“You see it’s been an easy trip. Very comfortable,” Nonna said after returning from the plane restroom all refreshed. “Delta really pampered us in their VIP lounge while transiting in New York. Wine, luncheon, your free Wi-Fi, and a lounge chair for me to nap. What more could we ask for. And then I managed to sleep for several hours during the transatlantic flight.”
Barely able to keep her eyes open, Isabella grumbled, “Good. Glad you slept.”
As for her, she hadn’t been able to doze for more than fifteen minutes at a time. Trapped in various nightmares, she’d snapped awake in cold sweat muttering incoherent cries for help. Her scary dreams involved Marco and Jonathan rolling on the ground, trying to strangle each other. The worst one was when Marco gagged her and carried her on his boat to a deserted island, and Jonathan couldn’t find her. Please God, don’t let it happen.
After they landed in Rome, Nonna found a wheelchair waiting for her at the door of the plane. They rushed through passport control and customs.
Isabella sighed with relief as they reached the gate and waited to board the small plane that would take them to Sicily. In spite of the fuzziness clouding her mind she remembered to text Jonathan.
Hi, arrived safely in Rome. Waiting for connection to Palermo. Thinking of you. Will text later, xoxo. Isabella.
She called Emma. “Hi Emma, we are in Rome.”
“Hi Isabella, I can’t wait to see you. You said we? Is your boyfriend with you?” Her tone rose in excitement.
Suddenly wide awake, Isabella corrected her. “Nonna came with me. She wouldn’t let me go by myself.”
“Maybe it’s better. She knows more people than you do and they all respect her. Now tell me about that new boyfriend.”
“My boyfriend, huh, I…I…” White lies didn’t come easy when she was so tired. “You won’t believe what we did, hmm…”
“Don’t tell me you got married?”
Isabella giggled nervously. Let Emma imagine the story.
“Oh dear, you did it,” her friend squealed in the phone. “When?”
“Shh, it’s a secret. We didn’t tell anyone but Nonna, because…because I was leaving for Sicily and I was going to miss him terribly. We didn’t even have time to buy a ring. I wore my mamma’s one.”
“Dio mio, this is so romantic. I’m very excited for you. Congratulations, sweetie.”
“We have to board now. Bye.” She ended the connection and snorted. Emma would never be able to keep such an exciting announcement to herself. She’d probably share it with her sister Patricia and make her swear to keep it secret, and of course Patricia would do the same with her best friend. By tomorrow the whole town would promise not to tell anyone about Isabella eloping with a lawyer. Marco would learn about it and leave her in peace.
Finally reassured, Isabella boarded the small plane, settled in her seat and drifted off.
“Bella, wake up.” Nonna’s voice pulled her from a deep slumber. “We landed. We’re home in Sicily.” Nonna’s eyes filled with tears. “I miss my country so much.”
Too weary to share Nonna’s nostalgia, Isabella collected their handbags and shuffled along the aisle. At the door of the plane, a steward helped Nonna down the steps to the tarmac where a wheelchair awaited her. The attendant settled her and pushed the wheelchair to the gate.
“Isabella,” Emma called and hugged her. “I missed you so much. And here is Nonna Regina.” Emma bent and kissed the old lady on both cheeks. “So good to see you. My father is parking the car and Mamma is arriving at her own pace,” she added as a heavy lady approached them.
Nonna got out of her wheelchair, tipped the attendant, and dismissed him.
“Maria, que bene.” Nonna hugged and kissed Emma’s mother. They babbled in Italian while Isabella and Emma exchanged confidences.
“So you really eloped? Wow. Show me you ring.” Emma caught Isabella’s hand and caressed the ring. “I hope I’ll have one soon, too.”
Isabella’s phone chimed. She glimpsed at the display and forgot her exhaustion.
“Jonathan, so nice of you to call. We just arrived.”
“Yes, I know. I checked your flight arrival. I miss you.”
“Oh, I miss you too. I wish…”
“Yes?”
“I wish you could have been with me now.”
“Really? Then raise your head and look straight ahead.”
She did. And squealed. “Jonathan! No way.” He stood twenty feet from her. A smile stretched his lips. His eyes roving over her, he held out his hand.
Mamma Mia, wishes could come true if you wished them very hard.
All rattled, she shoved her phone into her pocket and ran toward him. He opened his arms and she threw herself into her haven and against his solid chest. Her chin lifted and his mouth lowered for a delicious, steamy kiss she’d been dreaming of during the long flight. When she couldn’t breathe, she eased away and buried her face in the crook of his neck, delighting in his familiar lemon scent.
“I missed you so much. You drove me crazy with worry.” His voice cracked with emotion and he sprinkled light kisses on her forehead and temples.
The sound of conversation wafted toward her. Suddenly, reality grasped her in its clutches as Emma sashayed toward them.
“Isabella, aren’t you going to introduce us to your—”
“Yes, yes. Emma, meet Jonathan. I told you how…how…I…I…” Her throat slammed shut as her pulse raced erratically. “We, hmm, are together.”
Emma laughed. “Yes, you told me a lot of things. But he’s even better than I imagined. I can well understand what you did.” She winked and Jonathan frowned.
“What on Earth did you tell her, Isabella?”
“Everything.” Emma rolled her eyes and Isabella’s stomach plummeted. How was she going to extricate herself from this impasse?
“Everything? The balcony and our…”
Jonathan’s eyes opened wide. Isabella’s flickered with concern.
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Dear God, help me.
Common sense kicked in. She’d better explain at least part of the situation to Jonathan before he lost his temper and abandoned her here to catch the next flight to New York.
“Emma, please help Nonna.” She lowered her tone. “I need a private moment with Jonathan.”
“I understand, sweetie.” Emma threw them a dreamy smile and twirled away with a sigh.
“Jonathan, there’s something I have to explain.”
“You bet you do.” He held her shoulders at arm’s length. “How could you tattle about our time together? Did you describe our kisses? Can’t you girls keep private things private?” His breathing grew faster and his voice rose.
“Shh, calm down. I swear I didn’t mention our kisses. But I told her that… that we eloped and got married,” she blurted, her heart creeping into her throat.
“Huh?” His jaw dropped and he looked at her as if she’d grown two horns, then he narrowed his eyes. His expression was so comical a nervous laugh gurgled in her throat and rapidly died under his ferocious glare. She cringed, wondering if he was going to strangle her.
“I had to, Jonathan. To protect myself from Marco. Please understand.” Her palm flattened on his chest to soothe him and gather some of his strength. “He would have abducted me the minute I arrived and forced me to marry him. But if he thought I was married, that’s it, he couldn’t touch me. Wouldn’t you want to protect me from this guy? You came all the way here, right?”
Tension stretched between them for a moment. His lips twitched to one side while he glowered.
She squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. This scenario is only for the time I’m here. You wouldn’t even have heard of it if you hadn’t come.”
He heaved a few long breaths and seemed to calm down. “Do you think they’ll swallow your story?”
A shred of hope dangled and a huff of relief escaped her. “They already did.”
“What about your grandmother? What am I supposed to tell her?”
“Nothing. I already told her before leaving Fort Lauderdale. She even saw my ring.”
“Your what?” He jerked, snatched her hand, and did a double-take at the magnificent stone. “Where did you get that trinket? Couldn’t you have bought something less showy than that fake rock?”
She covered her hand to protect the beautiful diamond. “It’s my mother’s wedding ring that I’m supposed to wear at my wedding if I ever do get married.” Tears sprang to her eyes. Trinket. Her mother’s gorgeous ring. She sniffled. “Please, Jonathan, play along. It’s for a good cause. We’re here to get Lorenzo out of prison, make sure Emma is reunited with the man she loves, and protect me from Marco’s undesirable amorous advances.”