Chapter 39

When Maria gave birth to a baby boy Stefano was moved to tears. He cradled the new arrival in his arms, his face the picture of fatherly pride.

‘Now we have the start of a football team! Two fine boys in our family now!’

There was a little conflict over the name. For some reason Maria wanted to call the new baby Timothy. She couldn’t explain why, but she had set her heart on it. It was not a name that appealed to Stefano, having no Italian undertones, but he was so overjoyed to have been presented with a second son that he gave in easily.

Carlo was fascinated by his small brother, although disappointed initially that the new arrival lacked any mobility skills. But he was assured by a doting father that very soon Timothy would be running round, and they would all have a game together. Every day Carlo would enquire hopefully if Tim – as they all called him – was ready to play football yet. It was disappointing that there seemed to be little change in his small brother since the previous day, but Carlo remained optimistic that Tim would be replete with football skills any day now.

Fortunately this sad lack did not detract from Carlo’s pride in the new arrival. He boasted to his friends that he had ‘a very fine brother’, his status as the firstborn giving him a sense of superiority.

It was now six years since they had settled in Wimbledon. Carlo had started school and Timothy, who had just reached his first birthday, was an easy-going little chap who smiled frequently. He had not yet learned to stand up and walk, but he had discovered a method of moving that achieved his purposes amazingly fast. With a strange, crab-like motion he shifted himself along while in a sitting position, his bottom sliding across the floor as he propelled himself with his hands. He was quite satisfied with this, and even though Stefano tried to encourage him to stand up, he simply grinned, sat back down, and took off on his current quest.

One day Stefano came back from work to find a letter from his mother waiting for him. He was shaken by its contents, exclaiming loudly as he came to tell Maria. The news was not good. His father had had a heart attack, and was seriously ill.

‘We must go to Milano, we must visit him, before it is too late! We must all go, so that my father can see his very fine grandsons. This is what he wants, I know.’

Stefano had been back to Italy several times on business trips, but he had never suggested that Maria should accompany him. Sometimes he had gone for only a few days, and sometimes for a week or more. Maria accepted that this was a necessary part of his business, and rather enjoyed the peaceful times while he was away.

Now, as she thought about going back to Italy, she was not at all sure she wanted to go. Memories of those difficult days with his family had not completely faded, and she remembered how much she had hated not being able to understand what everyone was saying. Stefano, however, was adamant. They must all go, and they must go very soon.

Carlo, at six years of age, revelled in the experience of the flight. He sat bolt upright on his seat, craned his neck to see all he could out of the window and asked interminable questions.

But if Carlo had now shed his dislike of flying, the same could hardly be said of Timothy. He screamed loudly as the plane took off, vividly reminding Maria of that nightmare flight six years ago when she had found herself saddled with a baby. As the journey proceeded Timothy squirmed on Maria’s lap, his usual happy face the picture of misery.

Stefano ignored him, as much as he was able, turning his attention to Carlo, pointing out all that was happening as they flew through the skies. When the stewardesses came round Carlo beamed at them, charming them into producing extra treats for him.

Maria did her best to calm her distressed younger son, but although his loud cries died down, he continued to sob quietly against her shoulder. The flight was mercifully only two hours and soon they were coming in to land. As the plane began to swoop down onto the runway Timothy’s churning stomach erupted and he vomited down the front of Maria’s blouse.

‘Pooh!’ cried Stefano. ‘Stinky, stinky! Now my family meet us and we are stinky, stinky!’

The stewardess did her best to help. She came with a damp cloth and dabbed at the soiled areas, removing some of the worst of the vomit.

‘I’ll go into the cloakroom when we’re in the airport,’ said Maria. ‘I expect I can sponge us both down so it won’t smell.’

Giulia and Carmela were there to meet them. There was a noisy and emotional reunion with Stefano. Maria waited until it was over, standing back with Carlo, and holding Timothy, who had rediscovered his smile, in her arms. Giulia looked older and her hair was greyer, but the surprise for Maria was Carmela, now a beautiful young woman. Mother and daughter enveloped Maria in a warm welcome, exclaimed over Carlo and finally turned their attention to Timothy, cooing over him and generally making a fuss the way women do of babies.

Stefano was now conversing in Italian, but Maria heard the names of the boys being used, and from the look on Stefano’s face, knew he was expressing fatherly pride in Carlo; but she also saw the disdain when he mentioned Timothy. She knew, in his father’s eyes, poor Tim had rather blotted his copybook on the journey.

As soon as they had arrived at the family home Stefano went racing upstairs to see his father. Giulia suggested to Maria that she might like to have some time to wash and change and see to Timothy before paying her visit to the old man. Obviously the odour was still clinging to their clothes!

Meanwhile Stefano could be heard calling Carlo. Maria wished she could be there when Carlo was presented to his grandfather, but she accepted that Stefano did things his own way.

Finally it was her turn. With Timothy in her arms she was ushered into Gino’s bedroom. The old man cried out with pleasure at the sight of them. He insisted on clasping Maria tightly against him, a rather awkward manoeuvre as she was still holding the child. The sick man appeared to be captivated by his new grandson, who smiled benignly as the old man went into an outpouring of rapturous praise.

Once again it was Carmela who was Maria’s greatest comfort and ally. Now a college student, she had time to spend at home, and as her English had greatly improved, she was by far the most fluent in the family. This helped Maria to feel less isolated.

Stefano announced that he would be taking everyone out to lunch the next day, but after that he would need to do one or two business visits. Maria was a little surprised – she had thought he would want to spend the maximum possible time with his father, but he explained that it was necessary, while he was in the country, to attend some meetings, and in any case, his father would be easily tired if he stayed with him too much.

The first time he went on a business trip he said a colleague would be picking him up from the house. Maria happened to be upstairs at the time, and looking out of a front window, saw that a flamboyant, open-topped sports car was parked outside. Stefano came running upstairs to embrace her.

‘You will be happy here, Maria! My family, they look after you and give you good time. Ciao!’

He kissed her warmly, and was gone. As the car drove away Maria saw long, flowing hair blowing in the wind. She asked Carmela if she knew who this colleague was.

‘That is Valeria De Luca. She work in the same business as Stefano. She is … how you say … representative?’

‘Does she live near here? Is she married?’

‘I not know.’

Maria wasn’t sure which of her questions was being answered. ‘Where are they going today? Do you know that?’ Was she imagining it, or was Carmela slightly ill at ease?

The young woman shrugged. ‘I not know. Stefano not say. He say they have important meeting.’

That evening the car could be heard zooming up to the front door and Stefano was deposited on the doorstep. He came bounding inside in high spirits, calling for Maria and his sons. Giulia came running to greet him also, so that the conversation was in Italian, and once again Maria was lost, unable to pick up anything from the fast flow of words.

It appeared that the next day they were to have another family day. A picnic was prepared, and apart from Gino, who had a nurse to care for him, everyone piled into the large family car. Both boys loved this, especially as a football was brought and an impromptu game took place in the field between father and son. Timothy chuckled at the sight of it, eagerly watching his older brother dive for balls, and laughing heartily when his father fell into a patch of rough growth. He tried to crawl towards them to join in, but Maria held tightly on to him.

That evening Stefano said that this time his business required him to travel far, and he would have to stay in a hotel for the night. Maria, her suspicions already aroused, felt her blood run cold. The next morning he said he must prepare the things he needed for the meeting, and pack them in a small suitcase. He must also take a few clothes and other necessities. Singing loudly, he busied himself putting together what he needed. He was about to take the case downstairs when his mother came to say Gino was anxious to see him before he left. He went to his father, leaving the case on the bed. Maria eyed it, just for a moment, and then, without hesitating any further, opened it.

There were no business papers inside. Pyjamas and clean underwear were neatly arranged. Something made Maria reach in and lift the clothes. Underneath them was a packet of condoms. She shut the case swiftly as she heard Stefano returning.

‘I am sorry I am leaving you for two whole days! You look after my very fine sons and soon I am returning!’

He gave her a hearty embrace and a long kiss, ran downstairs to the front door where the sports car was just arriving, and leapt in. He turned to wave and was gone.

For the rest of the time they were in Italy Maria went through the motions, longing for the day when they would return home. She believed she would feel more comfortable once she was on her own territory.

After an emotional farewell they were driven to the airport, with Stefano loudly bewailing the fact that he would never see his father again. Queuing at the check-in desk they looked up at the sound of a commotion. A woman was running across the departures hall, shouting. It was Valeria.

‘Wait here!’ said Stefano, sharply.

He ran across the floor towards her. Maria couldn’t help wondering if they would throw themselves at each other, arms outstretched, as happened in the old movies. But they stopped short of this.

Watching as the two of them exchanged a few words Maria clearly saw a letter being passed to Stefano, which he quickly slipped into his pocket. Then she saw him give the woman an Italian kiss on both cheeks, after which he returned to his family, looking rather sheepish.

‘Unfinished business?’ murmured Maria.

Unaware of the barb in the phrase Stefano nodded solemnly. ‘She brought an important message. She arrived just in time!’

‘How fortunate.’

On the return journey Timothy was much calmer. Perhaps he, too, was glad to be going home. He sat on Maria’s lap, and in a few minutes had gone to sleep, his head resting on her shoulder.

Maria hid her face against her sleeping son and wept silently. She wept for the way her innocence and trust, eroded by the hard school of experience, had given way to cynicism and bitterness. And she wept for the loss of a sister who used to be there for her, her comforter in times of depair, her support when she felt uncertain, her guide, always ready to advise during the difficulties of adolescence, and her best friend.