August 2006

Ziva's POV

I cannot believe I am doing this. I am finally leaving Mossad. After years of punishment from my father, blaming me for Ima's and Tali's deaths, I could not take it anymore. I needed to get away. I also cannot believe I am going to see Zaida again! I have not seen her since she & her parents got away from Mossad, seven years ago! As we said when we were little, best friends forever (I hope things will not change since I will be living with her). I was deep in thought as I hear the pilot's voice over the speaker, "Thank you for choosing USA International flight 73- Tel Aviv, Israel to Dulles, Virginia. You have arrived." I automatically get butterflies in my stomach and a huge smile comes to my face... I am free at last!

After I gathered my carry- on luggage I walk through the terminal looking for Zaida and her parents, Yacoub and Samia. I spot a girl about my age with flowers and balloons smiling and running towards me. I fling my arms around her crying. "I can not believe you are finally here!" We are jumping up & down in the terminal, not caring that people are watching us act as children. Yacoub goes to get my bags and as we head out, I look up in the sky and feel a great weight of stress and memories lift off my shoulders and finally breathe the fresh American air.

That night, the four of us go to Tebaldi's Italian. Our waiter is very attractive... His charming smile and how he looks straight in my eyes gives me goosebumps and my stomach gets massive butterflies. Ooh, he is very attractive.

"Hello, mi chiamo Tony. I am your waiter for this beautiful night. What would you like to begin with? Drinks and appetizers?" He looks at me when he says beautiful; my heart is beating so fast, I think I may faint.

"I would like an Arnie Palm please"

"The Arnold Palmer? The lemonade and iced tea mixed?"

"Yes, that. Toda." I feel my cheeks getting warner as the others give Tony their orders, he looks at me every time he writes something. I hear him say something about being right back but my heart is beating so fast that I have to control that before I see him again.

He comes back sooner than I expected and sees me breathing in and out... in and out... He chuckles and places my Arni... Arnold Palmer in front of me. As I reach for it my fingers accidentally graze his and I feel like I am on fire. I can feel my face getting redder and redder. I say Toda and he quietly says Prego to me with that charming smile.. He is so beautiful with those shining perfect teeth. I wonder if I will see him again after tonight. I tell Zaida to come to the bathroom with me because I have to tell her immediately! As I close the door I am so excited but then I see her face and it tells me a whole different story...

"What are you thinking?"

"What's wrong Zaida? He is cute and charming, yes?"

"No, you cannot be falling for him! He is a player."

"I like players, they have athletic bodies!"

"Players in America are when the guy always has different ladies in his life. Tony always has a new girlfriend and the old girlfriends are always the girls who get hurt and end up crying. Do not even think about getting with him Ziva!"

"Oh. Okay, well I will probably never see him again anyways. And at school he will forget about me once he sees all those new girls. Let's go back to eat." I brush off her comments, I want to learn my own mistakes. When we walk back to our seats, I see that Tony already brought our food by. It smells so good. I open the napkin to put it on my lap and I notice a note on it..."Call or Text Me. You're pretty and you seem nice. I'd like to get to know you- Tony 555-8482" I suddenly feel so giddy and happy again. I do not care what Zaida says, I would like to find out for myself.

We leave the restaurant and I can not help thinking about his smile and how he looked right through my eyes. I want to text him but I will wait. School is only a night's sleep away... lets hope I get a class with Tony.

Yacoub, Samia, Zaida, and I finally reach my new house...

"Welcome home Zivaleh, welcome home" Samia tells me as she wraps me into a warm motherly hug. I am a bit shocked, I am not used to such kind gestures. I hug back but not as tight as she did. Yacoub carries my stuff upstairs to my room. I love it! It has a lovely huge window facing the front of the house, a big comfy bed, a dresser, tv, laptop, and a bookcase filled with American classics. I reach my dresser and see a shiny new Sprint Evo cell phone sitting on it, my thoughts instantly go to Tony! I can text him now! I throw myself at Samia & Yacoub thanking them with laughter.

"Toda! Toda! Toda!"

"You are welcome, we thought this would be a nice welcome home/ welcome to our family gift"

"Oh, it is just perfect!"

"Laila tov, it is time for sleep now, you & Zaida have school bright and early tomorrow morning"

"Thank you for everything you both have done. I will be forever grateful! Laila tov"

"You deserve it Zivaleh, get some well rested sleep."

When Yacoub and Samia close the door, I am filled with wondering thought about the new day tomorrow. How will it all turn out? I will just have to wait and see...