Girl Meets World

Chapter 16: When in Verona

Chapter 16: When in Verona

I spent the next minute listening to music while we're on the road trip to Verona. However, I'm getting bored now and sleepy. Aunt Bea must have been exhausted. She was asleep the whole time since we left Bologna.

We're already out of Bologna. But I lost track of where we are now. I check my watch and it's almost 4. I look at the window and I can already see vegetable plantations and vineyards. We must be near Verona. I asked Uncle James to confirm it.

"Uncle James, where are we now?" I asked him.

Before Uncle James could reply, we were both startled when Aunt Bea snored. We both looked at her and Uncle James was smiling. He was trying not to laugh. I really can't help it, I was laughing silently. Uncle James made a quiet sign.

"We're almost there," he replied in a quiet calm voice. "28 minutes' drive and we're there."

I decided to entertain myself by reading but it only made me dizzy and sleepy. My eyes felt heavy so I closed my eyes for a while.

I was startled when Aunt Bea woke me up. I looked around. I can see that we're still in the car. Uncle James is still driving while Aunt Bea is trying to wake me up. I sat down and tried to wake myself up. I fell asleep in the car. I rubbed my eyes to keep myself from sleeping again.

"Kath, we're near," said Aunt Bea. "We're already in our vineyard."

I looked outside the window. We are in a vineyard. Grapes of colors green and violet were all around. Its vines are clinging to the wood stand built for it to grow. There were some people harvesting the grapes.

I looked at my watch, it's already past 5. The sun is setting. Don't you just love the sunset? The sun setting might mark the end of the day but all it did was to give me hope. For me, sunset is alive because it gives color to the sky and those colors are the hope. This is incredible and the vineyard was perfect too. Here's a vineyard of rich harvest and a sun that gives colors to the sky as it sets.

Meanwhile, there's this tall gate that was opened for us. We must be already at the residence. Whoa! I can already see the house. It's huge! They told me that it's a manor. It looks like a mansion to me. As we got closer, I got a clearer view of the residence. The place was wide. There is a fountain in front of the house, a stable on its right and a greenhouse on its left.

The car stopped in front of the house just a few blocks from the fountain. Uncle James removed his seatbelt and so did Aunt Bea. Uncle James left the car first to get our luggage. The butler who opened the gate for us rushed to where Uncle James was and helped him.

"Welcome to Verona, Katherine," said Aunt Bea.

I did not respond to that. I guess, I was still overwhelmed. I didn't expect that this place would be as grand as this. Our residence is like only half of this hacienda. Someone from the house went out to wait for us. Aunt Bea and I were still in the car.

"You weren't expecting this, weren't you?" she asked. I nodded but she just smiled and held my hand.

"Remember, this is also your home," she told me.

Aunt Bea and I got out of the car and someone welcomed us with a warm greeting.

"Katherine, this is Ethan," Aunt Bea introduced me to the young man with tan complexion. He looks like Uncle James only a little younger; he is probably my age. From the look of his face, he is purely Italian. Uncle James wasn't purely Italian, he was half-American which explains his fair glowing skin.

Ethan reached out his hand in a friendly manner for a shake and said, "Nice to meet you." We shook hands and I smiled. He was friendly.

"Nice to meet you too," I told him as we shook hands.