Carissima by Rosanna Chiofalo

Author:Rosanna Chiofalo [Chiofalo, Rosanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-07-05T04:00:00+00:00

18

Francesca

There is no mistaking who the young man is talking to Pia in Giuliana’s backyard, although I have never met him in person, and the last photograph Giuliana sent me of him was from when he graduated college a dozen years ago. He was a bit of a party boy from what his mother told me and took an additional two years to complete his bachelor’s degree. But he more than made it up for it by becoming a doctoral student in comparative literature at Columbia University. This year, he finally received his doctorate.

I was expecting him today. Making my way downstairs, I see him enter the library. Before I step into the room, I take a moment to study him further. He helps himself to a cup of espresso and then stares at the vase of daisies perched on the coffee table. His eyes fill with sadness. No doubt he is thinking about his mother and her love of daisies.

“At last we meet in person, Lorenzo.” I stride over, smiling warmly.

“Zia Francesca! You never age—well, at least from the photos I’ve seen of you.” Lorenzo smiles as he walks over and gives me a hug. After a second, I begin to back away, but he holds onto me for a moment longer. Then, he kisses both of my cheeks.

“It really is you, isn’t it? I guess my mother wasn’t lying all those years, telling me the great Francesca Donata was my aunt.”

“I am surprised she even owned up to it.”

“Isn’t it time you two bury the hatchet?” Lorenzo rolls his eyes.

“I would love nothing more, but your mother is stubborn. Although I am amazed she has not thrown me out yet, and it has been a few weeks now since I first arrived in Astoria.”

“Give it time. I’m sure she’ll throw you out soon.” Lorenzo belts out a boisterous laugh. I cannot help noticing how different his temperament is from my sister’s. He is more like his father, who was often joking and enjoying life.

“I saw you were talking to Pia Santore.”

“Yes, she’s a lovely young woman. I understand she’s interviewing you for Profile?”

“She is.”

Lorenzo nods his head thoughtfully.

“So, how is my mother doing? How does she look? I need to brace myself before I see her, especially since I haven’t seen her since Christmas.”

“She has lost some weight and looks pale, but I think it was more of a shock for me to see her since we had not seen each other in over thirty years.”

“What could have happened between you to avoid each other for so long? Italians are supposed to be close-knit and never abandon family.”

“I never abandoned her, Lorenzo.”

“I’m not saying that. You know what I mean. I hear of stuff like this happening to American families. You can’t even begin to imagine how lonely it was for me growing up with only Mama in my life. Nonno and Nonna were in Sicily, and I don’t even remember the one time I met them as a boy when we visited.

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