Epilogue

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One year later


Another day, another flight.

I boarded the plane, finding my first class seat easily. It was almost as if I'd had the same seat every time I flew; which I knew was impossible since I'd done it countless times a month. As jet-lagged as I was, I was finally living the extraordinary lifestyle I'd always wanted. A job that wasn't at all conventional, but gave me the most euphoric feeling ever. 

My phone rang an incoming FaceTime. 

I plugged in my earbuds, and accepted the call.

"Hello, amore!" I said excitedly, but not too loud to disturb those around me.

"Hey! Are you on the plane?" Antonio asked through the phone. 

I flipped the camera around for him to see the interior of the plane before we took off. "Yeah, we're going to leave soon."

Antonio and I had decided that since he was still filming Chef's Paradise, he'd stay in Toronto while I travelled around a bit, and when I came back we'd be there until he was done filming, and then we'd take a well deserved break in Sicily and Madrid until he had to film again, or until I was sent to another assignment. It didn't sound ideal to anyone, nobody seemed to understand how we made it work, but it made the most sense for us, and it was what we wanted. We both understood the dedication we had to our jobs, and we just wanted each other to succeed. 

I heard babbling in the background, and Antonio put the phone down on the coffee table for a moment. 

"Ciao gioia di Mamma!" I beamed, smiling and waving into the phone. Anyone passing by would have thought I was absolutely insane.

"Say hi to Mamma, Chiara!" Antonio encouraged, waving our daughters hand for her. She wasn't too talkative, but she blew me a kiss which just made my heart melt, no matter how many times she did it. I was always fascinated. 

I loved seeing Antonio's same spirit in her eyes, mixed with my expressions. She looked like both of us, but no matter what, Antonio would always say she looked like me. 

"Miss, we're about to take off." The flight attendant approached me, a nicer way to basically tell me to get the hell off the phone so we could leave.

"Okay, bye Chiara, Mamma will see you soon!" I said, and waved. She waved back, and Antonio put her down, coming closer to the camera. 

"Do you still have headphones on?" He asked, his voice dropping an octave. 

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, why?"

"I can't wait until you get home." He whispered, sending a tingly feeling to my stomach and chills down my spine, even if it was through a screen.

"Me too. Bye for now, Antò." I said and kissed the camera. 

I hung up, and the plane began to take off, to bring me back to my husband and daughter.

It was amazing the difference a year could make. The amount of personal, professional and relational growth that could happen. At the time, I was so upset and distraught about being fired, but in the grand scheme of things, I never would have gotten the job with Dior had I still been working on set. Antonio and I probably wouldn't still be together if we'd been trying to hide it like we were; it was like we were guilty, when we had no reason to be. 

Everything at the end of the day worked itself out, but in the moment it was just so difficult to see the bigger picture, but now it's as clear as day; everything happened for a reason, and I'm so thankful that it did. 

Without Charlotte getting me the job on Chef's Paradise, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to work on a set, and meet Antonio. Without Damon's discretion, Antonio and I wouldn't have had the time we needed to get to know each other better, and see how we fit together. Even though it's a hard pill to swallow, without Angelina's petty-ness, I never would have been fired and the guilt would have eaten me alive. Without that party to clear my name, I never would have gotten the job with Dior. 

That night after the party, after Antonio and I had our Disney moment, he proposed. I didn't hesitate, and I'm so glad I didn't. Without him proposing, I wouldn't have had my daughter. 

Life is a series of moments that you don't understand at all, until clarity graces your view of the world and those around you. Some things may happen, that we don't seem to question, and other things happen that we can't seem to shake out of our minds. Maturity is understanding that you have no control over where life takes you, but you have control over how you react to where you end up. 

The difference a year can make.

Distance // Watty's 2022Where stories live. Discover now