AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Oh, my sweet girl.’ The insistent tears were now coming thick and fast, and she was helpless to stop them. ‘You always say the most beautiful things.’ She sniffed. ‘I’ll make sure Aunty Shanti and Uncle Roberto give me a group cuddle from you.’
‘That’s a great idea.’ Chiara sighed a little sadly. ‘I love you to the moon and back.’
‘I love you to the moon and back, too, my darling.’ She had to get off the phone, now, before she broke completely. ‘We will speak again tomorrow, if you’re not too busy having lots of fun with Nonno, that is.’
‘I’m never, ever, having too much fun to stop and talk to you, silly.’
‘You’re so beautiful, my darling Ciara, I love you.’
‘Ciao, Mum, I love you sooooo much.’
With the call ending, Jess took the time to sob her heart out. Ten minutes later, she stood, dropped her empty mug into the dishwasher, went to the bathroom and stepped into the shower. In a little bit, Roberto was picking her up and she was spending the day with him while Shanti did some of the wedding errands with her mum. It would be a nice distraction from her pressing homesickness for Chiara, and she was also looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with her brother.
* * *
‘Here you go, sis.’ Roberto plonked her overdue lunch in front of her. ‘And you better enjoy it because I’ve been slaving over the stove for hours to make that.’
‘Ha, yeah, whatever.’ Jess chuckled and rolled her eyes. ‘It looks delicious, thanks, bro.’ Starving, she wolfed down her ham, cheese, tomato and onion toasted sandwich while Roberto did the same across the bench. ‘The simple food is always the best, hey.’ She dabbed her lips with a piece of paper towel, then took a swig from her glass of creaming soda.
His mouth full, Roberto nodded. ‘It sure is,’ he garbled.
Silence fell as they both inhaled their food.
Taking their plates over to the sink, Roberto rinsed them then popped each one into the dishwasher. ‘Right, little sis, I have a bit of a surprise for you.’
Stifling a soft-drink burp, she spoke through her hand. ‘You do?’
‘Uh-huh, so come on, follow me.’ Wandering past her, he motioned her with a swing of his hand.
Shooting to her feet, Jess scurried after him, through the cosy lounge room and out the front door. ‘What is it?’ She was both excited and nervous.
Turning to her, he tapped his nose, then placed a finger against his lips.
‘Oh, come on, you know how much I hate surprises.’Like when I arrived at the airport to Morgan …
‘Yes, I know, but trust me, you’re going to love this one.’ He stopped short of the door to Shanti’s mum’s backyard garage. ‘Ready?’
‘I don’t know.’ She jiggled on the spot as she watched him shove the sliding door upwards, then tug a sheet from the top of what she suspected was a car of some sort.
‘Tada!’ Roberto cried out as his hands went wide.
Her mum’s old 1972 Volkswagen Beetle gleamed back at her, its fresh coat of Marina Blue paint making it look like it had just been driven out of the showroom. ‘Oh my gosh, Roberto, when, how?’ She blinked through her tears.
‘She’s pretty damn sexy, hey.’ Lightly running his fingers down the bonnet, he glanced up and flashed her an almighty grin. ‘The only vintage car restorer in town has been working on her for almost two years now, and only finished the restoration last week, just in time for the wedding.’
‘I can’t believe it. He’s done such an amazing job.’ Taking slow steps around to the back end, she shook her head. ‘It looks brand new.’ She blinked back tears. ‘Mum would have loved it.’
‘I wouldn’t have let anyone other than old Johnno work on it, because knowing Mum and Dad like he did, through the church, he knows how precious it is, to all of us.’ Roberto’s smile faded a little, as if he was regrouping spilt emotions. ‘Mum always said she wanted you to have it one day, so …’ He handed her the keys. ‘She’s all yours while you’re home, except for the wedding day, when you, Annie and Shanti get to be chauffeur-driven to the ceremony in it.’
‘Really?’ Eyes wide, and with a hand on her racing heart, she stared at him.
‘Yes, really.’
Her breath caught on an exhale as sweet memories of them heading out as a family, squished up in her mum’s beloved car, to the catchy tunes of the Beatles, sank in bone-achingly deep. Heavy tears gathered and tumbled. ‘Oh my gosh, I’m such a sook.’ She fanned her face, smiling through her tears of joy and hurt – it was a bittersweet moment, poignant in its intensity.
‘Just make sure you take it nice and easy around the bends, sis, because she doesn’t handle like our new cars do.’
‘I most certainly will, thank you, Roberto.’ Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed him nice and tight. ‘You’re the bestest brother ever.’
