When we’d gotten to the hotel yesterday, which was more luxurious than I’d expected, we’d been invited to join a cooking class in the evening, where they would teach us how to make a local dish and then we’d eat it for dinner.
Unlike my eldest brother, Vanni, I did not get my mother’s cooking gene, but the older I got the more interested I was in learning how. Not only because it was a good skill to have, but it was much cheaper than always eating out, and healthier than grabbing something quick on the go.
But, since we had time to kill before the class started, I booked a massage in the spa. And while I was enjoying the deep tissue, Damon took a sketchbook outside to find a view of the vineyard to paint.
It had turned into a really lovely impromptu side trip, and I was even more excited by what we’d be experiencing this morning.
I’d woken up this morning from my internal alarm, jumping out of bed to grab a shower, so pumped over dressing up in my medieval costume. The dress was beautiful and something I’d always secretly wanted to try on.
I put on the muslin underdress first, followed by the emerald-green overdress, which had a lace-up bodice. I kept my hair down and went for the barely there makeup look, figuring it would fit best with the time period.
Once I was finished, I opened the bathroom door and swooped into the room, spinning in a circle as I entered. But when I glanced at the bed, I saw Damon was still sleeping.
“Okay, so much for a dramatic entrance,” I whispered, crossing to sit down on the bed, and laid my hand gently on his shoulder. “Hey … time to wake up.”
“Hmmm?” he muttered, turning onto his side, eyes still closed.
“Damon,” I called in the same singsong voice I used to wake up Sky for daycare. “It’s time to get up.”
Damon cracked one eye open, then blinked and sat up when he saw me in my garb.
He looked so cute, sweet even, as he rubbed his hand over his face and struggled to figure out why I looked like I’d just gotten off the elevator with Bill and Ted.
“What?” he asked groggily.
“The medieval fair, remember? We need to get going soon so we don’t miss the parade.”
When he started to move, I got up and gave him space to get out of bed. Once he’d padded to the bathroom, I quickly started packing up, wanting to be ready to go once he was.
Fifteen minutes later, we were all checked out and back in the car, heading down to Cortona once again.
We parked in the same lot we had yesterday and hurried down the cobblestone to the square. Well, I hurried, and basically dragged Damon behind me. He was such a good guy, and I was really grateful he was encouraging of my shenanigans. Nigel would never, in a million years, have even made the stop in Cortona, let alone gone along with the extended stay for the festival. He would have thought it was ridiculous and a waste of time.
Just one more reason I was coming to terms with the fact that I was much better off without him in my life.
What’s the point of being with someone who doesn’t appreciate you for who you are, and instead wants you to conform to who they are?
The streets were alive with people in all sorts of medieval getup, ranging from the noble to the peasants to the jousters. Everyone was chatting and laughing and obviously having a great time participating in a tradition that had been in this town since the thirteen hundreds.
There were vendors selling food and wares, and when I saw one with hand-carved wooden swords, I pulled Damon toward it.
“May I purchase you a sword, good sir?” I asked with a laugh.
I was delighted when Damon grinned, and made a show of giving me a bow, before responding, “I’d be honored, milady.”
We moved off to the sidelines with the crowd just as the parade began. We watched as some people walked, and some people rode horses, through the historic center. Once the parade was over, there was the flag-throwing competition, which was a riot of color and dazzling performances, and then the joust.
The dinner was massive, served on long tables like something out of the TV show Vikings, with legs of meat and mugs of ale. It was a fabulous display and so much fun I knew I’d remember this day forever.
We ended the festival dancing in the streets, switching to partner with strangers who were jovial and probably a little drunk.
Once it was through, we walked back up the hill to our car, exhausted yet smiling.
“Thank you so much for going on this journey with me,” I told Damon as we stood next to the car, my door wide open. I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight. “I had so much fun.”
“Me, too, Char. Thanks for inviting me on this journey.”
He kissed me swiftly, then waited for me to get into the car before shutting the door behind me and walking to the driver’s side.
I laid back my seat, turning slightly so I could watch him as he drove us home.
Home. It was funny how the villa felt like home. I mean, technically it was my family’s home now, but having only been there twice, it had still felt like a place to go on vacation when I’d arrived, but after spending time there with Damon, it felt more like a home.
I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, Damon was saying softly, “We’re here.”
We took our bags inside and found that Maria had left us a note welcoming us back and saying there was food in the refrigerator if we were hungry after our trip.
“I’m going to go unpack and get cleaned up,” Damon said, lifting his bag. “Meet you back down in ten?”
“Better make it thirty. I’m going to call Sky.”
He nodded and I started up the stairs, eager to Facetime my baby.