"There's nothing happening between us! We're two people who have both lost someone they once loved, and now we've become friends. What's wrong with that?"

Filomena stood and brought her cup to the sink. "Trust me on this, figlia mia," figlia mia," she said as she rinsed it out. "Men and women aren't supposed to be friends. They're supposed to be lovers and husbands and wives. It's what makes the world go around, in case she said as she rinsed it out. "Men and women aren't supposed to be friends. They're supposed to be lovers and husbands and wives. It's what makes the world go around, in case you've you've forgotten that." forgotten that."

"And you you make my head go around," snapped Lucrezia, holding her forehead. She collapsed wearily onto a chair, then suddenly sat up straight. "You haven't talked about this to Papa, have you?" she said, clearly alarmed by the prospect. "He hasn't said anything to Peppi, has he?" make my head go around," snapped Lucrezia, holding her forehead. She collapsed wearily onto a chair, then suddenly sat up straight. "You haven't talked about this to Papa, have you?" she said, clearly alarmed by the prospect. "He hasn't said anything to Peppi, has he?"

"Please," said Filomena with a dismissive gesture. "Men almost never figure these things out for themselves. Your father is as blind to all of this as Peppi. It amazes me sometimes how stupid men can be."

Lucrezia stood up once more. "I can't talk about this anymore," she said as she started to leave the kitchen.

"Go to him," Filomena called after her. "Go today, don't wait. Just let it happen."

Lucrezia whirled around. "I won't," she said, gritting her teeth.

"But why!" cried her mother.

"Because I'm not ready!" she screamed back. "And because...and because I'm afraid!"

"Afraid of what?"

"That he'll die, all right, Mama? There, I've said it. I lost one man and look what it did to me. Once was enough. I can't give my heart to someone again knowing it could all end tomorrow."

Filomena stood there with her arms crossed. "Lucrezia," she said very softly, "listen to me. There are no guarantees in this life. You of all people should understand that. Young man, old man, it makes no difference. If G.o.d wants him, He takes him. So Peppi's no spring chicken. Maybe he's got ten years left in him. Maybe he's got twenty or thirty. Or maybe he's only got one. But if it means one good year of happiness for you, isn't it worth it?"

Lucrezia covered her ears and turned away. "I told you, I don't want to talk about this anymore!" she said, hurrying to her room.

"But where are you going?"

"I'm going to take a shower," she cried, "and then tomorrow I'm going to Milano!" With that she slammed her bedroom door so hard that a painting fell off the corridor wall.

"L'amore," Filomena said, shaking her head in wonder. "Who can figure it out?" Filomena said, shaking her head in wonder. "Who can figure it out?"

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE.

Peppi shifted the chain of the bike to a smaller gear. The hill they were ascending was not particularly steep, but just the same he was having trouble keeping up with Luca and the rest of the group. Taking several deep breaths, Peppi sat up straight, relaxed his back and shoulders, and did his best to spin his legs at a nice even cadence. Nothing seemed to help, though, and he drifted further and further back. At last, Luca looked over his shoulder. At seeing his friend struggling behind, he sat up and waited for Peppi to catch up to him. the chain of the bike to a smaller gear. The hill they were ascending was not particularly steep, but just the same he was having trouble keeping up with Luca and the rest of the group. Taking several deep breaths, Peppi sat up straight, relaxed his back and shoulders, and did his best to spin his legs at a nice even cadence. Nothing seemed to help, though, and he drifted further and further back. At last, Luca looked over his shoulder. At seeing his friend struggling behind, he sat up and waited for Peppi to catch up to him.

"Cosa fai oggi, Peppi?" he chided him. "What are you doing back there?" he chided him. "What are you doing back there?"

"Mannagia," Peppi groaned, "I'm really suffering today. I just don't have the legs." Peppi groaned, "I'm really suffering today. I just don't have the legs."

"Eh, what did you expect? That's what you get for staying out till all hours of the night. You should have stayed in bed this morning."

"What, and miss all this fun?" Peppi grumbled.

"Hah!" Luca laughed. "It's days like these that will turn you back into a tough Abruzzese." Abruzzese."

"Or maybe a dead one," Peppi replied.

"Don't worry," Luca told him. "We can turn off from the group and stick to the valley today if you like."

"Only if you insist," puffed Peppi.

As they approached the foot of the mountains where the roads would start to climb in earnest, Peppi and Luca bade the rest of the group farewell before turning off onto a flatter road that would wind its way through the valley. Peppi led the way, for by now he had once more become familiar with most of the roads throughout the region. He was in the mood for a leisurely ride, so he chose a route that would take them by the mulino.

The fresh coolness of the mountain air that had greeted them when they first set out from the piazza early that morning had vanished. By now the sun had climbed high into the cloudless sky and was beating down upon them. The sweat rolled off both men's arms and legs. As if on cue, they reached for their water bottles and squirted a few drops on their faces and across the back of their necks before taking a swig. They were both thankful that they had chosen to avoid the arduous mountain roads that day.

It was nearing midday when they finally came to the mulino. Peppi dismounted his bike and leaned it against what remained of the front wall. Luca, though, stayed by the edge of the road. He clicked out of his pedals, straddled his bike, and rested his elbows on the handlebars.

"Where are you going?" he called after Peppi, who had wandered off to the other side of the building.

"I pommodori!" Peppi replied. "I want to see how my tomatoes are doing." Peppi replied. "I want to see how my tomatoes are doing."

The prospect of having fresh garden tomatoes again one day soon was enough to motivate Luca into joining Peppi. He leaned his bike up against Peppi's and hurried off to see how matters stood in the tomato garden.

Peppi was already fussing with the plants by the time Luca arrived. Kneeling in the soil, he went from plant to plant, meticulously pruning away with his fingers any unwanted branches or yellowing leaves. It was important to constantly trim off the little offshoots, the suckers as Peppi called them, otherwise the plants would never grow to their full potential. By limiting the number of branches, the plants might bear slightly less fruit, but the tomatoes would be lush and full and bursting with flavor. Judging by the number of little yellow flowers blossoming on the branches, there would be an ample crop.

"Your plants are doing very well here," Luca observed. "How are you keeping them watered?"

"From the river," said Peppi, nodding his head toward the little stream tumbling down from the mountains nearby. "I just fill up a bucket or two and that's all they need."

"Good," said Luca approvingly. "That water is the purest in all Italy. It's the best thing for them."

"I know," smiled Peppi. "I grew up drinking it, remember?"

"Just remember not to give them too much or it will break their skin when the tomatoes start to grow," Luca warned him. He let out a sigh and looked with longing eyes at the garden. "Dio!" "Dio!" he cried. "I can't wait. I can almost taste them already!" he cried. "I can't wait. I can almost taste them already!"

"Who says you're going to get any?" Peppi teased him.

"Ayyy, I'll come and steal them in the night if I have to," said Luca, and the two of them laughed. Luca sat down at the edge of the garden and watched while Peppi pulled up some weeds that had dared to start growing between the plants.

"I don't get out here often enough," said Peppi when he was finished. "This garden needs a lot more attention." He straightened up and let his gaze roam across the property. Except for the well-ordered s.p.a.ce of the tomato garden, everything was in disarray. "The whole place needs a lot more attention," he added ruefully.

"What are your plans for the place?" asked Luca.

"I don't know yet," Peppi admitted. "I've thought about trying to rebuild the house, but I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of project."

"Why bother?" said Luca. "Sell the land and leave the work to someone else. There are plenty of people who would love to have a house on a spot like this. Why give yourself agita?" agita?"

Peppi looked about and smiled. "I couldn't let it go," he said, "not yet."

"Eh," shrugged Luca, "everything in its time." Letting out a grumble of irritation, he settled back on one elbow and stretched out his legs.

"What's the matter?" asked Peppi.

"I was thinking about tomorrow."

"What about it?"

"I have to go to Milano, so do Filomena and Lucrezia."

"What's in Milano?" said Peppi, sitting next to him.

"A trade show that starts on Wednesday," Luca lamented. "I hate it. Five days of smiling and trying to act sweeter than the candy we sell. Even that's not so bad by itself, but then afterwards we leave to make our annual trip around the country to meet with vendors and all our distributors. It's just one of those things that has to be done."

"How long will you be gone?" said Peppi.

"Two weeks," groaned Luca. "Two long, hot weeks, but when we get back, that's it! Filomena and I head straight to the ocean to get an early start on the ferragosto. ferragosto. Meantime, Lucrezia will come back and finish up whatever needs to be done here before she starts her vacation. You'll have to come stay with us. We have a nice little place on the beach in Alba Adriatica. There's an extra room, so you'll be comfortable." Meantime, Lucrezia will come back and finish up whatever needs to be done here before she starts her vacation. You'll have to come stay with us. We have a nice little place on the beach in Alba Adriatica. There's an extra room, so you'll be comfortable."

"But what will you do with the factory in August?" asked Peppi.

"We shut it down completely," explained Luca. "It's the only civilized thing to do. Who can work in this heat? It's barbaric to even make them try."

"In America we have something called air conditioning," noted Peppi.

"An equally barbaric invention," scoffed Luca. "Terrible for the lungs, to go from hot air to cold air then back again. Better to just let our bodies adapt to nature."

Peppi grinned and looked off into the distance. High above the treetops, a hawk floated along, drawing a wide gentle circle through the air. The effortless grace of such large birds had always fascinated Peppi. Seeing this one brought back to mind the many lazy summer hours that he had pa.s.sed as a boy, lying on his back in this same gra.s.s, staring up into the same azure sky. How many dreams had he dreamt in those carefree days when it was simply too hot to work in the mill? How often had he wished he could be up there soaring with the hawks, gliding away to wherever the winds wished to take him?

"So you'll be gone two weeks," mused Peppi, a sad, faraway look coming into his eyes. "Lucrezia too."

Luca studied his friend for a moment. "You two have become good friends, haven't you?" he said.

Peppi gave a shrug. "We have some things in common," he said. "I guess it helps both of us to have someone to talk to about them."

"It's good," said Luca, patting him on the shoulder. "I can see my daughter finally coming out of her sh.e.l.l. I have you to thank for that. But of course, you'll be thankful she's away these next few weeks. Her wedding anniversary is coming up, so, trust me, it's better that she's away."

"Should I expect to hear some rumblings coming from the north?" joked Peppi.

"Don't laugh. Keep an eye on the headlines," Luca quipped. He plucked a blade of gra.s.s from the ground and clenched it between his teeth. "But she'll be all right," he said. "To tell you the truth, I think Lucrezia plans this trip for this time every year just so she'll have something to take her mind off of Francesco."

Peppi looked back into the distance in time to see the hawk suddenly dive out of the sky. No doubt it had spotted its prey on the ground and was zooming in for the kill. In a flash the majestic bird disappeared from sight amongst the trees.

Peppi stretched his arms over his head for a moment and got to his feet. "Come on," he said, giving Luca a tug to help him up. "Let's get going again before our legs stiffen up."

"Who cares?" laughed Luca. "It's all downhill from here to Villa San Giuseppe. We can practically coast the whole way."

The two walked back to their bikes. As they clicked into their pedals, Luca looked back over his shoulder at the garden. "You know, Peppi, maybe you're right about not getting rid of the place just yet," he said. "You've got good soil with tomatoes growing and fresh mountain water flowing nearby. I think there might be a lot more life left in the old place after all."

"It all depends on how much life is left in the old man," man," said Peppi. Luca nodded his head in agreement and the two rolled off toward home. said Peppi. Luca nodded his head in agreement and the two rolled off toward home.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO.

"Ciao, Peppi!" called Enzo. called Enzo. "Come va?" "Come va?"

Peppi answered with a shrug and a yawn as he trudged down the steps from his apartment. He had just arisen from his siesta siesta and he was feeling a bit grumpy. He wasn't sure why he felt that way; he had slept well enough after eating a good lunch. Perhaps it was the heat of the July afternoon. Peppi had forgotten how hot the summer days could get in his native land. It would take some time for his body to reacclimate to the sultry weather. and he was feeling a bit grumpy. He wasn't sure why he felt that way; he had slept well enough after eating a good lunch. Perhaps it was the heat of the July afternoon. Peppi had forgotten how hot the summer days could get in his native land. It would take some time for his body to reacclimate to the sultry weather.

Three days had already pa.s.sed since Peppi had seen Lucrezia and her parents off to Milano. Their departure had been an exercise in organized chaos. While Filomena hastily prepared some pasta salads, panini, and other provisions for the long ride, Lucrezia and Luca had scurried about the factory, issuing the inevitable last minute flurry of frantic instructions to Enzo and the rest of the staff. For his part, Peppi helped carry out their luggage and stowed it in the trunk of the car for them. Aside from that, he stood on the sidelines and simply watched the spectacle. When the time had come for them to finally leave and the three had installed themselves in the car, Luca had rolled down the car window and beckoned for Peppi.

"You'll have to look after the place for me while we're gone," his friend told him.

"I'll try," Peppi replied.

"Don't worry, nothing much happens this time of year," Luca went on. "Just remember, you must come and stay with us at the ocean when all of this nonsense is over. Till then you have the key to the house, so feel free to go up and cook dinner or watch television or sleep there if you like."

"Grazie," said Peppi. "Now go before you waste the whole day here." He looked inside the car to say good-bye to Filomena and Lucrezia. said Peppi. "Now go before you waste the whole day here." He looked inside the car to say good-bye to Filomena and Lucrezia. "Buon viaggio, tutti," "Buon viaggio, tutti," he said. he said.

"Ciao, Peppi," Lucrezia replied before turning her attention back to the contents of her briefcase, which were by now spread out across the backseat. She seemed to have barely noticed Peppi, but as the car pulled out of the drive, she looked out the back window and nodded good-bye to him before they drove out of sight. Peppi," Lucrezia replied before turning her attention back to the contents of her briefcase, which were by now spread out across the backseat. She seemed to have barely noticed Peppi, but as the car pulled out of the drive, she looked out the back window and nodded good-bye to him before they drove out of sight.

Now, with the absence of the boss and the presence of the heat, things in and around the factory were moving in slow motion. Enzo and Fabio were sitting on the front step, their backs pressed up against the door to take advantage of the shadow cast by the factory. To Peppi's astonishment, they were contentedly puffing away on cigarettes as they always did during their break time. He shook his head in disgust at them as he approached.

"It must be a hundred degrees outside," he said. "Why would anyone want to stick a piece of burning paper in his mouth on such a day?"

The other two men nodded and smiled.

"It's the menthol," answered Fabio, exhaling a long, lazy plume of smoke. "It gives the tobacco a nice cool taste."

Peppi shook his head once more and sat down next to them. He stretched out his legs and let out another yawn. "How are things in the factory today?" he asked.

"Like Dante's Inferno," groaned Enzo. "Grazie Dio, "Grazie Dio, we won't be in there too much longer. Two more weeks and then we're closed for August." we won't be in there too much longer. Two more weeks and then we're closed for August."

"Then what will you do with all your spare time?" said Peppi.

"Sleep-as much as possible every day," chuckled Fabio. "Then of course at night..." he let the words drift away on a sigh as he gestured with his hands to form the hourgla.s.s shape of a woman.

"Heh, nice to be single and free," grunted Enzo.

"What about you, Peppi?" said Fabio.

Peppi looked out across the drive to the gardens he had started in the spring. The flowers and shrubs were starting to wilt in the blistering sun. They would all need a good watering before the end of the day. "I don't know," he finally answered. "I guess I'll find something to keep me busy."

"Peppi, it's the summer," Fabio kidded him. "The only thing you need to keep you busy this time of year is a woman."

"Don't you ever think about anything else?" said Enzo.

"Not if I can help it."

Enzo looked over at Peppi, who was still gazing out toward the flowers. "You know, Peppi," he said, giving his cohort a nudge and a wink, "Fabio might be right. Maybe you should should go out and find yourself a nice woman. A bed gets cold at night when you're sleeping all alone. It's no good." go out and find yourself a nice woman. A bed gets cold at night when you're sleeping all alone. It's no good."