Summer Love - the Quarantine Edition

WRITING CONTEST #202: Dog Days of Summer

I was on holiday with the boy I loved, but now it was announced that there was a lockdown. How could I get home?

It seemed like the opportune time to get away, without my parents. Dino had spent a year living with us as a foreign student, learning English. He came from a beautiful part of Italy, Rimini, overlooking the Adriatic Ocean. His father was a wine dealer, and his mother managed a restaurant during the summer season. Dino had two sisters, both attending college in Milan. They helped in the restaurant during their summer holidays, along with Carlos, the chef and two other employees.

My parents were dead set against me travelling to Rimini. Italy had been hard hit with the Corona Virus earlier on, particularly in the north of the country. I had been practicing Italian for the last year, helped along by Dino. 

“I’d love for you to meet my family, Julie”. 

We were sitting in the garden. The weather was warm for that time of the year.  Fragrance from the pink roses around the pergola filled the air.

“Really?” I said. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t believe that Dino fancied me too.  

It had been a blessing that the weather had been so good.  People over seventy years of age had been advised to stay at home in the first month, then things got a bit more flexible. There was so much uncertainty around. It stifled us to think our usual places of entertainment had closed down. Dino and I used to go to ‘The Stag’ at the end of the road some evenings. That had closed. The cinema and cafés had closed. All that was left for us to do was to go for walks. Even schools and colleges had closed their doors which put an end to Dino learning English, and my studies too.   We walked the seafront most days or followed the train track along the coast to the next village. Sometimes we sat on the seats beside the harbour and threw bread to the many swans that congregated there, some with their cygnets alongside them. The swans were so used to people feeding them, they would come right up to you and take the bread out of your hand. 

Eventually my parents relented. By this time, Italy was still open for travel. 

“You can go for a fortnight, but that’s all Julie” my mother said.

 I promised I would return when I was supposed to, so tickets were bought, and cases were packed. Dino was like the son my mother never had. I could see the tears springing up in her eyes, and I wasn’t sure were they for me or for Dino. 

“Take care of yourself love” my dad said, giving me one of his tightest hugs. 

“You look after my girl, Dino, or you’ll have me to answer to” was his last words as he waved us off. 

The flight was strange. Social distancing was the order of the day, but there were no restrictions as there were so few passengers. Any time I’d flown before, it was a tight squeeze to get down the aisle and get my luggage up into the overhead compartments. 

After a few hours we arrived at Federico Fellini Airport in Italy. Dino’s mother and sister were there to meet us.  The same social distancing was in place at the airport. Everyone wore masks. We had to sanitize at practically every turn. It didn’t take long to get through immigration, and freedom into the open air and removal of our masks. Dino’s mother insisted we wear our masks in the car, which surprised me.   She was driving a big station wagon, so we had plenty of room. She was right of course.  I sat in the back with Belinda, or Bella as everyone called her. She was younger than Dino.  Bella was tall and tanned and smiled a lot. I liked her immediately. While Dino chatted to his mother in the front of the car, Bella asked me one question after another. I was struggling to understand what she was saying, as she spoke so fast.

Their two-storey house was on the sea front, just a walk from the pure turquoise blue ocean. From my bedroom I could see palm trees waving in the soft breeze, deckchairs with umbrellas placed a few feet apart on the golden sand. Some of the deckchairs were occupied. A few swimmers glided through the dazzling ocean. The restaurant was downstairs, with chairs and tables out front, parasols shading the tourists who were still around. It was obvious that this summer was going to be different. I was starving by the time I got to the house, and it was made worse by the wafts of food coming up the stairs. I quickly showered and just as I had changed into a dress, there was a knock on the door. “Can I come in?” It was Dino. “Leave your unpacking for the moment. I want to take you for a walk before dinner”. I didn’t tell him I was starving, but he must have been too, as we stopped outside a restaurant further down the road. 

“I wanted you to myself for a while” Dino said. “When you’re with my family, you won’t get a word in edgeways”. 

That went without saying, I thought.  I’d have some chance if they didn’t speak so fast.  At home I thought I was picking up Italian quite well, but now it was going to be a struggle. English was a second language to Dino and his family. I felt dreadful that I couldn’t do better, and afraid I would say the wrong thing. Dino ordered a pizza for each of us and a bottle of wine. The pizza was huge, but I made quick work of it. He was smiling at me. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to rush, but I was ready to pass out with the hunger”. 

“It’s a while since we’ve eaten. My mother wanted to feed us, but I though you might need a break”. 

I was glad we were on our own for a while. There wasn’t the strain of not knowing what people were saying to me or feeling stupid that I didn’t understand them.

Dino’s family sat down to dinner late into the evening. His father was home. A tall handsome man with a moustache. His English was perfect. I felt right at home with him. Before long, the whole family were speaking English for my benefit. There was nothing they couldn’t do to make me feel at home. That night as I lay in bed, I could hear the waves washing up against the shore. Someone was playing a guitar in the distance, and the romantic sound of Italian songs were playing on a radio somewhere. It didn’t take me long to fall into a deep slumber.

I had been in Rimini a week and the days were flying. Then we saw on the television that some places were in lockdown, as the virus had spiked again. I would have to quarantine when I got home, but for now I would just enjoy my last week. Some countries were stopping people from entering their borders. In New Zealand only citizens could return. Even they had to quarantine at an airport hotel for a fortnight before travelling to their homes.

“I won’t be able to go home Gino, without going into quarantined. My family would have to quarantine too.” 

“Or it could mean you should stay here longer Julie. What do you think?”

 I knew my parents would be furious if I didn’t go home. I had promised.

As always, my mother was the hardest to reason with. 

“You should have thought this through and not been so impulsive Julie”. 

I felt like saying “But I love him mum”.

That would have really got her going. I decided to be agreeable instead. 

“I know mum. You’re always right. I should have listened to you”. 

“Don’t be so sarcastic Julie. It doesn’t suit you”.

 I could hear my dad having words with mum. He came on the phone. 

“Julie, how is it going there? Have you worn out your welcome yet?” 

“Thanks a lot,” I thought. 

“I mean, would Dino’s parents mind if you stayed on a bit longer, until we can get you home”. 

“I can help in the restaurant. Of course, they don’t mind if I stay. Dino wants me to stay.” 

“I’ll get on to the Embassy. See what we can do. Are you alright for money? Ok. I’ll send you some through Western Union. Let me know if there’s anything you need and leave your mother to me”.

“Thanks dad” I said and put down the phone. 

To my surprise, my Italian started to improve. I could understand what people were saying a little better. As people got used to seeing me around, they spoke slower. Dino was busy most days helping his mother. I did what I could. We walked hand in hand along the shore every evening, stopping for a coffee or glass of wine. It was like something you’d read in a novel. Then his father needed Dino to help him for a few weeks. They drove off early in the morning. 

“It won’t be for long Julie. I’ll phone you every evening”.

He held me tight before he walked to his father’s car, waving out the window until he was out of sight. It felt strange without him. His mother was kind as always, but I started to feel in the way. I made sure I was helping out in every way I could. After the restaurant was closed, his mother and I had a glass of wine and talked for a while. Then I went to bed. I was counting the days. 

“Are you sure you’re alright Julie” my dad asked one evening on the phone.

 “Of course, I am” I told him. 

“You don’t have to stay there if you don’t want to, love” he said.

 “Its lovely here dad, but its just not the same not having Dino around. I think maybe its time I came home”.

Then Dino told me it would be another few weeks before he would get back to Rimini. Dad had already arranged my flight home. 

“I miss you so much Dino” I told him. “Mum wants me to come home. There’s a chance I can go now before they close the borders. I have to go home, Dino”.

It broke my heart to leave. I didn’t know when the Pandemic would end or whether I would ever see Dino again.   

1,782 words