A whole week passed by and there had been no phone calls from Amelia. Rob spent most of his days walking around and taking in the architecture of Naples, going to the market and reading. His agent had contacted him about a possible project that needed him to oversee the leading part. He had received the script but was yet to read it. He wasn't in the mood. Rob was returning from his walk along the coast when he saw Amelia emerging out of a small white transit van. Her hair was tied back in a chignon and she was wearing a floaty white dress and a red cardigan. He watched as she embraced Giovanni in a hug and then hugged an older version of Giovanni, which Rob presumed was Gavino.
Rob walked quickly towards them and stopped a few meters away from them. Giovanni was the first to see him and instructed Gavino to take it all inside, leaving Amelia out with the van.
Amelia exhaled and spun around on her heels to retrieve the last painting and then she paused as the figure standing in front of her caught her attention. They stood there motionless, the silence stretched out. Rob walked towards her closing the gap between them.
"Hello," Rob whispered.
"Hi, how are you?" Amelia asked, "I'm sorry I didn't call you back, I just needed to work..."
Rob nodded, what was he to say without coming across as desperate and sad. Amelia filled the silence and she went to the door of the transit van and withdrew a fairly large canvas.
"I know, I was meant to call and I'm sorry about that... not that, that makes any difference but there is something I would like to give you..." Amelia withdrew a canvas of Rob seated at the piano, "I kinda had this picture in my head of you, you playing the piano because I heard you and... well... I just hope you have somewhere you can put it."
Rob gazed at it in awe.
"This would be a good time then any to say something," Amelia whispered.
Rob gazed at his portrait, "You only do landscapes,"
"I know, funny that... you were in my thoughts and whenever I tried to paint a scene, a cafe or something, it never really came out and well... I thought I'd give it a bash and it came out perfectly, this is what I had in my head... I hope you like it?" Amelia sighed.
"I more then like it Amelia, I love it. Thank you," Rob smiled and as he took the portrait from her, he leaned forward and kissed her and she kissed him back, ever so gently.
The sound of a car dispelled their kiss and they both withdrew from each other. All of a sudden, Rob felt a fist collide with his cheek and he stumbled back and he heard Amelia shriek out a name.
"Rick!"
Rob held his stance and his face contorted. He touched his lip and it was bleeding. He saw Rick grab Amelia and she surged back.
"Where the hell have you been Amelia?" Rick said and Rob noticed it was the same guy with the red flashy Lamborghini, "And what the hell are you doing with him?"
Amelia shoved at him, hard and Rick stumbled back, "That is none of your business and you have no right to treat him like that! I will tell you again as it obviously didn't get through from the beginning, we are over and I don't ever want to see you again."
"Amelia, you got it all wrong..." Rick tried to sustain her.
"Yeah, I did get it all wrong... I should never have believed getting involved with you would have been a good thing. Your lies almost ruined my career but being here, has made me realise I don't want to be with you anymore," Amelia said bluntly, as she stepped away from him and towards Rob. Rick looked from the face of Amelia to Rob.
"So, you've chosen him have you?" Rick said.
"No, I've chosen myself," and as she turned towards Rob she looked at him anxiously, "Come on, I have a some ice upstairs," and she led him away, leaving Rick standing furiously on his own in the middle of the street.
Rob took a seat by the window and watched Amelia disappear into the bathroom, she came back with a bowl of warm water, a white cloth and some cream. She sat opposite him beside the window sill. The windows were open to let in some cool air. Rob watched her intensely as she got to work on the cut to his lip.
"Are you alright?" Rob asked.
Amelia looked up from nursing his lip and looked into his eyes, "Yeah, it was a long time coming but I feel better thanks," she dipped the cloth into the water and applied it to his lip, "Sorry you got involved there..."
Rob touched her hand and leaned forward to kiss her.
Giovanni was standing outside the bakery shop and when he looked up, he saw his little piccola kissing the movie star and at last he thought, as happiness flooded through... it was indeed La Dolce Vita.
THE END
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