36 #2
JEROME TAPPED ON THE door of his mother’s apartment.
He never usually did. The door was always unlocked and he would normally just let himself in.
After seeing yesterday’s footage though, he thought maybe he should start thinking a little bit more about her privacy.
He also didn’t want to walk in on something that he’d never be able to forget.
“Jerome! Why did you knock?” said Gia once she’d opened the door.
“Well, I didn’t want to just come in.” Jerome stepped into the hallway and then followed Gia into the lounge. “You may have been entertaining,” he added dryly.
“Oh.” Gia furrowed her brow at his comment but didn’t deny or confirm that it was a possibility.
“Anyway, I need to talk to you about something.”
“Oh, what is it? Is it about work?” she paced through to the kitchen and pointed to the coffee machine, a silent offer of coffee. Jerome nodded and she immediately popped two pods in the machine.
“No, it’s about Christmas day.”
“What about it?”
“Cosimo may not make it,” he said carefully.
“What do you mean? He never misses Christmas day. It’s our family day.” Gia waved her hands dismissively, indicating she thought he must be mistaken.
“I know but this year it’s different for him.”
“How?” she pulled out the cups and placed them onto their saucers.
“Well, he’s seeing someone.”
“Seeing someone?” Gia repeated, unsure if she’d heard correctly. She pushed Jerome’s coffee over towards him. Then her expression changed as she realised what exactly Jerome meant. “You mean he has a…”
“Yes, Mama, he has a boyfriend.”
“Oh. I see.” She leaned herself against the kitchen counter, absorbing this new information.
“And I know you’re not comfortable with the whole idea, but it would seem it’s serious,” Jerome continued gently, trying to gauge her reaction.
Gia took a sip from her coffee feeling decidedly uncomfortable with the idea of Cosimo and a boyfriend, let alone one he was serious about.
“So, they’ll be spending it together.” Jerome watched his mother put down her cup carefully.
“With the boyfriend’s family?” Gia narrowed her eyes.
“No, alone. Apparently his family don’t want anything to do with James, that’s his name. They don’t accept his… lifestyle.” Jerome couldn’t hide the disdain in his voice. How could anyone reject their own son? He thought to himself.
Gia hadn’t been altogether accepting of Cosimo’s sexual orientation but she could never have disowned her own son.
Over the years Cosimo had kept his private life away from his family, mainly because he didn’t want to cause a rift between them and Gia respected him for being thoughtful of their feelings, especially when Alessandro senior was alive.
For Cosimo, his family had always come first and Gia knew that for him to decide to spend Christmas with someone other than his family, it meant that this someone was important to him.
More important than his own family. Gia sighed deeply; she knew she couldn’t hold on to her sons forever.
They had their own lives to lead but she also didn’t want to push them away by making their lives difficult for them.
She looked up at Jerome who was eyeing her warily, and thought to herself; she put up with Liz who was cold, distant and self-centred, why couldn’t she put up with Cosimo’s gay partner?
The very idea of the family not being together made Gia’s heart sink.
“Have you met him?”
“James? No I haven’t, but Seni has.”
Gia nodded.
“He said he was really nice. Very, um, easy going, friendly.”
“I don’t like the idea of Cosimo not being here, Jerome. Christmas is for family.”
“Me neither, Mama. The kids will miss him too, but Cosimo doesn’t want to leave him alone…”
“Well of course he doesn’t,” interrupted Gia sharply. “Cosimo’s a gentleman and thoughtful. No one should spend Christmas alone.” She finished her coffee and took the empty cup over to the sink.
“Okay, then. I just wanted you to know in good time, so that it wasn’t a shock when Cos called you to tell you that he wouldn’t be here.
” Jerome picked up his coffee and drained it as he watched his mother, who was clearly agitated.
He sighed inwardly. He was sure she was going to start a shouting match.
Her usual tirade, peppered with Italian expletives, expressing all her grievances.
Maybe he had to thank the good Doctor Holmes for that.
Maybe it was down to him that his mother’s fiery temper seemed to have calmed down over the last few days.
The thought both disturbed and amused him.
Gia turned around to face Jerome and replied.
“Nonsense, I will have all of my family here on Christmas day, including James. If the poor man has nowhere to go he’s welcome here, at La Casa. Christmas is for family. If he hasn’t got one, then he can join us instead.”
Jerome gaped at her. An argument he’d expected, an invitation he had not. It would seem that there were Christmas miracles after all.
CAPO BEAMED DOWN AT his cake.
“You made this for me?”
“Si, buon compleanno Capo.“ Dani planted a kiss on his cheek.
They were alone in the kitchen; their only company was the familiar voice of Pavarotti singing Puccini.
Capo had come in to oversee deliveries and start his preparations.
The rest of the kitchen staff would be arriving within an hour to prepare the Gala dinner for tonight.
“Grazie Dani, grazie mille! And you made one for Nicole too?“ Capo shook his head still smiling widely in disbelief.
Dani nodded shyly.
“Tell me, who makes your birthday cake Dani?” he asked softly, his voice still betraying his emotions.
“My mum used to, then Chloe. But for the last few years I didn’t have one…
” Dani’s voice trailed and she shrugged.
She thought back to her last few birthdays that she’d celebrated.
They’d always been at the bar. Jez made a big show of opening champagne and maybe giving her some flowers, a small gift too, but never a cake.
The one and only thing she really cared about, really wanted, was a cake.
It could’ve been a small supermarket bought cake, anything, something that you could put a candle on to blow out and make a wish.
But in all her time with Jez he never arranged one, even though he knew it was important to her and that every birthday he had, she always made one for him.
Capo frowned. “This year I make you your cake. Torte al Limone? That’s your favourite isn’t it?”
Dani smiled softly and nodded. He winked at her.
“Did the flowers arrive?” Gia had ordered the flowers for the anniversary party to be delivered that morning, knowing Capo would be there early.
“Si, I told them to put them in the function room.”
“Thanks Capo. I’ll make you an espresso and then I’ll go up.”
Dani entered the quiet restaurant. It was still too early for any of the staff to be in and it felt bizarre not seeing Kuch or Nicole behind the bar at this time.
It had just turned twelve and the restaurant wasn’t opening until seven that evening.
The rest of the staff would be arriving at four for their Christmas staff lunch, where they’d exchange their ‘Secret Santa’ gifts.
Dani made Capo his coffee, leaving it on the stainless steel work station and then made her way to the function room, where she immediately set to work on the arrangements.
Dani had chosen ivory scented flowers and various types of greenery for the floral arrangements and added sprays of red berries to tie in with the theme.
Using the clear glass vases that she’d found in the basement, Dani inserted ivory raffia with a thin red thread that wound up the inside of the vase.
This concealed the flower stalks perfectly.
“Oh Dani, they look absolutely beautiful!” Gia gushed as she walked in through the door. She looked radiant in a red sleek dress and gold stilettos.
“Thank you. I’m nearly done. I’ve two more to do and then we need to get them upstairs.”
Gia sat down next to her and closely inspected the finished arrangements.
“You look lovely, Gia.”
“Grazie tesoro. I thought it was the right colour for tonight. Don’t you think?”
Dani nodded, then set to work on the last two vases.
“I’ll put them on a trolley and take them upstairs.
That way we can move them all in one go.
I’ll top up the water tomorrow morning and they should be fine for Thursday.
” Gia gracefully rose from the chair, then quickly squeezed Dani’s shoulders in silent appreciation.
Gia knew there was no way she could have been able to handle these past few days without Dani.
BY FOUR O’CLOCK the staff had all gathered in the function room where the table had been laid out.
Everyone put the present they’d bought at the place setting of the recipient, ready for them to open.
It was Italian tradition to open their presents at midnight, but seeing as the restaurant staff would probably still be working at that time, and the kitchen staff would be on their way home, they modified the tradition and opened them before their early dinner.
Capo had prepared a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, comprising of seven different seafood dishes.
It was Dani’s first experience of the Italian Christmas traditions that La Casa d’Italia seemed to adhere to.
One look at the magnificent table laden with food and presents made Dani realise that working here was like being part of a big family.
The Ferrettis didn’t need to do this for their staff but it was obviously clear that they wanted to.
They valued everyone that worked for them, from Peter who managed the restaurant like clockwork, and Matteo who ran a smooth, efficient kitchen to Rico the kitchen porter. No one was excluded.