“I woke up kind of early today and took out my journal. I made some entries about the first few days of this trip. It actually felt good to sit and write things down. Yeah, itwasbittersweet in some ways, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’m glad I did it. I’m sure it’ll be easier next time.”
“I’m really proud of you, Rob. That couldn’t have been easy.” Ben reached out and took his hand. “You’re amazing.”
“Thanks. Since we’ve talked things through over the past couple of days, I’m really feeling calm about everything now. I know that I won’t ever forget Alan, and part of me will always love him, but I finally feel that I’m ready to move forward. You’ve helped me see that.”
“I don’t want you to forget Alan. He was an important part of your life for a long time. He’s part of you. Do you think there’s room for both of us in your heart?”
“Yeah, I know there is.” Rob moved toward Ben and kissed him soundly. “Now let me grab a shirt and then we can go eat.”
* * *
After breakfast, they returned to their respective cabins to freshen up and retrieve their backpacks. They met outside the Ocean Theater on Deck 6 and went in together.
They sat and waited, listening to other groups get called. Finally, after fifteen or twenty minutes, their group was directed out through a different door. They followed a staff member down a few sets of stairs, through security, and off the ship to a waiting bus.
Once everyone was onboard and seated, the tour guide introduced herself and the driver before departing.
It was a pleasant ride through the stunning Italian countryside to Tuscania. The day was sunny and the sky was a rich blue with a few puffy clouds. Within forty minutes they arrived at their first destination.
“You’ll have an hour and a half here to explore on your own,” the tour guide explained. She spoke with a lovely Italian accent, but her English was quite good, and they had no trouble understanding her. “I have maps for you to take as you leave the bus. Worth seeing are the Basilica of San Pietro and the Tower of Lavello. Also, theFontana delle Sette Cannelleis a medieval fountain; it’s a great spot for a photo.”
“This place sounds incredible. I can’t wait to see it all with you,” Ben whispered.
“The countryside is very picturesque,” the tour guide continued. “There are shops and cafés along the main street, as well. It is now just eleven o’clock, so please be back here by twelve-thirty and we will go to the Giorgio Farm for a brief tour and then lunch.Grazie.”
They got off the bus and took a look at the map. Deciding to skip the church, they set off for the tower and both agreed that the fountain was high on both their lists of things to see.
They wandered around slowly, stopping for an espresso at a café they passed and looking in a few shops. The town dated to medieval times and they appreciated the architecture, taking photos of doors and buildings along the way. The fountain really was beautiful, the square where it was situated was at the end of the main street. It overlooked the countryside, and the view was breathtaking. They took lots of photos, including a few selfies.
“I feel like just an average tourist,” Ben said. “No one seems to recognize me. I love it.”
He had worn a baseball cap and sunglasses which made him less recognizable, but still felt natural, and that didn’t happen as often as he would’ve liked.
“I’m so happy to be on this cruise, but more importantly, I’m happy I met you and that we can share this time together.”
“Me, too,” Rob agreed. “Every day is better than the last.”
They walked around a bit more then slowly made their way back to the bus. There had been only one other tour bus there when they arrived, and it was gone when they got back to their bus.
Rob checked his watch and saw they were early, so they sat on a nearby bench and did a bit of people-watching while they waited. After some time, they boarded the bus and took their seats.
The rest of the passengers all made it back in time, and they departed promptly. “Thank you all for coming back to the bus on time,” the tour guide said. “I’ve spoken with someone at the farm; we will have lunch as soon as we get there, followed by a short tour. We should arrive at the farm in about ten minutes.”
When the bus arrived at the Giorgio Farm, they were led into a large tent. There were round tables set up, each with eight chairs. Ben and Rob chose a table and were soon joined by six fellow tourists.
There were pitchers of water and bottles of red wine on the table. Servers brought out trays of olives and cheese along with baskets of thickly sliced rustic bread and bottles of olive oil. Everyone helped themselves to the food and drink and chatted casually.
Phil and Simone were an older couple from Washington State who spoke enthusiastically about how much they were enjoying the cruise so far. They too were continuing on the next cruise across the Atlantic.
Melissa and Don were a bit younger and had cruised a couple of times before, but this was their first time in Europe and the transatlantic would be a new experience for them. They lived in Florida, just outside of Fort Lauderdale.
Melissa asked if Rob and Ben had traveled much. “This is only my second cruise,” Ben said, “And unfortunately I’m leaving in a few days when we arrive back in Barcelona. But I’m enjoying this so much and definitely want to do it again.”
“I’ve cruised a lot,” Rob stated. “I think this is number thirty-seven or thirty-eight for me. And I’m continuing on for the transatlantic as well. In fact, a friend of mine is flying into Barcelona in a couple of days and is joining me on the next cruise.”
“Oh,” Melissa looked surprised, “I thought the two of you were together.”
“We actually just met a couple of days before the cruise,” Ben responded. “We were staying at the same hotel and started chatting at the bar one afternoon.”
