Page 86 of Winter With You

‘The whole journey. Insignificant details that were so significant you may as well have graffitied a heart on a condemned building.’

‘Damn,’ he replied.

‘So, tell me.’

He sighed, getting mind repeats of Gabriella from last night, her not knowing what to say to his revelation, him leaving because it was the only thing he could do. ‘It’s the first time I want to know the whole of somebody,’ he told her. ‘And the first time I want somebody to know the whole of me.’

He looked at his sister then and was taken aback by her expression.

‘Luca,’ she said. ‘I’ve never heard you say anything like that before. Ever.’

He nodded. ‘And there’s a reason for that. Because with our family how can anything work out?’

Steffi shook her head. ‘But it’s easy to say that. It makes a great excuse for avoiding things.’

‘Is that what you think I do?’

‘Yes,’ Steffi said. ‘Because I do it too.’

‘Really?’

‘To a lesser extent than you but yes.’ She sighed. ‘Being a Marcello is who I am but it’s not who everyone else wants to be with. I just don’t ever deny it and yeah sometimes, most of the time, it means I lose out, but I only want a genuine connection not some kind of superficial BS.’

‘Yeah,’ he agreed. ‘Except last night I told Gabriella about the family and it didn’t go so well.’

‘What happened?’

‘Nothing,’ he admitted. ‘She heard me and she didn’t react.’

‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it?’

He shook his head. ‘No, because if there is one thing I’ve learned about Gabriella is that when she reacts, and I mean when she naturally reacts from the heart of her, she reacts with absolute passion.’ He sighed. ‘She’s the kind of person who throws water bottles at people’s heads. The kind of person who eats a burger like she needs it to breathe. The kind of person who fights for the smaller person.’ He sighed. ‘Last night, when I told her, it was like the loudest silence.’

‘So, what are you going to do?’ Steffi asked.

‘I don’t know,’ he breathed. ‘Maybe there’s nothing I can do.’

‘I’m not here for that,’ Steffi said. ‘And it’s impossible to do nothing. You’ve always told me that. Because doing nothing is actually making a choice and doing something.’

‘I helped make you too wise,’ he said.

‘So now I’m telling you to follow your own advice.’

‘Always easier said than done.’

‘But not impossible,’ she stated. ‘And not an ending. A chance for a beginning.’

He sighed. ‘Like you want me to have with Dad, you mean?’

Steffi shook her head. ‘No. I’m not going to push for that. I know we have a different opinion and I think that’s OK.’

‘Really?’ he asked.

‘I’m trying to be mature about it,’ she stated.

He smiled. ‘All grown up now, Steffi.’

‘Not too grown up for a hug from my big brother.’