(This story is a part of the Blackedmerica series, which is set in an alternate history. Other stories in the series include Blackedmerica: A Love Story, Nerds of Hollyweather, A Southern Sheriff, Housewives of Valley County and In Brazil.)
Chapter 2
At the Abruzzo vineyard, Alberto had made it over to the barn where he saw Alessio Abruzzo and Mattia Tocci. The two men had just finished mending the last few grape baskets when Alberto, with a bit of nervousness, stepped up to them.
"Buon giorno signore Abruzzo, signore Tocci." Alberto greeted the two men politely, though his attention was mostly towards Adriana's father Alessio.
"Buon giorno Alberto." Alessio smiled when he saw his friend Lorenzo's son. The young man was as hardworking as his father, and always eager to help out during the busy harvests, even after having helped his father. Though, his daughter Adriana might have had something to do with his eagerness. Of course, he wasn't completely blind to the way Adriana looked at the young man either.
"Buon giorno." Even though they didn't know each other that well, they had, of course, worked alongside each other on the Abruzzo's vineyard from time to time when Alessio needed some extra hands, Mattia was still a bit surprised that Alberto called him signore, since he was only four years older.
"Signore Abruzzo, I..." Alberto gulped. Not only was he going to proclaim his love for his daughter, but he was doing it in front of a small audience as well.
"I am in love with Adriana, and I hope..." Alberto nervously looked down a little before looking back up at Alessio.
"That it would be okay with you if we see each other." Alberto hoped with all of his heart that Adriana's father wouldn't mind.
"I see." Alessio stood up and looked at Alberto in a somewhat of a stern manner. Inside he was smiling, he was only pretending to be rigid about what he had just been told. In fact, he was quite fond of the young man, and he couldn't think of a better man for his daughter. And with how Eleonora had talked about Adriana and Alberto, he knew that his wife was fond of the young man as well.
Mattia now knew why Alberto had been so formal and called him signore as well. He would, of course, have done the same thing if another person had been around when he had asked Signore Abruzzo about Rafaella.
"And how does my daughter feel about you?" Alessio asked trying to keep his stern look.
"She's... by some miracle... in love with me as well, signore Abruzzo." Alberto got rather nervous when he saw the way Signore Abruzzo looked at him.
"Come here, son." Alessio opened his arms to Alberto and smiled.
"Of course it is okay for you to see her." Alessio embraced Alberto who lit up like the son.
"Grazie signore Abruzzo." Alberto couldn't have been happier. Both of Adriana's parents had embraced him.
"Now, no more of that signore, I'm Alessio." Alessio saw the smile on Alberto's face. If he had to guess, he had himself looked quite like that once upon a time when he had asked Eleonora's father Livio for her hand.
"Grazie, Alessio." Alberto thank Adriana's father again.
"I think this calls for an early
aperitivo
." Alessio smiled and suggested that they would celebrate with the Italian tradition of having a light drink or meal before dinner.
"Magari un'altra volta, grazie Alessio, but unfortunately Isabella and I have to go into town for some errands," Alberto said that he would have loved to, but he couldn't neglect his chores.
"Ah, well, next time then Alberto." Alessio needed no further explanation. It was nearing the end of the harvest, a very busy time of the year, and on many vineyards, they were getting ready to house visitors from other parts of Italy as well as other parts of the world.
"Grazie, buon giorno." Alberto thanked Alession again before saying goodbye. He knew that he was already a bit late and that his sister was probably waiting for him.
"Buon giorno." Alessio and Mattia both waved.
"That doesn't stop us from celebrating with a bit of
aperitivo
, does it, Mattia?" Alessio smiled and patted his son in law on his back as the two headed up towards the house.
Hurrying home, Alberto ran between the rows of to make up some time.
"Hu uh hu uh." He bent over in order to catch his breath when he flew out from the last row in front of his home. As he looked up, he saw his sister stomping her feet, looking at him.
"Someone sure took his time." Isabella had planned to go and look at some new dresses at Floriana's clothing boutique, but now that her brother was late, she might not have time.
"Scusi Isa." Alberto still panting heavily apologized to his sister and called her by her nickname.
"Well, okay, but we better get going," Isabella had never really been able to stay upset with her brother.
"Okay." Alberto hopped over to the cargo bicycle they used when they had to pick up more supplies than they could carry. Once on it, Isabella sat down on the front cargo bed and off he peddled.
The landscape that surrounded the dirt road they rode down was beautiful and lush, full of blooming trees and flowers. All along the scenic road, the birds chirped their summery tune. That it was a valley of vineyards and orchards was clear as day. Where one field of grapevines ended, a grove of fruit trees began. Many of the fields had been worked for centuries, and perhaps even longer, evident by the short in height, stone walls that marked where one field began and ended.
"You know, I can handle most of the pickups if you'd like to walk around town." Alberto felt a bit bad for being late and hoped that he could maybe make it up to his sister.
