Page 76 of The Dolce Vita Divas
‘Come on, get back into bed,’ Susie said comfortingly. ‘We all thought it was a great attempt. It’s not everyone who could pull off Marge Simpson.’
I thought at that moment I might die of embarrassment, but instead I fell back into the comforting embrace of my bed and closed my eyes.
‘We’ll leave you to it,’ Susie said. ‘See you later.’
I waited for the sound of the door closing behind them, but just before it did, I felt someone kiss me gently on the forehead. And I knew it was Paulo. Even after so many years, I knew the touch of his lips and the scent of his skin. I fell asleep with a daft smile on my face.
19
The following day was Sunday, and when I woke I could hear church bells in the distance. I lay in bed, listening to them for a few minutes.
I hadn’t been for years; church had become a place where people went when they needed verification for something. A wedding, christening or funeral which really seemed to be just an excuse for a party most of the time.
The changing face of Sundays. I remembered when I was a child, in the days when there were only four television channels and not much on any of them. Sunday was a boring day, for doing homework, getting my things ready for Monday, that day of gloom because the weekend was nearly over and school was looming large again.
And then when I was in my twenties, Sunday had become a day of lounging in bed, reading the papers, eating toast and not really doing much. Move on a few years and Sunday was a day for household chores, getting the children ready for school, cooking a Sunday roast for the family, thinking about work again.
More recently it seemed Sunday had reverted to my childhood memories. Nothing much to watch on television, nothing I really wanted to do, no one to cook for, a day filled with long hours.
It wouldn’t be long before I was repacking my bag. I wanted to do something different that day, not just wait until someone needed something from me.
I tottered into the bathroom to inspect the damage to my face. I had a big ugly graze across my forehead and my black eye was shaping up nicely to look terrible for a few days.
My shoulder was still bruised and sore, but I was getting some movement back into my right arm, which meant I was able to cope with my morning ablutions without assistance.
I got back into my room, opened the curtains and unlocked the door, something which took some effort because my right arm still didn’t seem to have much strength in it. Sitting on a chair outside the window, evidently waiting for me to make an appearance, was Susie.
She sprang up when she saw me and opened the French doors.
‘How are you? Are you okay? I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. I kept wondering if you were unconscious. I got really worried. I even thought about using the fire extinguisher in the corridor to smash the glass. But I thought you might be lying on the floor on the other side. Anyway, I was about to go and ask someone to find a master key or break the door down.’
‘Good job you didn’t, I’m fine,’ I said.
‘You look like you’ve been fighting and you lost,’ she said, inspecting my bruised face. ‘Ceci has left some arnica cream which she says will work miracles. It’s in my room somewhere. Do you want some breakfast? It’s nearly ten thirty but I’m sure the kitchens will sort something out for you.’
‘Just some tea,’ I said. ‘I’m absolutely gasping, but I’m not really hungry.’
She darted off, returning a few minutes later with a tray holding some tea and a selection of Italian pastries on a porcelain plate.
‘I told the chef you didn’t want anything to eat, but he insisted,’ she said. ‘He was on the point of making you some poached eggs and looked like he might cry when I said no. Everyone is very worried. Apparently the doctor is coming later to check up on you.’
‘Honestly, I’m much better,’ I said, ‘just feel a bit bashed about and sore.’
Susie looked longingly at a particularly finebomboloni.
‘In which case, do you mind if I eat that?’ she pleaded, ‘I only had coffee.’
‘Help yourself,’ I laughed. Which was a bad idea as it made my face and my ribs hurt.
‘And so we aren’t going home tomorrow,’ she said, wiping a smear of cream off her mouth. ‘Paulo says he has sorted everything out. He even got a letter from the doctor, and he said I had to stay too because I was needed to look after you. Don’t look like that, I brought you tea, didn’t I? I’ll go and find that arnica cream. Ceci is bound to ask.’
She went back into her room, still clutching the remains of her pastry in one hand.
I sat sipping my tea and looking out of the window at the morning. Another bright, sunny day. And I had the same feeling I’d had as a child when school was cancelled because of snow. Rather excited, not sure what I was going to do with this unexpected extension to my holiday but pleased about it all the same.
‘Here it is,’ Susie said, holding out the arnica. ‘Ceci says you should apply it three times a day. Or was it twice? I can’t remember, and the instruction sheet is in loads of different languages but the print is so small I can’t read any of them. Anyway, I’m sure it will be fine whatever you do with it. Do you want me to help you get dressed?’
‘No, not at the moment, and I’m not in a coma. I’m sure I can cope.’
