PARKER AND HOLLAND IMAGINES

SOLARE - TOM

Italy was so different than home, you thought. Or maybe you had just been home for too long - you weren't used to change. But, when Tom asked you to join him on his Homecoming promotional tour, you couldn't say no. You weren't homesick - it was the opposite, really. You had always had a curious nature, which is why you downloaded an app to help you pick up on a few Italian words, just to get you by. You had learned the word for food: cibo. The word water: acqua. The word for direction: direzione. You learned common words for conversation so you could interact when you went exploring. You were packing a bag with essentials to do exactly that today.
"Are you sure you don't want me to wait until you're done?" You felt guilty every time you'd go somewhere without Tom, considering he was the one who invited you. He'd always say he didn't mind, it made nights for you both special. Because, no matter how tired Tom was, nights after a long day were his favorite; nights were when he had you all to himself.
"Darling," he'd playfully roll his eyes, "don't be ridiculous. I don't want you to get bored sitting alone, or even have you sitting at the interviews. You'd be too close yet too far away." You rolled your eyes at his dramatics, smiling as you walked up to him, draping your arms around his neck. "You're very pretty, you know that right?" You'd shrug.
"I've been told once or twice," you smiled, leaning up slightly to kiss him. You smiled into it when you felt his arms tighten around your waist, lifting you slightly.
"Ahem," you both pulled away from each other, looking at Harrison standing at the door. "Sorry, lovebirds," he walked over to Tom, patting his shoulder. "Laura's waiting for us downstairs, interview starts in an hour." Tom nodded, his shoulders slouching. "I'll wait for you outside of the door, just hurry." Tom nodded, turning toward you with a small smile.
"Have fun for me today, alright? We'll do something tonight. Maybe you can find somewhere for us to eat? Dinner date?" You smiled widely, nodding as you pulled him for one last kiss, until tonight. "Love you, baby." Tom walked over to unplug his phone from the bedside table, kissing you on the cheek on his way out. You sighed contently, picking up your bag and grabbing your phone. You double-checked to make sure you had money and a water bottle, after checking you grabbed the keycard and headed out.
"Scusami, dov'è il bagno?" (Excuse me, where's the bathroom?) You asked a passerby, offering a quiet 'grazie' (thank you) and a small smile as you walked off to where he pointed. You passed by a shop - a quaint shop, no one in it and it had no sign, that you could see, but it looked like an antique shop. You looked ahead and saw the restrooms were there, about 25 paces ahead of you. You shrugged, the restrooms aren't going anywhere. You walked into the shop, admiring all of the different knick-knacks it had. Your fingers dusted over a stained-glass trinket - a sun displayed on it.
"Il sole splende più luminoso quando lo guarda e pensa a qualcun altro." You turned around at the voice, seeing an older man standing behind the cash register. Although you picked up on a few words, you hadn't fully understood what he meant. With a shy smile, and with great hope that this man spoke English, you walked closer to the register.
"Mi dispiace, non sono italiana." (I'm sorry, I'm not Italian.) The old man smiled at you, nodding his head.
"I said," a sense of relief washed over you when you heard his broken English, "the sun shines brighter when you look at it and think of someone else." You smiled at the sentiment. "Is there someone you think of when you see the sun?" Your first thought was Tom. Your first, official, date was a picnic. The weather had been particularly shitty that day. It was grey and it looked like it was going to rain. You thought you'd have to cancel your date with Tom - you cursed the weather that day for possibly ruining a day you'd counted down to. But, he insisted on going through with your plans, "even if it rains," he said, "at least I'll be with you." You knew he was slightly teasing you, but hearing him say that made you realize that you'd wanted to be with Tom in any and every weather. When he came by to pick you up, the clouds broke through and the sun was out, the heat beating down on you two. You thought it was just luck, but as you thought about the question this older man had asked you, you started to think of how much brighter and more colorful things seemed whenever you were with Tom.
You shook your head, bringing yourself back to reality. You rolled your eyes at yourself - cringing at how cliché you sounded. But, as you looked at the man patiently waiting for your answer, you couldn't help but smile and nod your head, causing him to smile. "Il tuo solare." You furrowed your eyebrows.
"My what?" He smiled, repeating the word to you. Solare, solare, solare. You repeated the word in your head, reminding yourself to look it up when you left. Your phone vibrated in your pocket, seeing a text from Tom telling you that his interview ended early, something about the interviewer having a personal emergency. You smiled at the old man, thanking him. "Grazie per tutti. Buona giornata!" (Thank you for everything. Good day!) He waved at you, smiling as you walked out.

"So, where did you go today?" You looked up from your drink, stopping your hand from fiddling with the straw. You shrugged, tilting your head and looking at him, the new word you learned today threatening to jump out of your throat now every time you looked at him.
"I, uh, stopped by a fountain. Went to a church. I found this really cute shop, I think you'd like it. You might find something for Nikki." He nodded along to you, reaching his hand across the table and silently asking for yours. You placed your hand in his, feeling the warmth fill you. You smiled slightly, the warmth he provided from the slightest touch being your push to finally say it. "Il mio solare."
"What?" You looked up from your joined hands, looking at Tom and catching the hint of confusion on his face.
"It's a new word I learned... you know, when people ask me how to describe you, I never know what to say." Your gaze dropped back to your hand in Tom's, your other hand coming up to the table to idly play with his fingers. "Every word I could think of was too overused, they had lost their meaning. I couldn't find the word that just said - Tom." Your gaze went back to Tom's face, seeing him listen to you intently. "And then today, when I went into that little shop, I heard a word - the little old man who worked there, he asked me if there was someone I thought of when I looked at the sun, someone who makes it brighter. And my first thought was you. And then he said it," your voice fell to a whisper, "solare." It was quiet between you two, Tom's hand tightening around yours.
"What does it mean?" His voice wasn't above a whisper, either. He stood slightly, scooting his chair from being across from you to being next to you.
"It means someone who is warm, someone who brightens up a room." You looked at Tom, seeing him smiling at you, you leaned in and so did he, but you didn't kiss him. You placed your forehead against his, "'the sun shines brighter when you look at it and think of someone else'. Tu sei il mio solare." (You are my Sun.)
"E tu sei mio. Ti amo mia carina." (And you are mine. I love you, my pretty girl.)
"Ti amo mio solare."
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