A Life By Design

Chapter 3 The Journey

CHAPTER 3

THE JOURNEY

Elena struggled to breathe as her sister Carla pulled her into a tight embrace. “Carla, I love you, but you’re suffocating me.”

Fiumicino Airport buzzed with tourists and locals rushing about with luggage. The sounds of squealing voices and loud announcements was almost deafening. Having come from a quiet village, she wasn’t used to the noise and hectic pace.

Carla let go with a taut smile and looked down at her sister. “I am sorry, Elena. I will miss you just like I miss Valeria. Please keep in touch.” She blinked back the tears and drew a shaky hand through her brown waves.

“And I’ll miss you too.” Elena turned to Carla’s husband, Maurizio, and they embraced. “Take care of my sister or you’ll have me to deal with.”

Maurizio nodded. “It’ll be my pleasure. You have a safe flight.”

Elena smiled, thinking how lucky Carla was to have met a genuine and loving man who loved her with all his heart. They were happily married, and Elena had a feeling they’d be having babies soon.

Emilio hugged his mother, Carla, and Maurizio. Elena wondered why her father never showed the courage to say goodbye at the airport. He’d refused to see Valeria off at the airport when she had moved all the way to Australia, and now he was doing the same to Elena. She had said her goodbyes to him at home, and luckily for her, a few of her friends and her next-door neighbour, Maria, had visited her at home to say goodbye.

Elena’s chest tightened at the sight of her mother. Her petite frame made her look almost fragile; in fact she was anything but. Her mother was a force to be reckoned with; a superwoman who could do no wrong, except for tolerating the dominance of her father. He had mellowed somewhat since Valeria had left for Australia, but Mama still had to fight for every little thing she’d wanted. He’d never made her life easy.

Her mother ran into her daughter’s arms and stroked Elena’s hair. When they pulled apart, her mother’s cheeks were blotchy and damp with tears. She wiped her tears away and managed a smile.

“Please, darling Elena. You be safe. As soon as you get there, please ring Maria. She will call us quickly when you are on the phone.”

Elena nodded. “I’ll do that, Mama. Please don’t worry. I’m a grown woman and will be fine. Don’t go thinking the worst.”

“Oh, darling, after what happened to Valeria and Dario, I always worry about you girls. Besides, it’s a mother’s job to worry.”

Elena took a breath. “But Valeria’s happy with Roberto. They have their beautiful daughter, so it all turned out well in the end.”

Her mother rubbed at her tears. “It sure did.”

Emilio gave her arm a quick tug, and they both rushed into the queue towards the tarmac. Elena turned away from her family, her body shaking at the memory of her family’s saddened faces. She would most likely not see them for a few years, and, for a moment, she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Was she ready for this? She was only twenty years old and Emilio was eighteen, and they’d never ventured outside of their village of Laurino.

Yet Elena loved a challenge and adventures. She planned to write about her adventures one day, as she liked delving into creative writing. It was a hobby for now. Fashion design was her priority.

Once Elena and Emilio shuffled their way through to their allocated seats on the plane, Emilio held his sister’s hand then kissed her on the cheek.

“Thanks, Elena, for this. I can’t wait to see a new city. So exciting.”

She chuckled. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be going to Milan, so thanks, brother.”

He settled back against his seat and closed his eyes. Elena looked straight ahead, watching passengers push their hand luggage into the overhead compartments. A chill crawled up her spine as she pondered the unknown in Milan. She kept thinking about needing to find a part-time job. Her parents had managed to collect money from their Italian community, so she had a bit of money to spend on incidentals and housing, but it wouldn’t last long. The money that Giovanna had given her would only cover the course fees.

Luckily for her, a friend of her aunt’s lived in Milan not too far from the fashion institute, so she and Emilio could stay there. She’d have to pay board, though, and help out around the house. It wouldn’t be a free ride.

She was told stories about this woman she’d be living with, and they weren’t very endearing. According to her aunt, her friend, Nunziata, was a widow and childless. Nunziata had a very strict routine and if Elena didn’t abide by it, she’d be kicked out before she could say fashion. Elena swallowed. Surely, she could put up with a few strict rules after living her whole life with a domineering father. Couldn’t she?