All the customers in the little restaurant joined in the celebration, prosecco was opened, everyone wished them “auguri” a musician materialised from somewhere and began singing romantic songs.

  Emma phoned her parents to let them know the good news, even if Carlo had asked her father months ago if he could have her hand in marriage. Georgina and Fabio were the next people to be informed before finally Carlo phoned his parents.

  Oh my God I am going to get married. What about my job? Emma knew she would not be happy unless she worked, in Italy it was impossible to find a job. The Euro and Berlusconi had pulled the country into a deep depression. We will sort it out.

  As if reading her thoughts, Carlo grinned and gave her an envelope he had kept in his inside jacket pocket. “This is a transfer to London office! You can read it to see for yourself! I kept it open until you would say yes! Now I will tell t hem that I can go tomorrow! I love you Emma...Amore della mia vita!”

  Emma flung her arms round his neck and kissed him! “Thank you!”

  The only thorns in the flesh now were going to be Antonella and his mother, Flavia. The plus point was that if they had a smaller enough house in London there wouldn’t be any room for them to come and stay!

  As if reading her thoughts again he whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry we can have a cosy little home where there is no room for unwanted visitors!!”

  **** **** **** **** **** **** ****

  They almost skipped back to the car after lunch. Nothing could possible spoil this magic day. Once again, Rome was working her magic and this day would be a memory forever. Emma felt she would burst with happiness.

  Nothing that is but the two women who opened the door to them when they got back to Carlo’s parent’s home. Flavia’s face was like a person who was at the funeral of a beloved member of the family. Antonella’s face was thunder, she was the first to speak up, “I gather congratulations are due. I underestimated you Emma, however be warned you are not married yet!”

  Carlo’s father Antonio looked thrilled for them both. He shot Antonella a thunderous look, “Antonella, please leave my home. You were not welcome when you tried to crawl into Carlo’s bed and you most certainly are not welcome here ever again, trying to spoil my son’s happiness. All you are worried about is cents and Euros, you cannot see what joy this daughter will bring him. Yes I think of Emma as a daughter. Now leave!” He escorted her to the door grabbing her coat on route. He turned to his wife and glared at her, “Now Flavia if you wish to be part of this evening’s activities then you had better pull yourself together and welcome our new daughter into our family. If you cannot do this for your son and your husband I suggest you go for an extended stay with your sister. You will leave your credit cards here and bring with you only the rechargeable one. Your account with my bank will be closed and you are to take with you only personal effects. The choice is yours. I will not have my son’s happiness ruined by one of the world’s most selfish women.”

  Flavia was white with rage, she picked up a vase and would have thrown it at Emma if Carlo had not caught it first. He felt embarrassed that this woman was his mother. Flavia smiled, “Yes your son’s happiness!” She tossed back her hair and marched out of the room.

  “What was all that about?” Carlo asked

  “It is a long story. Your mother was her younger sister, she died when you were only a couple of months old. I was beside myself with grief and had no idea how to look after this tiny baby. Flavia was very helpful she stepped in and organised the household. The next thing I know is we are married. She was more in love with my money rather than me...I found out too late. Flavia got you your nannies and ran this house like clockwork. She was an excellent hostess and a calculated lover. The agreement was she could stay as long as she looked after your sister and you and she never let you realise your own mother was dead. Flavia cannot have children, but few people remembered I had been married before and my wife had died when your sister was only a year old and you were two months old. I loved your mother and no other woman could take her place. Flavia felt like a woman because she had two children at home, she took you to school and when convenient took you to birthday parties, she has been a good mother...if a distant mother. I think in her own way she loves you both and I think in her own way she is fond of me too.”

  Silence.

  Dead silence.

  Heavy silence.

  “Do you have a photo of my mother?” Carlo asked unable to think of anything else. This was why he had felt so guilty not loving his mother as much as he saw Fabio adored his mother.

  “Yes Carlo I do I have albums of photos. I keep them in the bank. They are my most precious possessions. I feared if I left them here she might lose her temper one day and destroy all my memories and all my love.”

  “Can you show me them in the bank of course.”

  “Yes and if you like you can bring Emma with you and she can see what a lovely woman your mother was.”

  Emma hugged him, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, “I would be very honoured if you let me see them too. Thank you. What was her name?”

  “Sofia, her name was Sofia. She had jet black wavy hair and deep blue eyes. She was a beautiful woman inside and outside. We were only married for three years!”

  Carlo hugged his father. He was still confused as to why nobody had ever told him and yet he had never fully connected with his “Mother” . However this woman who was his aunt had not had an easy time and she had reared two children who were not hers. If nothing else she merited his respect.

  Flavia seemed to have calmed down. She swept back into the room tossing her dark hair behind her. “I am sorry Carlo you had to find out like this. I consider you my son and your sister my daughter, even if I did not feel you do your first kick in my womb. I hope you have a fruitful and happy marriage. Marriage is not all a bed of roses believe me but if you are lucky enough to choose the right person, those moments of happiness make up for the sad moments. Your mother had three years of happiness. I had thirty years of marriage.”

  Those words would come back to her later, three years of happiness and thirty of marriage.

  Chapter seven

  Confucius

  Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.

  6 months later.....

  The sun shone outside, the deep blue skies promising a warm day for their wedding. Emma and Georgina woke up early with butterflies in their stomachs. They had decided to share their wedding and then they would be keeping their flat in London when they moved pro temps to Italy before they were going to be posted to Singapore. They were both thankful that they had each other for the first few months being married and starting a new life and new job. Georgina’s company had loved the documentary they had made so there would be more work for both of them but it was not permanent and they would have to find something they could do abroad. The thought of becoming teachers filled them with dread. However all that could sort itself out later, for now they had their wedding.

  They decided to do each other’s makeup and let the hairdresser do their hair. They dressed in towelling robes and put on thick face masks listening to quiet music. They laughed as they tried to picture their future husband’s faces if they saw them with cucumbers on their eyes and the avocado face mask thickly layered on their faces!

  Ah! But one has to suffer to be beautiful. Emma’s dress was ivory, calm and honest. The beautiful antique lace veil would ward off the evil spirits who may be jealous of her beauty! Carlo informed her the custom originated in Rome to ward off the evil spirits who were jealous of her happiness...there were a few! She wore her family tiara.

  Georgina’s dress was Italian, ivory with an antique lace from Cantù bodice and sleeves, She wore peach roses in her hair instead of a tiara, The something old they had both chosen lace, something new were their lingerie! The something borrowed they each lent one another ear rings, Something blue was a garter.

  “I am so nervous!” Emma confessed.

  “Sweetie, I am so glad we are doing this together!! I don’t know if I would have the courage to do this on my own!! We will laugh about it in a few years time when we have loads of bambini to look after!”

  The thought of having Carlo’s children filled Emma with joy, she would be far away from her family, but she would have someone to cuddle! They would have his liquorice eyes and dimpled smile!

  “Hey wake up....the photographer has arrived, we need our photos taken!!”

  “I was just thinking of liquorice eyes!”

  Emma’s cheeks ached by the end of the day from smiling so much she ached. She could not remember much of the day except the feeling of pure, unadulterated happiness. Oh god, she was married to Carlo, they would be so happy together and have hundreds of children!!

  One thing she could never forget was the look of love that radiated from Carlo as they said their vows. She felt like a princess. It was moving to make the vows beside Fabio and Georgina too as they made theirs. Whatever happened in the future Emaa considered herself blessed as few people could know such love and such pure happiness...she thanked the authorities above for her happiness and for finding such a wonderful man...she was the luckiest woman in the world!

  Carlo had not told her yet where they were going on their honeymoon or their first night. He had hinted that she needed to bring beach clothes and one or two elegant clothes. The mere thought of discovering ways to please her new husband filled Emma with wicked joy! She glanced down at her wedding ring engraved with their initials and “To the girl I love”. They had left the reception and were being driven to their “first-night” destination in Eastbourne. The next day they were going to leave from London. He would only say she needed summer clothes and brief bikinis!! The thought of two weeks just for them before they started their new life together seemed like paradise in itself...Oh life is so wonderful when you are in love!!

  Carlo looked at Emma under his long lashes...trying to believe that this is the woman he would spend the rest of his life with, she would be the mother of their children ... I am indeed a lucky man! He tried to remember the words of the vows he had repeated earlier in the church, cherish...yes that was the word he had used, it seemed impossible that he would do anything other than cherish her! He had chosen their honeymoon destination with great care, they were going to the Four Seasons hotel in Bora Bora and he intended to spoil her rotten! They would have their breakfast delivered by canoe the first morning! They would go for a sunset cruise and have romantic dinners in their over water villa, they had the rest of the time to enjoy the paradise resort. He wanted his honeymoon to be something they would remember forever. No financial worries, no messy politicians, no mundane chores...just a perfect setting to love and yes cherish his new wife.

  Carlo looked down at her hand encased in his, the platinum ring on her left hand showed the world she was his. He sighed, life was truly fantastic.

  “What are you thinking of? You look engrossed in your thoughts!| I for one would like to try the Jacuzzi with you! They have put fruit and champagne in the room let’s make a toast to us! Never go to bed with bad feelings! Always talk about misgivings and always be honest!”

  Carlo laughed, “Silly we will never argue! Come on let’s sip some champagne in the Jacuzzi and discover what it is like to be married..”

  Emma rushed over to him and kissed him on his forehead, “I love you so much Carlo”

  Carlo grabbed her and pulled her towards him, claiming her lips in desperate need, he felt his trousers tighten as he traced frantic kisses down her neck to her breast taking her nipples into his mouth and sucking, nibbling, wanting...he removed her clothing as she dealt with his...oh joy they no longer needed a condom! He would be able to feel the warm wet folds of her body around him with no barrier, who cares if they had a honeymoon baby! Selfishly, he hoped that this would not be the case, he wanted his wife to himself for a while, from what he had seen from all his married friends as soon as the children arrived the wife was like a milking cow and tired and grumpy from lack of sleep! Yes, children could wait!

  “Carlo, I want to make love to you in the Jacuzzi, I want to feel the weightless water as we make love, I want to remember this night forever, the first time we are together with no barrier and just us...united in love and joy and so much happiness, I adore you!”

  They spent the next hour discovering ways of making love in a Jacuzzi and sipping champagne at intervals! The first time Emma felt Carlo inside her she cried out...the feel of him with no barrier between them was exquisite, so this is why people get married!!

  Emma laughed looking at her hands “My fingers are like prunes! We should get out besides I am starving! I am also feeling quite light headed I don’t know it this is your fault or that I haven’t eaten too much today and the champagne has gone to my head!”

  Carlo reluctantly got out of the Jacuzzi and wrapped them both in soft white towels. He hugged her, not wanting to lose sight of her. “Emma, can I dry your hair for you? I want to feel it through my fingers. I don’t want you to be far from me tonight....do you think we can have room service? I don’t want to share you anymore! Heavens we even shared our wedding with those two!”

  “I would prefer to eat in the room too...I don’t feel like dressing up or being in a crowded room, let’s enjoy the privacy of this beautiful room. Let’s enjoy each other! After tonight we may not be having just each other for very long!”

  Carlo phoned down to reception ordering a light feast for them both. They would need the energy for their nocturnal activities! He closed his eyes briefly imagining what they would do, his groin leapt to life again. Would this need, this hunger, this love ever end?

  **** **** **** ****

  They lay wrapped together letting the warm sea water lap over them, this was indeed paradise. The other guests seemed to melt into the background. Only the two of them existed, the sun caressed their deeply tanned bodies, Bora Bora...Emma giggled as she remembered her reaction at the airport, stunned! She prayed Fabio had not had the same idea to go there with Georgina...this was their time, to discover each other.

  “Why are you giggling, amore della mia vita?”

  “I was just remembering how surprised I was at the airport and hoping that Fabio had not had the same idea!! A honeymoon is for husband and wife not even your most special friends!”

  “I agree...I feel the luckiest man in the world and I seem to love you more each day and each morning I wake up thinking it is impossible to love you more instead the next morning I love you more than the previous one! In Italian we would say oggi ti amo più che ieri e meno di domani, I think you say in English, that today I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow!”

  “Oh! Carlo I love you so much, sometimes my heart wants to burst! I am so frightened that this feeling will burst one day!”

  “Emma, my love, nothing can diminish the love I feel for you or the memory of this wonderful time together...now all we need for completion is a little baby Emma!”

  “No a little baby Carlo!”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Emma sat with Georgina in Newton Circus Hawker stall eating the most wonderful huge and succulent lobster she had ever eaten catching up with her friend. Georgina was glowing and she had a secret faraway look about her, Emma was sure she would announce the good news.

  “Emma, Fabio and I are expecting a baby, it is early days yet. We are so happy. I hope when the time comes you will be its godmother.”

  “I would love that very much indeed. I cannot think of anything more wonderful, except of course when I ask you to be a godmother for our first child!”

  The expats in Singapore were all with children and all older. Life as a new bride was very lonely, she thanked god that Georgina was with her and that they were discovering Singapore together. Carlo worked late and they rarely saw each other until the evening. They had supper together, but he was often tired and unused to the humid heat.

  Emma would never say it to anyone, but she was lonely and missed working. She wrote articles and was doing a TEFL course to teach English as a foreign language, but her heart was not in it. Carlo often came home and collapsed in bed and shot off to work the next day, leaving Emma with a very efficient Philippine maid. Days were literally filled in my doing courses, sightseeing and writing her articles and teaching Ayurveda remedies to expats and counting the days until the weekend came and she would once again enjoy Carlo’s tender lovemaking and they would go off with their motorboat for the weekend, swimming, water skiing and enjoying BBQ’s on the beach of some deserted island.

  I wish I had someone little to cuddle, although it was early days yet every month that passed was a blatant reminder, there was no little Carlo and no little Emma. She tried to be really happy for her closest friends but it was difficult not to feel a little jealous. Singapore was heaven for young mothers there was so much to do with little children and so much help at home. I feel like a barren failure, Carlo doesn’t even look at me the way he used to, although perhaps that was because he was working very hard and was exhausted. Somehow, she had imagined married life different from this lonely limbo waiting for the weekends and being bored. She did yoga and meditation every day, she counted the hours until the time Carlo would come home and she could share some of his day with him, if he didn’t collapse beforehand.

  Georgina broke into her thoughts, touching her arm and turning her round to face her

  “Emma, are you ok? You look far away!”

  “Sorry, Georgina, I was just thinking about how different life is from what I expected it to be here. I knew I would miss my work and I love it when we can work together on the filming, especially when we got sent to Malaysia, but I find this filling in the days until Carlo comes home...well draining. I love Singapore, I love Malaysia, I love Asia and I am so thankful we are here together for the moment at least, I just find this aimless life punctuated by boring bank dinners difficult to digest. I see more of you than I do of my own husband!”

 

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