Back to December

Chapter two

Fall had always been a great season in Seattle. Despite its reputation of the land of evergreens, it had a lot of fall colors to offer and the mild weather was perfect to visit the city.

Carina and Alex arrived in Seattle in September, two weeks before Alex's first day of school. They spent the first days recovering from jetlag and settling in their new home.

It was a nice detached house, bigger than the one they had recently left in Italy, with a lovely, white porch and a small backyard where the little boy could play safely. The house had large and bright windows and a stunning view on the Space Needle from Carina's bedroom. The hardwood floors and the fireplace in the living room gave it a cozy vibe. Gabriella thought it was perfect for her best friend and her son since it was in a nice neighborhood, just about five minutes from the elementary school and also very close to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. As soon as Carina saw the pictures Gabriella had sent her, she knew it was the one. Her best friend knew her too well.

Carina would start her new job in mid-October, so she had plenty of time to settle hers and Alexs stuff, clothes and belongings in their new home while her son was getting used to his new surroundings. He still seemed a bit upset sometimes. He hadn't start school yet and he had no friends to play with, so he often played soccer alone in the backyard. Luckily, Carina hadn't start working yet and she tried to give him all the attention she could. Whenever she saw he was about to close himself off, she always proposed something to do.

When the weather was good, they went exploring Seattle. She showed him all her favorite places in the city: they visited Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo; they went on the Great Wheel and saw the city and the ocean from above, and the mountains on the horizon. He was amazed by all those attractions. Sure, Italy, and Sicily in particular, had nothing to envy in terms of landscapes and beauty, but in the US everything was massive, especially in the eyes of a child.

Since Alex loved soccer, Carina took him to Lumen Field to watch the Seattle Sounders game against Portland Timbers. The stadium was full packed and people were so loud even if the match hadn't started yet. There was excitement and anticipation in the air as the thousands of fans started singing and chanting for the teams. The little boy was having the time of his life watching the two teams fighting for the victory while he chewed a hot slice of pizza. When Sounders scored the goal that gave them a 1-0 win, the roar of the people surrounding them scared Carina. She squinted her eyes and when she reopened them, she saw her son clapping his greasy hands along with the other fans. She was glad to finally see him so happy and carefree.

By the time the game ended, the sun was already gone. They left the stadium, got in the car and made their way home.

"Mamma?" Alex called, seeking his mother's attention while she was driving them home.

"Dimmi amore?" ("What is it, love?") Carina answered promptly.

"Do you think the other kids at school will want to be friends with me?" he asked sheepishly.

"Of course they will want to be friends with you, baby." the brunette reassured him. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I don't know, maybe they won't want to be my friends because I'm different."

"What are you talking about, Alex? You are not different. You were born in a different country, but this doesn't mean you are different, honey. You just have to be yourself." Carina answered tenderly. "You always must be proud of your heritage and of who you are. I'm proud of you Alex, don't ever forget that." she added as she took his little hand and placed it on her lap.

The little boy stayed silent for the rest of the ride home, but his face was serene after his mother's words. A few moments later he fell asleep with his head against the window. Carina took one look at her right and saw his relaxed features lit by the yellowish light of the streetlamps. A smile slowly crossed her lips as she shifted her gaze back on the road.