Chapter V
At first, Joy thought it peculiar for Lorenzo to take her to Vada beach just a day after she arrived back in Pienza. Why Vada beach and not her beautiful Pienza? She didn't protest against the idea, however, as she had never been there before and who else out there in the world preferred exploring more than Joyce Blythe? When she arrived with him at Vada beach, the scene full of pearly-white sand and crystal-turquoise waves appeared in front of her and she felt like she really shouldn't be anywhere else. Especially then. Especially with Lorenzo. It was bizarre, however, how they talked and joked together as if they hadn't been only exchanging letters and having seen one another only once before that day, three years ago. However, Joyce felt as if they just met, that this special day in Paris happened a moment ago, and now they're here, at Vada beach.
They spoke to one another in three different languages interchangeably: Italian, French and English and yet to Joy it seemed as if they spoke one unusual language that only the two of them understood. Lorenzo was the same in person as he appeared through the chaotic writing on the many, many pages of letters he sent to Joy over the past three years. It was incredible that the way Joy imagined him to be was exactly correct. He was energetic, his hands spoke more than his words, his dark curls had a habit of falling onto his eyes, he wore English, ironed shirts and perfectly tailored suits and a brown hat was always resting on his head. He was eloquent and cheeky and the way he talked and told a story could easily win himself a loving gaze from any lady.
A little expectedly but with a lot of fighting against it, Joyce found herself to be that lady. As soon as Gia told her that a handsome young man was waiting for her arrival in their living room, she felt her heart fluttering in a way she hadn't before and it made her giddy and suddenly unsure about who she was and who she wanted to be. Nevertheless, as soon as Lorenzo turned around and saw her and greeted her with the widest smile and kissed both of her cheeks, she found herself blushing and at a loss of words. Yes, she, Joy Blythe, at a loss of words! Finally, when they talked, it felt as if they belonged together somehow, however, Joyce couldn't place where and how they possibly could. It troubled her, that uncertainty, as all of a sudden her entire world as she knew it was in limbo.
Joy was a woman fully reassured of how she wanted her life to look like and she never considered a romance to be a part of it. Well, of course, she thought about it and there were moments when she day-dreamed of the lovely feelings and thoughts that such an occurrence could spring. However, it was not in her plans because she knew that romance could change her and her plans for the future and it was simply unacceptable to her for such a change to happen. What if she met a man who was from a different country and he wanted her to move to be with him? She could never leave her Pienza, come storm or bombs, and she would be left with a broken heart and no romance at the end of the day anyway! Joy figured that life would simply be easier to bear and plan if there was no possibility of romance in it. She wanted children, yes, absolutely, but she never thought that she had to give birth to a child to love it endlessly and she could adopt a little baby instead. If she never married, she could live her life the way she wanted, not governed by a man and his name that she'd have to take on as her own (she could not bear the thought of ever changing her surname which she regarded as her wonderful pride).
And yet there, on Vada beach, she had her arm in Lorenzo's arm. It felt so ordinary, so simple and true and she didn't know what to think of it at all. His mind was as handsome as his appearance and she found herself blushing whenever their eyes locked together. Joy knew that this was different from an infatuation. She had been infatuated many times before and this was different, this scared her a little and made her unsteady and unsure.
"I really, really don't want to go back to Firenze today." Lorenzo said in Italian wistfully when he finally caught a breath after chasing Joyce on the sandy beach.
She chuckled and tightened her grip on his arm "I don't want you to go either, but now and in life we do what we must." she replied.
"You know, you might just be the only person I've met who fits into Tuscan life more than anywhere else in the world." he said with a smile as he observed Joy's red curls swimming in the air as the breeze passed through them "You're completely yourself here. In Paris, I saw you and I immediately knew your soul, recognised it somehow but she didn't shine through and now she does."
Joy looked at him with a flush of pink on her freckled cheeks and smiled widely "You're exactly right." she agreed "I've never felt more confident and more… free than here. In between those hills and beautiful people…" she closed her eyes and Pienza was right in front of them at once "Ah! Bella Italia, what else is there to say?"
He laughed and they both realised how suddenly they were back at Lorenzo's car and the time was mercilessly ticking away. They both knew that they had to start getting back in order for Lorenzo to arrive at his family's house for dinner on time. There were many things undone and many things unsaid and Joy felt this heavily right at that moment. So she took his hand in hers and pulled him a little closer. He looked down at her, right into her grey, expectant eyes but some invisible force made them both unable to speak. Finally, Joy woke up and while cursing her heartbeat for quickening, she placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him gently. He reciprocated and felt as if he melted in that kiss, no matter how soft or tender, it was perfect at that moment in time. When their lips parted they both looked at one another curiously. Joy opened her mouth to say something but Lorenzo interrupted her in English: "Let's go then, shall we, Joy?". Something stale and unsure was his voice which made Joy shut off a piece of her heart and without another word that could somehow make the situation clearer and easier, she simply replied: "Yes, let's go!" and they began heading back with Joy trying to figure out whether their kiss was just another dream.
The streets of Pienza were bustling with life. People were strolling around, enjoying the sun and their lovely village. Joyce always compared the people of Pienza to bees in a beehive. They all lived and worked together, and the noise of it all was always there with them and surrounding them, however, it sounded more like birdsong than an annoying noise. It always surprised Joy a little how in her little Italian village there was never a strange look or a scoff thrown in her direction whenever she passed others while wearing her trousers and having her red curls free from being tied back. Everyone accepted her for who she was and no one ever questioned it, to the people of Pienza it was a simple truth, nothing strange at all. She wondered if it was because of the community they had and the "one for all and all for one" attitude you could always feel transparent in the air, or maybe it was just the fact that Pienza held her soul captive for all those years of her life before she moved there and finally set it free into its natural habitat once her feet landed on Pienza's soil. She could never figure it out and that mystery only added to her love for her Heaven on Earth.
Gia's arm was in hers and they both smiled and joked around, while catching up on everything that each missed from the last couple of weeks of their lives. Joy almost felt as if the last weeks didn't happen at all, as if she didn't see her family in Canada, as if she didn't spend a day at Vada beach with Lorenzo a day earlier… It all felt like a dream and the war was just another creation of her own imagination that actually didn't exist. "I can't wait to get back to work tomorrow." Joy exclaimed happily.
"You belong to the few people in this world who actually enjoy what they're doing for a living, dear Joy." Gia replied and adjusted her beige hat "And I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me to have you back. Living alone is no fun!"
They both chuckled "Absolutely, Gia." Joy agreed "And I'm so glad that you didn't get a boyfriend while I was gone! I think I'd have to give him a proper slap to drive him away from you, you beautiful lady."
Gia laughed but winced slightly, little nerves wriggled in her eyes as she quickly shook them off and smiled at Joy cheekily "Well I didn't but you… and Lorenzo?" she asked and again, the two giggled together and Joy's cheeks blushed a little.
"I mean… I don't know, Gia. It's all quite strange really. I know and always have known, being surrounded by boys all my life, that men are very confusing and beyond extremely weird but why does this department of my life have to be so strange as well? I mean my life has not exactly been a straight path so far." Joy crossed her arms and shook her head "Listen to this: it's all so perfect and very, surprisingly, romantic and then we kiss and it's magical for a second and then... he doesn't say anything! And then no mention of it at all!" she groaned and then sighed.
Gia sighed softly herself and tightened her grip on Joy's hand "My dearest," she said in a tone that possessed authority over the emotional department of Gia's own life "-be glad of that kiss and how splendid it made you feel. However, listen to my advice: don't put so much hope in it all, men change their minds quicker than any other species on this Earth. Focus on yourself and be excited at whatever life throws at you."
Joy smiled at Gia and kissed her cheek quicker than light "You are a real gem, my friend." she said, her voice truly thankful "And, of course, you're right. I know all of that myself, but how strange is that when emotions take over your mind, you completely forget about your pride and your honour which otherwise you always hold so dear to your heart?"
Gia chuckled "That's the mystery of life, Joy." she raised her eyebrow "But what about this Ken of yours? You've known each other forever and you really can't see any future for you both under the same roof?". Something in Gia's eyes and the tone of her voice made Joy forget about the world outside and she could finally focus on the world of her own, on the world inside. That's why she valued their friendship so much, she knew that with Gia she could easily discuss absolutely everything about... well, everything. Of course, she loved her childhood friendships with her brothers and Ken, but there was something special about having a female kindred spirit in adulthood. That special line between childhood and adulthood became somehow more visible when Joy moved to Pienza and especially so when she met Gia. And on that particular busy day in Pienza, during that particular conversation, Joy felt like those strange parts of her mind could be shared so she wouldn't have to carry the burden of them only by herself. And what a wonder-filling feeling that was!
Joy sighed wistfully "Ken's and my future? Well, it may result in us becoming a spinster and a bachelor." she said and then chuckled at herself "I don't think we have any future together, Gia. I've always seen him as my brother, someone between Jem and Walter. I definitely can't see how our futures and our plans could ever round up on the same path so…" she shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
Gia's eyes twinkled a little as if she saw something in Joy's eyes that only she could notice "You do realise that you haven't actually said that you will definitely never want those futures of yours to combine together?"
Joy was taken aback a little, however, she kept on a little smile despite her mind slowly forming into a shape resembling more and more her overworked writing pen "Well…" she started "-you're right but… I don't… I don't think…" They looked at each other and laughed together before resuming their walk to the walls surrounding Pienza which overlooked the much loved by Joy Tuscan hills. They leaned over the walls and looked at the scenery together. It was so peaceful, not a cloud in sight, not a single word of war or hatred anywhere. Only tranquility, warm breeze and silence.
"The thing about love, in my own opinion, is…" Joy began, quietly trying not to disturb the peace surrounding them both "-that I know how it changes everything. If I suddenly turned around and allowed myself to love Ken in that way, I would want to go wherever he is. I know he would never leave Canada. But Gia, I can't imagine my life anywhere but here." she waved her hand towards the Tuscan hills and her heart was overfilled with love already "I love my life here. I love my new sister." she squeezed Gia's hand and both smiled at one another "I love my two jobs as both a journalist and a writer. This town is my home and this is where one day, in a far off future, I want to die." she smiled towards the view in front of her as if it was the love of her life.
Gia smiled at her friend with a wise look in her eyes "But how do you know that Ken wouldn't leave Canada for Pienza if you told him you love him?" she asked.
Joy stayed still for a moment, considering this. Her eyes stopped at a line of cypress trees in the long distance ahead and she tried to imagine each one as different members of her family. She, of course, imagined Ken too, although unconsciously, and she looked back at Gia. "I don't know." she finally said "You're right, I've no idea." her heart started pumping blood around her body much quicker "But Gia, I can't think about things like that, there's a war going around and no one has the time for frivolities like falling in love. It's not anyone's priority, not when the whole world is becoming this strange, uncertain place."
Gia chuckled merrily and looked at the views in front of them herself "You know, for a writer, and a romance writer at that, you're hopeless at noticing that love is what everyone craves, at all times. Yes, the war is around the corner and people focus on survival but Joy, how do people survive?"
"Why do you always have to point the most obvious things to me?" Joy shook her head, disbelieving that she herself didn't catch on swiftly enough "Love is always the answer."
"Love is the answer." Gia repeated and then looked at Joy again "So who is it, because you have to choose, you do realise? Lorenzo or Ken?" she raised her eyebrow again.
Joy scoffed and rolled her eyes at Gia "Ah, both, neither… I don't know, Gia!" she crossed her arms and her freckles seemed to become more prominent for a second.
"But Joy, you've got to think about this, it's…" Gia started, however, a soft cry interrupted the silence around them.
Joy's heart at once recognised the sound and she looked around, frantically. "Oh, my goodness!" she exclaimed in English and her eyes filled with pure happiness. Right at the corner of via del Bacio, and thus the "Kiss Road", was a little darling creature. The puppy was all coal-black in colour with its hair glossy, smooth and absolutely kissable. Joy picked it up and it fitted very nicely in the cups of her hands. "It… Oh! She looks hungry!" Joy said quietly, peering into the little lady's dark eyes.
"It's cruel to see a sweet little pup abandoned like this!" Gia hissed angrily "We must keep her, there's no question about it."
"Of course, we'll keep her." Joy agreed readily and kissed little lady's head before putting her closer to her chest "And I have the most perfect name for her: Bacio, our little 'kiss'."
Joy and Gia shared a knowing look and both said at the same time "Very appropriate!" before laughing merrily, and happily enjoying that blissful moment where they could get excited about a special someone who they knew wouldn't ever break their hearts.
