Nanna’s Christmas Cake
Ingredients:
One pandoro (any brand, but Bauli are really, really good)
Marsala or sweet wine
Strawberries
Nanna’s custard:
4 tbsps sugar
4 tbsps plain flour
4 egg yolks
Skin of lemon and orange (Amalfi lemons and oranges are best; they don’t have so much pith)
2 pints of milk
What to do:
Stir together all the custard ingredients, whisking on a low heat until thick and cooked.
Slice pandoro into star shapes and drizzle with Marsala.
Once custard is cooked and cooled, layer the cake together again with custard in between each slice.
Decorate with strawberries.
Christmas morning arrived and brought with it a crisp air and bold orange and purple sunrise. There had been no snowfall during the night, which meant Louisa could see small specks of green peeking from the plant pots. The balcony was littered with pots of every size. Though nothing much was growing at the moment, in summer they would be blooming with artichokes, oranges, tomatoes, lemons – you name it, her aunties would grow it fresh, right here amongst the rustic tiles and weathered house.
As she looked around, tears threatened her face as she thought of her grandpa’s green house, how over the years he would try and grow the artichoke but to no avail. The British summer wasn’t quite right for such delicacies.
‘I’m thinking of you, Grandpa,’ she whispered, tracing her hand over the stone wall. ‘I wish you were here.’ Louisa had woken up at the crack of dawn, having been unable to sleep due to a small amount of magic that came from it being Christmas Eve and a whole amount of anxiety of what the day would bring without her grandpa.
‘Nice outfit.’ Louisa jumped out of her skin at the sound of Levi’s voice. She hadn’t heard them open the gate. She hastily wiped at her tears with her Olaf onesie, as Levi embraced her in a giant friendly hug. ‘Merry Christmas, Lou,’ he added, stepping back and catching her eye.
‘Thanks, Merry Christmas, Levi. Everyone’s inside if you want to go in. There should be plenty of breakfast left if you guys are hungry,’ she said, forcing her voice to sound normal and pointing to the kitchen doors. Levi released her and walked off, eager to see Sabrina no doubt. Dan didn’t seem in such a hurry as he took in her watery eyes. He wandered over to her and stood by her side, looking out in the same direction she had just been looking.
‘How are you holding up?’ he asked, his voice ever so kind as he turned to look at her, his eyes deeply rich with interest and concern.
Jeez, Amanda better hold on to this guy and never let him go, and soon, before he got snapped up by someone else, Louisa thought, as Dan’s voice nearly melted her own heart. Though she knew that Dan getting snapped up by someone else was not possible, as she was certain the man in front of her only had eyes for her sister. She took in his tall, muscular frame. He was wearing tight black jeans, with a white shirt peeking out from under a thick woolly cardigan, a look that she felt only Dan could make look hot on a rock star. She cleared her throat.
‘I’m good thanks. Sorry, Dan, I didn’t mean for you to catch my blubberfest,’ she said, feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden. She played with the tassels on the end of her red and green scarf and thought for a moment how lovely it had been to spend more time with Dan and Levi over the past week. She knew them reasonably well through Skype calls and all that Amanda had said about them, but getting to hang out with her big sister’s best friends had been a treat.
Louisa almost forgot that they were international rock stars, as they were incredibly grounded, but just being stood next to Dan and the aura of an enigma he embodied made it impossible to completely forget. He was a striking human and Louisa had seen the way people gawped at him. Here on the Amalfi Coast it was ever so subtle though and they hadn’t been bombarded with fans like they were elsewhere. Had they been in Milan, Louisa didn’t think they would have enjoyed the luxury of a cosy, quiet Christmas.
‘Sweetheart, I think you have every right to a blubberfest. I’m sorry we barged in on your time,’ he said, rubbing her shoulder and putting paid to her thoughts of what it was to live a rock-star life.
‘No, it’s OK. I was just taking a minute to say hi, you know? I’m trying so hard to be cheerful and thankful. I’m surrounded by my family and I want to enjoy every minute, but then it hits me that he’s not there, just like that … I don’t want to be ungrateful.’ Louisa’s bottom lip trembled. She tried to fight it, but it was no use. She knew Dan understood and felt grateful for him being there as the tears rushed once more. He stepped forward and put his comforting arms around her. After a minute, she sighed deeply. ‘Uh, he sure is going to be a tough one to miss.’
‘You miss him all you like, hon. Never feel guilty for talking about him or taking a moment to yourself. Everyone in there understands. It will take time to heal, but it will become less painful as you remember all the incredible times you had with him. We can mourn them and celebrate them. It becomes a balance and you will find that balance when the time is right. In the meantime, sweetheart, don’t forget those in front of you. Talk to them and share your feelings. They are there for you. You will get through it together while still living life and creating memories with them also.’
His words came out slow and soft, like he knew no amount of words could truly take away the pain, yet he could only try, and that’s what mattered: to understand the love someone had for a person and to simply be there for them and support them.
‘Dan.’ Louisa turned round to look at him, taking in everything he said and feeling a lot lighter for it. ‘Thank you, you are right. It’s important we make the most of every single second with those we love; therefore, when they are gone we have a book full of wonderful memories that we can read from every day, almost like we can live and experience them all over again. Grandpa gave me a hundred books full of amazing memories that I will think of every day, but I must also continue writing the chapters with my family and not miss a single second with them.’
She paused and took a step back, feeling grateful for this new philosophical outlook. ‘Dan?’ she said again, looking him in the eyes and dabbing at the wetness of her cheeks with her onesie. She cleared her throat once more. ‘Dan, make sure you grab hold of those you love and make those memories and not just the fly-by memories but the out of this world, most incredible, magical, heart-soaring memories that would almost seem like a Disney fairy tale if you read it back. OK? Oh, and if gorgeous, funny, talented chefs go around making up daft stories about made-up boyfriends and perfect men, don’t let them stop you going after what you want. Don’t miss out on opportunities or waste any more time. Go and write those chapters you want to read, right this second.’
Dan looked at her, a smile appearing subtly on his ruggedly handsome face, his cheeks slightly flushed. Louisa hugged him for a second time. She knew Dan was a smart guy and was more than confident that he knew exactly what she was referring to. ‘Grandpa liked you very much, Dan. No doubt Amanda told you he always asked about you and would have loved to have seen you again. Life is short – there’s no time to wait.’
Without waiting for him to reply, she made her way back into the dining room, walking past the rosemary plant, grabbing a handful and taking a big sniff as she stepped through the door.
***
The lanterns were in the shape of tiny stars. They hung from the orange trees down to the gate below. By the door a ceramic blue and yellow pot held a bunch of long twigs, each glistening with gold flecks under the moonlight. There were three windows at the front of the house, the centre ledge of each one boasted its own bright and colourful Christmas ornament.
The first window Louisa looked at had a red and gold arch that was home to three long stem candles. The second window displayed a small gingerbread house made out of porcelain. The lights bounced off it giving off a disco effect on the rose curtains beside it. In the third window above the door, a baby tree twirled around playing a soft Christmas tune. Louisa felt like she had walked into Santa’s grotto and she was only in the garden.
‘It’s just through here, amore mia,’ Luca said. She looked over to him to see him standing on the spot watching her. He had his hand out in the direction of the front door yet didn’t seem in a hurry to go inside. His features softened and a light flush rose in his cheeks, highlighting his perfect cheekbones when she looked at him. He smiled, dimples appearing either side of his gorgeous lips, making Louisa’s knees wobble. She could stand here and stare at him all night and happily risk frostbite, she thought.
‘You’re telling me this is where your parents live? Luca, it’s like a Christmas wonderland,’ she breathed, feeling like she had walked into something straight from a Pinterest board. She walked over to Luca, and taking his hand she stepped up to the front door and was greeted by a stunning twine wreath dusted in fake snow with sprigs of holly leaves sticking out of the top.
‘Si, Signorina. My parents are big fans of this holiday,’ he said, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it gently.
‘Do they decorate inside too?’ Louisa asked, turning to face him, her eyes wide with excitement. Out of nowhere, Luca cupped her face and kissed her sweetly. His lips lingered on hers for a moment when he slowly pulled back.
‘You look beautiful when you are excited,’ he said. ‘You have eyes like a Disney princess,’ he added, tracing his thumb over her cheek. ‘Are you ready to go inside?’
Louisa hesitated for a moment. For one she was trying to compose herself after Luca kissed her. His kisses tasted like the mouth-watering cakes he made at his family’s shop. Needless to say, he tasted yummy. And two, though Luca made her feel so welcome with his warm features and kind heart, she still felt a nervous flutter in her stomach that she was about to meet his whole family.
The door creaked open and Louisa was instantly hit with the smell of almonds and cocoa. She had barely placed one foot inside the house before an older lady, a touch taller than she was, with bright blue eyes and long, wavy, dirty blonde hair ambushed her. She could only be Luca’s mother. The lady embraced her tightly for a good minute before stepping back, still holding on to Louisa’s arm, and introducing herself as Rose, Luca’s mother.
Rose guided her through the hallway, past the gallery of family photos Louisa really wanted to look at, and into the living room where two people sat chatting away by the most spectacular Christmas tree Louisa had ever seen. Her jaw dropped as she took in this dazzling six-foot tree adorned with gold and silver tinsel and every ornament she felt had ever been made. From wooden Santas to felt gingerbread men and tiny red robins, to glass angels, candy canes and pasta, it was a beautiful explosion of Christmas spirit dangling from every branch.
Louisa was mesmerized. She took a step closer wanting to examine each bauble and was caught off guard with a running hug as two little arms wrapped round her legs. Luca was quick to catch her just before she hit the floor.
‘Mamma mia,’ a voice shouted out. ‘Matilde, Matilde, stai attento, stai attento.’ A gorgeous blonde woman with a red skater dress and matching red bow in her hair ran over and scooped up the little girl, the culprit behind the hug attack. The woman bounced the girl up and down in her arms and looked at Louisa. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘She seems to like you already,’ she added with an apologetic chuckle.
Louisa straightened up, patting Luca on his arm, thanking him for catching her, then she bent slightly to look Matilde in the eye and offered her a smile. The girl’s eyes were crystal blue like Luca’s and she had the prettiest face. ‘Hi, Matilde, I’m Louisa. Thank you for my hug,’ she whispered, then raised her eyes to meet the woman’s. ‘Hi, I’m Louisa and please it’s no problem at all – she’s a sweetheart,’ Louisa said, shaking her head to signal it was nothing. Hugs were more than welcome.
The lady balanced Matilde on one hip and reached out a French-manicured hand. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Louisa. I’m Giulia, mum of Matilde and sister of Luca,’ she said, nodding in Luca’s direction before turning to a man sat by the fire smiling up at them. ‘And this is our papa,’ she added pointing at the man, who promptly stood up and embraced Louisa in a hug. He patted her on the back as he squeezed her.
‘Ciao, bella, welcome to our home. I’m so sorry to hear about your grandpa – please if there’s anything you need, our home is your home. You and your family are always welcome. Oh Luca, she’s more beautiful than you described,’ he gushed, turning to look at Luca. Louisa had a feeling Luca got his sensitive side from his dad. She also felt bad for having not been more aware of her surroundings when she walked into the living room and introducing herself first, but the tree had totally absorbed all her attention.
Smiling at everyone, she took a seat on the cloud-like sofa by the tree as Rose wandered back into the room with a tray of the cutest assortment of Italian Christmas cookies and a jug of hot chocolate.
‘Thank you all so much for your kind words and hospitality. Your house is magical,’ Louisa noted, waving her hands around the room and then settling them on Luca’s knee. Her initial nerves had evaporated and she felt at home. At that moment Matilde got up, picked up a snowflake-shaped cookie and plonked herself on Louisa’s knee.
‘Matilde, you must offer Miss Louisa a cookie,’ Giulia said, gesturing towards Louisa. Matilde shuffled on Louisa’s knees until she was sat facing her, holding up her own cookie and offering Louisa a bite.
‘Thank you, sweetheart, but that’s OK. That’s your cookie, you eat it,’ she said. Matilde smiled up at her with her ocean-blue eyes and happily took a big bite. Luca laughed and picked up the tray of cookies and placed it in front of Louisa. She chose a chocolate reindeer and relaxed, leaning back into the sofa. The chocolate melted in her mouth. She chatted with Luca’s family and watched Luca play a game of tickle monster with little Matilde. He seemed too good to be true.
‘So, what do you do?’ Giulia asked, her Italian rolling off her tongue in the most musical and eloquent way. Louisa envied her accent and hoped with more practice now that she was here in Italy itself that she too might sound as beautiful as Giulia one day. She swallowed another scrumptious bite of a cinnamon Santa cookie, which she told herself would be her last one – she didn’t want to spoil lunch in an hour’s time – before speaking.
‘I hope to be a fashion designer one day. There’s been a few bumps in the road so far, but Italy has inspired me all over again.’ Louisa watched as Giulia clapped her hands together with a delighted expression, her stunning highlights glowing from under the trees lights. This woman could be a movie star. Everyone in Luca’s family was gorgeous.
‘Mamma mia, perfetto, oh perfetto, Louisa,’ Giulia said with a squeal that still sounded more petite hummingbird than Louisa’s squeals of excitement that often resembled high-pitched dog whisperer. ‘I have my own boutique in Amalfi. I have loved fashion since I was a bambina, no, Papa?’ she gushed with such passion her whole face was now aglow.
‘Si, amore. Giulia had the best-dressed teddy bears in all of town,’ her papa said with a small grin, though his face was clearly beaming with pride. Louisa couldn’t quite believe her ears. She looked from this model of a woman who oozed grace, and possibly had Louisa’s dream job, to Luca, who was sat with a smile on his face so big Louisa knew he was up to something. His blue eyes were dancing with flecks of tiny fairy lights. He turned from Louisa back to his sister, with a look encouraging her to speak on.
‘Oh, Louisa, you must help me, no?’ Giulia said, as Matilde settled comfortably on her lap, clearly in need of a nap now after easily eating six biscuits. Louisa’s brows drew together. She felt confused.
‘Scusi, ma, I’d love to help but help with what?’ she asked, again looking to Luca for some information. He simply sat with that handsome smile plastered on his ridiculously gorgeous face.
Giulia squeezed Matilde tight while at the same time kneeling up onto her heels to get closer to Louisa. Rose and their papa were nestled in their chairs, drinking hot chocolate and watching their children with utter adoration. ‘Well, you see. I have been given this opportunity to do a small catwalk at next year’s Milano fashion week and I have been on the lookout for a helping hand. And you are like an angel sent from heaven. Your fashion is bellissima – you have a good eye,’ Giulia said.
Louisa looked down at her black tights and oversized silk deep purple tee and blushed. Did she really have a good eye for fashion? She had always hoped so, but it was very unique to herself. Was it Milano fashion week standard though?
Giulia continued, ‘And you draw. I would like to hire you,’ Giulia finished getting straight to the point, her hands now in praying position.
Louisa’s mouth felt dry. She looked to Luca. His face was warm and encouraging. ‘You can think about it, amore, if it’s too much right now. There is no rush,’ he noted, taking her hands in his. At that moment she had to admit the feeling of being overwhelmed was strong, but in a good way. She believed with all her might her grandpa was watching her, looking out for her at every turn, but now here with Luca and his family and how at home she felt, she knew – she really, truly knew it to be true. This was a sign and one that she was grateful for. She stood from her place on the sofa and took a seat cross-legged on the floor next to Giulia and Matilde.
‘When do I start?’ she asked. This was an uncharacteristically bold move for Louisa as she knew how she had reacted when Sabrina said she was moving to LA. She hadn’t been all that supportive or kind about her sister’s decision. Yet now with the magic of Christmas in the air and a gold thread that led the way to her dreams, she felt it was right, that she couldn’t possibly miss this opportunity – even if it meant taking a huge leap of faith and leaving the comfort of home.
She had apologized to Sabrina for the way she had behaved all those years ago and more recently too. She had trodden on her sister’s dreams and had often given her a hard time when she should have been applauding her for doing something so terrifying and moving halfway across the world to pursue her passion. She felt she had been forgiven.
As the bubbles of excitement danced in Louisa’s stomach she realized that it was perfectly fine to chase your dreams even when the prospect of change was frightening. Look at all the wonderful things Amanda and Sabrina had achieved, and they still made time for their family. Be it via visits, phone calls or Skype, they had been there, always, she thought.
***
‘It smells like heaven,’ Amanda said, breathing in the aroma of the pandoro cake she was cutting. ‘Can I just stuff my head inside the box, Zia? This smell is addictive,’ she added, lifting the box closer to her nose and inhaling its sweet scent.
‘Italians make the best desserts,’ Zia Sofia replied with a casual shrug as she smiled lovingly at Amanda.
They had just devoured Christmas lunch and everyone was sitting in the living room watching the Italian Christmas mass while Amanda and Zia Sofia were preparing the cakes and espressos. The kitchen felt even cosier today. The often chilly room was warm and snug after the morning’s festive breakfast extravaganza and recent Christmas feast preparations. The oven was finally getting a little break. No doubt it would be on again later this evening to heat up the leftovers.
Everywhere you looked there were pandoro boxes, golden trays with that white packaging with Pasticceria Pansa emblazoned all over it piled up, plates wrapped in foil, underneath bearing the best food in the world from pizzaiola, trout with mint, mashed potato, roast potatoes, stuffed peppers and risotto. Amanda was full, but her mouth already watered at the thought of a midnight feast.
‘I think if I was to eat just one thing for the rest of my days it would be your starters, Zia Sofia. You make it to perfection.’ Amanda was referring to the fresh plate of homemade mozzarella, prosciutto, homegrown tomatoes, artichoke hearts, salami and a boiled egg, mixed with a light drizzle of homemade olive oil. It sounded simple but the flavours and tastes that came from these pure and rich ingredients were better than anything she had ever tasted.
‘But then I would happily eat buckets full of your fiori di zucca every day for the rest of my life if I could. Grandpa loved making those,’ she continued. Her heart stung thinking about Grandpa. He would have loved today, being in Italy with the family. They hadn’t experienced a Christmas in Italy in a long time. Amanda wished she’d thought about it sooner. She blinked back tears and got back to talking about the one thing she and Grandpa could talk about for hours on end: food. ‘Everything was amazing, Zia. Your food inspires me.’
‘You are special, my girl. Your passion will take you far,’ Zia Sofia said. She kissed Amanda’s cheek and plated the Mandorla Torte.
‘Can I help with anything?’ Dan asked, walking into the room and over to Zia Sofia. ‘The food was out of this world, Sofia – thank you for having me,’ he added, putting an arm around her shoulders and giving her half a hug.
‘Ahh, grazie, grazie, you are a gentleman,’ Zia Sofia cried, waving her arms at Dan and reaching up to grab his cheeks. ‘You found a nice man, Amanda.’
‘As far as best friends go, yeah, he’s not bad,’ Amanda said, laughing. She would find the right time to tell Dan how she felt, but right now she just wanted to enjoy Christmas Day. Having him here in Italy with her was the best present she had received and the fact that he had made the journey to be with her at a time when she had most needed it had meant everything to her. She was not about to ruin things or seem greedy. She had Dan by her side and it felt right.
‘You’re not too bad yourself,’ Dan replied, flashing his gorgeous smile her way. As he took the tray from Zia Sofia, he leant towards Amanda. ‘Are we OK?’ he whispered.
‘Yes, we’re fine, Dan. I’m sorry, just forget everything I said please. I was tired and a lot had been going on,’ Amanda replied, opening up a box of biscotti and adding them to her tray, not quite able to look him in the eye when their noses were almost touching.
‘I’m sorry too. Can we talk about all this later?’ he asked. He had eyelashes that would make mascara jealous, Amanda had always thought. They flickered when his eyes grew worried.
‘Sure,’ Amanda answered. A shiver shot down her spine and a flush rose in her cheeks at the proximity of Dan’s lips.
‘OK, good,’ Dan said and then turned back to helping Zia Sofia carry the trays to the living room. Amanda gave them a little head-start, allowing her heart rate to go back to normal. Once she composed herself, she followed them back into the living room.
‘Cake and coffee for everyone,’ she said, passing out bowls of the most scrumptious pandoro made with Nanna’s Italian custard. It was a Christmas tradition and one of her favourites. She could eat the entire cake if her sisters let her.
‘Who wants to open presents?’ Mum asked, kneeling down by the Christmas tree.
‘Lou, I hope you got your sisters one of those onesies. It’s quite spectacular,’ Dad said to Lou, who was now back in her Olaf onesie after visiting Luca’s family this morning. There was nothing like stepping in through your front door and immediately putting your PJs on.
Amanda watched their interaction. Dad was sat in the armchair near the tree, cradling a beer and, worryingly, Amanda noticed he actually seemed serious about the onesies. There wasn’t a sarcastic smirk to be seen on his face. Louisa touched the tip of her nose and then pointed to Dad with a wink.
‘I think that would look awesome on you, Bri,’ Levi said playfully. Sabrina was curled up next to him on the rug. She looked happy, and Levi – Amanda was pleased to see – looked totally besotted. He looked at Sabrina in a way she had never seen him look at anyone in the three years she had known him.
She sat herself down next to Dan and tucked her feet underneath herself on the sofa. Once she was nice and comfy she dug into her pandoro and watched as Mum passed out presents. Mum looked radiant. Her peachy glow was back and the dark circles under her eyes were slowly disappearing. Amanda had thought she couldn’t possibly love her mum any more than she already did, but seeing her strength shine over the past few weeks, how she put everyone’s feelings and needs first, when she had just experienced the most devastating loss, well, Amanda had a new respect and admiration for her.
In that moment she vowed to look after her mum and dad the way they had, and continued to, look after their own parents. She didn’t want to lie to her mum and leave her in the dark about work and what was going on with Jeff at the restaurant; furthermore, she was done putting up with Jeff and feeling sorry for herself when she was the one allowing him to treat her with such disrespect. She knew what she had to do and no doubt when she got home she wouldn’t have a choice. By the sounds of Anthony’s voicemails, her reputation was close to being in tatters thanks to Jeff’s antics since she’d been gone.
She closed her eyes and with her last bite of the fluffy, buttery pandoro cake, she allowed her taste buds to take over her thoughts and her worries to melt away.
‘You know, that food was better than any restaurant I’ve ever been to, Amanda,’ Dan said quietly, leaning in to her. ‘Out of all the places I’ve been in San Francisco, the dishes we just ate, there’s no comparison. It was exceptional.’ Amanda slowly opened her eyes to see Dan wink at her. She felt comforted by his words, her heart elated that Dan had loved the food that she and her family had made for him. Dan had tried her food before on many occasions, but with the produce here and the love of her aunties guiding her, the food became exquisite. It took on colours, flavours and aromas of its own.
‘I’m glad you liked it, I really am. I’m so happy you’re here,’ she said, leaning in to hug him. The pandoro had settled the fuzziness in her stomach and she felt calm. No doubt the Marsala that Nanna had drenched the cake in had something to do with that. Releasing Dan from her hug she got a whiff of one of her favourite scents. He smelt of a mix of mint, green apple and lemon zest and whenever she smelt it, it wrapped her up in a comforting blanket. She could live with being best friends with Dan, she thought. He had been a pretty awesome best friend so far. As he stroked her hair, she considered herself extremely fortunate.
‘You do know that the restaurant we have been talking about for the past few years can be a reality, don’t you? You have all the tools,’ he said, his voice calm and encouraging and forever all knowing. He knew that she knew. She was confident in her work and loved the idea of working for herself, designing her own menus, getting to know her customers more, but there was always that shred of doubt that seeped in every time she thought about it. What happened if no one came? What happened if she put her all into it and failed? She hated to admit it, but she was scared.
‘I know, Dan,’ she replied, patting his arm. ‘Thanks.’
‘Amanda, open yours,’ Louisa practically yelled from across the room, where she and Luca sat by Mum near the tree. Louisa was still a big kid when it came to Christmas. She adored giving everyone gifts and she wasn’t opposed to receiving them either. ‘That’s from Brina,’ she added, kneeling up and crawling on her knees to pass the parcel to Amanda. Luca watched her, a loving awe in his eyes.
‘OK, OK, oooh what is it?’ Amanda asked taking the elegant gold box from Louisa. Amanda began unwrapping it carefully. Beneath the gold wrapping was a white box and inside the pristine white box lay the most stunning piece of jewellery Amanda had ever seen. ‘Oh, Brina, it’s so enchanting. I love it,’ she said, not taking her eyes off the little diamond that sparkled, almost bewitching her as she looked at it. She held up the delicate white gold pendant and choked out a laugh. She got up and walked over to her sister, wrapping her arms around her tightly. ‘I’ll never take it off,’ she whispered in Sabrina’s ear.
‘I’m glad you like it,’ Sabrina said, her eyes a little watery.
‘What did you get? Mine’s a star,’ Louisa said, holding up a necklace just as striking.
‘Mine’s a lemon,’ Amanda replied, as she walked back to the couch to show Dan. ‘I love it so much.’ She sat back down, holding the precious piece in her palm. Dan gently took it from her and carefully opened the clasp. Amanda automatically turned her back to him and lifted up her wavy hair to move it out the way. Dan placed the delicate pendant around her neck, the cold white gold lemon making her shiver as it touched her skin.
‘Now you know I’m always thinking about you even when I’m so far away. I hope you understand my meanings behind them and I hope you know how much I love you both,’ Sabrina said as Levi wrapped his arms around her.
Amanda looked over and saw Nanna had tears in her eyes, as did her aunties. They were a very emotional family. Of course, she knew what her sister had meant by the designs. She was always cooking with lemons, their favourite adventures growing up would involve hunting for the biggest, juiciest lemons outside in the garden, followed by an afternoon spent making the most fabulous lemon desserts with Grandpa and Nanna. ‘Thank you, Sabrina, of course,’ she sighed and looked over at her sister who was now helping Louisa put her necklace on.
Amanda heard Sabrina whisper, ‘Louisa, you aim for the moon, even if you miss you will land amongst the stars. Capisci?’ Louisa too teared up and squeezed Sabrina tight. Before Amanda could get too emotional she felt Dan’s hand squeeze her knee as he gave her a comforting kiss on the top of her head.
They continued to open a few presents while chatting away. Amanda had refilled everyone’s bowls with pandoro and custard and Dan was now topping up everyone’s coffee. Reaching Amanda, he poured her a fresh cup and gently placed a rectangle-shaped gift on her knee.
‘Merry Christmas,’ he said, his eyes bright with excitement. ‘Go on, open it.’ He placed the coffee pot on the wooden coffee table.
‘Wait,’ Amanda said jumping up and racing over to the Christmas tree. She kneeled down and pulled a similar-shaped present from underneath the tree and rushed back over to Dan. She sensed that everyone was watching them, but she felt too giddy to worry about how her sisters would twist this one.
‘For you,’ she said, handing Dan her gift.
‘Together,’ Dan said taking the package from her and sitting down next to her.
Together they unwrapped their gifts. As each piece of wrapping paper fell to the floor, a butterfly began fluttering in Amanda’s stomach. There was a whole cage of butterflies in her stomach by the time she had finished. She was finding it hard to form words; she just sat ogling the book that she was now holding. She swallowed and looked up as she realized that Dan had stopped opening his gift and his eyes were watching her closely.
‘But, Dan, where? How did you? This can’t be.’ The words tumbled out incoherently.
Dan’s face immediately formed into a dazzling smile, his eyes appearing somewhat shy. ‘You’ve had your eyes on it forever,’ he said with a small shrug, before turning back to his own unwrapping. Amanda watched him as he shed the remaining paper and looked down at the gift she had bought for him.
‘This is awesome, Amanda.’ He paused. ‘Seriously, this is unreal, you are incredible,’ he continued, shaking his head and putting his book-free hand through his hair.
‘It’s a little battered and bruised and not exactly pristine but I thought it added character,’ Amanda replied, referring to the first edition of Tristessa by Jack Kerouac that she had bought for him.
‘That’s exactly what I was thinking; it’s amazing,’ Dan said, leaning over to embrace her. ‘I love it.’
‘I’m glad you like it. I still can’t quite fathom that I am now the proud owner of a first edition copy of The Dharma Bums. You always know exactly what to get me,’ she said, pushing him away and punching him in the arm with one hand and clutching the book close to her chest with the other.
‘Only the best for my best girl,’ he replied, ruffling her hair playfully in lieu of a punch.
Amanda clocked Sabrina and Louisa smirking at each other from across the room. Louisa was kneeling up, looking like a meerkat, matching Sabrina’s sly smile, as they both looked at Amanda and then back at each other.
Amanda simply rolled her eyes and made herself comfy again on the couch, choosing to ignore her sisters’ meddling looks. Cradling her precious book, she rested her head on Dan’s shoulder and let the chatter and love that filled the room take over her thoughts. She took in her surroundings. The living-room rug was littered with wrapping paper, and boxes and boxes of all sorts of Italian treats.
Amanda’s family knew her all too well and seemed to be preparing her for when she got home. There were cakes from Pansa, Baci, Perugina bars, Italian herbs, cheese, sausage and crossini. She wasn’t too sure she would be able to get through the airport with Italian sausage in her bag, but she sure would try. Grandpa always seemed to get away with it – maybe his luck would rub off on her and airport security would be kind.
She watched her family laughing, eating and chatting to one another and she felt nothing but contentment. She looked over at the painting of Padre Pio hanging on the wall and whispered ‘Thank you, Grandpa. Buona Natale.’