Siena

11|Blow Up

We've been making great progress in my opinion. Each Angelo we mark off our list, the closer I believe we are to finding Clarice's long lost lover. I feel very optimistic about today's journey as I enter Harry's rental car and situate myself in the backseat. 

At some point during the drive to our first destination, Harry and I make eye contact in the rear view mirror. However, this time, I don't bother looking away. Instead, I smile sweetly at him, and he returns the gesture, showing off his set of dimples. In fact, I only look away from Harry when I notice that I've received a text message from Zayn on my phone.

Zayn: Been thinking about you. I hope you're having a great week.

I smile once I finish reading the message in its entirety and send him my reply.

Me: It's been amazing so far. I can't wait to tell you all about it when you get back :)

I wait a few moments to see if he will reply before putting my phone away and focusing my attention up ahead. The car stops in front of a community gate, and Harry switches the engine off before stepping outside. I tell Clarice that she should stay put for a few minutes before I follow in Harry's footsteps.

We see a man on a motorcycle approaching the gate from behind the rental car and wave in his direction. I briefly glance over at Harry before stepping in front of him and greeting the man on the motorcycle.

"Hi, excuse me. Do you speak English?" I ask him.

The man removes his helmet and ruffles his jet black hair around a bit. He looks up at me with clear blue eyes and nods his head.

"I know a little," His response comes out in a scratchy voice.

"My nan and I are looking for a man who lives here," Harry cuts in, stepping forward so that he's beside me. "Do you know where we can find Angelo Espositto?"

The man's facial expression morphs into a frown upon hearing Angelo's name. He glances down at the ground for a brief moment before gazing back up at us. Again, he nods his head.

"Drive to the Old Cemetery and you should find him there," The guy says before walking back to his motorcycle.

Harry and I exchange looks and step aside so that the man can ride past us and enter the gate. Before we can say anything to each other, Clarice rolls down her window and asks us what's going on. Harry hesitates to explain to her what that man just told us, so I say it for him.

"That man on the motorcycle told us that we can find Angelo Espositto at the Old Cemetery," I explain to Clarice in a soft voice.

I watch her face become sullen and eyes widen in shock. The sight causes my heart to accelerate, and I look over to Harry to see what his reaction is. His jaw is clenched, and his gaze falls to the ground. I try to think of something consoling to say, but before I can get out a complete thought, Clarice suggests we do something neither Harry nor I expected.

"I need to see him for myself, so let's go to the Old Cemetery."

"Are you sure Nan? We could just stop this all right now and go back–" Harry starts to say before Clarice cuts him off.

"No, I won't abandon him again," Clarice firmly states.

Harry releases an exasperated sigh before walking back to the car. I follow him a moment later and take my seat in the back of the car while he enters on the driver's side. As Harry starts the car and backs away from the community gate, I feel my stomach start to churn with the nerves of what awaits us at the cemetery. I had hoped that the man on the motorcycle made a mistake when he said that we could find Angelo at the cemetery, but within a few minutes of our arrival we find a plot with his name written across.