Chapter VI

Dearest Joy of Joys,

I thought coming back to Redmond would bring some of the 'life before' back, yet the war is starting to engulf everything and everyone, all places on Earth. I am eternally glad that you seem to be escaping it in your beloved Pienza for now, please know it is a blessing. Here, you can feel the gloom and the uncertainty of it in the very air you breathe. I get occasional looks of disapproval from strangers on the street. I know I am a coward and I know you will swiftly write back saying that I am not, but I know who I am well enough to know this to be the truth. I love you for always seeing the good in me before all else and clinging to it for your life, however, there's no use denying that I am afraid and that this is why I am omitting enlisting at all costs.

It feels good to have things to distract me, though. Writing and studying are always the two activities that keep me sane here. And, of course, you. I often re-read your letters and just as often look at the photographs of you and us both in the dear, old Rainbow Valley we took seemingly not so long ago. Although, it feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?

I promise that we all tried to bring Dog Monday back home right before setting off for Redmond, but Joy, there was no use. He will never leave that station, not until his Jem is back. I think that only you could have brought him back home to Ingleside, if you lived at Ingleside still and would always pat his head, that is. It often still strikes me that when I write to you I am writing to an address in Italy, the land I read about and hear about from you and yet the land that is mysterious and strange to me. I know it has been five and a half years since you've left our home for good, it is still so… boggling I suppose. You are irrevocably an Inglesadian, and you seem to belong only to Rainbow Valley and nowhere else in this world. Or at least that's what I thought until I saw you again after those long five years and your eyes spoke more happiness than I ever think is possible for me to possess. That was when we all knew that you leaving our family home was the best decision for you because it led to you finding your little piece of happiness. I hope I can see your land of glory one day. And Gia, I would love to meet the sister of your heart. Please send my good wishes to her.

Can you believe Rilla, our little sister, is now an adoptive mother? She would be horrified if she heard me call her that, but you and I both know that this is the truth and this is exactly who she is now. I am so immensely proud of her for taking on this role, it was so selfless of her and she surprisingly suits it very well. I do not know how the tale of little Jims will end, however, I am very happy that he is safe and sound at Ingleside. Rilla weighs him every day, can you believe it? I chuckle with pride every time I imagine it.

Now, Joy, I followed your advice, you'll be glad to know. I started talking to Una more, just before I left for Redmond. We walked along Rainbow Valley and back and forth between the manse and Ingleside, just talking and sharing who we are with one another. Now we exchange letters every other day, it seems. I must say that I am very thankful for your observant eyes. She is so much more than one would think from just seeing this bashful, little faerie. She has so many thoughts spiraling in her soul and heart and I cannot believe, and I am ashamed to say, that I never bothered to discover this before. I am thankful, Joy, for your observant eyes indeed. No, I do not know if what I feel for Una is the same as what I felt for Faith. I think I need more time and more letters to be exchanged between us to be sure of that. However, you've noticed I wrote "felt" in the past tense in regards to my feelings for Faith. I had enough time to evaluate it all and my conclusion was clear: I was in love with the idea of her and the truth is that I do not know her half as much as Jem does. The two of them fit like a tailor-made pair of gloves and that's definitive. I am embarrassed to once think Jem didn't deserve her because now, after countless reflections and thoughts, I know that Jem and Faith were always meant to be together.

I am curious what will come out of your Lorenzo. I do not hold any grudge against you for not saying a word about him before, all of us have our little secrets, especially because I know you would have talked about him sooner or later either way. I agree, the whole situation does seem unsettling. You two seem to be more than just kindred spirits, you both shared a lovely kiss, and then none of it was spoken of between you two. And his letters to you do not mention any words of romance at all? I am just as puzzled as you are, dear sister. All I can say to you is that you are the most unique person I know, and you deserve someone who at least treats you as such and so far Lorenzo is not doing that. Therefore, if it is not him, then a different fellow might be and if, like you seem to imply every single time, maybe no one at all will ever have as observant eyes as you then that is also fine. I know you will do fantastically in your life, as you have been doing thus far also. You deserve the moon and you deserve the celestial sky, never settle for any less.

I must run for my lecture. Nonetheless, please leave a kiss for sweet Bacio, an embrace for Gia and the most tightening hug of all for yourself.

From yours truly and wholly,

Walter


Joy was slowly and mindfully walking across the fields and cypress trees towards the distant Capella di Vitaleta. Bacio, now reaching her knees, was funnily hopping beside her, more like a kangaroo than a dog. Joy tightened her green scarf around her neck which her mother knitted for her two autumns before. Her head of untied red curls was covered by a grey beret which Susan made for her during the last summer, a lifetime ago like Walter wrote. Her brown coat was a little worn out, but that did not mean it wasn't warm enough for Joy to wear it during another autumn of its life. In its pocket was Ken's letter which was held by Joy's spotted with ink hand. She enjoyed feeling those letters in her hands, it made her feel as if her loved ones were with her in spirit. She adored reading Ken's letters, they always made her giggle with a joke and smile with understanding. Oh, how much she missed him! And their chases and their dances… The thought of him gave her joy but also a piercing feeling of guilt and confusion. She still didn't know what kind of love she felt for him but love she did feel and she always expressed it through her letters back to his.

Walks like this always provoked her mind to spiral and jump back and forth between her thoughts, indeed mimicking the jumps of Bacio across the fields. Her thoughts became disorganised, then organised and then finally they became even more chaotic than before.

The wind was soft, like a whisper. The sky was filled with clouds, milky white in colour. The blades of grass danced in the breeze around Joy and Bacio as they were both slowly becoming closer and closer to the Capella.

At times like these, even whilst being surrounded by beyond beautiful sights, Joy felt homesick. She felt like she could sell everything she owned just to be embraced by her mother or have her hand held by her father. To write with Walter sitting next to her, to see his eyes glow, to dance with Rilla in the Rainbow Valley, to chase both Jem and Ken and giggle with Di and Nan whilst cuddling Shirley in her arms. She could picture this image very clearly in her mind as she gathered countless such memories across the years of her life. The war certainly made those sickly feelings stronger, more piercing, they made her heart bleed more and left her a bit weaker. That uncertainty of the world, of even her piece of Heaven on Earth, but most importantly the uncertainty about the fate of her loved ones, troubled her more times during the day than she could fight those thoughts away.

In one moment she felt at peace and completely happy and she could write for the newspaper she worked for several happy, romantic short stories. The next, she could easily weep into Gia's shoulder or her pillow and start writing tales of grief and death. It was impossible for her to make those two worlds collide and live side by side and yet she was somehow doing it anyway. What did this mean? Did it mean that life is a combination of good and bad? Did it mean that you can never be happy for too long before a tragedy strikes?

"Scusa?"

Joy lifted her head and saw an old, little lady looking at her with a wide smile. Joy didn't even realise that she was on the doorstep of the Capella already. Bacio was sitting next to her legs, wagging her tail at both her mistress and the lady in front of them both.

"Buongiorno!" Joy smiled back and outstretched her hand immediately, her old self coming back to the surface "How are you doing, Miss?" she asked.

The lady chuckled merrily, the wrinkled dimples on her face deepened and made her look even sweeter. She was covered in clothing from head to toe, as if it was much colder than in reality. She was grey all over, from her clothing to her shoes, to her eyes and to her hair. Something about her was radiating and welcoming. Another unexpected kindred spirit was met. The lady shook Joy's hand and surprised her with its swift and strong grasp "I am doing extremely well, my dear, grazie." she replied with a croaky voice "My name is Alma Roberti. I've seen you around my lovely Pienza. You're always so fast, that's why I could never catch up with you to introduce myself!"

Joy's lips widened in a smile and she gasped with excitement "You've just made my day, Miss Roberti, I am enchanted by you." she said happily, making Miss Roberti laugh "My name is Joyce Blythe, otherwise known as Joy."

"Please, call me Alma!" the lady in grey answered and put her hand softly on Joy's arm "Your radiating energy is always palpable, Joy. I am so glad that Pienza can be seen and felt through you."

Joy put her hand on her chest and felt it tightening "You cannot know how much it means to me for you to say that." she managed to breathe out "And I am eternally sorry for being too quick and for not having spoken to you earlier, Alma."

Alma shook her head and patted Bacio's head tenderly, making Joy's dog wag her tail even strongly "We are here now, aren't we?" she turned her head to the Capella "I've always come here to think. It's so quiet and yet full of life from many centuries passed."

Joy grinned knowingly "Yes, I find this place to be perfect for reflection and burying one's worries in the soil where you know they can be turned into something wonderful here." she said decidedly.

"Ah, dear, what is troubling your young soul? I seem to have forgotten youngsters remember troubles of the world and you are a very refreshing reminder of my silliness in this notion." Alma patted Joy's hand. Joy looked down at both of their hands. They were complete opposites and it almost surprised her. Joy's hand, so soft and velvety, with her veins hardly visible, was covered by a hand that clearly knew hard physical work for many years. Alma's hand was wrinkled, covered in light brown spots and her veins were clear enough for Joy to imagine the pumping of blood through them. Joy started thinking how she would be lucky to have such hands in the future, to live long enough to one day look down at her own hands and see her old age and hard work in them. Suddenly, she had flashbacks of memories rushing through her mind, of her mother's beloved mother Marilla. Joy always remembered Marilla as her wonderful grandmother who always looked upon her with such tender smile and her hands like Alma's, cupped Joy's and kissed them whenever Joy's smile mimicked Anne's.

Joy fought back the tears forming in her eyes and she smiled softly at Alma "I suppose the troubles of one's mind are all the same, the details might vary from person to person as our stories differ from one another, but the true worries have the same foundations." she said, her melancholy voice carried by the wind across the Tuscan fields "The troubles of my mind stem from love and uncertainty of the world. I miss my family and my friends, my thoughts and feelings catch me confused and often all I want to do is stay right here…" she outstretched her arms to the endless fields "-and spend the rest of my life wondering and hoping and dreaming about life and its secrets."

Alma's small grey eyes sparkled at Joy's speech and her other hand found her way on Joy's hands "You remind me so much of myself when I was your age, it's truly incredible." she said tenderly "But, dear, what good would it do you to isolate your life and spend it on thinking about it whilst not living it? Embrace your sadness, your worry, your frustration, and your happiness, wherever you find it. Soon enough we will all be dead, and that's when we will have the infinite time to reflect on all the 'what ifs' of life."

Joy realised then how four lonely tears rolled down her freckled cheeks and she embraced them fully. She could feel them, and taste them and wasn't that a sign that life was, is and will be? Tears are both an emotion and action and oh, how lovely was it for Joy to feel them in those two dimensions! She squeezed Alma's hands in her own "I believe we were meant to meet, dearest Alma." she announced readily "Right here, and right at this moment. Maybe it is true what some people say, everything does happen for a reason."

"The longer you live, the more you will agree as well as question that statement." Alma replied and both chuckled lightly together as Bacio barked in unison, making them laugh for longer. "You know," Alma started "-why don't you join me in attending my nephew's wedding next Saturday? I think it would do both of us good to attend a nice, blissful party, don't you think?"

Joy gasped in excitement "Oh, how wonderful!" she exclaimed "I've never been to an Italian wedding. Oh, of course, I'll accompany you, Alma. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure, dear." Alma replied and winked at her "We will have a grand party, the two of us!"

Both ladies laughed together merrily and joined their arms, starting to walk back while Bacio danced and hopped around them. Just like that, Joy was reminded of life and its existence and how precious and glorious it can be if you make up your mind to feel it, through every feeling, word and action. Suddenly, everything was possible, and although it was quite a frightening thought to some, to Joy, on those Tuscan fields with Alma's arm in hers, it was the most wonder-filling epiphany that would always come back to her, even in the moments of dreadfulness which were still to come.