Page 101 of Winter With You

‘So where are you going now?’ Steffi asked.

‘I have to be at Rizzolo Bookstore to dress Gabriella and I’m late and every cab is already hired.’

‘OK,’ Steffi said, getting out her phone.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Getting us a lift.’

‘Have you seen the traffic? I’m gonna have to get the subway.’

‘Have some faith, Luca,’ Steffi said. ‘There are perks to being a Marcello and I’m not afraid to use those when I need to. I’m calling Dad’s favourite getaway driver.’ She turned away, seeming to concentrate on the call. ‘Hey, Beppe, it’s Steffi. Yeah, I need a favour… like now.’

61

RIZZOLO BOOKSTORE, BROADWAY

Gabriella checked her watch again. She had twenty minutes before the event began and two floors below them she could hear people. Her readers. They would be excited, looking forward to listening to her talk, to purchasing the limited-edition green copy maybe, to receiving a festive money-off coupon for a fragrance she didn’t even like. Tonight she was going to blow the lid off of everything she had created. Yet none of what she had so far achieved seemed as important as the need to unpick it all.

‘Are you nervous?’ Phoebe asked.

Gabriella looked at her. Her niece was tightening up the plait she had knotted her hair into. ‘I feel like I should be asking you that question.’

‘Well, that would be the only one you get to ask me. I’m the one asking all the others.’

Gabriella smiled and then she stepped closer to her, reaching for her hand. ‘Are you sure you want to do this, Phoebe?’

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’

‘You know what it’s going to mean? Probably.’

‘Yes,’ Phoebe said. ‘It means that for a while you probably won’t have a job. And that Grandmama will be disappointed with you and probably with me too.’ She sighed. ‘It means that we will probably have to move out of the apartment in Bettersea because we won’t be able to afford the bills but, if I’m honest, I know that Grandmama bought that place because she has control issues and she didn’t want us living in something like the little house squished between the cemetery and the builders’ merchants. But I quite liked that house. It felt cosy and… more like us.’ She sighed. ‘And I also know that people are going to judge you for not being 100 per cent honest about Mum from the beginning but, after that period of time is over, they are going to realise that you did it because you were full of grief and that Zero Fucks Given isn’t entirely without merit and they will support whatever you decide to do next. And whatever you decide to do next will be even better.’ She took a breath and smiled at Gabriella. ‘But it probably also means that we get to talk about Mum more and be truthful to everyone, and ourselves, about what she was really like. And, I think then, we probably might have a chance to find our own happiness.’

It was a lot. But as well as sadness veiling her heart at Phoebe’s words, there was also a sense of intense hope that this could be a new beginning for them.

‘Phoebe,’ Gabriella said.

‘Yes.’

‘I would really like to give you a hug,’ she said softly, tentatively. ‘If you think that would be OK.’

‘OK,’ Phoebe answered. ‘But be careful not to pull out my hair.’

Before Phoebe could take the ‘OK’ back or change her mind, Gabriella put her arms around her niece, pulled her close and held on tight, savouring every second of the connection and the love between them. Until Phoebe eventually let go.

‘Gabriella,’ Phoebe asked. ‘After the event is over. Can we do something really fun?’

‘Burn all the green limited-edition copies?’

‘No.’

‘Break into the department store and smash all the perfume bottles?’

‘No,’ Phoebe said. ‘Can we go ice skating?’

Gabriella didn’t have to think long and hard about it. It sounded like a great idea. ‘Absolutely we can.’

Phoebe smiled and then the sound of rushing feet made them both look to the stairway. Luca. And then, someone else.