Coming Home

Vittoria

“Ugh.” I blow my cheek as I lean back into my chair. “This was too much.” 

Sheila laughs as she takes a sip from her coffee. “Yeah, you probably should have stopped at the third piece of cake you had.”

“You are sooo right.” I crumple up a tissue, grinning at her. “But they were too good to resist.” 

I am currently sitting in a cute small café near the campus, where I am enjoying one of my last cups of coffee that I will drink on U.S. ground.

Shaking her head, she puts her coffee down. “When will you be flying back?” 

“Thursday,” I say with a pout and she leans forward, looking at me sadly. 

“Aw, I’ll miss you so much.” She says in a whisper, squeezing my hand before picking up her cup again. 

Sheila must have been the first friend I made. Since I was sold on my 8th birthday, at least. 

We share the same traditions which makes it difficult to roam around, finding friends that aren’t used to our world. 

Fortunately, it clicked immediately, so I felt less alone in this foreign country and I really hope she felt like this as well. 

While I will be returning home in about a week, she still has a year left to cover. Even with her genius configuration, she only got Harvard to reduce her study time so much. 

Just as I’m about to say something more, her phone vibrates again. She looks at it with an annoyed expression before sighing against her cup. 

“God, again?” I say, stretching my neck to see the letter G flashing on the screen. “It’s been like 20 minutes since we are here. Is this call number 5?” 

She scoffs, as she straightens her spine, turning her phone onto the screen. “More like number 12.” 

“Geez, what’s wrong with that guy?!” I groan, and a slight smile grows on her lips. 

“Paranoic, sociopathic, obsessive, possessive.” She says nonchalantly. “Make your call, every shoe will fit the foot.” 

“I see why you like him.” I crack up, making her giggle as well. “Oh, man. You two are something else!” 

After we finish our coffee and I had another piece of cake, I hug her tightly before we part ways. “Take care, okay?” 

I nod, wiping a tear out of my eye. “You too. Don’t anger the profs that much anymore.”

“I can’t promise you that much.” She says while laughing and we walk in different directions. 

As I turn around while still walking backwards, I call for her. “I’ll come looking for you when you come back,” I shout over the yard, and she waves at me. “I count on it.” 

“Don’t Gi get you from crossing borders, I warn you!” 

I snort as she bends with laughter, and with another wave I turn the corner, saying goodbye to the last piece of heart I will leave in this country. 

*** 

Landing at the airport of Palermo is always a big adventure. Not because it is especially big or sophisticated but because South Italy is always chaotic. And there are always too many people screaming around, either from anger or happiness.

As I wait for my luggage, I decline several calls from Bryan. Even the text messages that arrive onto my screen in between the attempts to reach me, get ignored. I’m proud of the fact that I don’t even bother to check the previews flashing up on the screens. 

Hugging my phone to my side as I cross my arms, I take a deep breath. Luckily, as I travelled first class, my luggage doesn’t take long to appear on the luggage belt. 

I will have to answer him eventually, but not now. 

After passing a few customs officers with their dogs, I finally leave the secured arrivals’ hall. 

I don’t have to look around for long as I spot a waving hand from a giant in the crowd. A broad smile appears on my face automatically, as I walk towards him. 

“Franky!” 

I get enveloped in a bear hug that must be looking comical as a guy over two meters tall is hugging a petite woman of barely 1.60. 

Luckily, I flew wearing heels. 

“Welcome home, princess.” He beams at me as he takes my bag and suitcase out of my hands. “What did you do with your hair?” 

I pass my fingers through my short locks, smiling. “Ah, I needed a change.” 

“Oooh, some American boy fucked up, eh?” I giggle as I follow him to the car. 

As he is taking three steps of mine with one, I get the workout everyone is looking for after a 16-hour flight. 

“I took the nice car today.” He says proudly as he puts my luggage in the trunk. “So, you have a nice trip home.” 

“This is lovely, Franky. Thank you.” 

He sprints to the door faster than my tired brain can cope with, preventing me from opening the car door myself. I get in thanking him, and yawn as I wait for him to finish loading the car and get on as well. 

Driving through the countryside to reach my home, my heart starts beating a little faster. “Oh, I missed it so much.” 

“It’s good to be home, eh?” He smiles as he is still concentrated on the road in front of us. 

With a deep sigh, I turn to look out of the window, tucking a lock flying wildly in the wind behind my hair. “Yeah.” 

*** 

My father is already waiting for me at the balustrade looking over the gateway as we roll onto the estate. 

“Papà!” I run up the curved staircase as he is already lifting one of his arms from his decorated walking stick to welcome me with a hug. 

“Bionda.” He touches the tips of my hair as he smiles at me wide-eyed. [Blonde.]

Straightening my spine, I comb my fingers through my now shoulder-long hair. “I tried something new, papà. Don’t you like it?” 

“You will always be the most beautiful,” he says, offering me his arm to take. 

I loop my arm around his, and we walk up the gravel path through the large garden to reach the house. “How have you been, papà?” 

“Oh, now that you are back, my child, everything will be alright again. I felt lonely.” He says, making me smile. 

I tap his arm gently. “Yes, now I’m here, and everything will be fine.”