"Please, sit down. You must be tired. Would you like some ice-cream?" asked Giulia.
"Yes, thank you, Auntie." Libero accepted gladly. "Where's Elio?"
"Elio is in his room. He'll be here in a minute." replied Carlo. He was mad because his son would not even bother to come and greet his cousin, who had travelled a long way just to pick him up. As he started walking towards Elio's room,
Libero began to speak:"Don't worry, uncle Carlo. I'll go. I want to surprise him. Just tell me which one is his room."
As soon as Carlo pointed out Elio's room, Libero threw himself towards the door. Libero’s cry of happiness could be heard from the corridor whilst he was greeting his cousin.
Not even Elio, despite his usual coldness, could avoid Libero's spinning hug.
Gaia looked at her mother and whispered:
"I did not remember that he was that gullible!"
"Don't say that." promptly scolded her Giulia. "He's a good boy. And he's very kind too."
"Yeah, but... Are you sure he'll drive us safely to the farm." Gaia uncertainly asked.
"Of course, that he will!" Carlo reassured her. "Do not underestimate him. He and his mother keep the farm going. He's strong and smart."
Dinner time came by and was spent cheerfully. In fact, Libero had brought with him all the festivity and liveliness of the countryside, which was very much appreciated by everyone but Elio.
"I'm really looking forward to showing you around." finished up Libero after he had described the farm to his cousin.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for a couple of days before you leave again?" asked Giulia.
"I can't leave mum on her own this time of the year. There's a lot to take care of."
"You are right, Libero. You really are a good boy." Carlo praised him, gently patting him on the shoulder.
"You know, uncle Carlo, I was asking myself something. Before coming here to the city, I thought you were supposed to honk the horn only in an emergency..."
"Yeah, that's right." replied Carlo. "Why?"
"Because it seems like everyone uses it as if they were playing music at a party! They never stop honking!"
Everyone burst out laughing, except for Elio, who was wondering whether Libero was joking or not...
Third Chapter
He realized that the boy was in terror, and burst into laughter
The following morning Libero got Giulia out of her bed, after he had tripped over the corridor's carpet. So, Giulia and he found themselves having breakfast before everyone else had even opened their eyes. When the smell of fresh coffee had invaded Carlo's bedroom, he also made his way to the kitchen and started explaining what had been wrong with Elio lately.
"Do not worry." Libero assured them. "This out-door experience will help him. And mum already has a strategy!"
Once they had reached the train station, Giulia could not stop giving recommendations and making sure that the kids would behave.
Gaia could not wait; she was excited and curious. On the other hand, it was clear that Elio was only being dragged into this. On top of that, he was also carrying along Gaia's heavy luggage only because Libero made him : "Ladies should not carry weights!" he said, which caused Elio to roll his eyes. He could not bear his cousin already.
Libero was wearing a pair of jeans, t-shirt and a civil protection yellow ocher baseball cap, which seemed completely out of place to his cousins. Moreover, he was carrying the remaining luggage with such easiness that they might as well have been empty.
The train departed perfectly on time. There was no one else in the car they had been allocated to. After Libero had arranged all baggage onto the overhead compartment, he suggested:
"Gaia, come with me. Let's go to the restaurant car and let's get some more breakfast. It's going to be a long journey and you'll need all your strength. Elio can watch the luggage. No one will even come close to them. If someone does, bark!" said Libero to his cousin. "And if you stop pulling such a long face, we might even bring you something to eat..."
Gaia and Libero exited the car, which turned out to be a great comfort for Elio who wanted to be alone.
He was staring at the repetitive landscapes outside his window. They had just travelled past the industrial area of the city and they had begun to be surrounded by fields and hills that were alternating again and again.
All of a sudden, on the window pane he noticed the reflection of an old man sitting in the aisle seat next to his.
When did he get into the car? He did not hear the doors open.
The old man was dressed in black and was wearing some odd glasses on his nose. He was reading a black leather book that looked about a century old, whose pages were made out of tissue paper. On his head he had a wide-brimmed hat that was covering up his face. The whole scene was rather unsettling.
Elio did not turn around, yet was keeping an eye on him through the reflection on the window pane. He felt frightened of being on his own with that man. At that moment he surely did want his big and strong cousin to be by his side. However, neither he nor Gaia were approaching.
In the meantime, the old man was still reading his book. Every once in a while, he would look at an old watch that he was keeping inside the breast pocket of his waistcoat, elegantly worn underneath his old-fashioned suit.
This would annoy Elio even more, who kept wondering what or whom that man was waiting for. It certainly must have been something of extraordinary importance given that he was constantly looking at his watch.
Suddenly, after checking the time once more, the old man closed his book and bowed down to get something inside a black bag that he was keeping between his legs. As he was bowing down, his trousers slightly went up and revealed his black ankles and some odd black thin socks that looked like black fur.
Elio was not able to contain his apprehension and started shaking. As he was going through his own bag, the old man burst out laughing as if he had perceived Elio's terror. It was a long, deep and gloomy laughter that resounded into his ears. Elio coved up his ears with his hands to try and stop hearing that noise. He closed his eyes to avoid looking at the man's reflection on the window pane and started praying to himself: "Libero, come back. Libero, come back."
Then, the automatic door of the car was abruptly opened.
"Elio, what are you doing? Did you catch an ear infection in the city? Do not infect us countrymen with these urban viruses!"
Elio startled. Then, after he had recognized Libero's playful voice, turned around and saw his cousin laugh; he was holding a shopping bag and a soft drink in his hands. Gaia was standing right behind him and was biting into a huge croissant.
There was no trace of the old man. He disappeared just like he had previously appeared. Everything belonging to him was gone: his book, his watch and his bag.
Libero sat down next to Elio and after having passed him a croissant, he noticed that he was shaking.
"Did something happen?" he asked.
"I think it's just some motion sickness." lied Elio.
Gaia understood that her brother was having one of his crises and promised herself she would address the problem to Libero.
The rest of the trip was quiet. Libero described the harvest festival that was going to take place soon and was going to involve all neighbouring villages. It was going to be held outdoors and the evening was going to be livened up by traditional dances like the taranta, and more modern ones.
Elio was looking at his sister and cousin, and asked himself how those two had managed to get along so quickly. Despite that, he was glad to be travelling with them. All those events were worrying him. Was he being victim of some sort of plot against his persona, or was he going insane?
Libero got nervous as it was time to get off the train. He saw from the window Mrs Gina's house, which was taken as a reference point. As soon the train stopped, he took the bags. Then, after Gaia had opened the door, he nervously rushed out of the train like those who are not used to travelling very often.
The locals would consider that a station, but actually it was nothing but a stop in the middle of nowhere. The only comforts were given by a pierced platform roof and a broken ticket machine that would transmit a pre-recorded message saying "Be careful, this station is not under surveillance. Beware of pickpockets".
Libero took a deep breath and said:
"Finally, fresh air. Welcome to Campoverde."
"I can already smell the fields." noticed Gaia. "Can you, Elio?"
Elio could not feel any difference compared to the city, and he just shrugged his shoulders.
"Elio, take Gaia's luggage. I will carry the other ones." ordered Libero.
Gaia unexpectedly enjoyed Libero's gentlemanly behaviour, which usually would have annoyed her. But Libero was so genuine that she was amused by it and played along with him. Maybe she had been too hasty in judging him as a fool...
Gaia and Libero walked right in front of the speaking ticket machine, which was repeating the same sentences all over again, and then they headed towards the underpass smiling.
Elio had to grab Gaia's big luggage by its handle in order to climb down and up the stairs of the underpass. He was completely worn out.
On the last few steps he made the last efforts hoping that aunt Ida would be waiting in the parking lot to drive them home.
But when he got into the parking lot, he noticed that no one was waiting for them. Libero, with Gaia by his side, headed west along a narrow road that was poorly paved. Two canals were flowing alongside the road and were separating it from the corn fields on one side and wheat fields on the other.
Elio, who was desperately trying to catch his breath, yelled at them stop for a second. His sister turned around confused. She could not remember the last time her brother had spoken with such a tone, let alone had yelled in that way.
"Where's Aunt Ida's car?" asked Elio.
"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you. She called me saying that she could not come. Camilla, our cow, is in labour and mum cannot leave her alone at the moment."
"Camilla? In labour? What are we going to do?" asked Elio panting.
"Don't worry. It's only four miles and then we'll be at the farm." Libero soothingly replied.
"Four miles?" were Elio's last words.
"Come on! Your sister's luggage is a carry-on!" Libero teased him, and then he got back to walking.
In the distance the first couple of houses can be seen.
"Here it is! The house behind the cherry tree is ours. It's the farm."
Libero pointed at a venetian red farm with green blinds. A luxuriant and well looked after garden stretched from the front door to the clotheslines that was marking the beginning of the stable. Only fields beyond it.
"Mum, we're here!" yelled Libero, dropping off the baggage on the driveway and running towards the stable.
Aunt Ida came out of the frontdoor.
"My niece and nephew!" she screamed out of joy.
Gaia threw her arms around her neck. Elio, who was exhausted, moved close to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. just to be polite.
Ida was in her 50's, but her natural beauty had not faded yet. She was a thin, average-heighted woman... Her body was well proportioned even though, her arms and legs were more muscly and stronger that a runner's. The hard life of the farm was her daily work out. She had her blonde hair in a ponytail, and her fair skin would make her beautiful green eyes stand out, just like her nephew's.
Meanwhile, Libero was coming back from the stable, all smiling.
"Camilla had a female baby cow! More milk for us!"
Aunt Ida invited them indoors. The table was set and the smell of a delicious lunch was floating in the air. The kids were hungry and ate everything. Gaia could not stop telling her aunt her emotions that she had felt throughout the journey.
After lunch, Gaia helped Ida cleaning up. Libero, on the other hand, dragged Elio around the farm asking him, or rather ordering to help him out.
In the evening, aunt Ida explained that the attic was going to be their summer bedroom. However, for now they were going to sleep on the sofa bed in the living room up until the attic was going to be ready.
Gaia rushed upstairs and followed her aunt to see the attic. Elio, on the other hand, was shocked by the additional bad news.
They walked up to the first floor, where Ida and Libero would be sleeping. On the same floor, there was also Ercole's bedroom, the youngest cousin who was off to summer camp. Ida pointed at the wooden ladder that was leading up to the attic. She was not going to climb up there as she was already tired of going up and down the stairs. In fact, she had already been during the day in order to air the room.
In the meantime, aunt Ida went into her bedroom and secretly called up Giulia, her sister-in-law, to update her.
The phone did not even ring twice. Giulia picked up straight away.
"Hello dear, how is it going?" asked Ida.
"Everything is going well, thanks. But tell me. How did he go?"
"He managed to walk here from the station without passing out. He thought I was going to drive them home. Libero lied and told him that our cow, Camilla, was in labour." Ida was laughing.
"I would have liked to see him sweat!"
"After we had lunch..." Ida began to say, but Giulia interrupted her.
"Did he eat anything?"
"Yes, he ate both the first and the second course."
"Wow! At home he doesn't even have a bite of a sandwich."
"It's hard though." said Ida. "But I'm sure he will get better."
