful and Daisy was thinking of going sightseeing and thought Leslie might like to go along, she would give her a call after she had a cup of coffee. The aroma of the black liquid permeated the villa as Daisy strolled from room to room thinking how lucky she was to live there. She went into the kitchen and retrieved her favorite cup from the cabinet, she poured it full and added cream and sugar and went for a walk in the lovely garden along the side of the villa. It was a small garden but had an air of mystery about it, there were stones of all sizes scattered throughout and the fence that surrounded the garden was also made of stone. As she strolled through what appeared to be ruins form a time gone by, she couldn't help but think of all the events that could have happened in this garden. She was sure that some lovers met here, that children played here; maybe someone had even been murdered here. Her imagination was running away with her. Whatever had taken place here would be interesting in any case, but she would have no way of finding out any of the stories or would she?
In the middle of the garden was a huge stone, it made a great place to sit and day dream and Daisy was good at that so she decided to have a seat and finish her coffee. This is such a beautiful place, I wonder how many people have lived here and sat on this very rock, what stories could this garden tell if it could talk, what could the walls of the villa reveal if given the chance she thought as she sat enjoying the morning. There was a wide variety of flowers growing in the garden, pink, white, lilac, blue, they were all gorgeous, so Daisy decided to pick herself a bouquet for her kitchen table, she had picked several colors and was just pulling a beautiful lilac one from the ground when she noticed the sun reflecting off an object that evidently had come up with the flower. As she investigated it further, to her surprise it was a beautiful stone encrusted ring, it looked as if it could be something of value if cleaned up. daisy thought I'll clean it up and maybe I can tell more about it, surely it's not real, why would it be left here? Daisy had a thousand questions going over in her head. How did the ring get her? Who had lost the ring? Were the stones real? Was it valuable? What story could the ring tell? Had it been buried intentionally or had it been lost? How long had it been there? Could the owners still be looking for it? Daisy's spirit of intrigue kicked into high gear, she would have to dig into this further, maybe she could bring the ring and its owner back together, was it possible?
The ring was so dirty from being in the earth that Daisy could hardly tell what it looked like but she thought that maybe it could be real. Daisy took her treasure and ran into the house to call Leslie, the day was getting away from her and if she was going to see any sights today, she needed to get going. She wrapped the ring in a tissue and laid in on her dresser, she would deal with it later; right now she had things to do and places to see. It probably wasn't real anyway so why worry about it, she would have plenty of time to play Sherlock Holmes but right now she had to get dressed and pick up Leslie for a great day in Calabria. She had totally forgotten the old family tale she had heard many times from her grandparents, could the ring possibly be a link? Only time would tell.
Leslie was glad that Daisy had invited her out for the day, her aunt and uncle had gone to visit family and Leslie was alone with nothing really to do. Daisy made haste to get herself dressed in denim shorts, a red tank top that enhanced her breast to the max, she put on her escadrille sandals , put her hair in a pony tail, grabbed her ball cap, camera, cell phone and out the door she went.
Daisy picked up Leslie and they were off for a day of exciting adventure. Leslie was quite the fashion statement in an adorable pale blue sundress with spaghetti straps, white T-strap sandals and a large brimmed straw hat. "Where are we headed? Asked Leslie as she jumped in the front seat, to the mountains I hope." "That's a great idea, Leslie, hold on, here we go," shouted Daisy as she put the car in gear and stepped on the gas.
"Mountains, here we come," said Daisy. The snow capped mountains were so picturesque as they drove along the curvaceous highway. Along the backdrop were rustic villas and impressive Greek ruins, an ideal spot for a lesson on Greek history. "There is a great deal of Greek heritage in and around Calabria, said Leslie; we should have brought Tory along to give us his tour speech. What is the situation between you two, anyway?" "We're taking it sow and easy, just friends for now, maybe someday our relationship will blossom into more," answered Daisy as they were coming into one of the small villages at the foot of the mountains. "Let's stop for a while, looks as if this is a great arts and crafts region, lots of street vendors, markets and places to eat. My kind of place," laughed Leslie as she caught her straw hat as it started to blow off her head.
Daisy parked, the two of them grabbed their totes and set out on foot to discover all the interesting history that may be hidden. Daisy was swallowed up by the charm of the village; she loved all the quaint buildings, craft stands, and cafes. She tried on straw hats, hand made sandals, shawls; she was like a kid in a candy shop. Leslie had seen it all before so she was not quite as overtaken as Daisy, but she was still having fun just watching Daisy. She was going from vendor to vendor asking question, looking at things, trying on everything she could, she loved the hand made jewelry and bought several pieces as gifts for her family.
"Let's get something to eat, what do you say, are you hungry, Daisy? I'm starved as usual," and she sat down at a table at one of the sidewalk cafes.
Daisy quickly agreed and before she could sit down the waiter was at their side, "What can I get for you lovely ladies?" He asked in broken English with an Italian accent on the side as he poured them a glass of complimentary wine. "I'll have the Greek salad, please," said Daisy. "I'll have the same," said Leslie as she winked at the waiter who was good looking. He smiled as he walked away and looked back to repay Leslie with a wink of his own. The girls enjoyed the ambiance of the area as they finished their lunch and continued sightseeing for the rest of the afternoon. The day was quickly coming to an end and it was time to head home.
Daisy pulled into the driveway at Maria and Joe's to drop Leslie off when she caught a glimpse of Tory standing on the veranda, as she parked the car Tory made his way to open the door for Daisy although she had not intended to get out for that reason, she didn't want to face him tonight, she was just too tired to fight her own emotions. Leslie was out of the car before Daisy had time to plead for her assistance by remaining close by. Daisy knew herself and if she were left alone with Tory the evening could have consequences she didn't want. Tory opened the door and reached for Daisy's hand, as she brushed his face, the scent of his cologne made her head start spinning, I just can't take this she thought, I must get away, but it was too late, Tory had fixed his eyes on hers and was holding her prisoner with the desire that had taken hold of her. His lips were coming down on hers, there was nothing she could do, she couldn't get away. Tory had her in his grip, she didn't want to make a scene, so she surrendered to him trying to convince herself that she had no other choice, but knowing in her heart she wanted it too.
The kiss brought emotions Daisy didn't know she had and she certainly didn't want to deal with them here and now. She had no other choice, Tory was too close for comfort and she was losing the battle with her emotions. Before she knew what was happening he was kissing her again, she had no time to get lose from his clutches not that she wanted to, who did she think she was fooling?
Leslie had gone in the house so there was no one around but the two of them and that was proving to be a strike against her. Before she knew it she was returning his kisses with the same passion he was giving them, how could she gracefully get out of this situation, did he have this much control over her? She had to bring this to an end and as soon as possible, this was not the time or the place for this although her heart was telling her something entirely different.
Daisy finally got the opportunity to ease herself out of the car; at least she could make her way to the veranda or better yet into the house where there would be others present. This would break the spell that Tory seemed to have over her when she was with him and bring them back to reality, thus giving her a chance to make a decent exit. It worked; Daisy found Aunt Maria and started a conversation to get her mind off the scene she had just taken part in. Tory was glad that Daisy had taken the initiative to do what she did; he knew it was the right thing to do for the both of them. Dais vowed she would not let this happen again although it was as much her doing as Tory's, she couldn't blame him totally and didn't intend too.
Daisy would have loved to have spent the evening with Tory, but thought it best that they weren't together after the encounter they had just had, it would be too much temptation for the both of them and there was no need asking for trouble. They had plenty of time to work on their relationship and they weren't ready to get serious just yet. Daisy had a lot going on in her head; she was taken off guard by Tory's actions although she can't deny that she enjoyed the little fiasco. She knew herself too well and knew that she did have strong feelings for him but she also knew it was too early in the relationship and didn't want to commit herself to anything right now. It was just too early to get serious no matter how much she like him.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Education?
Granny here,
Just came home from running some errands and I am just mystified by the lack of mathmatical knowledge in the cashiers here in Cleveland. This is not the first time I have been asked by the cashier how to figure the price of an item. Today I was buying some items that were 90% off but they weren't marked on the ticket so the cashier either had to ask me or use her little friend calculator so I just automatically told her the price of the first item and so when she began to ring up the second one she says can you tell me the price of this one just as fast, I said yes and told her what it would be.
One day in Zaxby's a cashier was asking a young man what 200 minus a certain number was and I said the answer to her quickly and she says, boy you're good. I said yes they taught math when I went to school (by the way was 60 years ago.
What is going on in our schools today or should I be asking what is not going on evidently not math.
How do young people get jobs when they can't do math it seems without the aid of some device, what happen to their brain is it just programmed to push buttons. It seems that they are excellent in that field but when they are called upon to do something with only their brain as a helper they seem to be deficient. I know they can sit down at a computer and put me to shame but when the world can't function without the aid of mechanics we are in trouble folks.
What do you think would happen if terrorist hit the electrical grids of this country, nothing would work, would society have to fall back on the senior citizens of this country to get things done.
I've even noticed that when I go into a restaurant and order something in different words than what the waiter has been programmed to hear they become confused and get this blank look on their face. If I ask for a chicken roll up and it says chicken wrap on the menu it's still the same thing, don't they get it? I think now, any change that you make in the menu throws the waiter or waitress into a tizzy.
It's because they have become so accustomed to being programmed like a machine that they can do no independent thinking on their own, they are always depending on those crutches that they have been given in that "education" they've received.
I can't believe that we live in a world where there are more cell phones going to school than books. How in the world does the educators of this country expect children to learn when they are so busy texting, instagraming, twittering etc. that they probably don't hear one third of the lesson. I can see from my own experience with the younger generations that we are in big trouble when it comes to education not because the teachers are inferior but the methods are.
Granny here, just saying!
Just came home from running some errands and I am just mystified by the lack of mathmatical knowledge in the cashiers here in Cleveland. This is not the first time I have been asked by the cashier how to figure the price of an item. Today I was buying some items that were 90% off but they weren't marked on the ticket so the cashier either had to ask me or use her little friend calculator so I just automatically told her the price of the first item and so when she began to ring up the second one she says can you tell me the price of this one just as fast, I said yes and told her what it would be.
One day in Zaxby's a cashier was asking a young man what 200 minus a certain number was and I said the answer to her quickly and she says, boy you're good. I said yes they taught math when I went to school (by the way was 60 years ago.
What is going on in our schools today or should I be asking what is not going on evidently not math.
How do young people get jobs when they can't do math it seems without the aid of some device, what happen to their brain is it just programmed to push buttons. It seems that they are excellent in that field but when they are called upon to do something with only their brain as a helper they seem to be deficient. I know they can sit down at a computer and put me to shame but when the world can't function without the aid of mechanics we are in trouble folks.
What do you think would happen if terrorist hit the electrical grids of this country, nothing would work, would society have to fall back on the senior citizens of this country to get things done.
I've even noticed that when I go into a restaurant and order something in different words than what the waiter has been programmed to hear they become confused and get this blank look on their face. If I ask for a chicken roll up and it says chicken wrap on the menu it's still the same thing, don't they get it? I think now, any change that you make in the menu throws the waiter or waitress into a tizzy.
It's because they have become so accustomed to being programmed like a machine that they can do no independent thinking on their own, they are always depending on those crutches that they have been given in that "education" they've received.
I can't believe that we live in a world where there are more cell phones going to school than books. How in the world does the educators of this country expect children to learn when they are so busy texting, instagraming, twittering etc. that they probably don't hear one third of the lesson. I can see from my own experience with the younger generations that we are in big trouble when it comes to education not because the teachers are inferior but the methods are.
Granny here, just saying!
Out of the Past Chpt 7
Granny here,
Chapter 7
Daisy gave Tory a call to ask if he would be available in between tours to help her find a a car, she could tell by the sound of his voice that he was more than glad to hear from her and would make room in his schedule to spend with no matter the reason. His response was more than favorable and he went as far as to offer her dinner that evening. He would pick her up at one that afternoon since his afternoon tour had been cancelled, they would shop for a car; have dinner later and what more could a girl ask for? Tory took pride in his knowledge of cars and Daisy thought he would be te perfect guide to buying one. Calabria had few super highways, most of the roads were narrow and winding so she thought a smaller vehicle would be the best for her. She wanted an American make; since she was familiar with them and didn't have a family so something small would be perfect. After two hours of test driving cars Daisy chose a cute bright yellow, convertible Chevy Malibu. She felt a little closer to home in it and it would be a connection to her mother country.
The car was not brand new although it was in excellent condition but needed to be inspected, washed and cleaned up a little, Daisy would be able to pick it up the following day. having all the important things finally out of the way Daisy could look forward to the dinner that Tory had promised her. He had chosen a small bistro off the beaten path just for the two of them; he whispered something to the waiter who then seated them at a table near the window that had a view to die for. "This is lovely, Tory, the view is breathtaking." Commented Daisy, as Tory helped her with her chair. He seated himself across the table and took her by the hand, looking into her deep blue eyes he didn't say a word, but she could feel what he wasn't saying.
The moments seemed like hours before Tory broke the silence as he whispered, "My world came to a screeching halt when you came into it, Daisy. I haven't been able to think much of anything else but you since the day you walked into my life." "I know Tory, it's been the same for me but we must use our heads and not our hearts, at least for a while. We have our whole lives ahead of us, let's take it slow, we have a lot to do before settling down, don't you think?" "I agree Daisy, but I want to be with you so badly, you will continue to see me, won't you?" "Sure, there is no one else, so we will have each other but let's not make any plans for now. Now, order me some food, I'm starving." Tory kissed Daisy on the hand and motioned for the waiter.
The conversation on the way back to the dealership was just conversation in general, nothing that referred to their earlier talk. Tory didn't want to push his luck and tried to keep it on the friendship level as much as he could and that wasn't easy because his feelings for Daisy were much more than platonic.
Daisy's new car was ready and waiting for her to pick it up, she loved it and it seemed to suit her to a tee. Tory waved good by as Daisy drove away with him in close pursuit; he would follow her just as a precaution since she didn't know the area that well. He wanted to follow her all the way home but he would go along with her wishes at least for now and not do so.
Daisy felt so satisfied when she awoke the first morning in her new home, it was such a relief to be out of the hotel although it was very luxurious. She hopped out of bed and made her way to the veranda, one of her favorite things about the house. She had bought some lovely outdoor furniture which included a large chaise lounge which was going to get a lot of use especially by her. She went back inside to put on a pot of coffee, what good was a veranda without a good cup of hot coffee. Daisy had just a few days to enjoy the view before starting her new job. She brought her coffee and the telephone outside to try out her new chaise lounge, as she lay there thinking how lucky she was, thoughts of the villa came rushing back to her, she now remembered she had heard stories circulate through the family as a young girl of her dad's great-great grandfather who had lived in such a villa years ago while stationed in Italy during the war. The story went that he had had an affair with a countess and she would meet him there whenever she could get away, it did fit the description as far as she could remember but she was sure there was no connection, which would be too weird.
She called Leslie to invite her and her family over Saturday night for a small house warming party. Leslie answered the phone with her delightful hello as she usually did, she was such a bubbly personality and Daisy loved that about her. "Leslie, it's Daisy, I'm calling to see if you and your family would like to come over for a small get together Saturday night to celebrate my new home, around six, would that be fine?" "We'd love to help you celebrate, Daisy, but are you sure you're ready for that?" "O, yes, I can hardly wait; don't forget to tell Tory, we'll see you then, bye."
Daisy had done all her shopping, she was having steaks on the grill where she would let Tory display his grilling skills, baked potatoes, spinach salad and banana pudding for dessert, it had always been her favorite and she could make it just like her mom, she never thought of herself as a cook but she could made pudding. She would pick up some wine at the local winery just a few miles from the villa, a red and a white. Just thinking of entertaining in her own home gave Daisy great satisfaction, how I wish mom and dad, Aunt Sophie and Uncle Max were her they would love it and I would love having them she thought as she dreamed of Saturday night.
Saturday was spent freshening up the house and getting everything prepared. Daisy had the pudding in the fridge, read to go, all the veggies for the salad were ready, and she would maker her famous bacon, walnut vinaigrette dressing later that afternoon. She still had to shower, do her hair, nails and makeup, a girl has to look her best, especially with Tory as a guest. Although she had not made any commitment to him, she still wanted to keep his desire inflamed if she could. She did feel a strong attraction to him but didn't want to get deeply involved this soon, there was so much in life she wanted to do, and after all she was just twenty-one.
The evening was a hit, everyone enjoyed themselves, the food was outstanding and the wine brought a smoothness that satisfied everyone's palate. Relaxing on the veranda until the sunset almost had them mesmerized but the evening had to end and the guest began to leave. Aunt Maria and Uncle Joe were the first to leave, Leslie had brought an old beau, Mario Capriano, with her and they were lingering, still sipping on their glass of wine while Tory and daisy were in the kitchen doing the last minute clean up.
As Daisy was putting the leftover salad in the fridge she could feel Tory's eyes moving up and down her figure as she bent over, she did fit into her white jeans very nicely which made her very appealing. She was about to turn around when she felt his breath on her neck, he was to close for comfort, but she like it, was she going to go along with his advances if he made any or was she going to play hard to get? Tory didn't give her the chance to decide for herself, he lifted her up and before she had time to refuse, his lips were upon hers, the heat from the embrace made Daisy's head feel light and her stomach queasy, her body responded without asking her, she fell into the kiss with such passion that even Tory was surprised. The two of them were locked in passion longer than intended and were brought back to reality by the soft laughter of Leslie and Mario. "We'll leave you two alone, enjoy the rest of the evening and I'll see you at home, Tory." "Thanks so much for coming, Leslie, it was nice meeting you Mario, I'll call you tomorrow Leslie, ok?"
Left alone, Daisy and Tory had a decision to make, would they go farther than they had intended led by uncontrollable passion, or would they follow their adult instincts and enjoy the moment but with limitations? Daisy made the first move by going outside to the veranda that she felt would be more appropriate if she was to have control of her emotions, Tory followed with the same thought in mind and the evening became what it was meant to be, friends enjoying the company of one another. They were able to bring their emotions under control and had a nice time getting to know each other a little better.
After everyone had gone, Daisy gave herself a good talking to realizing that she had to make some firm decisions concerning Tory, although she cared for him very much she had to get control of emotions and do the right thing for him and herself. What that was , she wasn't sure, but she had to find out before it was too late. She knew that the attraction between them was mutual but getting serious this early was not wise and it was going to be hard for the both of them to make the right decisions.
Daisy had dated several young men since her parents gave her the ok to date, but none of them affected her the way Tory had. She was confused as to why he had such an affect on her since they had just met a short time ago. Could it be love at first sight? Was it possible that she had already given her heart to Tory, emotionally, even though she had not committed herself verbally? This was so out of character for Daisy, she was very confused; she needed to talk this over with her mother for sure.
Daisy knew getting involved with Tory, or any other guy right now would not be good for her career, and would deter her from her plans for the future, if she didn't make the right decisions, she could find herself tied down with a family far sooner than she planned. She needed to take precautions and tread lightly with her love life to insure that she didn't do something she would be sorry for later. She had been very selective thus far and had made it to an age where a lot of her friends were already married. She hoped that she could keep these thoughts fresh in her mind when she faced Tory again.
Monday morning found Daisy fighting early morning traffic trying to be on time for her first day on the new job. It was maddening and she was a nervous wreck by the time she reached the department's parking lot. Her nerves were already on edge since it was her first day on her new job; she knew no one and had only worked for her dad at his law firm and as a lifeguard at the local pool, so this would all be new to her. She had dressed very modestly this morning wanting to investigate the dress code before she let herself go to far, she needed to see how the other girls in the office were dressing.
Her first day proved to be successful, she thought, her co-workers seemed friendly enough and there certainly was enough variation in nationalities. There was Rosalina Cappo, who was a local, born here in Calabria, Hun Ling who was from China; there was an Australian, Angie Brown, and Mau Pim from Korea, the supervisor was a good looking Italian gentleman, whose name was Antonio Spinoza, he had been with the department for five years, working his way up from documents and filing. Daisy hoped she would fit in and was going to do her part to make it happen. She would be working as the personal secretary to Mr. Spinoza.
Daisy's feet were talking back to her by the time she arrived home at six that evening. The drive home had been almost as big a challenge as her first day at work. The bathtub could not fill fast enough; she could almost feel the bubbles consuming her tired, aching body, surely she would get use to the office routine by the end of the week. If it took longer than that she would be sorely disappointed but she was young and up to the challenge. Maybe she was just a bit spoiled, could that be possible?
As Daisy stepped out of the tub, wet hair, water dripping down her back, she heard the phone ringing off the hook, but she couldn't make it in time. She finished drying and put on her favorite Mickey Mouse pajamas, she looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Leslie who had called; I will call her after I dry my hair she thought as she reached for the hair dryer. Twenty minutes later Daisy dialed Leslie's number, the voice on the other end was Aunt Maria, "May I speak to Leslie, please?" Asked Daisy, "Just one moment, Daisy replied Maria, she's with her Uncle Joe in the study." A moment went by and Leslie was on the phone, "What's up friend? How did work go today?" "I think I'm going to like it. Leslie, the office staff seemed very nice, it will take time but I think it will work out. What did you do today? How much time do you have left before you go back to America?"
"I have two more weeks left of vacation if I decide to go back, my job is not too promising and the situation there hasn't been good for quite some time. Aunt Maria and Uncle Joe have offered me a place to live if I decide to stay here, what's your opinion?" "I'm not sure I'm the one you should ask, Leslie, I would love for you to stay, you are my best friend here and I have fallen in love with your family." "You didn't mention Tory, how does he fit into your plans? How do you feel about him?" "He has definitely found a place in my life and I care very much for him, we are good friends right now and I don't know where life will lead us." Leslie thought for a moment about what Daisy had just said but didn't comment one way or the other. "I have a lot to think about Daisy, I need to call my parents and discuss this if I am considering such a move. My dad has only a few years until retirement and they are planning to spend a lot of their free time here with Aunt Maria and Uncle Joe, so living here would be ideal for that reason alone. I'll keep in touch; have a nice evening, bye." Daisy hung up the phone with high hopes that Leslie would move permanently to Italy since they had become so close since meeting and it would add so much to her life there in Calabria. The week had gone by so fast; Daisy couldn't believe it was the weekend so soon. She awoke with thoughts of home and her parents, it was getting easier without them but she still missed them a great deal. Shad hopes that maybe they would follow her someday when her dad retired and come to Calabria to live. It was a beautiful city and she thought her parents would love it there.
Chapter 7
Daisy gave Tory a call to ask if he would be available in between tours to help her find a a car, she could tell by the sound of his voice that he was more than glad to hear from her and would make room in his schedule to spend with no matter the reason. His response was more than favorable and he went as far as to offer her dinner that evening. He would pick her up at one that afternoon since his afternoon tour had been cancelled, they would shop for a car; have dinner later and what more could a girl ask for? Tory took pride in his knowledge of cars and Daisy thought he would be te perfect guide to buying one. Calabria had few super highways, most of the roads were narrow and winding so she thought a smaller vehicle would be the best for her. She wanted an American make; since she was familiar with them and didn't have a family so something small would be perfect. After two hours of test driving cars Daisy chose a cute bright yellow, convertible Chevy Malibu. She felt a little closer to home in it and it would be a connection to her mother country.
The car was not brand new although it was in excellent condition but needed to be inspected, washed and cleaned up a little, Daisy would be able to pick it up the following day. having all the important things finally out of the way Daisy could look forward to the dinner that Tory had promised her. He had chosen a small bistro off the beaten path just for the two of them; he whispered something to the waiter who then seated them at a table near the window that had a view to die for. "This is lovely, Tory, the view is breathtaking." Commented Daisy, as Tory helped her with her chair. He seated himself across the table and took her by the hand, looking into her deep blue eyes he didn't say a word, but she could feel what he wasn't saying.
The moments seemed like hours before Tory broke the silence as he whispered, "My world came to a screeching halt when you came into it, Daisy. I haven't been able to think much of anything else but you since the day you walked into my life." "I know Tory, it's been the same for me but we must use our heads and not our hearts, at least for a while. We have our whole lives ahead of us, let's take it slow, we have a lot to do before settling down, don't you think?" "I agree Daisy, but I want to be with you so badly, you will continue to see me, won't you?" "Sure, there is no one else, so we will have each other but let's not make any plans for now. Now, order me some food, I'm starving." Tory kissed Daisy on the hand and motioned for the waiter.
The conversation on the way back to the dealership was just conversation in general, nothing that referred to their earlier talk. Tory didn't want to push his luck and tried to keep it on the friendship level as much as he could and that wasn't easy because his feelings for Daisy were much more than platonic.
Daisy's new car was ready and waiting for her to pick it up, she loved it and it seemed to suit her to a tee. Tory waved good by as Daisy drove away with him in close pursuit; he would follow her just as a precaution since she didn't know the area that well. He wanted to follow her all the way home but he would go along with her wishes at least for now and not do so.
Daisy felt so satisfied when she awoke the first morning in her new home, it was such a relief to be out of the hotel although it was very luxurious. She hopped out of bed and made her way to the veranda, one of her favorite things about the house. She had bought some lovely outdoor furniture which included a large chaise lounge which was going to get a lot of use especially by her. She went back inside to put on a pot of coffee, what good was a veranda without a good cup of hot coffee. Daisy had just a few days to enjoy the view before starting her new job. She brought her coffee and the telephone outside to try out her new chaise lounge, as she lay there thinking how lucky she was, thoughts of the villa came rushing back to her, she now remembered she had heard stories circulate through the family as a young girl of her dad's great-great grandfather who had lived in such a villa years ago while stationed in Italy during the war. The story went that he had had an affair with a countess and she would meet him there whenever she could get away, it did fit the description as far as she could remember but she was sure there was no connection, which would be too weird.
She called Leslie to invite her and her family over Saturday night for a small house warming party. Leslie answered the phone with her delightful hello as she usually did, she was such a bubbly personality and Daisy loved that about her. "Leslie, it's Daisy, I'm calling to see if you and your family would like to come over for a small get together Saturday night to celebrate my new home, around six, would that be fine?" "We'd love to help you celebrate, Daisy, but are you sure you're ready for that?" "O, yes, I can hardly wait; don't forget to tell Tory, we'll see you then, bye."
Daisy had done all her shopping, she was having steaks on the grill where she would let Tory display his grilling skills, baked potatoes, spinach salad and banana pudding for dessert, it had always been her favorite and she could make it just like her mom, she never thought of herself as a cook but she could made pudding. She would pick up some wine at the local winery just a few miles from the villa, a red and a white. Just thinking of entertaining in her own home gave Daisy great satisfaction, how I wish mom and dad, Aunt Sophie and Uncle Max were her they would love it and I would love having them she thought as she dreamed of Saturday night.
Saturday was spent freshening up the house and getting everything prepared. Daisy had the pudding in the fridge, read to go, all the veggies for the salad were ready, and she would maker her famous bacon, walnut vinaigrette dressing later that afternoon. She still had to shower, do her hair, nails and makeup, a girl has to look her best, especially with Tory as a guest. Although she had not made any commitment to him, she still wanted to keep his desire inflamed if she could. She did feel a strong attraction to him but didn't want to get deeply involved this soon, there was so much in life she wanted to do, and after all she was just twenty-one.
The evening was a hit, everyone enjoyed themselves, the food was outstanding and the wine brought a smoothness that satisfied everyone's palate. Relaxing on the veranda until the sunset almost had them mesmerized but the evening had to end and the guest began to leave. Aunt Maria and Uncle Joe were the first to leave, Leslie had brought an old beau, Mario Capriano, with her and they were lingering, still sipping on their glass of wine while Tory and daisy were in the kitchen doing the last minute clean up.
As Daisy was putting the leftover salad in the fridge she could feel Tory's eyes moving up and down her figure as she bent over, she did fit into her white jeans very nicely which made her very appealing. She was about to turn around when she felt his breath on her neck, he was to close for comfort, but she like it, was she going to go along with his advances if he made any or was she going to play hard to get? Tory didn't give her the chance to decide for herself, he lifted her up and before she had time to refuse, his lips were upon hers, the heat from the embrace made Daisy's head feel light and her stomach queasy, her body responded without asking her, she fell into the kiss with such passion that even Tory was surprised. The two of them were locked in passion longer than intended and were brought back to reality by the soft laughter of Leslie and Mario. "We'll leave you two alone, enjoy the rest of the evening and I'll see you at home, Tory." "Thanks so much for coming, Leslie, it was nice meeting you Mario, I'll call you tomorrow Leslie, ok?"
Left alone, Daisy and Tory had a decision to make, would they go farther than they had intended led by uncontrollable passion, or would they follow their adult instincts and enjoy the moment but with limitations? Daisy made the first move by going outside to the veranda that she felt would be more appropriate if she was to have control of her emotions, Tory followed with the same thought in mind and the evening became what it was meant to be, friends enjoying the company of one another. They were able to bring their emotions under control and had a nice time getting to know each other a little better.
After everyone had gone, Daisy gave herself a good talking to realizing that she had to make some firm decisions concerning Tory, although she cared for him very much she had to get control of emotions and do the right thing for him and herself. What that was , she wasn't sure, but she had to find out before it was too late. She knew that the attraction between them was mutual but getting serious this early was not wise and it was going to be hard for the both of them to make the right decisions.
Daisy had dated several young men since her parents gave her the ok to date, but none of them affected her the way Tory had. She was confused as to why he had such an affect on her since they had just met a short time ago. Could it be love at first sight? Was it possible that she had already given her heart to Tory, emotionally, even though she had not committed herself verbally? This was so out of character for Daisy, she was very confused; she needed to talk this over with her mother for sure.
Daisy knew getting involved with Tory, or any other guy right now would not be good for her career, and would deter her from her plans for the future, if she didn't make the right decisions, she could find herself tied down with a family far sooner than she planned. She needed to take precautions and tread lightly with her love life to insure that she didn't do something she would be sorry for later. She had been very selective thus far and had made it to an age where a lot of her friends were already married. She hoped that she could keep these thoughts fresh in her mind when she faced Tory again.
Monday morning found Daisy fighting early morning traffic trying to be on time for her first day on the new job. It was maddening and she was a nervous wreck by the time she reached the department's parking lot. Her nerves were already on edge since it was her first day on her new job; she knew no one and had only worked for her dad at his law firm and as a lifeguard at the local pool, so this would all be new to her. She had dressed very modestly this morning wanting to investigate the dress code before she let herself go to far, she needed to see how the other girls in the office were dressing.
Her first day proved to be successful, she thought, her co-workers seemed friendly enough and there certainly was enough variation in nationalities. There was Rosalina Cappo, who was a local, born here in Calabria, Hun Ling who was from China; there was an Australian, Angie Brown, and Mau Pim from Korea, the supervisor was a good looking Italian gentleman, whose name was Antonio Spinoza, he had been with the department for five years, working his way up from documents and filing. Daisy hoped she would fit in and was going to do her part to make it happen. She would be working as the personal secretary to Mr. Spinoza.
Daisy's feet were talking back to her by the time she arrived home at six that evening. The drive home had been almost as big a challenge as her first day at work. The bathtub could not fill fast enough; she could almost feel the bubbles consuming her tired, aching body, surely she would get use to the office routine by the end of the week. If it took longer than that she would be sorely disappointed but she was young and up to the challenge. Maybe she was just a bit spoiled, could that be possible?
As Daisy stepped out of the tub, wet hair, water dripping down her back, she heard the phone ringing off the hook, but she couldn't make it in time. She finished drying and put on her favorite Mickey Mouse pajamas, she looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Leslie who had called; I will call her after I dry my hair she thought as she reached for the hair dryer. Twenty minutes later Daisy dialed Leslie's number, the voice on the other end was Aunt Maria, "May I speak to Leslie, please?" Asked Daisy, "Just one moment, Daisy replied Maria, she's with her Uncle Joe in the study." A moment went by and Leslie was on the phone, "What's up friend? How did work go today?" "I think I'm going to like it. Leslie, the office staff seemed very nice, it will take time but I think it will work out. What did you do today? How much time do you have left before you go back to America?"
"I have two more weeks left of vacation if I decide to go back, my job is not too promising and the situation there hasn't been good for quite some time. Aunt Maria and Uncle Joe have offered me a place to live if I decide to stay here, what's your opinion?" "I'm not sure I'm the one you should ask, Leslie, I would love for you to stay, you are my best friend here and I have fallen in love with your family." "You didn't mention Tory, how does he fit into your plans? How do you feel about him?" "He has definitely found a place in my life and I care very much for him, we are good friends right now and I don't know where life will lead us." Leslie thought for a moment about what Daisy had just said but didn't comment one way or the other. "I have a lot to think about Daisy, I need to call my parents and discuss this if I am considering such a move. My dad has only a few years until retirement and they are planning to spend a lot of their free time here with Aunt Maria and Uncle Joe, so living here would be ideal for that reason alone. I'll keep in touch; have a nice evening, bye." Daisy hung up the phone with high hopes that Leslie would move permanently to Italy since they had become so close since meeting and it would add so much to her life there in Calabria. The week had gone by so fast; Daisy couldn't believe it was the weekend so soon. She awoke with thoughts of home and her parents, it was getting easier without them but she still missed them a great deal. Shad hopes that maybe they would follow her someday when her dad retired and come to Calabria to live. It was a beautiful city and she thought her parents would love it there.
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