A Twist in My Story

The train ride to the little bed-and-breakfast Joe had mentioned wasn’t as bad as Luciana thought it would be. It wasn’t nearly as long either; only a little over an hour away. Joe noticed that Luciana’s mood improved a little – well, she at least didn’t look so stiff anymore, but she did keep eyeing up every person around them when she thought he wasn’t looking. No chance of that though. Joe seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to Luciana and was hyper-aware of her movements. But he wasn’t falling for her. He couldn’t be because he’d only known her for not even a week.

They arrived at the bed-and-breakfast and bought themselves a place to sleep for the night – separate rooms of course and they paid separately. Luciana wouldn’t even let him carry her small duffel bag that held all her possessions. Her protests would not dissuade him from walking her to her room though. He was a gentleman if nothing else and she respected him for that. If she allowed herself to she would’ve admitted that she was used to men keeping her company in public and doing everything for her, but she would not let her mind drift there. That was over.

She expertly stuck her key in the door and turned it, opening the door to a single bedroom with a bath. It was decorated in countryside English décor and looked very homey. The soft muted colors were pleasant to look at and were relaxing to the weary traveler.

“Well thank you for walking me to my room though it was unnecessary,” Luciana said politely as she looked up at Joe, her back to her room.

“Don’t mention it. It was the least I could do seeing as you wouldn’t let me do anything else,” he smiled charmingly, gesturing to the duffel bag still firmly clutched in her hand.

“I’m an independent woman, Joe. I don’t need a man to carry things for me like an invalid,” she lifted her chin up in a show of dignity and stubbornness, her accent making her defiance all the more cute.

Joe’s smile morphed into an amused one at her defensiveness. She had lots of spunk and fire in her he was finding out. “Of course you don’t, Luce. Are we still going to go out for dinner after we settle in?” he changed subjects.

Luciana dropped her chin back down, a little surprised at herself for her behavior and at his as well. She wasn’t used to asserting herself and when she did she was usually met with an argument. The topic of independent women did not fly in her life. Joe baffled her on a daily basis, but it was a good feeling. “Uh, yes I suppose so. Come here in about half an hour. I…I have something I need to do,” she stammered, embarrassing herself.

Before Joe could finish nodding his assent she shut the door in his face. He didn’t fail to miss her rosy blush though. Smiling to himself over how cute she looked flustered, then shaking his head of those thoughts, he walked one door down to his room. Spying the phone on the table by the bed he knew what he had to do and dropped his bag. He took one step then turned into the bathroom and closed himself in; he couldn’t make himself do it. Stepping under the luke-warm spray he felt a wave of homesickness go through him. Turning his face up to the water he hoped to wash the image of his brokenhearted mother out of his mind. He sagged against the wall under the guilt he felt and let the water rush over his skin.

Not able to fight his inner urge or deny to himself that he didn’t miss his family enough not to call them, Joe dried off, pulled on a pair of boxers and jeans then pulled out the calling card he’d picked up at the airport in London. Using the room phone he followed the instructions for making an international call and waited anxiously for someone to answer. He hoped his mother would be the one to pick up.

Joe waiting through three agonizingly long rings before it was answered.

“Hello?” a breathless voice answered. Joe froze. “Hello?”

“Jenna?”

“Joe? Oh my god! Joe! Where the hell are you?” Jenna exclaimed and demanded. “I’ve been worried sick!”

“I-I’m sorry. What are you doing answering my house phone?” he asked. It made no sense that Jenna would answer the phone unless… “Did something happen to Mom?” Worry flooded his voice. Denise was like a mother to Jenna after her own walked out on her and her father when Jenna was younger.

“Oh no. Denise and I were just working in her garden a little. Your disappearance really upset her, Joe,” Jenna informed him with a mixture of pain and ice in her voice. She was protective of Denise to a fault.

“Jenna, I’m sorry for just leaving like I did-”

“In the middle of the night.”

“Yea…I just needed out,” he excused himself lamely not willing to explain to anyone his full reasons just yet. “Listen, I don’t have a lot of time right now but can I talk to Mom please?” Glancing at the clock he saw he had over 15 minutes before he was meeting Luciana at her room, but he couldn’t handle all the emotions he was feeling right now for much longer.

“Sure. Hold on a sec.” He heard the phone exchange hands before hearing his mother’s angelic soft voice. “Joe? Is it really you?”

He sagged under the emotional weight of pain in her voice, knowing he’d caused it. “Yes, Mom, it’s me.”

“Oh, Joseph, why in the world did you leave? What made you think that no one would miss you? Nick was devastated that you didn’t see him off to college. And why haven’t you called before now?” Denise rattled off rapid fire questions, concern in her voice.

“Mom, I’m sorry for the abruptness of it, but I did leave you all a note,” Joe said finding himself picking at the bedspread for something to focus on.

“Yes a note, Joseph, one lousy note. I read it over and over hoping I was misreading it and then your father-” she stopped herself, realizing how frantic she sounded, and took a deep calming breath. “That doesn’t matter. Tell me how you are, sweetie. Are you eating enough? Do you have a place to sleep? Do you have enough money? I can send you some if you need it…”

Joe appreciated her change of tone. He couldn’t stand having his mom mad at him even if he could understand why she would be. “I’m eating fine and I’m not lacking for money or shelter. But thanks for…for asking, Mom,” he sighed feeling a wave of homesickness wash over him again. His mom never failed to ask about the little things and he missed her tremendously.

“I’m your mother, Joe. Of course I’ll ask,” Denise said softly. Joe could almost feel her fingers running over his hair as she did when they had heart-to-heart talks. “Where are you? Are you coming home soon?”

Joe wiped under his eyes to make sure nothing leaked out. This conversation was eating him alive. “Uh, Mom, I’ve actually gotta go now. But I’m fine in all aspects and I have a great companion so I’m not alone. Don’t worry about me. I’ll call when I can,” he rushed to end the call before he caved to her pleading, patient voice.

“Oh okay…please do call soon though. And…and come home, baby…when you’re ready. We miss you. I love you, Joe,” Denise said trying not to let her voice crack.

“I miss you too, Mom. Tell everyone I’m fine and say hi. I love you too. Bye.” He hung up after her shaky goodbye and lay back on the bed. He glanced at the clock again – 4 minutes and 17 seconds – was the length of his call home and it nearly made him want to hop on the next plane home just to not have his mom upset.

Groaning at his depressed mood he pushed himself up, threw on a shirt, and grabbed his wallet and room key before heading to Luciana’s room. He still had another 10 minutes but he figured she was just killing time like he was and he needed a pick-me-up, which Luciana seemed do to so well for him. He knocked gently on her door and waited for a response. He heard a muffled voice and took that as an invite in. He twisted the knob and the door opened easily. Stepping one foot in he heard her accented voice speaking in a hushed, rushed tone.

“... Lo so, ma che non cambierà la mia mente (…I know, but that won’t change my mind),” she said to the other person on the phone. “Tu sai cosa succederà a me se. Lo non, non può, non passare attraverso un`altra volta…Si…Lui non capirà. Per favore non si può dire à Luka…Si li ho visti…Cosa! No. No, no, no. Em, per favore non scherzare con me in questo momento (You know what’ll happen to me if I do. I don’t, can’t, won’t go through that again…Yes…He won’t understand. Please you cannot tell Luka…Yes I’ve seen them – What! No. No, no, no. Em, please don’t be joking with me right now),” Luciana sunk onto to the bed, exhaustion wearing her down. Joe watched as she ran a hand through her damp hair, sending water droplets sprinkling to the floor. Her olive skin seemed to glow with refreshed shine. Her Italian features were stunning to Joe and he understood what she was saying perfectly. The benefit of having an Italian grandmother was that she taught you her language. Luciana hadn’t told Joe that she was Italian, but he connected the dots. He told himself he needed to make his presence known instead of lurking at the door, but he couldn’t force himself to move.

“Em, Silvano non può… non posso…Perché a me? (Em, Silvano can’t…I can’t…Why me?)” she hung her head. Joe knew tears were falling down her cheeks. The first sign of weakness she’d shown him. Right before his eyes she seemed to pull herself together, packing her emotions back up. “Si prega di non dire a nessuno che hai parlato con me. E non provare a richiamare. Me ne sarò andato domani. Mi manchi tanto e Luka. (Please don’t tell anyone you’ve talked to me. And don’t try to call back. I’ll be gone tomorrow. I miss you and Luka so much.)”

Choosing this time to announce his presence he backed quietly out of the room and shut the door, knocking louder on it this time. He waited until she opened the door to him. She had cleared her face of all traces that she’d been crying and stared up at him with guarded eyes again. He gave her a happy, I-just-got-here smile.

“I know I’m early but I figured we could take a little walk after we eat if we started earlier,” he suggested.

“Yes…that would be nice. Let me get my purse,” she turned, grabbing the essential things.

She avoided contact with him as she stepped out of the room and kept her face turned away from him as if trying to hide something.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Luce, are you okay?” he asked genuinely concerned after hearing her phone conversation and the despair and fear in her voice. He didn’t know where it came from but he had a sudden urge to protect her from those guys that were mentioned.

She stiffened at his touch, looking at his hand until he removed it. “I’m fine, Joe. You Americans are always sticking your noses where they don’t belong. You must get tired of smelling so much,” she lightly teased to mask her true emotions.

Joe recognized this and played along. “Well maybe we just like helping people. Or maybe we don’t like the smell of our own country so we look other places,” he shrugged as they started down the hallway and out into the English evening. “Where are we going to eat? My treat.”

“This is not a date. I pay for my own food,” she said firmly.

“Luce…”

“No. I pay for myself, Joe.”

“Fine, but where are we getting this food?” he conceded.

“There’s a little place down here that has good food. Plus you’ll get true English food too to satisfy the adventurer in you,” she led him on without another word.

Dinner had been delicious with fish and chips and some other fish thing, possibly eel, that Joe tried but had to hold back regurgitation. Dinner conversation on the other hand was severely lacking. Luciana kept the frown on her face, concentrating on the food she only picked at barely eating any of it, and continually flipped her eyes to the door every time it opened. He tried making small talk about traveling to Spain tomorrow, but she only gave one word answers before withdrawing back into herself. Feeling a pang of sorrow for her, Joe reached across the table and covered her hand with his.

“Wanna head out for that walk?” he asked softly, knowing she was antsy to go.

She weakly smiled and nodded. Joe beckoned the waiter for the check, which they paid separately. Then he eased Luciana out into the dark night for a lazy walk through the streets back to their lodging.

“It’s a beautiful night,” he commented trying to warm up the conversation.

“Yes it is,” she agreed, holding her arms around her waist.

“Are you cold?”

“No. But thank you for the offer,” she said. Noting his furrowed eyebrows she expanded. “You were going to give me your jacket again. I don’t need it though. It was a nice gesture however.”

“Oh. Geez, am I that readable?” he joked.

“No, you’re just that much of a gentleman,” she responded softly. Awkwardness settled in around them as they walked side-by-side. “Look at the lovely garden. Oh how I wish I could draw it,” she said with longing. “The moon on the bird bath is divine and peaceful…”

Joe watched her as she watched the still garden. He saw this light come into her eyes that wasn’t there before. It suited her. “So drawing is your hobby?”

She turned to him with a confused expression. “Hobby?”

“Yeah, you know, something you do for fun. Something you like to do,” he elaborated, leaning on the garden gate next to her. “My hobby is photography.”

“Oh, then yes I suppose my hobby is drawing. I love scenes like this,” she said with a wispy, wishful voice.

Joe glanced over at her as her face was bathed in the moonlight. At this moment she looked content which was a rare sight for him to see. “Luce, do you have a garden at home?” he asked.

She visibly stiffened, the moment gone with one question. “I’m tired, Joe. Let’s go back to the bed-and-breakfast,” she said turning and quickly walking the short distance towards their rooms.

He jogged to catch up with her. “Luce, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine. I’m just tired,” she excused him as they walked to their rooms. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that she slipped into her room quietly, shutting him out.

In the morning they got up and caught yet another train, this time headed for Torbay where they would board a tourist boat headed for Spain. Once again they had a cabin to themselves. Luciana still had not said anything to him this morning, but she didn’t look as distant as she did when they parted last night. In reality she looked tired, but he didn’t dare bring that up to her. He knew women hated to be commented on their looks. At the moment she was leaning against the window watching the English countryside zoom by and if Joe could read expressions well she looked a little homesick herself.

“I’m sorry,” he broke the silence.

Luciana snapped her gaze to him, shock in her eyes. Apologies from a man wasn’t something she was used to or expected. “Ex-Excuse me?” she fumbled.

“I said I’m sorry,” he repeated not breaking his eye contact with her. “I shouldn’t have brought the topic of family and home up. I know you don’t like to talk about it and I understand that. Family’s a touchy subject for me right now too. It was insensitive of me to bring it up. I just…I’m used to saying whatever comes into my head. Hollis tried to break me of it, but I guess it didn’t work. My mother would scold me to no end if she knew that I upset a lady so much. She raised my brothers and me to be gentlemen…just I slip up now and then. I really am sorry, Luce.”

Luciana just stared at him. She hadn’t expected a full-blown apology like that. “I…um, well I forgive you,” she stammered. He had a way of making her do this with his blunt, honest eyes and words.

“No, don’t go easy on me, Luce. I was out of line last night,” he shook his head.

She smiled lightly at the nickname. She liked it. “No, I do forgive you. My attitude was a little…off last night which couldn’t have been easy for you. So I’m sorry too. It was just a…rough evening for me,” she said her eyes darting to the cabin door as a man walked by.

Joe frowned. “Why are you so cautious and almost paranoid about people?” he asked.

She wrapped her arms around herself, curling her legs onto her seat, and resumed looking out the window. Joe sensed her closing the door on him. He didn’t know what her secrets were, but she kept them locked up tighter than a pickle jar. Her eyes were sad and he saw that look of homesickness resurface.

“If this train wasn’t moving so fast I’d take a picture of this amazing scenery,” Joe broke the awkward silence again with a different, safe topic.

Luciana shifted her knees up and propped her chin on them, looking at him briefly then back to the rolling scenery. “Yeah? It is beautiful. I love nature. It’s so simple yet complex at the same time,” she murmured into her arm.

“Is that why you choose to draw it?” he asked trying to lure her out of her shell.

She shrugged. “I guess. Mostly I draw it because its there for me to draw. It gives me peace and quiet and comfort,” she confessed.

“The same for me with photography. It captures the moments I want to remember. Stick figures are all I can manage when I draw,” he gave her a laughing smile which she returned. “Drawing in the park sounds-”

“Oh no, I don’t draw in the park. Only in secret,” she hastily corrected as if he’d call her out on drawing in public.

“Okay, cool. So do you draw anything besides nature?” he leaned forward eager to know more about the woman who continually intrigued him in new ways.

“Anything…everything, really,” she allowed herself to smile at the memory of drawing her brother as he modeled for her.

Delighted by her smile, Joe reached into his bag and pulled out a pad of paper he’d gotten as a souvenir from Shakespeare’s home and handed it to her with a pencil. “Draw me something,” he requested.

She raised her eyebrows. “What? I couldn’t possibly…What’s there to draw in this tiny cabin?”

Joe looked around for something interesting to draw. “Good question. Hm…draw me,” he suggested.

“Draw…Draw you? I couldn’t possibly-”

“Capture my awesomely handsome good looks? Yeah I know but try your best,” he teased her, earning a playful scowl from her.

She snatched the pad and pencil from him at his proposed challenge. “Your ego astounds me. How you manage to stay upright with it making your head so large is beyond me,” she huffed, but secretly felt a jolt of pleasure go down her spine to be able to draw again. She hadn’t done this in over a month. “You have to sit still.” He nodded and picked up his camera. “Why do you have that?”

“Just gonna review my pictures while you do your thing. It’ll keep me relatively still,” he cast her a sly smile through his eyelashes then focused his gaze on his digital screen.

Silence filled the cabin as both occupants concentrated on their tasks. Joe kept sneaking glances at Luciana though. He wondered if she realized she stuck the tip of her tongue out the side of her mouth when she concentrated so hard. Turning his flash off he snapped a silent picture of her.

“What was that noise?” her head popped up, eyes alert.

“I just took a picture,” he waved his camera.

“Oh,” she relaxed and went back to drawing him.

“So why drawing? Why not painting or music?” he asked.

“It’s easier to carry paper and a pencil than paints or an instrument,” she said simply. Also easier to hide, she tacked on in her head. “Why photography?”

“Well I enjoy it for one and, two, it irks my dad. He and I don’t see eye to eye on some things,” he responded.

“I know the feeling,” she muttered to herself. Joe heard her though.

Choosing to catalogue that bit of info away, he put a devious smirk on his face and grinned at her.

She glanced up and tensed at his expression. “What?” she gripped the pad tighter. He looked like a tiger ready to pounce.

“Time to reveal your work. You better have gotten me right,” he teased and reached for the pad.

“Wha- no!” she exclaimed, coming to her senses and pulling it out of reach. “It’s not done yet.”

“I don’t care. Let me see, Luce,” he reached for it again.

“No,” she angled her body away from him.

“Luce…” he dragged her name out, “let me see.”

“Joe, no. When it’s done you can – Joe!” He had lunged at the pad.

They struggled to get the desired pad. Joe nearly crushed Luciana as he was almost fully on top of her trying to hold her arms down and get the pad at the same time. She deftly maneuvered the pad out of his reach even putting it behind her back. That didn’t stop him though. He just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, snatching the pad in victory.

“I got it!” he exclaimed, plopping into his seat opposite her.

“Joe, don’t,” she begged, covering her face with her fingers. No one ever, ever saw her work; especially incomplete work.

Joe admired her quick sketch and marveled at the level of skill she had. For a hobby she had tremendous talent. It could’ve fooled him that it wasn’t done it was that good.

“Why are you covering your face, Luce? This is amazing.”

“Don’t lie. It’s not even done yet,” she peeked through her fingers.

“It’s seriously good though. You should like sell your artwork or something. People would pay big money for that,” he handed her the pad back. “Maybe the finished one will capture my wickedly handsome good looks,” he shoved his hair back in a Prince Charming from Shrek manner.

Luciana laughed out loud at his antics. She even surprised herself at how relaxed she felt laughing right now at Joe. It had been awhile since she’d laughed this freely. It felt good.

Joe smiled at the flush on her cheeks. She looked so worry-free right now. He wished it would stay this way but he knew all too well that life didn’t go that way.

Raising his camera he did what he loved to do best: capture moments. He caught her flushed, relaxed face as she leaned back against her seat. The flash opened her eyes immediately, halting the laughter abruptly.

“Why’d you do that?” she asked embarrassed.

“Capturing a moment my way,” he shrugged. “You should finish that masterpiece so I don’t need a mirror anymore.”

Feeling the tension roll off her shoulders, she rolled her eyes at him, smiling, but resumed drawing him anyway.

Joe relaxed in his seat too; feeling like his mission to loosen her up was achieved. He never doubted his joker side would not do the trick. That’s what people loved best about him: his ease to joke around. But at times he didn’t like it so much. He never told anyone though. Not even his brothers. It dawned on him then that he and Luciana never discussed her accompanying him to Spain; it just happened. He wasn’t about to bring it up though. Settling his gaze out the window instead of on his companion, he couldn’t wait to see what awaited them in Spain.