Chronicle: Wicca Italian Style
"Now Mom, are you sure you have your tickets?" asked Patty.
"Yes, yes. They're right here. I have my tickets, my travelers' checks and my passport. The kids have theirs in their pouches. Stop worrying. You sound like me when you and Pipa went off to CAMP!" said Phoebes annoyed.
"You really think you can handle two thirteen-year-old girls? I really would feel better if Jessica had one with you," said Patty shaking her head.
"I will be fine. I handled three of you when you and our sisters were thirteen. Patsy, Phee and I will have a great time together. You girls have all the evil "what's it" in hand and I am finally getting away! Come and kiss your mother goodbye, kids!" said Phoebe.
"Bye Patsy, Bye Phee. Be good for your grandmother. Sit still. Remember it's a two-hour flight from Frisco to Rome. Bye Mom. Take care!" Patty said hugging her mother.
"Goodbye, dear. We'll call tomorrow," she said waving as they all went down the assess ramp. Patty waved again already missing her youngest children.
The hotel was in the center of the old city and was at least three hundred years old. Phoebe shared a suite with her two granddaughters. They were as excited as Phoebe was since the kids had barely been out of California. Witches don't travel much for mutual protection. Their first stop on their first full day was the United States Embassy. The girls were dressed in their Sunday best and Phoebe had brought a special dress for the occasion, too.
"Phoebe Freeby to see Ambassador Romano," she told the receptionist.
"Ah, yes. Madame Ambassador is expecting you. Please wait for a few minutes." he said.
After several minutes, they were shown into the Ambassador's Office.
"Phoebes!" the distinguished woman said after they walked in.
"Madame Ambassador!" replied Phoebes.
"No, Pheebs. I'm still Jenny to my family and friends," replied Jenny. "It's so good of you to visit me. And these children are Patty and Phoebe?"
"Yes. Girls may I present Madame Ambassador Jennifer Gordon Romano. The United States' representative to the Republic of Italy. Madame Ambassador, Patty and Phoebe Morseland!" said Phoebe proudly.
"Hi!" they said simultaneously.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Sit down and tell me everything!" said Jenny.
"The girl's have an older brother and sister in college. Patty is running an herbal (read Wiccan) Internet consortium. Prue is married and has three kids. Pipa is married and has one girl. That's eight grandchildren in all. We're going to visit Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan over the next eighteen days. What's new in your life?"
"Both my boys are married and back in the states. Neither of them followed me into the diplomatic service like I did my parents. My Mom passed away last January at 92. When I'm done here I plan to live at home and write my memoirs. My husband is currently working on the finances for the international space colony in Geneva. That's about it," she said.
"Do you ever hear from your Uncle Dan?" asked Phoebe.
"I got a Christmas card from him. He is retired in Arizona. He lives there with his wife, Marta and his kids Peter, Paul and Piper," replied Jenny.
Phoebes giggled a bit internally. He never did get over her sister, thought Phoebe. The twins told her about their lives and about living in California. Jenny told them about their grandmother when she was living next door to her in 1999.
"Oh my, look at the time. I have a luncheon engagement. Thank you for stopping by. You made an old civil servant very happy," said Jenny graciously.
"Goodbye, Jenny. Take care," Phoebe said hugging her.
"Goodbye," said the kids.
"Oh and remember one thing, Patty and Phoebe," said Jenny.
"Yes?" The kids craned their necks looking for some words of advise from this worldly diplomat.
"Don't ever let Grandma help you with a school report on the birds and the bees!" she said with a twinkle in her eye.
The twins looked confused and Phoebe gave her a quick dirty glance as they headed out to see the sights of the city.
After touring the Coliseum, Roman Forum and St. Peter's Cathedral, they were glad to crash back at the hotel.
"My feet feel like bricks!" complained Patsy.
"She never seems to stop," said Phee. "For an old woman, she sure keeps moving."
The truth was that even though Phoebe had slowed down, she wasn't going to let her children or grandchildren know about it. Water ran in the ancient tub so she could soak her feet. They had a good Italian dinner, went out to she the lights of the old city and got back to the hotel to head to bed.
"Those noodles were funny. And where's all the good tomato sauce?" asked Patsy.
"That's the American-Italian food your thinking of." Said Phoebe.
"Grandma? Can we get a pizza?" asked Phee.
"Maybe tomorrow. It won't be what you expect," said Phoebe.
"Can we GO shopping tomorrow?" asked Patsy.
"Certainly. Now go get ready for bed," she told the twins.
Some time after Phoebe had crawled into a wonderful old canopy bed and drifted off to sleep, a cry came from the twins' room.
"Grams, come here QUICK!" cried Phee.
"Help us Grams! There's a ghost in here!" called out Patsy.
"Girls, it's awfully late. We have a lot of things to do tomorrow. Please go to sleep!" said Phoebe.
"He won't stop bothering us!" said Patsy.
Phoebe got up saying, "It's probably just the curtain. You're got to be tired girls," When she reached their bedroom both of the girls were pointing at a spirit standing in the middle of their room. He was talking very fast in Italian.
"See Grandma?" said Phee.
"I want to get to sleep!" cried Patsy.
"That's a ghost! I apologize. You were right, girls. Hello there, Senor Ghost. Can we HELP you?" Phoebe asked trying to make him understand. He just kept on talking trying to make the witches understand.
"DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?" she said slowly. No response.
"PAR-LAY VOU FRON-SAY?" Phoebe asked in her broken French she had learned in high school sixty years before. No response.
"What was that?" asked Patsy.
"French. It's just as well, dears. I probably couldn't have understood him anyway," admitted Phoebe.
"Then you don't know why he's here?" asked Patsy.
"Yes and no. Ghosts can contact witches if they need help or have some unfulfilled need or task they didn't finish in life. Unfortunately, this gentleman can't make himself clear to us. I'm going to need a translator, but someone who won't be spooked by Senor Apparition here. I never tried this from so far away before. Pipa, Pipa, can you here me I need help. Pipa, Pipa." Cried out Phoebe to her equaled talented clairvoyant daughter.
Pipa was home early for once. The cook had the day off. Pipa was helping her daughter Marie with her homework when she looked up and responded, "Yes, Mom!"
"Pipa, darling. It seems our room is haunted by a disturbed ghost. He only speaks Italian and is very agitated. We need someone to translate for us who is a medium or witch. Someone who is familiar with our world. Can you have Patty check her support database?" asked her mother.
"An Italian witch in Rome or thereabouts. Check. How's the girls?" asked Pipa.
"Just fine. A little disturbed by our visitor. We had a nice visit yesterday with the Ambassador. Give my love to Patty. Thanks, dear," said Phoebe.
"Bye, Mom.!" replied Pipa.
"Granny is seeing ghosts?" Marie thought to her Mom.
"Yes dear. Witches like yourselves often do. Momma has to call Aunt Patty. Back to your math, dear," thought Pipa.
Back in Rome Phoebe was trying hand signals. First she got the apparition to see that she did plan on helping him. He got even more excited and with hand signals tried to explain his dilemma. Phoebe eventually got him to sit down and cease is explanations. The girls had crawled into Grandma's bed while Phoebe ghost sat the rest of the night.
A very tired Phoebe awoke abruptly when the phone rang. The girls were still sound asleep and the ghost looked at her with anticipation. She answered.
"Mom, it's Patty. I have a contact for you who's willing to help. Are the girls scared?" asked Patty.
"No, more annoyed. The ghost has settled down, but we haven't exchanged one intelligent word. Who did you find?" asked Phoebe.
"Senorita Maria Mazziola. She lives on the north side of Rome," said Patty who gave her a phone number.
"Thank you dear," replied Phoebe.
"Having a good time? Are the girls OK?" asked Patty.
"Except for our visitor, they are enjoying themselves. They're sound asleep right now. Thanks for the help, Patty. I call again once we've solved our problem here. Good night." said Grandma Phoebe.
"I DO have to get some sleep. Goodnight Mom. Give my love to Patsy and Phee. Bye." said Patty.
"Bye, dear." said Phoebe.
Phoebe ordered breakfast and tried to make the ghost understand she'd was getting help, but he still could not understand.
When the morning was old enough that Phoebe felt she could call, she reached Senorita Mazziola. She was not a witch, but did tell fortunes and may have some real talent at it. Phoebe was not so sure. She was going to meet them at the hotel at noon. They girls woke up and tried to enjoy their continental breakfast, but it wasn't the large one they were used to. Having a ghost for a guest still made them nervous.
"Do you think we can get rid of him? We know a lot of magic," said Patsy.
"You can't do anything to a ghost. He's dead! Granny says he wants something. He won't leave until we help him, but he can't make himself understood," said Phee.
"I KNOW. We can do it ourselves. Let's try it! We're witches!" said Pasty.
"No way! Things go wrong when you do things for yourself," said Phee. "You know. Conser-quinces."
"That's if you are selfishly helping yourself. Mom says we are supposed to help others. And we will be. We can be the Charmed Ones!" said Patsy proudly.
"I don't know about this," said Phee.
"Look let's try. Let's see. Horses, mares, colts and stallions. Please let us both speak Italian." said
Patsy reciting it several times. A flash of light filled the room, but the twins didn't
feel different.
"Darn it. It didn't work!" said Patsy.
"We're bummers for witches," said Phee.
Phoebe came to their table asked what the flash was.
Phee opened her mouth and spoke beautiful Italian but couldn't understand Granny.
"Oh my goodness. You're speaking Italian! What have you done?" asked Phoebe.
Patsy was also speaking nothing but Italian. Both of the twins were very upset and were talking very fast. The ghost heard them, came into their room and Phoebe had three people all speaking to each other and at her and she could not understand one of them.
"Girls, this is not a good thing. If you can't tell me the incantation you used. I can't help you reverse it. Good grief!" said Phoebe looking to the sky.
At lunchtime, their local interpreter arrived at their suite.
"Senorita Maria Mazziola?" asked Phoebe.
"Si. I am she. You are the witch Senora Fee-bee?" she asked bowing. She was middle-aged with lovely black hair and dark blue eyes.
"Please come in. Have you worked with spirits before? I mean very directly?" asked Phoebe.
"Si. I contact the departed for the livin," she replied.
Upon seeing the ghost she gasped. "I have never seen one so clearly before. And the two children?" she asked.
"I need to speak to them to. But let's take care of Senor Apparition first. He is asking me for help, but I need to know for what. I need to know exactly what he needs to be done so he can move on to his last rewards. There is probably something he has left undone before he passed on," explained Phoebe.
"Si. I often must deliver messages like that. Spirits usually need to tell the living such things. I will speak with him," said Senorita Mazziola.
After several minutes of discussions with the ghost Senorita Mazziola reported. "His name is Renaldo Garcia. He was visiting Rome on business and died in this suite three years ago. It seems he had saved or how do you say hidden away most of his assets in a safety deposit box in Naples. His family did not know about it and may be destitute by now. He had many debts. The money stored away should pay the debts and help out her family. He is very worried about them."
"I could see that. How can we help him?" asked Phoebe.
"We can send a letter to his family to tell them where the safe deposit key is hidden. Simple enough, Senora."
"Thank you, Senorita," said Phoebe.
"These children are darling. They speak such lovely Italian. Why did they say they are from the United States?" the Senorita asked puzzled.
"THEY are my grandchildren. In trying to help, they erased all their knowledge of English. I need to know the spell they cast to reverse it. Can you find that out?" asked Phoebe.
"Si, Senora." said Senorita Mazziola. The twins told her the spell and Phoebe excused the three of them.
"OK, you two. You can't understand me, but I have been in similar situations Let. Now here we go: Horses, mares, colts and stallions. Let English replace their speaking Italian!" recited Phoebe.
Light filled the room as the kids looked shocked. Then Patsy said sheepishly. "DO ..YOU ..UNDERSTAND ..ME ..GRANNY?"
"I do indeed young lady. Isn't it nice to be using your native tongue again? SO what have you learned?" asked Phoebe.
"Don't cast spells by yourself. There are always consequences? Right, Granny?" asked Patsy.
"Wise words beyond your years. I should have followed that advise myself more than once," said Phoebe.
"Don't you ever do that to me again Patsy. Or I'll..I'll.." said Phee.
"Easy Phee. What's done is done and it is now corrected. Patsy has learned something. Let's go help Senor Garcia," said Phoebe.
With the Senorita's help, the ghost Garcia composed his letter. They had it posted through the hotel. Mr. Garcia thanked them kindly and vanished.
" Santa Maria. I have never had such a vivid experience before. My apparitions are never as clear nor do I get such exact messages. It was truly a miraculous experience1" said the Senorita.
"Thank you for your help. I have often helped lost spirits, but never so far from home and in a foreign tongue," said Phoebe.
"Your grandchildren are so charming. That was a wondrous trick the pulled. Magic no doubt. I have never seen anything like it. Two miracles in one day," she said signing the cross and looking to the sky.
"Here is something for your trouble. You have been very kind to help us out. Graci,." said Phoebe in broken Italian.
"THANK YOU." she replied. "I will always remember you three. Goodbye," she said leaving very graciously.
"Now girls. It's getting late and we still have lots to see. Shopping I believe was next on our agenda. Right?" said Phoebe.
"YOU BET!" said Patsy.
"I want to find some shoes or a new outfit," said Phee.
"Fine. And I hope you did learned something from your experience here today." said Phoebe.
"Yes, Granny." they said in unison.
"But I am still proud of you wanting to help that poor man. You will make fine witches when you're older. Still you must work together and you must be careful. End of lecture. Let's go have some fun!" said Phoebe.
And the past and future Charmed Ones went off to take on the sights of Rome.
TO BE CONTINURED