When Ariane woke up in the morning, her eyes immediately landed on the clock placed on the side table. And as soon as her eyes settled on the clock, she couldn’t help but smile when she realized that she had woken up earlier than expected. It was just 6:05 in the morning, which means that she has more time to prepare for her tour today.
With her plan for the day in mind, she lazily got up from her bed and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower, which only took 15 minutes of her time.
Ariane walked out of the bathroom with only a towel on, and she was about to go to the closet to look for clothes she could wear when her phone made a beeping sound, notifying her about a new message. So instead of going straight to the closet, she walked towards the bedside table to get her phone that was settled on top of it.
When Ariane opened her phone, she couldn’t help but frown. She thought she only received a single message. She did not expect to receive a message from her mother and siblings when she was only expecting a message from Christine since that friend of hers is such a pain in the ass. Ever since they started working for different companies, Christine became obsessed with asking for updates on everything she does. But unlike Christine, her family rarely sends her a message because of their busy schedules, especially her siblings. But instead of asking herself how her family had the time to message her, she just shrugged it off before opening the messages one by one.
‘Enjoy your tour. Make every penny you spent worth your while :)’ — Christine
A chuckle escaped from Ariane’s lips after reading Christine’s message. Christine has been a supportive best friend ever since. She’s been encouraging her to pursue her dreams. And when she was suffering too much as the breadwinner of the family, Christine was there to remind her that she must keep going. Without Christine, she would still be working her ass off to give her family everything in this world while losing herself in the process.
Ariane was smiling from ear to ear while composing a reply to Christine’s message.
‘I will,’ she replied.
The next message that she opened was her mother’s, saying, ‘You’d been through a lot because of the burden that we gave you. But you should stop worrying about us from now on. Just enjoy your stay there. We’ll be fine on our own. Your dad and I love you. Always remember that.’
Ariane instantly wiped her tears away when she felt a lone tear escape from her left eye. Until now, she couldn’t believe she’d been able to support her family on her own. She never imagined that she was capable of being the breadwinner of her family—not even in her dreams. And she’s proud to say that with her hard work, her sisters, Riana and Aira, are now successful in life. With her support, her sisters finished their degrees in college and are now working as a lawyer and as a doctor while she’s enjoying her life to the fullest—working as the head of the accounting department in a big company and as a part-time consultant to earn extra income so she can finance her trip to different countries.
Ariane was brought back to her senses when she remembered she still had unread messages from her sisters, whom she considers her treasures. And since she was now back to her senses, she started reading the messages she received from her sisters—Riana and Aira.
‘After I solve the case I am currently working on, I’ll treat you. We’ll go to Switzerland together. For now, enjoy your stay in Italy. I miss you, big sis. I can’t wait to see you and spend time with you.’ — Riana
‘If you feel sick or anything, just call me. I’ll go wherever you are just to treat you. I love you, big sis. I’ll ask Riana to take a break from her work for a month or two so we can have some quality time together when you get home. Take care.’ — Aira
Ariane felt like crying after reading the messages she received from her sisters... so she did. After everything that she’s been through, she can’t help but cry every time her family makes her feel that they are so damn lucky to have her in their lives and that they will do everything to make her feel their love for her. Prioritizing her family’s needs over her own wellbeing was really a good choice. She doesn’t have any regrets about spending sleepless nights and working her ass off until she couldn’t take it anymore just so she could pay the hospital bills for her dad’s medication, her sisters’ tuitions, their utilities, and their daily needs.
When she sobered up and her eyes finally stopped dripping liquid, she pulled herself together and started doing her daily routine. She wore simple jeans and a shrug-like belt top, which she paired with white sneakers.
As much as she wants to look like an Italian citizen to blend in with them, she just can’t. She has no idea about their fashion, and she has no time to go shopping either. And besides, her outfit doesn’t matter to her as long as she can tour and explore every single tourist attraction that Italy has to offer.
After prepping herself, Ariane had her breakfast and washed the dishes afterwards. Then she immediately went back to her room to get her sling bag before stepping out of her apartment.
When she was already outside the building, Ariane immediately checked her planner to look for her first destination for today’s tour. And as soon as her eyes settled on the list’s number one item, a smile made its way to her lips.
Duomo of Florence.
“Duomo of Florence, here I come,” she uttered with a wide smile.
Ariane visited the cathedral, which is also known as the Duomo of Florence, and she went inside its spectacular dome to check out the Campanile—the bell tower. She took photos here and there... then eventually sent it to Christine. And Christine, being her supportive and bubbly friend, would post it on social media and tag her. She has also sent a copy to her parents and siblings so they know that she’s enjoying her stay in Italy as planned.
When Ariane got tired of taking pictures here and there just to capture everything on camera, she realized that she spent almost two hours in just one place, which is not good because she only managed to visit one out of the seven places in her planner. And worst of all, she is already hungry. But being determined with her fixed goals, she went to Ufizzi Gallery, the next one on her list, instead of having her early lunch so she could maximize her time.
When Ariane arrived at the gallery, she was very satisfied with the works of Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raffaelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and other famous artists that were hanging on the walls of the gallery. She did not regret buying the skip-the-line ticket, which is much more expensive than the timed entrance ticket. The gallery did justice to every penny she spent.
Ariane has this contented smile when her stomach makes a sound, reminding her that it’s already past noon but she hasn’t eaten anything yet.
“Ponte Vecchio can wait, but my stomach couldn’t take it any longer,” she muttered as she let out a frustrated sigh. “I guess it’s time for a break,” she mumbled before walking around the area to ask around where she could find the nearest restaurant to dine at.
“Grazie, signora.” Ariane thanked the lady who gave her the direction. That’s the only Italian word she knows, which she intentionally memorized so that if ever she’s put in a situation like this, she can say something.
The woman smiled at her. “Prego. Goditi il tuo soggiorno nel nostro paese,” the woman replied. (You’re welcome. Enjoy your stay in our country.)
Ariane did not understand what the woman said, so she just smiled in return before taking her leave.
As soon as Ariane set foot in the restaurant she found, she immediately ordered a meal good for two people and started eating it like there was no tomorrow. She doesn’t mind if she eats like she hasn’t eaten for a couple of days. All she cared for was to fill her empty stomach so she could continue her tour and visit all the places that were written on her planner.
Ariane can’t have a good sleep if her schedule will not be followed. That’s how she is and she will remain that way like what she promised to herself.
A/N: I think I’ll be needing some tissue. Mind to give me some?😂
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In Between
RomanceAriane Nabor is a Filipino citizen who loves to travel. She began traveling back and forth when she was twenty-seven. She doesn't settle in one place. It was her first time being away from her hometown, and she's very satisfied that she's been able...
