CHAPTER TWENTY
A group of nuns walked past us, their rosaries catching the sunlight, standing out among the crowd of tourists in windbreaker jackets and sunhats.
The Basilica di Santa Maria Delle Grazie was full to capacity for the afternoon viewing.
A twinge of guilt rose as Rocco led us to the front of those who planned their once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage, given to us in a phone call.
Despite it, I smiled at the familiar face of the woman I’m sure I met at the fundraising art event in Florence.
Her eyes filled with recognition, and she crossed over, greeting us both with warm kisses on both cheeks. “Ciao, di nuovo.” Hello, again.
“Ciao, Angelina,” Rocco said, reminding me of her name.
“Che piacere vedette.” How lovely to see you. “Seguimi.” Follow me.
“Seguimi?” Rocco repeated.
“Sì, per favore, Mr. Marini.” Yes, please Mr. Marini. She led us to a set of glass doors that opened on a timer, allowing only a small group to enter at a time.
“Excited?” Rocco said, squeezing my hand.
I smiled. “I am.”
Moments later, a group exited, some with tears streaming, others whispering, and a few lost in silent awe, setting a reverent hush as we entered.
The room was far larger than I’d imagined, yet it felt intimate with just the three of us.
Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper dominated the far wall, drawing us into its gravity, until we could only stand in silence.
Bare walls framed the mural, making its scale and meaning even more profound.
The painting loomed above on the far wall, and in seeing it, we all fell silent as if the painting commanded our full attention.
Most of the walls were bare, and I was grateful for it.
The mural appeared so large, and its significance wasn’t lost, that we, as people, were small and there were much greater things in this vast universe.
The fractured pieces from its years of erosion created a story that was almost terrifying in its beauty.
A chill ran through me, and Rocco’s arm wrapped around my shoulders, sharing his warmth.
I studied the disciples, their faces alive with worry and doubt, like a mind crowded with fears.
But at the center, Jesus radiated calm, a steady flame in the dark, promising hope and peace after sorrow.
Rocco’s eyes glimmered when I looked at him. I wrapped my arms around him, and he held me close. Together, we stepped out, paused for a few words with Angelina, and posed for a photograph to remember the moment.
Then he asked me, “How was that for you?”
“Very intense,” I admitted.
“I thought the same the first time I saw it when I was seven. I was afraid, actually. I ran out. Grandpa caught me.”
My brows rose. “What did Luca do?”
“He made me go back in alone.”
“But you were scared.”
“Yes, but Grandpa never wasted a life lesson. He said man must always face his fears head-on. That was what I needed to do to be great.”
“And of course you wanted to be great.”
“I wanted to be like him.”
I thought about it and realized Rocco was so much like the Luca I’d grown to know and love. “I believe you are. You’re definitely one of the greatest men I’ve ever known.”
His expression turned soft, and my heart skipped a beat.
Someone called out, “Baciala.” Kiss her.
I smiled up at him, my eyes imploring. Why not?
Rocco’s gaze lingered on me before darting to the nearby group; he shook his head, refusing. I dropped my eyes, forcing a smile, then slipped on my sunglasses, my armor against revealing too much.
“We’re not show ponies,” Rocco muttered, but all I heard was his reluctance. He took my limp hand, and together we made our way to say goodbye to Angelina, whose smile softened with genuine warmth as we approached.
“Did you enjoy seeing our masterpiece?”
“Yes,” Rocco said and shook her hand. “Very much. Thank you for showing Adelina. It’s her first time.”
“It is?” she said, nodding at me. “How wonderful. I’m glad I was here to share it with you.”
“I sincerely appreciate it,” I said, taking her hand as well.
“We filmed you, if you want to have a copy sent to you later,” Angelina offered, her tone implying a reluctance, like she’d seen his kiss rejection.
He placed his arm on my waist. “Yes, thank you. We’d love to relive every good memory we share.
” Angelina’s eyes flicked to me, and I held my smile, though Rocco’s words had left me confused.
Yet, he kept me close as we wandered toward the Duomo di Milano, that was truly an astonishing sight.
The building’s intricate design and ornate sculptures revealed the passion behind its creation.
Though time and changing ideas led to overelaboration in its artistry, I admired its craftsmanship and how it remained open to anyone interested in its true purpose.
Italy’s beauty always stirred my soul, but today I didn’t come for grandeur; I was seeking humility. “I don’t want to tour today.”
“Okay. I feel that way, too.”
Rocco understood my sentiments, and when we walked in, we went directly to the vigil, which already had many rows of lit candles. Rocco handed me a wick, and as I reached for it, he covered my hand.
“Let’s do this together.” And that was what we did; we lit a candle for family. I was about to put it back, but Rocco held firm. “How about one more?”
He didn’t explain, but he didn’t have to. The prayer had already seeded hope in me. Not just that we’d come together for our child, but that we’d find our way back to each other.
Xander: Excited to meet up! See you soon
I showed Rocco the text as we rode away from the square.
“Sorry, I have to work,” he began.
“It’s fine, and I had a wonderful time.” Even in its current state, The Last Supper reminded me that destiny didn’t stand on its own. There was faith. I chose faith in my family and in our love that we would heal. There was nothing that could be greater than that.
“And it’s not over. We’re going dancing tonight. So get a pretty party dress, and we can have…cake.”
“Cake?” I repeated and chuckled.
“Okay, no cake. I mean, we can do whatever you want to do to celebrate.”
“All right.” I was about to put my phone away but decided to check again to see if I had any information from Lily Crane and the publishing house.
My insides rushed with excitement and panic at the preliminary schedule, which included more manuscripts for me to read, concepts to develop, and messages from the marketing and design teams with feedback and changes on some of my concept illustrations.
Rocco leaned over and looked at my phone. “So, it starts.”
“Yeah, it seems so. I don’t know. I feel like an imposter. I mean, I didn’t study design, and they are talking about work, and I feel silly having to ask questions about the basics.”
“Once you ask, you know, and that’s the end of it,” Rocco said matter-of-factly. “I prefer questions over assumptions.”
“Thanks, I needed that.” I touched my smile. “I want this so much, and I never thought it could be real, but…”
“But you did believe it was possible. That’s why you tried, and I’m proud of you.”
“You sent out my work,” I pointed out. If Rocco hadn’t shared my cover art with Lily, this would never have happened.
“So? If they weren’t good, they would have ignored it. Trust me. It’s happened plenty of times.” Ding. Rocco took out his phone and stared at it. “Oh, wow.”
“What is it?
“Gotham Award nominations have been announced.”
It was last year they created the category for the new award specifically to honor sci-fi and fantasy films.
“Oh,” I said, holding my breath, and he played the video.
“Best Feature, The Age of Sin, director Morgan Steele, producer Rocco Marini, MGT Studios, Media Mode…”
I screamed. “Woo-hoo!”
Rocco leaned over, and I threw my hands around his neck and hugged him, and he placed our foreheads together. “I’m so happy I get to share this moment with you.”
“So am I, Rocco. I’m so proud of you. It was an outstanding production. You deserve it.”
He held my neck. “Damn. It feels new. This production was me. I took a big risk.”
“And it paid off.”
“That’s what I want you to remember. That’s what life is. You must take your chances.”
Even though he’d won awards before, this movie was his baby. He had done the majority of the production and funding and built his team. “I had to know if I could do everything if I were going to open a studio. And here I am.”
“And this will be your season. I can see this movie getting Oscars.”
“You ready to go to an Oscars party?”
I bristled. “No, thanks. I can stay out of Hollywood.”
“But you can’t,” he said. “That’s the work.”
“And I’m not afraid of work, Rocco.” I want to be with you. “Oh, let’s look at the rest of the nominations.
“Best Director, Morgan Steele, The Age of Sin.”
“Outstanding Lead Performance, Lulu Cummings, The Age of Sin.”
“Best Screenplay, The Age of Sin.”
“Breakthrough Performer, Janus.”
“I’d still break him in half,” Rocco joked.
I chuckled. “Oh, my God, why aren’t you screaming? I want to scream and shout it to the world.”
Rocco grinned. “I am inside.” His phone started chiming as it exploded. “I’ll be answering calls and interviews for the rest of the day between signing contracts. It’s going to be insane.”
“Can I help?”
“No, Isla will be there and probably a few from her team. But please, shop and have fun with Xander. We’ll dance and celebrate tonight.”
The car pulled over, and we climbed out of it. Xander was on the street, and so were some tourists, who approached Rocco.
He smiled and took selfies, then walked over to us. Xander patted him on the back. “Rocco Marini, award-winning producer, strikes again. This is your decade, man.”
“Decades,” Rocco said, and they laughed. Then he placed his hands on my arms. “Please take good care of my Bella.”
When he called me Bella, it felt like sunlight warming my skin on a cold morning, like chocolate melting sweetly on my tongue. His claim soothed me, grounding me in his affection. His hands glided down my arms, raising goosebumps beneath my dress, before he pressed a kiss to my head and let me go.
“I will,” Xander said to him and winked at me.
Rocco climbed back inside the car and rode off, leaving me with Xander and Zane.
Xander cocked a brow. “Things still look a bit chilly.”
I shrugged.
“Oh, we’ll fix that tonight.” He linked arms with me. “Let’s remind your man he has a hot, young wife. This isn’t year twenty-five together. This is year one, baby.”
It was only our first year, but Rocco’s reason for pulling away was because of what I’d done. However, this was a chance to have fun, and Rocco always said to take those times when we could have them. “What do you have in mind?”
“We’re going out. Let’s get you some party clothes to be seen in.”
I scrunched up my face. “Not too seen.”
Xander chuckled. “Darling, there’s no other seen.”