Page 24 of The Dolce Vita Divas
‘I was looking for fries,’ the boy said, his lower lip trembling, ‘and she gave me weird stuff to eat.’
Andrea looked at me with horror in her eyes, as though I was a clear and present danger to her charge and she wanted to call the police.
‘Come with me. Mommy is worried about you.’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘Am I allowed fries as a treat if I do?’
Andrea took his hand, let go with an expression of disgust, pulled out a pack of wet wipes from her pocket and cleaned his hands properly before leading him away, murmuring in what I think was Spanish to encourage him.
‘Well, he’s a little charmer,’ Susie said.
Seconds later the boy was back, flinging himself onto my lap where he buried his face in my neck. Andrea appeared a few moments later.
‘You must come with me. You shouldn’t talk to strangers. And Mommy will want you to change into clean clothes.’
‘I don’t want to,’ he said.
Andrea threw me an anguished look.
‘Do you have something special to wear?’ I said.
The boy looked up at me, his huge brown eyes suddenly filled with the sort of tragic despair small children can project one minute, usually followed by unrelenting joy the next.
‘I expect you are going to look quite the little gentleman,’ I added, ‘and that shirt has cream cheese all over it.’
And come to think of it, so did I now.
He gave an enormous sniff and wiped his nose on the back of his hand.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing you again later when you are all cleaned up,’ I said, wiping a smudge of cream cheese off my face, wondering if I could peel his arms from around my neck without him throwing another tantrum. ‘Now then, go along with Andrea like a good boy, quick as you can, and do as she says.’
Without a word, he slithered off my lap and onto the ground and wandered off, Andrea hurrying after him.
‘Not lost it then?’ Susie said. ‘Those headmistressy tones still work.’
6
That evening after I had changed into a smart dress, Paulo led us to a wonderful table in the restaurant, where the matchless view over the bay of Naples was equally as delicious as the meal we were served.
He pulled out a chair between me and Susie and joined us.
‘I should be in a hundred different places,’ he said. ‘There is always someone calling me away to sort something out, but I thought it would be more enjoyable to take the opportunity to talk to you all.’
‘Marvellous,’ Susie said. ‘Everything on our journey here went like clockwork. And the island is just as beautiful as I remembered.’
Paulo gave a pleased smile. ‘It is. Sometimes I forget, or perhaps I take it for granted. Nowhere else has quite so much charm. So much of my family history is here. I hoped my mother and stepfather would join us this evening, but she is tired, and they will be eating in their rooms.’
‘She’s a fabulous character,’ I said.
Paulo nodded. ‘She is. I hope she didn’t shock you. I think she likes to elaborate her stories.’
‘Freddy seems a really lovely man too,’ Susie said. ‘Very distinguished with that silver hair.’
‘He is,’ Paulo said. ‘It took some time, but in the end she found the right person to keep her happy.’
‘I can’t wait to chat with her again,’ I said. ‘She’s an inspiration.’
At that moment there was a small commotion at the doors and the familiar sight of the same small boy from earlier, barrelling towards us. Or rather towards me. I braced myself for the onslaught.
