Sue Moorcroft Summer's Song

Final Part: Kay has some awkward questions for her hard-working musician lover Paolo…

It was July when Kay returned to Montelibertà. Summer had come to the Italian town and the streets were alive with tourists, many more than when Kay had last visited, four months ago.

The sun blazed on busy pavement cafés, street musicians played and as many English and American voices filled the air as Italian. Purple spikes of lavender were everywhere, and it made Kay think of Paolo and the lavender oil she’d so often sprinkled on her pillow.

Paolo! She didn’t need lavender to make the handsome waiter and talented musician flash into her thoughts. They’d spent their time apart emailing, sending pictures and talking on Skype. She was taking Italian classes and he was always happy to help, especially with phrases that her Italian teacher would blush to teach. She’d been practising on piano too.

And yet, and yet… she hadn’t told him about her sudden decision to take this trip. Elaine’s sister Maura had hit a gatepost with her car and had to divert her holiday money to repairs, leaving a vacant place on a “girls’ holiday” to Elaine’s apartment.

Kay, after an unexpected emotional scene with her ex, Jeremy, had been coming to the realisation that it was time to make decisions about Paolo. Elaine offering her the place had seemed meant.

Montelibertà was where her life had taken its last important step forward, and something told her it would be where she decided on the next. After a lot of heart-searching, she’d decided to meet Paolo again with no plans or expectations. Maybe it was a form of defence against disappointment if things didn’t go well.

She’d had to be persuasive to get her boss, Janice, to allow her to take annual leave at the same time as Elaine, but when she’d confided the situation concerning Paolo, Janice had sighed.

“I suppose we’ll manage somehow.”