The road went on, they were high above the sea now, Monaco was far behind and they were once again surrounded by the modest provincial charm. Menton seemed to be the next stop according to the road signs, she wondered if they might stop there. On they went, driving through an attractive looking palm & olive lined avenue flanked by various buildings, mostly shops and hotels, she stared, trying to drink in as much of it as she could, they then wound back up to the higher roadway and once again looking down over the little town with the hills on the opposite side
"It's gorgeous" She cooed gazing ahead.
Alexandre seemed distracted by something out towards the water that came up as far as the road they were on. He kept glancing over while watching the road at the same time. Elia followed his gaze, wondering what had caught his eye.
"What is that?" He asked.
"What is what?"
"You don't see it?"
"No."
"Out there, maybe about thirty meters away?"
Elia scanned the water looking for any sign of, well anything but all she saw was turquoise waters without as much as a buoy.
"See anything?" He asked.
"Nope!"
"Really, nothing at all?"
"Nope." She repeated letting the word draw out a little
"Do you know who you remind me of. Saying it in that manner?"
"Nope!" repeating herself in the tone while looking at him with a smirk.
"David Tennant." He told her with a smile.
"Who?"
"No, Doctor Who!" He corrected
"Eh? I don't watch it."
"What do you mean you don't watch it?" He exclaimed feigning horror.
Elia giggled "Nope!"
"Call yourself British." He teased.
Elia meanwhile rolled her eyes and shook her head
"No, I don't actually. I'm a lot more than 'just' British." She reminded him.
"But, born and raised there still, correct?"
Loco!"
Still smiling she returned to her gazing out the window, they went through more tunnels but were soon out on the open road again, looking out to the sea. Surrounded by Mediterranean scenery she tried to take it all in.
"Hey! What was I suppose to be looking for out there on the water anyway?"
He smirked and shrugged.
"I don't know." He sniffed. "Maybe, a shark?"
"Oh, haha!" She rolled her eyes and shook her head
"Definitely loco" She confirmed
She glanced up suddenly, surprised at a sight that caught her eye. She frowned and stared as they passed. She turned to look at Alexandre
"Where are we?" She asked. A smile was his only reply. Elia looked behind, then back at Alexandre again.
"I swear that sign was in Italian back there." She pointed out in bewilderment.
Alexandre's discreet smile remained as he kept going. She meanwhile looked with more alertness around at her surroundings.
"And again!" She cried. "It IS, and I mean totally, in all Italian, not even mixed with French!" She turned to look at him questioningly.
"Where are we?" She demanded. Alexandre merely chuckled.
"Have we passed through into Italy?!"
Still smiling he looked across at her then back at the road ahead. Astonished she looked out the window
"It said Genova, where's Genova? I want a map!" She cried. "Have we passed Menton, already? I'm sure that was somewhere near the border, have we crossed ?! I thought I'd have noticed it, was it the tunnels?"
"The border isn't a tunnel." He told her, holding in a smirk. "And Genova is far away from here."
Elia felt perplexed. "I'm sure I would have noticed if we'd crossed a border."
"Borders can be quite low key. And maybe you were too busy looking at the sea... possibly for sharks?"
Elia looked over at him sharply as his eyes shone mischievously. The penny finally dropped.
"You unbelievable troll." She cried in amazement.
He laughed, harder than she'd ever heard him laugh before.
Elia's jaw dropped. She didn't know what to react to more, Alexandre's craftiness or the fact that she was now, at this very moment, actually in Italy.
Amazement was written on her face as she, lost for words, fidgeted in her seat looking between Alexandre and the window next to her. He chuckled at her excitement.
"Welcome to Italy!" He affirmed finally,
"Oh, my days!" She cried, holding her face in her hands. "I'm actually in Italy, seriously" A smile crept over her as it began to sink in.
"I can't believe this!" Italy! Ay que! …. Un-bloomin-believable! I've always wanted to see Italy! Seriously, man, I ain't even lying!"
"I know!" He affirmed, smiling.
She looked around at their surrounding with eagerness before glancing at him to let out a spontaneous joyful laugh. Alexandre drove on, relishing her childlike delight. They skimmed through a small village before reaching a larger one
"This is Ventimiglia." He informed her as he pulled off to a smaller road that sloped upwards, leading to what looked like a small parking area.
"Oh look!" She cried excitedly, pointing at a row mopeds parked up. "How Italian is that?!"
He laughed and turned to pull in and park close by.
"Yeah." He teased. "We got those in France too."
"I know! But this is different. "Aw, I so need to get a photo of those!"
"Go ahead!" He smiled as they got out. He then watched as she began photographing, her face still lit up like a bulb.
"You know I'd love to ride a moped, or even learn to drive one!" She told him in between shots
"Yeah?"
"Definitely!"
"So, my Harley is outshone... By a moped?"
Elia let out another hearty laugh.
"I didn't mean that." She insisted
He chuckled then lead her towards a small archway. Under it lead to the prettiest sight she'd seen. She stood to admire the narrow cobbled street lined with pale aged stone houses, off to one side was an even narrower street
"Where do you want to start?" He asked, standing next to her.
She turned to him and smiled, then pulled her camera back out from her bag.
"Ah." He acknowledged. "Pointless question."
Together they wandered the streets randomly following one to another all the while with Elia taking photos. Eventually, they reached a square where they paused for a brief rest. Some of the houses surrounding them were a little run down, but Elia found charm in their aged appearance. She looked across at Alexandre who was keenly watching a group of older gentlemen play bowling.
"Have you ever played petanque?" He asked.
"Oh, is that what you call it?"
"I think they call it bocce over here."
"But, no I haven't."
"I enjoy it, played it a lot with papa growing up."
"You're much more like him, aren't you? I mean in comparison to your mother"
"His life was way different to Maman" He explained. "She was a Southampton girl growing up. Her family had been very wealthy and successful since the war years and so her upbringing was quite privileged. But she was also expected to be ambitious and driven."
"Papa, on the other hand, was not expected to come of much. My grandmother was young and unmarried when she became pregnant with him, and this was in the late fifties. Being a young single mother was not an easy choice back then."
"Late fifties?! He must have had you and your sister quite late then."
"Yes. He did" He chuckled. "Because his Maman struggled to bring him up, his uncle played a large role in his life, helping with his education. Now he, my great uncle, was a successful businessman, opening up hotels and casinos in Monaco. Papa was very much a free spirit and quite drawn to the whole seventies hippy movement. But he was also smart, astute and sharp and as he got older it became clear he'd be an asset to the family business. He found himself taking on bigger roles until he eventually was chosen to run it fully."
"Sounds like quite a contradiction, a businessman by day, hippy by night?"
Alexandre smiled and nodded
"It never fully left him but it was around the time he married Maman, he was in his mid-thirties by that point, and had mellowed, a little!"
Elia giggled. "A little." She repeated light-heartedly.
"He had a curious and wandering spirit and a mind that was always open to new experiences. He still managed to balance it with his professional life though and made the company even bigger and more successful than before. He wanted to instil that balance into me. He wanted to encourage a free-spirited side also but also keep me mindful of the need have goals and to work hard for them. It wasn't even so much about having success for him, it was more about having a job you loved and giving it your best. That was important to him"
Elia smiled at him.
"Reminds me of my family in a way. My mum is from a family of driven intellectuals, while my dad, born of immigrants, carved out his own successes. I'm curious though"
"About?"
"How did your mum, someone so upper class come to marry a motorcycle-loving flower child?"
Alexandre laughed.
"Don't forget he was still a smart businessman, too."
"I suppose, I just find it hard to imagine her with someone like that."
"They were different in many ways." He acknowledged. "But they had things in common too. And for all her faults, she loved Papa very much." He paused and checked his watch.
"Want to go and get something to eat?" He suggested.
"Yeah, alright. What do you have in mind?"
"We're in Italy, it's gotta be pizza!"
He watched her with amusement as she whipped out her phone and took a photo of the food that was in front of her.
"Elia?"
"Yes?" Her head shot up to look at him.
"Are you gonna Instagram your food?!" He asked her, smirking
"No!" She exclaimed looking disgusted. "This is for Jaz, Cesi and also one of my friends back in London, Rachel."
"Ok." He chuckled
"."I'm having pizza in ITALY! This is a big deal! I've always wanted to experience this and I can't NOT show them! I'm gonna whats-app it to them."
Alexandre laughed at her.
"Because sending photos of your food via whats-app is a step above foodstagramming'?" He teased
"Yes!" she exclaimed, smiling as she completed then sent her messages. She then put her phone back into her bag then looked over the table.
"Don't they give us any cutlery?"
"You don't need it"
"Maybe not, but I'm more used to it."
"You can't eat pizza with a knife and fork!" He insisted, laughing.
"I do what I like!" She joked.
"If Guglielmo was here he'd be mortified! I hope the chef here can't see or hear you from his kitchen he'd be furious and have us thrown out!"
Elia laughed at him.
"We'd go hungry because of this" He continued in jest making her laugh harder
"Don't make me laugh! She cried."I'll laugh too loud and completely embarrass you!"
"You'll embarrass me more if you ask for a knife and fork" He shot back with a deadpan expression.
Elia buried her face In her hands to muffled her giggles. This man was too much.
He tucked into his seafood-topped pizza while Elia cautiously began her typically more Mediterranean topped choice.
"Are you alright?" Alexandre asked her.
"Yeah. ..Well. I suppose I feel a little bit of guilt for eating cheese." She admitted sheepishly.
"You should have said! I've no problem finding a place that offers vegan options etc."
"Tried that, I didn't actually like it too much. Too greasy."
"More than this?"
"Yes." She laughed. "It's surprising. But also, I don't think I have it in me to give up cheese completely"
"How do you feel about eating meat?"
"Similar to before, I've learned a little more though, and that makes me feel a little bit of a failure."
"That's not a word I'd associate with you." He assured.
She shrugged.
Listen." He began. "It's your life and you choose what is best for you. You've already taken big steps to make a difference and I admire that, it's better than anything I can accomplish. You shouldn't have to beat yourself up over a lifestyle that doesn't work for you. You're already doing your best Elia."
She raised her eyes to look at him
"Thanks." She smiled. "There is, however, one more thing."
"And that is?"
"I do prefer to be called Elie."
Alexandre's face relaxed into a bashful smile.
"Ok." He agreed. "And I, euh. Prefer being called, Alex."