19. Alessia and Paola
Alessia and Paola
Lucy
The woman in the doorway mumbles something in Italian, but I have no words.
This is weird. Really weird. But it also feels like we’ve finally knocked on the right door.
This isn’t just a family resemblance—it’s uncanny.
The shape of her jaw, the curve of her lips, the brightness in her eyes. We could be twins.
“I—my name is Lucy Williams,” I stammer, forgetting all about the Italian speech I rehearsed. “My mom’s name was Giulia Marchesi, and she’s from here. I think we might be related.”
The woman looks between Elio and me, probably wondering which of us is the freakiest sight, but she eventually settles on me.
Elio starts translating for me, but the woman raises her hand to stop him.
“I speak English,” she says, still staring at me. “And I think you might be right. My name is Alessia. Please, come in.”
Elio and I share a knowing look before following her inside. As we step through the doorway, the house feels warm and inviting, with a blend of old-world charm and lived-in coziness. The air carries the faint aroma of baked bread, and the soft whir of a ceiling fan stirs the balmy air.
Alessia calls for someone in Italian, but I don’t understand a word she’s saying.
“Please, have a seat outside,” she says, showing us to the back patio with a large rattan table and chairs situated around it. “I’ll go get my mom.”
Before stepping onto the patio, I glance around the living room. The walls are a pale yellow, adorned with family photos in mismatched frames, while shelves overflow with books, trinkets, and what looks to be a collection of ceramic figurines.
In one of the frames, I’m pretty sure I see my mom. But I don’t want to be rude and stare, so I keep walking toward the patio door.
“This is definitely it,” Elio says once we’re alone. “I get why that woman mistook you for Alessia. You two look very similar. It’s in sane. Do you think she’s your long-lost twin or something?”
I pause to think. No, I don’t think that’s possible. Why would my mom leave one child behind? Plus, I know for a fact she’d been in the US for over a year before she had me. It doesn’t make sense. “I don’t think so,” I finally say.
Alessia comes back balancing a tray with lemonade and some glasses. Then, someone appears behind her, and it’s my turn to gasp.
“Hello,” the woman says. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Paola, I’m—”
“My mom’s twin sister,” I blurt out, forgetting all about good manners. “I can’t believe it.”
She smiles, and my world turns upside-down. It’s like having my mom in front of me all over again. The same dark eyes, the gentle curve of her jaw, the warm smile that reaches her eyes, lighting up her face.
“Yes, Giulia is my twin. How did you find us? Does she know you’re here?” Paola asks, frowning in the exact same way my mom used to. I’m forced to look away.
“Um, my mom passed away two years ago,” I say, doing my best to contain my tears. Elio’s hand flies over mine on the patio table, and its warmth brings me the comfort I need in this moment.
“Oh,” Alessia whispers, sitting down.
“She . . . died?” Paola says, her jaw dropping. “This is not—how?”
“She got sick—cancer—and we found it too late. I’m sorry,” I add, because even if she was my mom, she was also Paola’s sister, and I can tell it’s hitting her hard.
“ Dio mio ,” she says, shaking her head vigorously. “I can’t—I’m sorry. I—”
She hurries back inside, and Alessia jumps to her feet, excusing herself before going after her.
I try to inhale deeply, but my chest is so heavy, it won’t let me.
“This wasn’t a good idea.” I never considered the fact that these people might love my mom, even if they hadn’t been in touch for so long, and I was essentially bringing them the bad news.
Not to mention having to relive it all myself.
“It’s going to be fine,” Elio says, rubbing circles on my back, a gesture I use myself when comforting people. “She just needs time to process things. She was your mother’s twin; it’s a lot. But you couldn’t have known that. Don’t beat yourself up, okay?”
I glance at him, then nod, glad to have him here with me.
Alessia comes back with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry about that. My mom is very emotional, and the news hit her hard. She didn’t even know you existed until today. And now she learns her sister has died. It’s a lot. She just wants some alone time.”
“I’m really sorry I came here out of the blue,” I say, getting up. “I didn’t want to cause her pain. I had no idea my mom had a twin—”
“Wait,” she interrupts with a frown. “Really? Didn’t your mom ever talk about my mom?”
I wince, wringing my hands. “No t really. She never spoke of her family, period. From what I understand, they got into a fight when she left Italy, and they never talked to one another again.”
“That’s true, but my mom talked about Aunt Giulia often. Grandma too.”
“Grandma?” I ask, my throat tightening.
“Yes, our moms’ mom. Grandpa Leo died a few years back, but Grandma Lucia is still with us. Actually, her birthday is this Saturday. You should come. It’ll be here, at our house.”
“Oh, no.” I take a step back, knocking into my chair and almost falling back. “I don’t want to intrude. It was—”
“Please, come,” she says, her eyes pleading. “It’ll be a small gathering, and Grandma would be so happy to meet you. We’ll tell her the news beforehand—you know, about your mom.”
“But what about your mom? I don’t want her to be sad. And maybe it’s better if we wait a bit to spring this on your grandma.”
“Do you live here, by the way?” she asks, then glances at Elio. “And forgive me for prying, but I obviously know who you are. Are you two together?”
His low chuckle fills the patio. “That’s okay, I don’t mind. We’re not together. We’re—Lucy is—”
“We’re friends,” I say with a smile, and his widens. “I’m a journalist working on an article about him, so I’m here for another ten days.”
“Oh, okay,” she says, glancing between the two of us again. “Well, in that case, I must insist. You have to come on Saturday. You too, Elio. If you’re available , that is,” she adds awkwardly, and I smile at the first real resemblance of our personalities. “I know it’s not a race weekend.”
He crosses his arms, his eyes flicking toward me. “That’s all up to Lucy, here.”
“I don’t know,” I mumble, biting my lip. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course.” Alessia nods, offering a warm smile. “Let me give you my number, and you can text me whenever. The party is on Saturday at noon, though, so don’t take too long to decide.”
I nod, giving her my phone. “I just want to think about this for a minute.”
“No problem. As I said, it’s going to be a small gathering, but I know everyone would love to meet you, Lucy.” Her eyes widen. “Oh my gosh. I just realized something. Your name is Lucy!”
I frown, not following at first, but then it hits me. “Oh, you think . . .?”
She shrugs. “It would be a big coincidence.”
“Wait. What’s happening?” Elio asks, clearly lost.
“My name is Lucy, and my grandma’s name is Lucia. My mom may have named me after her. It’s weird that she never told me.”
“That’s so cute, though,” Alessia says, her expression brightening. “Does that mean you’re coming?”
That pulls a smile out of me. She and I definitely have more than our looks in common. “I’ll still need to think about it.”
Elio and I follow her back to the front door, my heart still racing from the surreal encounter. When we reach the entryway, we stop to say goodbye.
“It was very nice to meet you,” she says, pulling me into a hug.
The warmth of her arms wrapping around me is comforting, but it's the way she pulls back, studying my face for a second longer than necessary, that sends a flutter through me. “It’s not every day you come across someone who looks just like you.”
“I take it you don’t have a twin, then?” I ask. “It usually runs in the family.”
“No, but I do have two annoying brothers,” she replies with a playful roll of her eyes. I can’t help but chuckle, a surprising levity easing the hollow in my chest. She raises her eyebrows. “You?”
“Only child.” I pause, the words tasting strange on my tongue. “It’s bizarre that we look so much alike, right?”
She laughs softly, the sound so like my mom’s, it stirs something deep inside me. “Definitely. I know children of twins can look alike, so that’s probably what’s happening here.”
“I knew my mom had a sister, but not a twin, so this is a brand-new world for me,” I say, chewing on my bottom lip as a wave of emotions rushes over me. This reunion was so much more than I expected.
“Well, I hope we c an find some time to get to know each other,” Alessia says, leaning against the doorframe with a soft, hopeful smile.
“Me too,” I reply, the sincerity in my voice surprising even me. Finally, Elio and I step out the door.
We walk in silence down the street, the weight of that meeting hanging in the air between us. My mind is spinning, but I can't seem to organize my thoughts.
“Are you okay?” Elio asks after a while, his voice gentle but concerned. “That was intense.”
“It was,” I say, my voice a little unsteady.
Then, I blurt out a snort. The sound is so unexpected, so out of place, that I instinctively cover my mouth in embarrassment.
Elio’s laughter follows immediately, the sound deep and carefree.
And before I can help it, I join in. It’s a relief, this moment of laughter, like pulling a release valve for all the tension that was bottled up inside me.
Pausing on the cobblestones, I take in a deep breath—the first real inhale since I knocked on their door—and it’s as if the world slows down, just for a moment. I feel a little lighter. A little less like I'm drowning beneath the weight of everything.
“So, what are you going to do?” Elio asks. “Go to the party?”
I sigh. “I’m not sure. On one hand, I really want to.
It was a shock to see my aunt, but at the same time, it was comforting in an odd way.
And Alessia seems nice. I think we could get along.
To be honest, I’ve always wanted a sister.
” I wring my hands. “I’d also love to meet my grandma, but I’m scared.
She probably doesn’t know about me, and I’ll just remind her of her deceased daughter.
It doesn’t seem fair to go rocking their world like that, just so I can finally have the family I’ve always wanted. ”
And then there’s the name thing, which is definitely weird. Why would my mom name me after hers when they weren’t on speaking terms? It doesn’t make sense. But our names are so close. It can’t be a coincidence.
“Don’t feel guilty about coming into their lives,” he says, reaching to take my hand before stopping himself.
Instead, he rubs my shoulder, the contact comforting.
“You couldn’t have known what you were walking into, and this is as hard for you as it is for them.
At least, I’d imagine, with your aunt looking exactly like your mother. ”
I swallow hard. “It is.”
“Just do what feels right, and don’t overthink it. Answer me this. Do you want to get to know them?”
“Yes,” I blurt out, with not a hint of hesitation.
He nods. “There you go.”
The corners of my mouth tilt into a smile. “That easy, right?”
“Yep.” He flashes a grin.
“Will you come with me?” I ask, meeting his eyes. Having Elio at my side would keep the heat off me on Saturday. If you’re the long-lost child of a broken family, just bring a famous Formula 1 driver along, and no one will even care about you. At least, that’s the plan.
Elio’s smile widens, and I immediately regret asking him. I wait for the cocky remark, but instead, he simply replies, “Sure.”
“Seriously?” I furrow my eyeb rows, taken aback. “You don’t want anything in return? No ‘you need to go on a date with me if I agree to this’ or something?”
He laughs, the sound booming between the terracotta houses. “Is that what you were hoping for?”
I roll my eyes, ignoring his remark.
“Trust me, Bella . I don’t need you to owe me a favor to get you to go out with me.”
It’s a good thing we’re walking again and he can’t see how red my face is right now. It’s that dang nickname. Forget the usual butterflies. Every time he calls me Bella, a fireworks display booms to life inside of me.
“Why, have you changed your mind about that?” he asks, his voice teasing.
“Nope. So, tell me,” I say, hoping to change the subject. “What were you really supposed to do today? I’ll need to put something up on the website.”
“Just say I trained, and then I had important confidential meetings—I attend a lot of those. They’re long and boring, and they can easily take the entire afternoon.”
“Okay. So, that’s what you would have done if you weren’t with me?” I press while raising an eyebrow, not fully convinced.
“Honestly,” he says, turning to me with a coy smile, “I was supposed to meet with the team principal today.”
“What!” I blurt, my eyes flying wide. “Isn’t he your big boss?”
“Yep,” he replies, his grin only widening.
“But that’s important! You can’t just blow him off.”
He shrugs, still way too casual. “Nah. He just wants to butter me up again, tell me how awesome I am, make sure I have no interest in moving to Blackstorm Motorsports.”
I cast him a sidelong glance. “Do you?”
“Not really. They did approach me, and it’s a good team, but I’m motivated by success.
As long as I win with Rossi, I think I’ll stay.
That said, it’s a fast sport, and things can quickly change.
I reassured Claude two weeks ago when we went golfing, but I guess another sweet-talking session is already due. ”
“Come on.” I give him a pointed look. “As if you don’t enjoy it. Him singing your praises.”
“Nah.” He runs a hand through his hair. “It’s kind of boring, to be honest. It was fun the first few times. Now, I’d rather spend my day with a beautiful girl, even if it means walking around town under the scorching sun. Better than having my cheeks kissed by an old man.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “You’re such a flirt.”
He grins. “Why? What did I say? It’s only the truth.”
I shake my head. “Anyway, thanks for today, and for agreeing to come with me to the birthday party. It’s good to have someone in my corner.” Particularly Elio, who has a gift for lightening the mood in any situation.
“Of course. I don’t have plans that day, so it works perfectly.”
I snap my head toward him. “Are you lying now?”
He laughs hard, and gosh, that sound is so infectious, I can’t help but join in.
“I’ll have a look at that sch edule, mister,” I tease, bumping him with my shoulder, making him laugh even harder.