I spent the morning doing exactly what I'd told Alessia I wanted: nothing scheduled.
I walked downhill to the harbor with a paper map and no route. I stopped for coffee, missed a turn, and found a small courtyard with a fountain. I bought two peaches from a vendor whose English was better than my Italian, then sat on a bench and ate one while the sun warmed my shoulders.
Nothing bad happened.
That shouldn't have felt like an accomplishment, but it did.
I called Maya. She put me on speaker so I could talk to Dad, who complained that my voice sounded too cheerful for someone who had abandoned him in his hour of need. I told him he'd been the one to insist I go. He said that was different.
After the call, I drew the fountain. The sketch was lopsided, but it was mine. I sent the picture t
