Wanderlust

Milan: Part 2

Grace Russell stood outside, waiting impatiently for her mom and Sam to arrive. She sipped intermittently from a takeout cup of Italian coffee, idly wondering how she was going to live without it when she eventually moved back to the States. She'd never tell, but it was even better than Stephanie's coffee at The Bistro. And that was really saying something.

Despite how wonderful the coffee was, Grace understood today why her mom frowned on caffeine and stuck to her herbal teas. Her whole system was practically vibrating from excitement, and the added caffeine jolt wasn't helping any.

This was the longest period of time she had gone without seeing her mom in person, and she'd missed her like crazy.

They had so much to catch up on.

Grace spotted Cassie and Sam before they saw her, shielding her eyes against the early morning Italian sunshine. She studied them both, awed as always by how content and complete they seemed together. It had been a long time since Grace had felt that uncomfortable sensation that everything was changing, and now she was just happy that her mom had found someone to love.

And she loved Sam, too.

She couldn't have asked for a better stepfather.

Grace felt Cassie spot her through the early morning commuters, and she felt a rush of overwhelming love that brought tears to her eyes. She rushed down the steps and threw herself into her mother's arms, burrowing into the familiar and calming embrace. She had missed this so much. They both had. FaceTime was great, but there was no substitute for the real thing.

"Hi, Sam," Grace greeted him when she was finally able to pull free from Cassie's embrace, giving him a warm hug too, a little surprised at how much she'd missed him, too.

"You look well," Sam said, grinning back at her.

"So do you. Both of you. This extended vacation suits you."

Grace led them to a cafe on the corner and they sat around a shady table, waiting for their order to be taken.

"I want to hear all about your travels," Grace said, setting her stylish and voluminous purse down on the ground by her feet.

"I want to hear all about your job," Cassie demanded at almost the exact moment.

Sam felt a bit of an interloper, sitting back and watching as the two women he loved engaged in a rapid-fire conversation he could barely keep up with.

"I could sneak you in and give you the tour," Grace said when their drinks arrived. She'd chosen tea this time, hoping it would calm her down a little.

"Oh, well . . ."

Cassie paused, looking across at Sam.

"You go. I can amuse myself for a few hours," he assured them both. "I'll even get the tab."

He watched with a giant grin as Cassie and Grace left the table together, arm-in-arm, and headed for the fashion house where she was currently interning.

"Have you heard from Abigail recently?" Grace asked as their heels clicked across the square.

"I've been keeping in touch with her, but you know Abigail, she doesn't like to talk about her feelings," Cassie replied.

Grace nodded. "I hope she's okay. I don't get it. I thought they were made for each other."

Cassie shrugged a shoulder. "It came as a surprise to us all. Yes," she added with a rueful smile "Even us Merriwicks."

Grace smiled back softly. "I was really looking forward to coming home for the wedding, I really wanted to catch up with everyone and properly meet Joy, of course."

"I know, we all were, too." Cassie replied sadly. "I just hope she's happy in Tuscany. I guess Sam and I will find out for ourselves in a few days."

"Send her my love, won't you?" Grace implored.

"Of course," Cassie gave her daughter's hand a quick squeeze.

They had reached the entrance of the building, and Cassie watched with quiet pride as her baby girl introduced her to the doorman and set her up with a visitors' pass. Although the evidence was right in front of her eyes, Cassie was seeing Grace as the confident, capable young woman that she was instead of her precious little girl.

She could not have been more proud.

At lunchtime, mother and daughter were forced to part ways again, temporarily. Grace walked her mom to the entrance and Cassie slipped off her visitors' pass, twining the lanyard round and round the rectangle of plastic.

Grace didn't need to be a Merriwick to know what her mother was feeling.

"I'll see you and Sam for dinner," she said, encouraging smile in place even if she felt slightly discombobulated by this sudden reversal in their roles. "I wish you could shadow me all day, but we're gearing up for Fashion Week, so things are starting to get crazy. Crazy. And, um, confidential." She sounded a little hesitant when she said it, like she was afraid her mother would take offence.

Cassie met Grace's eyes and finally relinquished hold of the pass.

"I'm just so proud of you, sweetie," she said, squeezing Grace's hand as her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm just an intern, Mom," Grace protested, trying to laugh it off.

"At one of the biggest fashion houses Milan," Cassie continued. "I'm so happy that you've found something that you love."

Grace beamed. "I do love it. I miss you, though."

Cassie hugged her, holding her close for a brief second.

"I miss you, too," she sighed. They would see each other later, but somehow this felt like goodbye. Or maybe it just felt reassuring to say these words to Grace out loud and face to face.

"I've got to get back," Grace said sadly. "See you later."

"See you later," Cassie echoed, giving her daughter a quick wave before she went to catch up with Sam.

"Mi scuse senor."

It was only the sense of inner calm Sam had achieved over the last two months of vacationing that stopped him from leaping two feet in the air.

"Cassie," he said, his exhale of breath ending on a chuckle. "You nearly gave me a heart attack." Also, her Italian accent was turning him on, but he astutely noted that this was not the time to mention it.

"Always the doctor," she said, laughing as she took his hand. Some of the sadness she had felt at leaving Grace had evaporated now that she was back at her husband's side. Her daughter was fine, thriving even, but Cassie felt like Grace was leaving for college all over again, separation anxiety and all.

She wondered if Sam had felt the same way when they'd left Nick in California.

"How was it?" he asked as they strolled along the sidewalk. "Is Grace CEO yet?"

Cassie smiled fondly; she loved the way that Sam loved Grace. Although her daughter had lost so much, she'd gained a father figure in Sam, and another brother in Nick.

"I don't think it'll be long," she replied with pride. "Oh, you should've seen her, Sam. She was completely in her element, so confident and happy, and she clearly loves what she's doing." She surprised to find that she had choked up, her voice cracking with emotion. Sam held her hand more tightly in his. "That's all I could have wanted for her."

She managed to say it without crying, but it was a close thing.

"Me too," he replied with a proud smile. "For Grace, and for Nick. We did it; we successfully raised two amazing young adults, and Nick never did end up in jail."

Cassie laughed, using her other hand to swipe at the stray tear that had escaped.

"Yeah, we did." Her smile was watery, but it was there.

"So, I think we should go and celebrate our Parents of the Year status," he continued, sensing that Cassie's emotional state hadn't quite passed yet.

"Oh, yeah?" she asked, curious despite herself. "And what did you have in mind?"

Knowing Sam, this could mean anything.

She was actually breathless at the thought, because whatever he had in mind was sure to be delicious.

"Tiramisu."

This surprised another laugh out of Cassie.

"Tiramisu?"

"Yup," Sam chirped with a happy nod. "And one each. No offence, and I love you, but I'm not sharing with you."

"It's a deal," she replied, following his lead to one of the cafes he had found while exploring that morning. "And Sam? Thank you, I love you, too."

Grace took her mom and Sam to her favourite restaurant for dinner, and showed them around parts of the city that weren't on your typical tourist map.

"You really love it here, don't you?" Cassie asked her softly, while they stood in line for gelato, trying to choose from the overwhelming number of flavours.

"I do," Grace confirmed, her eyes still focused on the printed list. "But don't worry Mom, Middleton will always be home to me."

"Good," Cassie said, smiling at how much stronger Grace's Merriwick abilities seemed now, and how effortlessly she was able to use them. "Everyone misses you, but they're so so proud, Grace."

"I miss them, too," she replied. "We'll all be together soon though, I can feel it."

"Oh, yeah?" Cassie asked, curious that her daughter was sensing something that she could not. "And how do you know that?"

But they were at the front of the line now, choosing their gelato, and the moment passed.

If Cassie didn't know better, she might have suspected Grace had chosen that precise moment on purpose.

Cassie promised herself that she wouldn't cry when it came time to say goodbye to Grace again, but when the day arrived for them to leave Milan, she wasn't sure if it was a vow she could keep. If they weren't expected in Tuscany to visit Abigail, she might have delayed their departure, but she also knew that she'd have to leave Grace behind eventually. It helped to see how happy and settled her daughter was.

While Sam finished packing their cases, Cassie focused on applying her make up but opted not to use mascara. It seemed too much like tempting fate.

She could sense Sam hovering, wanting to comfort her, but not wanting to make her more emotional than she already was. And she truly cherished him for that.

"Was it like this for you?" she asked, not turning away from the mirror as she searched for her lip liner. "When we left Nick in California?"

"Do you mean did I nearly cry when I was putting my make up on too?" he asked, trying to dissipate the emotional tension with a dose of humour. "It was hard," he continued seriously. "I'd started to get used to him not being around all the time in Middleton, but it was like having to readjust all over again. I'm just glad that he's happy though, and that he loves me and we got to a good place in our relationship."

Cassie let out a breath, abandoning the search for her lip products.

"And if you miss her too much," he said, crossing to where she stood and putting his arms around her from behind. "We can pop in for another visit before we leave Europe."

Cassie smiled, leaning back against him and absorbing some of his strength.

"Thank you," she said, turning in his arms and wrapping him in a hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Me neither," he replied, stroking her hair. "Now we'd better check out before we get thrown out."

Cassie followed him out of the suite and down to reception. She still wasn't convinced she wouldn't cry when Grace waved them off, but she felt calmer, steadier.

Her baby was okay, more than okay, and she couldn't help but think that Jake would be so proud of the young woman their daughter had grown into.

And Middleton.

Middleton would always call the Merriwicks back home.