Chapter 33

In the morning, I felt pretty much the same, if not a little less hot, and I turned my head and saw Ignazio asleep on the ground, lying on his back with his arm draped over his eyes. I smiled, and lay there gazing at him for a long while, until the door opened and Barbara quietly entered.

She smiled when she saw me awake and Ignazio asleep, and she tiptoed over to the bed. She sat quietly beside me and wordlessly took my temperature, reporting that it was a little lower. Then she told me I had to eat breakfast, and she left and made me what she said what unbuttered toast. She got me some more pillows and I sat up and slowly ate was actually just bread. When I was finished and Barbara came in to take away the plate, Ignazio stirred and opened his eyes when she walked past and watched her close the door. Then he looked up at me and saw me looking back, and I smiled at him.

He looked at the clock and then rubbed his face, obviously still tired.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to sleep for so long."

"Come here?" I asked, and he got up and took away the extra pillows and made me lie down. He sat beside me on the bed, and I took his arm and got him to lie down beside me, weakly stroking his thick hair.

"Go back to sleep, Ignazio," I whispered, "It's okay."

Having not slept in a bed in two days, he found it hard to argue, and soon he was asleep and I was dozing beside him.

I did as I was supposed to, dozing most of the day and eating when Barbara brought me food. I was hot and weak and tired, and I enjoyed Ignazio's constant presence beside me.

I was listless and uncomfortable, and as I endured the illness, he held my hand and stroked my hair and talked with me softly or told me stories about former concerts.

Generally, I was quiet and somber, and I liked it best when he sang to me, which he did often throughout the endless day.

In the evening, the listlessness lessoned somewhat and I grew fed up with just lying there on top of the covers and doing nothing.

"Ignazio, can you bring me my laptop?"

I was lying in my usual position, on my back with my face turned upwards toward the ceiling, my eyes closed with weariness. He was sitting beside me, looking out the window at the darkening sky, and he was quiet for a moment.

"No, Tamzin."

"I have some work to do."

"No."

"Ignazio!"

I opened my eyes and shot him as fierce of a glare as I could muster, but it quickly faded. I lifted my head from the pillow and looked pleadingly at him, and he placed a hand cautiously on my arm as if to stop me if I tried to get up.

"No work. You need to rest."

"But there's so much to do! Ignazio, you've told me how important I am to Il Volo, haven't you? Then I need to work! It doesn't matter if I'm sick; I have a job to do! I have pictures to post and people to respond to, and I need to see the response on your birthday video, and…and…"

I was beginning to feel dizzy, and I laid my head back down and closed my eyes. Il Volo was doing so well, and this was not a good time to stop working. The AMAs were fast approaching, and with that thought I opened my eyes and looked pleadingly up at him, feeling the time mockingly slipping away with every second.

"No, Tamzin," he said firmly, and I turned my face away despairingly and closed my eyes.

I felt him lean over to kiss my forehead, and I reached up and weakly pushed him away.

"Oh, don't be upset with me, Tamzin. Right now your job is "professional flu-endurer"."

"No…" I moaned weakly. "Bring…me…the laptop…"

"Tamzin, it can wait! All of it can wait!"

"I don't want it to wait! I hate lying here doing nothing! If I'm going to be so uncomfortable, at least I can get some work done!"

"I know, I know, but you'll get better faster if you just rest and heal!"

"Ignazio!"

Just listen to me for once and go to sleep!"

"But we're so close…I can't give up…"

He was quiet.

"Give up on what?"

I felt dizzy, and as I tried to formulate a response it became clearer to me that he was right; I was in no condition to work. Instead of answering him, I just looked up at him and began to cry.

"Hey," he said softly, beginning to stroke my hair, "Hey, it's okay. Hey… Shh, it's alright, Tamzin…"

"I hate this!" I said, hitting the mattress weakly with my fist. "I hate being sick!"

I sniffed and wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand as tears rolled down the sides of my face and onto the pillow.

"Shh…I know, I know. Soon you'll be better, and you'll be able to work. For now you just need to take a break."

I pressed my fists to my eyes as I cried, and Ignazio gently took them in his hands and moved them away, reaching for my face and wiping away the tears with his own hand.

"Shh…calm down, my dear. Calm down now."

He watched me for a minute as I tried to stop crying, gasping and sniffling and finally quieting down as he murmured soothingly to me.

When the tears had stopped and I had rubbed away their wet traces, I sighed in frustration and glared at the ceiling, knowing the fight was over. I felt drained, but I was determined to work soon, if not now.

"Can I work later?" I asked softly, turning my head to him.

"We'll see. If you rest well and get better."

I was quiet.

"I know you're frustrated, but I'm only trying to help you," he said softly, "I want you to get better."

I nodded, closing my eyes, and this time when he leaned over to kiss me I let him.

"I love you. Soon you'll be able to go back to work, okay? In the meantime, one of the requirements of professional flu-endurer is a lot of sleeping."

"Okay, Ignazio," I said exhaustedly, giving in to him, "I'll sleep like a champion."

"Good girl," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. I opened my eyes and looked up at him.

"I love you, Ignazio. If I move over will you lie next to me again?"

"Yes."

I carefully and slowly moved over to one side of the bed, and Ignazio stretched out beside me, lying on his side and propping himself up on his arm to keep watch over me. I looked up at him thoughtfully, into his sweet brown eyes gazing down at me.

"Piero was right, you know, albeit sarcastic."

"About what?"

"I bought you a few vacation days. You should go out and have some fun sometime."

"Shhh…maybe in a few days."

"In a few days I'll be better."

"Exactly. Now won't you try to sleep?"

I smiled, and then closed my eyes, feeling the heat and the weakness and the weariness wash over me.

"Wake me if something spectacular happens."

He laughed softly.

"Okay, I promise."

He moved closer to me so I could feel him against me, and I gave into the weariness and the heat, my head falling against his arm as I slipped away into sleep.

The next day the fever was even lower, and I insisted on sitting up. Ignazio still wouldn't let me work, and though I was frustrated I couldn't blame him. I asked him to move back the curtains on the window, and I gazed listlessly out of it as he left me so he could eat lunch with Barbara at the table in the living room.

I stared into the landscape out the window with surprising dispassion, and soon I heard Ignazio saying my name as he came quickly toward the bed. He took my face urgently in his hands and turned my face toward his, looking unnerved.

"What?" I asked softly, surprised at his sudden strangeness.

He reached toward the window and put down the curtains, throwing the room back into its dimness.

"Ignazio?" I asked, moving to sit up straighter, and he put his hand on my arm and stopped me.

"Sorry. Your expression just…scared me. It reminded me of a long time ago."

"Oh…I'm sorry. Everything's okay."

I reached out and weakly touched his face, and realized he meant way back when I was constantly listless and bored, never enjoying anything that went on around me, consistently disinterested.

He turned around and lay back beside me against the pillows.

"I just don't feel like me," I said.

"I think I know what you mean," he said thoughtfully.

"Yeah?"

"Tamzin Montgomery is ambitious. She's excited and fast-paced, and…brilliant. She works as hard as she can for Il Volo, or she goes out and experiences the world around her and captures it for others to see."

"Yes. She does not lie around in bed all day and do nothing. I just want to get better."

He turned his head to me and kissed my temple.

"And get better you will, my dear. You're still you, just a little subdued. You always do your best, and you defy expectations. Therefore, my dear, rest like a champ and get better faster than anyone would ever imagine, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. And then we can go back to the U.S. and keep going on the promotional tour, and it'll be great! And I won't have the flu anymore!"

"Yes!" he said, and then turned his head toward me, "And when you're not sick anymore, then I can kiss you on the lips."

I laughed so loud that Barbara stuck her head in the door and raised her eyebrows at Ignazio, shooting him a warning look, but then she smiled and left.

"Sorry, I'll try to keep her calm," he agreed, but he stifled a laugh too, and I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, still smiling as he stroked my hair and began to sing softly.

I felt a little better the next day, but I was still pretty sick. I talked with Ignazio and ate when I was brought food and took medicine when I was brought medicine. But I was bored and somber and not very fun to be around, though Ignazio stayed beside me.

In the afternoon I woke from a nap to distant yelling in the hotel's hallway, and I sat up and looked around, fearfully finding myself alone in the room.

"Barbara!? Ignazio!?" There was no answer, and I realized that the noise was actually cheering. I lay back down, relieved, and quickly went back to sleep, until I later heard the door to the bedroom open.

I lifted my head and saw Ignazio peering inside, smiling brightly, his dimples showing and his eyes shimmering eagerly in the dim light.

"Ignazio?" I asked wearily, and he smiled at me, but hesitated in the doorway.

"Oh, did I wake you? I'm sorry, go back to sleep. It can wait."

He started to close the door, but I sat up quickly and shook my head.

"Oh, no it can't! You can't come in here looking all bright-faced and excited and expect to just turn around and walk back out! No way!"

"Are you sure?"

"Get your butt over here!"

"Yes Ms. Montgomery!"

He came into the room and shut the door behind him, then hurried to the bed and sat next to me. His smiled was contagious, and we smiled at each other as I moved over to make more room for him.

"I have some good news," he said, taking my hand. "Michele just gathered us all together to tell us. We wanted to tell you too, but you were asleep and we didn't want to wake you…"

"Okay, so what is it, Ignazio!?"

"Do you promise not to get too excited?"

"No."

"Okay, well do you at least promise not to get up?"

"Yes, yes, okay, so what is it!?"

"Okay. Michele just told us that we…have…been…"

"Ignazio!"

He laughed.

"We've been nominated for an American Music Award!"

I froze, staring at him open-mouthed, my heart beginning to quicken and my mind racing.

"What do you think!?"

"AHHHHHHH!" I screamed, "YESSSSS! It's about time!"

He laughed and pulled me into his arms.

"Shhhh! Shhhh! Barbara's going to come in here and scold me for riling you!"

I hugged him as tightly as I could, and when I pulled back, laughing excitedly, he took my face in his hands and covered it with kisses.

"Oh, it's so good to hear you laughing again!"

"Well, we've got to get back to the U.S. We've got to do more interviews! We-"

I kicked back the covers over my legs and started to get up, but Ignazio reached an arm around me and pulled me back closer to him.

"We will, we will! Tamzin, you promised not to get up!"

"But there's so much to do! I've got to upload pictures and respond to the Il Volovers and see if the fans know and…and…!"

"Tamzin!" I turned my face to him and he smiled and kissed my cheek. "How about I bring you your laptop and let you update the Il Volovers!?"

"Done! Hurry, Ignazio!"

"I'm on it!"

He jumped up and ran from the room as I laughed and clasped my hands together, ecstatic with the news I'd been waiting so long to hear. They were so close… and now more than ever I had to do everything I could to help them get closer.

I obeyed Ignazio and didn't get up again, but I worked diligently on the social media sites, updating fans and responding to posts, informing the world that Il Volo had been nominated for an AMA. There was a lot of excitement among our ever-growing fanbase, and I dove back into the world of social media to spark the fire that would win them their award.

I asked Ignazio the next day if I could talk to Michele, and he came and sat beside the bed and we talked about plans for after we left Costa Rica. He revealed that he had already made most of the arrangements for the short Christmas tour in late November and December, and I scolded him for not including me, promising to look into getting the best theatres.

"Hang on, Tamzin," he laughed, putting a hand on my head. "Relax! You're still sick. Just wait a few days!"

"The fans don't wait!" I protested. "When I get better, Il Volo better watch out! We've got a lot of work to do!"

"Oh, I believe it," Ignazio said from the doorway, and I laughed excitedly, making him smile brightly back at me.

Ignazio let me work, but every once in a while he came and wrestled away the laptop and made me take a nap. He made sure I ate and took my medicine, and he and Barbara watched my fever get lower and lower as I grew gradually stronger.

I even was allowed to leave the bedroom, and I occasionally joined Ignazio in the living room and let him fawn over me as I talked with Gianluca and Piero, until Ignazio insisted I return to the calm of the bedroom.

Two days later, I proclaimed that I was ready to travel, and to be cautious the group made we wait one more day, but Michele scheduled the flight. I packed my bags, and early the next morning it was finally time to leave the Costa Rica hotel. I felt really good, and I was excited and talkative and eager to leave as I had breakfast with Ignazio, Piero, and Gianluca in Ignazio's suite.

Later Michele went around calling, "Okay, everyone! Get your things! We're off!", and Ignazio went with me to get my suitcase and camera bag from the suite.

Piero walked by outside the door pulling the luggage cart, and Ignazio stopped him and put mine on, but I kept my beloved camera with me, holding it tightly against my cheek, determined never to let it go again.

Ignazio and I stood in the doorway of the suite, looking quietly around.

"Finally," I sighed, and he looked down at me, "Time to say goodbye to this wretched suite."

"This wretched suite!?" he teased, "The place where I stayed beside you, watched over you, took care of you, monitored your health, watched you be sad, and worried about your well-being!?"

"Okay," I said, looking up at him with a small smile, "Then let's stay for a little longer."

"No way! We're getting out of here NOW!" he said, quickly scooping me up into his arms and shutting the door with his foot, "I've had more than enough of this place!"

I laughed, and he laughed with me as he carried me down the hallway. I held the camera tightly against my chest and watched the doorway shrink away, smiling as I thought of everything that was about to happen.

"New York City, here we come!" Ignazio exclaimed, and I cheered.