Reputation's Play (Book 1)

Ch.33 Home Is Where The Heart Is

Chapter 33 Home Is where the heart is

Daisy looked down at Gia's trembling hand between them with a deep frown. She gripped it firmly and tugged Gia to move a bit closer in the back seat of the car.

"You're going to be okay," she whispered into the girl's ear.

Gia nodded with a weak smile, "Yeah."

"You weren't this anxious on the flight here," Daisy observed.

"I took something to sleep through it," Gia took a deep breath. "I passed out."

"No wonder," Daisy said. "I hardly got any sleep with Theo crying the whole time."

"Is he okay?" Gia looked over into the car seat.

"Fine now," Daisy smiled, checking on her baby.

"Are you excited?" Gia wondered aloud.

"I should be," Daisy turned back to look at her friend. "But honestly, I'm just worried about you and Luca."

Gia nodded.

"Are you excited?" Daisy asked.

A half smile appeared on Gia's lips, "I should be."

"But you're not," Daisy noticed.

"I'm just...." Gia took another deep breath to calm her nerves. Her palms were sweating and her legs felt awkward. She was already tugging at the hem of her dress and they hadn't even gotten off the car yet.

"Nervous?" Daisy finished. "I think that's normal."

Luca listened quietly from the front passenger seat as the car made its way towards Del Mare. The winding road gave way to flat lands before the first sight of the Del Mare began to appear in the horizon. Everyone in the car held their breath as they drove into the one road town. Gia immediately sat up straight and moved to the edge of her seat to look out the window.

"It's all the same," she said in disbelief as the car drove down the cobblestone path towards the houses up the hill. "The ice cream shop, the bars, the old motel with the wooden doors and balcony."

"Wow," Daisy leaned over Gia's shoulder to peer at the charming town they had arrived at. She had only ever seen such a place on post cards or in photographs.

"Daisy," Luca called her name. "Look there."

Gia and Daisy turned just in time to see the marketplace with the flower stands, bakers, and the vegetable tables.

"Your grandma used to bring you here," Daisy said, remembering all the stories Gia had told her. "And that's the cafe where all the old men sit around and smoke!"

"Yes," Gia suddenly laughed, seeing her best friend's excitement. "You see that big building? That's like the town hall or community center. During the summers when everyone is here they have game nights or dances there in the evening."

"That's that?" Daisy leaned forward and pointed to the building at the top of the hill.

"That's the church," Luca said. "To the right, there are footpaths that lead down to the beaches. This road goes around the church and comes back down."

"What are those buildings on the side?" Daisy wondered, noticing the lavish homes behind massive gates.

"That's home," Gia said. "There are four main families in Del Mare. Us, the Banano's, the Capello's and ..... The Dimaggio's."

"The families are considered to be the founders of the town," Luca explained. "They live on the hills closer to the church. Everyone else lives in town."