Siena

10|Dimples

Ever since Harry walked me back to my hotel room on our first day of searching for Angelo, he's been a lot more pleasant to be around. We haven't butted heads or made any snarky remarks to each other since day two of our journey began, and I'm hoping we can keep our streak alive longer. I decided to join Harry and Clarice for breakfast this morning, and we solidified our plans to visit three Angelos today. Because it was going to be a longer journey, the three of us decided to pack lunches and make reservations for dinner at Celeste.

I took my seat in the backseat of the rental car while Harry and Clarice occupied the two front seats. For awhile, I just observed how the two of them interacted with each other during the drive to our first destination. I notice that whenever Clarice speaks, Harry listens to her attentively and occasionally looks her way from time to time. Even though he's focused on driving, Harry still makes the effort to let his grandmother know he is paying attention to her.

I make sure to jot that down in my notes for when I write about Harry's role in all of this. There are other things I plan on mentioning about him when I finally sit down and flush out the story such as his fear of seeing his grandmother hurt or disappointed. It's clear to me Harry takes on the role of a realist in most situations to minimize the potential casualties that come with taking risks. I secretly hope that I'll be able to report back a change in his mindset by the end of our trip.

The first Angelo we visit is the owner of a speed boat company on the coast of Siena. While leaning against the rental car, Clarice and I watch him kiss the hands of the women who successfully climb off the boats and step back onto the boardwalk. Harry seemed to find amusement in the fact that while doing this, Angelo was only dressed in a white undershirt, gold neck chain, a red and blue speedo, and a pair of sandals. According to Harry, he looked like an old geezer.

"Well, nan. You did say Angelo was a bloke who was good with the ladies back in your day," Harry points out with the hint of a smirk on his lips.

Clarice rolls her eyes at him and crosses her arms over her chest. "He is not the Angelo I remember," She insists while glancing back and forth between Harry and Angelo on the boardwalk. "On to the next," Clarice states before opening the passenger door and stepping inside. After she shuts the car door behind her, Harry and I join her inside.

Halfway along the way to our second destination, Harry stops the car on the dirt road we're traveling on and parks it across from two picnic benches by a Cypress tree. He complains that all of this driving around has made him hungry, so we decide to break early for lunch. I take out my utensils, two containers of fruit, and tin-foiled egg salad sandwich from my bag and join Harry and Clarice outside of the car.

Harry claims the second picnic table by sitting on top of it with his lunch, so Clarice and I make ourselves comfortable at the first table with our lunches. Unlike Harry, we actually sit on the bench part of the picnic table and place our containers and utensils on the table.

"Do you want some hand sanitizer dear?" Clarice offers me, pointing to the fanny pack around her waist.

I nod my head and present my palms to her. "Yes, please," I accept her offer with a smile.

She removes the small bottle of hand sanitizer from her pouch and squeezes out some of the liquid onto my hand before placing it back inside. I turn my head in the opposite direction and rub my palms together, so I don't have to inhale too much of the strong smell. While doing this, I watch Harry take apart the tin foil wrapped around his sandwich.

His eyebrows furrow in concentration as he carefully removes each part of the aluminum foil. Once his sandwich is bare, he swipes his tongue along his bottom lip and opens his mouth to take a bite. When I notice Harry begin to turn his body in my direction, I immediately turn my head back around and open my containers of strawberries and kiwis. The three of us eat in silence for a few minutes before I finally build up the courage to ask Clarice a question that has been on my mind for awhile now.