Betty's First Trip to Rome the Prequel - Chapter 15 – Friends dropping by
Claire got Daniel on the phone. Because Betty was standing beside her she kept the conversation short. She simply told Daniel that he was to bring Gio to them.
Daniel replied he'd be there in about an hour and ended the call.
Daniel called Hilda. He said Betty was with Claire in the Meade building and that she wanted to see Gio. He told Hilda he'd be there as soon as he could to pick them up.
Hilda and Gio were anxious and excited. They wondered what to expect.
Hilda didn't know why Betty was with Claire. This was not in the plan. And Daniel said he didn't know anything. That was unexpected. They waited anxiously for Daniel.
When Daniel arrived Hilda and Gio jumped in the car and they headed to Gio's place. He needed to change into some of his new clothes. They were in a hurry.
Gio unlocked the door and rushed in. Daniel and Hilda rushed in after him.
Gio's mother heard the door open and came to see who was entering her home.
"Hi Ma!" said Gio distractedly. He kissed her cheek. "I'm in a hurry, sorry, I have to get changed." Gio told her "These are my friends." and turned to go to his room.
Gio said to Daniel and Hilda "Follow me." and hurried out of the room. Daniel and Hilda said "Hi Mrs. Rossi!' brightly and followed him. Gio's mother stared after them in surprise and disbelief as she watched them head to Gio's room.
Gio never brought friends home anymore so this was extremely unusual. She wondered if the girl was the one Gio was taking to Rome. She was pretty and she seemed nice. She looked like Gio's type. She thought she might be Betty. She was eager to meet Betty. She didn't know anything about her. She wondered why Gio had not brought Betty to meet them.
Soon they reached Gio's bedroom. It was a small room and it was in complete disarray. The bed was unmade. Clothes were scattered everywhere. The shopping bags from Daniel's shopping trip were still unpacked and spread out around the room. The three of them could barely fit in the room because the already limited floor space was further reduced by a couple of pieces of empty luggage.
After everything Gio had been though that day he was unperturbed by the mess. He didn't notice it enough to wonder what Hilda or Daniel might think. Compared with the other problems he was having letting them see his messy room was nothing. It wasn't that much worse than it normally was.
But he did notice when Hilda and Daniel started to smirk. He offered a simple explanation "I just moved back home and haven't had a chance to organize anything."
But this wasn't true. He'd moved back home months before this. He'd moved back home in the fall. He'd moved back home when he lost his job. The job that Betty had got him fired from.
He had started his own business then and now every penny he had went into it. He worked long hours and he didn't care that he didn't have his own place. His privacy no longer mattered to him. He wasn't seeing anyone anyway. He hadn't been seeing anyone since before he moved back home.
Daniel and Hilda hurriedly started to pick up shopping bags. They were looking through them and taking things out. After a minute Daniel gave Gio a push towards the door. Daniel said "Hurry! Go! Shower! We'll pick something out!"
As Gio left the room Hilda turned and shouted after him "And shave!"
When Gio returned from the shower he stopped at the doorway to his room. He was dressed only in a towel wrapped around his hips.
Daniel and Hilda didn't notice that Gio was watching them.
He could see that Daniel had laid out a pair of charcoal gray pants, the black cashmere sweater and a dark raspberry colored dress shirt beside each other on top of the heap of blankets on his bed. Daniel was looking at them and talking to Hilda. He was asking her to compare them. Hilda was ignoring Daniel. Her attention was on the black silk boxers she was holding in her hands. She was fondling the fabric with her fingers and sighing.
Gio had no dignity left after his embarrassing outburst in front of Hilda that morning. It no longer bothered him that he needed their help. He was grateful for their help.
Gio realized he was looking at the only two people in the world who could understand how Betty had captured his heart as she had done.
They already knew his deepest secrets. They knew he adored Betty. They knew he was a hopeless romantic who wanted their first date to be in Rome. They knew he had invited her to go and she had refused him. And they knew why she had refused him. There was nothing else of any importance to conceal.
Gio didn't mind that they knew he lived at home with his parents. He didn't mind that they had met his mother. He didn't mind that they were in his tiny messy bedroom. He didn't mind they had to step over his dirty laundry and that they were picking out his clothes. He didn't even mind that Hilda was touching his underwear. He didn't mind any of it.
All he could think about was that he was going to see Betty. He would be seeing her soon.
Hilda and Daniel were still unaware that Gio was watching them from the doorway. Gio coughed. Daniel and Hilda turned to look at Gio.
Gio was fragrant from the shower. His hair was damp. His chin was smooth. The light scent of his new cologne emanated from him.
A gifted artist's depiction of a Greek god could not be as resplendent as Gio was, naked but for the towel, radiating hopeful anticipation and excitement.
Hilda hid the hand holding the boxers behind her back and said "Ay, look at you! Daniel, help me!"
Hilda grabbed Daniel's forearm with her free hand and pretended to be swooning.
Gio crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at her antics.
Hilda exclaimed "Oh my god! Those arms!"
Gio said with mock sternness "I see what you have hidden behind your back Hilda."
"Oh, come on! You have lots. You won't miss this one." Hilda replied.
Daniel gently pulled the boxers from Hilda's hand and dropped them on the bed. He said "I think we're going to go with the sweater."
"Okay" said Gio. He was used to them not asking his opinion.
He had nothing left to hide from them but there was still one line he wouldn't cross. He would not disrobe in front of them. He said "Uh, guys?" and gestured for them to leave. "I am pretty sure I still know how to dress myself."
Daniel and Hilda walked past Gio to leave the room. As Hilda brushed by him she stroked his cheek and said "Nice!" Then she stole a lingering glance at his body, front and back, and exclaimed "Boy, my day just got better!"
Gio's mother was waiting just out of sight of his room.
She was worried about Gio. He was upset. That was obvious. He'd been very upset for days. He hadn't been eating well. He was at work all the time. She could tell he wasn't sleeping well. He suddenly didn't seem as eager to go to Rome. She knew all this and she was concerned for him.
She supposed his business was doing poorly. She supposed it would be very difficult for him to go to Rome for a month and leave it to someone else. She wondered how he would pay for all his fancy new clothes. She was proud he cared so much about his grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary and seeing all his relatives but she was worried because he must be losing money. She had no idea how much. She wondered how much money he must be losing to make him as upset as he was.
This was a bad time for her to help him out, should he ask. The family was spending a fortune on the trip to Italy for her in-law's celebration and the wedding. But they would help him out. Of course they would give him money. That's what families did. She worried about their ability to help. She decided she'd better check their finances before they left for the trip.
As Daniel and Hilda walked towards Gio's mother her curiosity finally overcame her reticence "Are you Betty?" she asked Hilda.
"No, I'm her sister Hilda and this is Daniel, her boss." explained Hilda.
Gio's mother was confused. This explanation made no sense to her. Why would they be in her home? What was going on? It was surreal.
Hilda continued speaking "Gio makes fantastic sandwiches Mrs. Rossi. We love them. I bet he learned to cook from you. I bet you are a great cook!" Daniel agreed she must be a great cook.
Gio's mother was pleased. She was flattered. She was delighted that Gio had such nice polite friends. But she still puzzled over why they were there.
Gio's mother said "I want you to know that Gio's friends are welcome here anytime. You can come over anytime at all. If you are here at a mealtime you'll be invited to eat. And if I know about it ahead of time I'll make you something special. I'd be happy to do it. Then you can see for yourself if I'm as good a cook as you think I am!"
Gio appeared. He was dressed and ready to go. Hilda stared.
Gio looked perfect.
Hilda looked at Gio and then said admiringly to Daniel "Good work!"
Gio's mother said goodbye to them as they headed out the door. They jumped into the town car and sped away.
They dropped Hilda off at her house.
Hilda wished Gio good luck. Hilda told Daniel to call her as soon as he knew anything.
Daniel and Gio talked on the way to Meade. Daniel explained that Claire had talked to Betty and that was why he didn't know what Betty was thinking. He hoped Claire had worked a miracle for them but they wouldn't find out what the situation was until they got there.
They entered the Meade building lobby and took the elevator to the top floor. Gio was nervous. His hands were sweaty. He was pale. They got out of the elevator and started to walk to the private lounge where Claire and Betty were waiting for them.
Daniel turned to Gio and said in a serious tone "Now I want you to keep your hands where I can see them at all times."
Gio looked back at Daniel with widened eyes. He was startled. He couldn't believe Daniel said that. He was already nervous and now he was afraid he had lost all the confidence he had left. He felt sick.
Daniel playfully punched Gio's arm and said "I'm kidding! I'm just kidding!" as he laughed exuberantly at his joke.
Gio laughed. It was a relief. He had not laughed for days. He had been feeling way too much stress. The laughter released the pressure. It settled his nerves. He shoved Daniel back and laughed again.
They continued to push and punch each other while laughing heartily as they approached the door to the lounge.
Betty and Claire heard the sound of laughter and realized that Gio and Daniel were in the hall. They turned from where they were standing by the windows and walked towards the door.
Betty listened to Gio's laughter. She loved to hear the sound of it. She became aware that she had craved to hear the sound of it. She knew that Gio was coming to see her and she could tell that he was happy. She was relieved to know he was happy.
Betty smiled. She smiled a bright white smile. She smiled a smile that lit up her face. She smiled a smile so wide that her orthodontist would be thrilled to post it on his bulletin board. Betty was smiling the smile that Gio loved as he opened the door.