Chapter 78 Elena
E LENA
Christian has baby fever. While they shop for souvenirs in Piazza San Marco, he excitedly plans how they’ll turn the study into a nursery, debates with himself whether they should find out the sex or keep it a surprise, and suggests his old university friends as potential godparents.
He stops at a market stall and holds up a tiny canary-yellow ‘I Love Venice’ romper, the joy written all over his face.
The flood waters have filled the whole square and the rain shows no sign of abating. The wind whips around Elena’s head, blasting her ears. ‘Shall we go? Mamma’s waiting for us.’
‘Sure. Let’s drop this stuff back at the hotel first.’
The lanes leading to Il Cuore are quiet. Some of the shops and cafes are closed, their shutters drawn and sandbags stacked on top of each other to keep the water away. But other workers are embracing the conditions, standing at their shop entrances in gumboots, cheerfully calling out their cheap prices for umbrellas and plastic ponchos and shoe coverings.
Elena’s jeans are wet, so once they’re back at the hotel, she sits on the edge of the bed and peels them off.
Christian watches her undress with a glint in his eye and she pretends not to notice.
As she’s pulling on fresh jeans, he stops her. He raises an eyebrow and drops his voice. ‘I mean, we’re not in that much of a rush to get to your mum’s, are we?’ He licks the hollow of her neck.
She shudders and he mistakes it for excitement, which encourages him to pull her closer and kiss her behind the ear. She has to stop him before he discovers the tampon, but Christian doesn’t take kindly to having his advances rejected. She has to play this right or everything will come undone.
‘Babe,’ she whispers. ‘I’m really sore down there.’
He pulls away abruptly. ‘What do you mean? You shouldn’t have pain this early on. Have you had any spotting?’
‘No, no, nothing like that,’ she quickly reassures him. ‘It’s just ...’ She tries to look coy. ‘We’ve been doing it a lot this week.’ She giggles. ‘You’ve kind of worn me out.’
He brushes her lips with his. ‘It’s because you’re so fucking hot, Ellie,’ he murmurs. ‘I can’t help it.’ He’s not taking no for an answer.
Fanculo.
There’s a firm tap on the door.
Christian grunts and goes to open it. Elena quickly pulls on a fresh pair of jeans. Signora Bianchi is standing there. She seems agitated.
‘Mi scusi, Dottore. My Alberto, he won’t give up the cigarettes and I am so worried. Please would you speak with him. He will listen to a doctor.’
‘Of course. We were just on our way out but I’m happy to help. Where is he?’
‘He is on the front steps. Smoking. Always smoking.’ She throws her hands in the air.
Christian turns to Elena with a wink. ‘Looks like you get a pass.’ Then he smiles at Signora Bianchi. ‘I’ll go see what I can do.’
When he’s gone, Elena rushes to Signora Bianchi, her saviour twice today, and hugs her as tightly as she can.