Elisabetta reached the Capodimonte tureen, then noticed that Gnocchi was heading toward the narrow ledge surrounding the roof. Elisabetta worried whenever the cats walked on the ledge, as she feared they could fall.
“Gnocchi, please get down,” Elisabetta said, but Gnocchi wasn’t about to stop what she was doing, even something so dangerous. That was how strong was Gnocchi’s will, and her self-confidence.
Elisabetta approached the ledge cautiously, not wanting to provoke the very disaster she was trying to prevent. She knelt at the ledge, extending her hand, but Gnocchi only turned away, showing her furry didietro, as she could be cheeky that way.
Elisabetta looked over the ledge, taken aback to see a man standing in front of the house. He was tall and thin, and his hair was light enough to catch the moonshine. Something inside her recognized him instantly, despite the darkness. She wondered if it was really him or if she was in some strange sort of waking dream. It made no sense that he would be in front of her house in the middle of the night.
In the next moment, the man fell to his knees.
Elisabetta gasped. “Sandro?”
The man looked up, and it was him.
“Elisabetta?” Sandro rose, looking up. “Is that really you?”
“Yes! Is it really you?”
“Where are you? Why are you up there?”
“Why are you down there?’’ Elizabeth shouted, excited. “Come up and see me! Go two houses down and around the back, there’s an alley.”
“I’ll be right up!” Sandro ran off.
Elisabetta jumped to her feet, hurried across the roof, and reached the landing of the fire escape. A few minutes later, Sandro came running down the alley, a silhouette racing toward her, and she felt her heart surrendering to the love she had felt for him for so long.
“I love you!” Sandro called to her.
“I love you, too!” Elisabetta felt her heart flood with happiness, and Sandro reached the fire escape, grabbed the bottom, and climbed onto the lowest landing. He bounded up the steps, and Elisabetta reached for him just as he swept her up in his arms, lifting her off the stairs, swinging her onto the rooftop, and kissing her once, then again.
Elisabetta kissed him back, ardently, fully, embracing him. His arms enveloped her, and all of the heartache and fear and worry melted away, and she felt sheer joy in his embrace, and in the next moment, he set her back on her feet, looked down at her with a smile, and cupped her face in his hands as if she were something precious, as delicate as antique china.
“I’ve missed you so much, Elisabetta.”
“I’ve worried so much about you.”
“We’re alive. And I think the worst is over.”
“Thank God,” Elisabetta said quickly, as if they couldn’t catch up fast enough.
“Did you hear about the gold?”
“Yes, I was there, I gave money.”
“You gave? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“And the supplì, did you like the supplì?”
“What supplì? What are you talking about?” Sandro stroked her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here, I can’t believe you’re really here, on the roof of all places.” He looked around, marveling. “What is this place? It smells so wonderful! What have you got up here? Flowers? Plants? I smell basil!”
“I grow herbs—”
“Peppers? Tomatoes? Food!” Sandro released her and turned to the tomato plants. He grabbed a tomato and bit into it, laughing. “Oh my God, this is delicious! This is so good I could cry! You grow all this food? And basil? I love fresh basil! I miss it so much!”
“Yes, here.” Elisabetta pinched off a sprig of basil and stuck it in the buttonhole of his jacket. “As good as any flower.”
“Better! And these flowers, too? It smells like heaven! My God, Elisabetta, this is paradise! An oasis! You’re a dream!”
Elisabetta reached for him, kissing him, tasting tomato on his lips and tongue, and Sandro embraced her, kissing her back, letting go of the tomatoes, dropping them on the rooftop, and she could feel his hands and fingers as hungry as he was, moving down her body, wanting her.
“Elisabetta, listen,” Sandro said gently, his expression soft. “Tonight, can we forget the past, set aside everything that came before, and everything that will come? I don’t know what the future holds. All I can offer you is my love, my deepest love, from the very heart of me and all that I am inside. That’s all I have, my darling. Can you accept that? Can you offer me yours? Can you give me tonight?”