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I waited, but he didn’t continue. “But what, Georgio?”
“I’ve just told you. She might not be able to come back to work—”
“I don’t care about that. I mean, I care very much about Nonna Bella, but if she can’t come back to work, it makes no difference. We’re not going to ask her to leave her home. Additionally, she’ll continue to draw the same salary.”
His eyes opened wide. “For how long?”
“Forever.”
“You can’t afford to do that. This place is already in trouble.”
Georgio was upset about his mother. I was too. He was stressed, tired, and uncertain about the future. I got all that. “Let me worry about Valentini. You worry about your mother.”
I saw the struggle from within him. He was a proud man, but in this case, he needed to accept what I was telling him. He had no choice. Even if he disagreed, it didn’t matter. I would still do everything I could for Nonna Bella. It saddened me to think she felt as though she couldn’t call upon me if she was feeling poorly. I could’ve gotten to her in a matter of minutes.
“Thank you,” I heard Georgio say as he turned to walk out.
“May I see her?”
He turned around as though my question surprised him. “Of course.” I watched him walk away.
A few minutes after I started washing the dishes Paolo and I had used, Georgio came back.
“Do you think you’ll look for another cook?”
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t want Nonna Bella to think we’re anxious to replace her.”
He nodded. “I might have another solution.”
“Tell me.”
“My cousin, Gabriella, might be able to help out, at least for a while.”
Gabriella? This was the first I’d heard of Georgio having a cousin, but considering his mother didn’t trust us to call when she didn’t feel well, maybe I didn’t know their family as well as I always thought I did.
Later that afternoon, I went to the hospital to visit her only to find she was no longer there. I tried to call Georgio, but my call went straight to voicemail. When I returned to Valentini, I stopped by her cottage, but no one answered the door.
I needed to get back to the winery, but I needed to talk with my mamma more. I found her resting in bed. For several weeks, my mother had been ill. Our cook’s heart attack only made me worry about her more.
“How is Nonna Bella doing?” she asked.
“She wasn’t there.”
She lowered the book she’d been reading. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly that. The hospital said they didn’t have a patient by the name of Isabella Rossi.”
“Odd.”
“Georgio said his cousin, Gabriella, could fill in temporarily, longer if necessary.”
“It’s your decision, Pia.”
“Did you know he had a cousin?”
“No, but I do know Nonna Bella has a sister who lives in the village. Maybe it’s her daughter.”
“Mamma, doesn’t it bother you that we know so little of their family?”
