CAPO

44. Home

Arabella groaned, lifting her hands above her head as she straightened her back, leaning side to side as she stretched, momentarily feeling her back crack.

The plane just landed, Arabella having slept through most of it. Giovanni didn't move from his seat more than two times during the entire flight, and when Arabella fell asleep curled into a ball in her seat, Giovanni spent the entire time staring at her, wondering how he got so lucky.

And when they landed, Giovanni was dressed completely different. In place of the usual dress trousers, he wore a pair of dark blue trousers, a crisp white short sleeved shirt unbuttoned lower than usual, and his hair was curlier than ever.

He woke her up gently, pressing kisses on her face. She swatted him off like he was a fly, and he grew impatient and opted for tugging her up by her wrists, ignoring her groans of protest.

"Up, baby. We're here," He had said, smiling softly at her. And as she stretched her arms above her head, Giovanni made his way to the exit of the plane, following behind as the pilot carried out their suitcases. Giovanni stretched too, cracking his neck and fingers, rolling his head around, getting rid of the tense muscles.

Arabella tiredly made her way behind her lover, and once she stepped out, warm, dry air engulfed her, warming her skin.

The Birmingham air left her lungs immediately, and so did the thoughts that came with the city. She stepped down the stairs, her eyes watching everything around her. The sky was clear and the sun burned brightly on them, making her curse herself for wearing jeans.

She looked at Giovanni, seeing how he was already watching her. She held her hand out and he took it, tugging her to him. He slugged his arm around her as they made their way to the sleek black Nissan that stood a few feet from them, the pilot already putting their belongings in the trunk.

After opening the door for Arabella, Giovanni spoke to the pilot for a few minutes before he climbed into the drivers seat, the car humming alive under them as he started it.

He swerved onto the road from the airport, and Arabella wasted no time in sticking her head out of the rolled down window, resting her chin on her folded arms, her excited smile causing her cheeks to hurt.

Trees upon trees and green bushes and flowers everywhere, Arabella almost couldn't believe her eyes. And as the trees came to a sudden end, her eyes widened instantly as she saw mass amounts of water. The ocean moved slowly and curiously, licking at the beach below her before it went back, bringing more steady, white waves.

Her hair whipped around her, her nose inhaling the fresh air Italy so graciously provided its residents. They drove on a curved road high over the beach houses, and colourful umbrella's and people with white and black and yellow swimsuits walked below them, completely used to the paradise they lived in every day.

The car slowed to a stop. Arabella hadn't noticed how long they were driving, but it must've been long because they were in Sicily now, and Giovanni rested his arm on the door ontop of the opened window, holding onto the steering wheel with one ringed hand, his sunglasses sitting on his nose, his voice softly humming along to the Italian radio song that played, completely oblivious to just how perfect he looked. He looked so Italian in that moment that Arabella almost couldn't recognise him.

They hadn't spoken for a while, both of them silently enjoying the sights. Arabella looked up at the old buildings, and she smiled at everyone they drove past. Everyone looked so authentic and real and different from the people in Birmingham.

Flowers were everywhere, and everyone wore short sleeves and hats and she was so excited that Arabella completely forgot how to breathe for a few seconds.

A moment later, they drove down a small hill and an array of beach houses came into view. Arabella guessed which one was Giovanni's in her head. There was a pristine white house that looked to be one story, and then there was a two story yellow house with many windows and she guessed the large four story house next to the yellow one was Giovanni's.

It came as a complete shock to Arabella when she watched Giovanni drive towards the two story yellow house, the white garage door coming into view and he stopped the car just shy of it before he climbed out.

Arabella sat rooted to the spot, her excitement causing her legs to become jelly. Her door opened and she looked io at Giovanni who was smiling down at her, his sunglasses now ontop of his head. His grey eyes squinted and he licked his lips, "Ready?"

She nodded quickly before she practically jumped out of the car, now standing and waiting patiently for Giovanni, watching as he gripped onto his suitcase and one of hers and she jumped to grab her other one, holding it tightly as she smiled at her lover, only to receive an amused shake of his head.

Arabella noticed the array of bright flowers that lined the small path to his front door, the green, prospering garden holding onto her attention for a mere moment before she was brought back to Giovanni.

She trailed behind him into his home, her jaw slacking as she looked around. It smelled of vanilla and sunshine. And the walls were white all around, the small kitchen to her left and the living room right infront of her, a set of stairs leading to the second floor.

"Holy fuck," She swore under her breath, following behind Giovanni as he trailed up the stairs, an almost cocky smile on his lips. The stairs were a dark brown wood and she thought the house couldn't get any more perfect, but it did.

The second story consisted of the bedroom and a bathroom and another room that looked to be the office. The bedroom was directly across from the stairs, the bathroom a few feet from it and on the other side was another bedroom and the office. Paintings of every style hung on the walls and she readied herself for when Giovanni opened the bedroom door.

The Sun smiled as she noticed the white silk bedsheets, and the pastel yellow rug in the middle of the floor, a white dresser and when she saw the balcony, she dropped everything in her hands, hurriedly making her way towards it.

"Baby," Giovanni said, pulling her attention from the locked sliding doors. She turned, and her reaction was perfect because her hand caught onto two keys Giovanni threw to her and she smiled at her lover, turning the key in the lock, sliding the doors open.

She stepped out, immediately smelling the ocean. She squinted, pushing her hair from her face as she looked over the bright blue ocean, chewing on her bottom lip.

After a moment, she felt two heavy arms close around her shoulders, his chest pressing flush against her back, his chin leaning ontop of her head. She held onto his thick, veiny forearms, leaning her head against his chest as she looked upon the water.

"You know what we should do?" Giovanni started. Arabella hummed, shaking her head before she turned in his arms, looking up at him with a smile.

"We should go dancing,"