Chapter 41 Gayle
G AYLE
Signora Bianchi has seen them. She juts out her chin, tugs on the sides of her white apron and walks over to the table where Gayle and Mike are having breakfast.
Mike refused to eat at Il Cuore last night. ‘I’m not giving that cheating lesbian another dime. We won’t be eating at this hotel again. Sorry, hon, but I can’t condone that kind of sinning.’
Despite Mike’s proclamations, breakfast at Il Cuore is now free, so this morning he made an exception about eating at the hotel after all, and here they are.
And now Signora Bianchi’s standing at their table with a coffee pot in her hand, and Gayle’s heart is beating as fast as if she’s just run up all of Anna-Maria’s four flights of stairs.
‘Buongiorno, signore, buongiorno, signora.’ Signora Bianchi’s jaw is tense even as she smiles. ‘Can I top up your coffee?’
Mike’s cheeks are red and he stares at his plate. ‘That won’t be necessary, thank you.’
Gayle gives Signora Bianchi a smile. ‘I’d love some more of your fine coffee, thank you. Mighty kind of you.’
Mike gives Gayle a look from under his bunched eyebrows and she knows she’s annoyed him.
Signora Bianchi clears her throat. ‘I want to apologise for what you saw in the church yesterday.’
Mike fiddles with his napkin. ‘Yes, well, it wasn’t exactly what we expec—’
‘And I want to thank you for your discretion,’ she continues over Mike. ‘I am sure you understand the damage it would do to my family and our business if what you saw became known.’
Gayle nods obediently, but Mike looks up sharply at Signora Bianchi.
‘It’s your poor husband I feel for.’ He scratches his beard. ‘I think he should know the truth, but Gayle here convinced me yesterday that it’s not the right time to tell him, so soon after his heart attack and all. That’s the only reason he hasn’t heard about it from me.’
Gayle had worked hard to stop Mike from announcing Signore Bianchi’s wife’s infidelity to him.
‘But hon, she’s got that big old painting of the Pope right out there in the hallway while she’s sinning with a nun in a church . That’s hypocrisy of the highest order, that is. She shouldn’t be allowed to get away with that, it ain’t right,’ he’d argued. ‘Someone has to let that poor fellow know he’s been tricked.’
Signora Bianchi lowers her eyes. ‘I am very grateful to you both for your kindness.’ She pauses as if she’s considering what to say next, but instead she gives Gayle a heartbreakingly sad smile and leaves their table. She’s immediately stopped by two women at another table who request a selfie with her, and Gayle watches as Signora Bianchi poses and laughs with them.
Signore Bianchi walks into the restaurant then, and he makes his way around the tables, loudly and cheerfully chatting with various guests. ‘Ciao a tutti! Ciao a tutti!’ he calls out. When he passes by his wife, he stands on his toes to plant a fat kiss on her cheek. Signora Bianchi laughs and shoos him away, playing up to the crowd.
Mike glowers at them as he munches on a pastry, the flakes catching in his beard. ‘I still think he should know the truth,’ he mutters.
He should , she agrees, but not from us .
When Mike’s helping himself to a second plate at the buffet table, Gayle’s phone pings with a message from Lizzie.
Hey Mom, guess what? Noah messaged me!
He said he’s still waiting for Pop to apologise.
I want us to all be a family again. Please talk to Pop xx
Mike comes back with his plate heaving with food. ‘You know, what we saw yesterday is still turning my stomach. We need to keep praying hard that our boy comes to his senses.’
He picks all the strawberries off his plate and puts them on Gayle’s without a word. He knows how much she loves strawberries.
Gayle has never felt so tortured. How is she ever going to make things right?