Biscotti - 23. Chapter 23

I needed more film for my camera, I had to take a lot of pictures. “Are there any stores in the village where I can buy film for my camera?”

“No, we have to go to Cavarzere. Once a week a car comes and takes us. It will be on this Friday.”

That meant we would have to wait three more days before we could get to a store to buy film.

That evening at Maria’s, Eva and her husband, Pietro, came to have drinks with us. I hadn’t met Pietro when I was at her home earlier. As we were sitting around the table chatting, Grandmother came and sat down with us. I noticed that the people sitting at the table had great respect for Grandmother.

Looking at me, “You must take Angelina with you. I had a visitation and was told that 2 came and 3 left and you are the ones.”

Eva and Maria were startled, the men nodded wisely. If Grandmother said it then it was true. I looked at Brad, he was smiling holding Angelina on his lap. I think they already bonded.

That night in bed, after reaffirming our love for each other, I told him about what Grandmother said. “Are you sure that is what she said?”

“Yes, two came and three left. Everyone had heard that before we showed up.” Then I told him about the pin Pa gave me. He looked at me and shivered. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, but this is spooky.”

“Do you think we should adopt Angelina? I think she likes you.”

“Could we do that? If we adopt her then we’d need to bring her to the States with us. She would need a passport and papers.”

“I’m getting the feeling that won’t be a problem. Grandmother scares me, how did she know we were coming. According to Eva, she had been saying this for a long time.”

“I don’t know and honestly I’d love to adopt Angelina if we could.”

“I don’t know how the system works here and I’m not sure we could, being gay and all.”

“If we could, would you do it?”

“Absolutely, if the predictions are true we should have no problems doing it.”

For the next two days, from morning to night, Angelina was with us. Every morning she came with Grandmother. Brad would feed her from his plate and then give her a piggyback ride, which ended up with all the kids getting a ride.

Friday I was ready to go to Cavarzere to buy film. As it turns out I wasn’t the only one going. I kind of knew that Eva and Maria would be going but I was surprised when Grandmother and Angelina joined us. Of course, someone had to ride on someone’s lap.

“Scott, before we go shopping we have to take care of some business.”

I wondered what business. I was soon to find out the influence of Grandmother. We went into an office, I noted the name on the door Avvocato, lawyer. There was a room with chairs, a desk with a young lady sitting behind it, I assumed a secretary, and another door which again I assumed was the door to the lawyer’s office. Grandmother walked right in, the girl said nothing, I sat in the waiting room with the rest of the family. Grandmother came out with a piece of paper and had Brad and I signed it, which we did. Then she left again and came back with an official document, it was in Italian but she only showed me the cover page. Then we had to go to get photos taken, all of us. I didn’t know what was going on, but when in a group you just went along with the rest. We waited for the pictures and then we went to a passport office, now I knew what everything was about. We just got a passport for Angelina.

I looked at Brad, you would’ve thought he just won the lottery.

Of course, now Brad had to buy clothes for his princess and a suitcase to put them in. Eva and Maria just laughed at Brad. We went into a store that sold children’s clothes, Brad took Angelina and started to pick dresses and hold them up for her. Grandmother took them from him, she would pick out the clothes. I laughed but I did see Brad sneak a very pretty dress in among the clothes she was holding. I knew what my job was, to distract Grandmother while he paid. The next stop was the aisle where shoes were sold. Again Grandmother picked a sensible shoe and once Brad knew the size, a pair of patten leather shoes joined the group. I was called again to distract and now we need a suitcase for the clothes. We let Grandmother pick that out.

Now that we were done, I could buy my film and we had to go food shopping. That was the main reason for going to Cavarzere in the first place. I walked with Brad and Angelina, he wanted some of that cheese we had at Maria's, so he said. I saw several packages of lollipops go into the handbasket. We did get a few other things, Maria said we didn’t need to buy any salami as the men in the village made their own, but we did buy some fruit.

“Maria, Eva, is there anything you need that we could buy for you? Maybe something for Grandmother?”

“Grandmother has a sweet tooth.”

Brad bought a box of chocolates, I smiled.

On the ride back to the village. Grandmother told Angelina about leaving with us. There were tears in her eyes. Brad was having a hard time with this. When we got to the village, Brad and I help Eva carry her groceries home. “Eva, I’m not sure Angelina will want to go with us.”

“I think she is scared. She has lived all her life in this village, I think today was the first time she was out of the village. Grandmother will help her.”

“Maybe we should take Grandmother for a visit with us.”

“No, she will never go. When are you leaving?”

“Probably next week, we’ll take the car to Cavarzere and then the buses to Venice. We’ll either fly home from Venice or take the trains to Rome and fly from there. It’ll be a long day.”

Until the Friday when we had to leave, Angelina stayed with us during the day, sleeping at Grandmothers. I laughed as she tried to teach Brad Italian and he tried to teach her English.

Our mornings were spent with breakfast with Angelina sitting on Brad’s lap. Slowly I could see their relationship being developed. I thought how could anyone not love Brad, okay I’m prejudiced. The afternoons were spent with Eva, looking at pictures and listening to stories. I was sorry I didn’t have a means of recording our conversations, I knew Nonna and Pa would enjoy them.

Evenings we sat around the table with some of the men who would tell us stories about Pa. I wasn’t sure if Pa would appreciate me knowing these stories. At night I would tell Brad what they said, he would laugh. “He must have had a little devil in him.” I smiled, I’m sure he did but I also knew stories sometimes grow with time.

I was told someone from the church in Cavarzere would come on Sunday and hold Mass. Maria’s large room was turned into a chapel on Sunday and two services would be held.