Sincerely yours, Viviana

Push

"Oh, it's good to hear your voice, passerotta."

"I've missed you, mammina."

"I've missed you so much. How is school? Are you ready for the gala? Is your piece ready?" Ana smiled at her mothers bombardment of questions.

"Yes, mama." Ana laughed. "School is good, and everything is ready for the gala."

"Hey Mrs. De Lucia!" Adora shouted from the other side of the dorm.

"Was that Adora?" Ana's mother's voice picked up. "Hand the phone over, Ana."

Ana rolled her eyes, smiling, as she handed over her phone to Adora's waiting hand. "Addy, sweet girl, how are you?"

"I'm very good thank you, Mrs De Lucia. How is the family?"

Adora teasingly smiled at Ana as she talked on the phone to Ana's mother. The two had a running joke that Emilia De Lucia loved Addy more than she loved her own daughter. Ana was starting to think maybe it wasn't a joke anymore.

"Adora, I've told you multiple times. Call me Emie!" Emilia jokingly scolded. "The family is well, thank you, Tesoro. We all miss Ana dearly."

Adora pouted her bottom lip out at her friend, and Ana resisted the temptation to roll her eyes again and try to snatch the phone back.

"Domenico and Antonio are well," Ana's expression softened at the mention of her brother. "Oh, Addy, put the phone on speaker will you? I have some exciting news for Ana!"

Adora put the phone on speaker and placed it on the bed. "Va tutto bene, mama?"

"No, niente è sbagliato. But, do you remember Giovanni?" Ana furrowed her brows. She hadn't talked to the boy in her village since she was nine maybe?

"Si, mama... where are you going with this?"

"He wants to see you again, passerotta!" Her mother exclaimed. "He's a very handsome young man, a good Italian boy."

"Mama," Ana groaned. "I don't have time for boys. Tell Gio I'm flattered but—"

"Emie, send us a picture of him!" Adora cut in, causing Ana to push her over on the bed.

"Ovviamente, tesoro! Let me just— Domenico! Come si invia una foto, è per Ana!" Emilia shouted somewhere into the house.

"Nico is home?" Ana asked, her eyes brightening.

"Viví?" Domenico's thick Italian accent filled the room. "Mi sei mancata sorellina. Va tutto bene a scuola?"

"Si, Nico. Non devi preoccuparti per me, ho Addy." Ana laughed, her eyes welling slightly. "I miss you so much."

"Send the photo, Domenico..." Emie dragged out her sons name, waiting for him.

"Photo of what?" Domenico complained.

"Giovanni Agosti. He wants to meet with Ana when she comes home." Ana's mother didn't even try to hide her excitement.

"No." Domenico said flatly.

"Che cosa? Cosa intendi per no?" Emilia was not happy with her sons defiance, Ana could almost picture her with her hand on her hip and wagging finger she knew all too familiarly.

"I mean no, mama. Ana is too good for all of these boys. They aren't going anywhere near her."

Usually, Ana would have interrupted her brother by this point and reminded him it's not up to him who she spends her time with. But this time, Ana was more than happy to let her brother feel her mothers wrath, especially since she had no interest in any of the boys from the village anyway. They were all slimy egomaniacs who made fun of Ana as a child. No. Thank. You.