#[ nicola fiore || narrative 03 ]

[nicola-fiore]

"We will be landing in approximately three hours, Mrs Fiore."

It was the evening of the 22nd of December and the flight attendant had just quietly informed her employer's wife of their journey's status.

"Thank you," Nicola replied with a smile before turning her attention towards the sleeping man beside her.

Gio's private jet was flying over the Atlantic Ocean, its luxurious interiors dimmed to help ease the couple into a restful sleep. But while her husband slept soundly, Nicola struggled to do the same.

But this wasn't the first time.

Since finding out that Gio had not seen his family for over five years, Nicola had been carrying that guilt everywhere she'd go. And every single day since, she had wanted to right that wrong. Racking her brain for weeks, she eventually came up with a nearly perfect plan — Christmas. What better gift is there than to be with your family for Christmas?

And so, Nicola planned their holiday meticulously.

Days before their flight, Nicola had told Gio that they were going on a holiday destination to celebrate their first Christmas as husband and wife. And though she arranged for all that, she also added a slight — but very necessary — secret detour.

Her real gift.

***

"Nic?"

Nicola took a second longer to respond, unable to tear her eyes off the Rolls Royce that was driving her husband away.

"Are you sure about this?*"

"Yes," Nicola replied without hesitation before finally turning to look her brother in the eye. Lorenzo had driven all the way from Milan to Laglio just to pick up his little sister. There was nobody else she trusted to help carry out her plan but him.

Only when the car she hired for her husband was completely out of view did Nicola climb into Lorenzo's. With a heavy heart, to sit there was all she could do not to cry. This was the first time she'd been apart from Gio since they'd gotten back together, and if truth be told, she had half the mind to ask her brother to turn the car around.

But she resisted every urge to do so, wanting nothing more than to reunite Gio with his family. Even just for the holidays. And if that meant biting the bullet, she'd do it. For him. Anything for him.

It was high time that Gio got to go home. And to ensure everyone's safety, she had to go back to hers.

***

Nicola spent the next few days with her father and brother in Milan, celebrating the holiday the best she could. Though she missed her husband dearly, she couldn't show any signs that would cause suspicion. Thankfully, Antonio Zanetta seemed happy enough to have both his children home for the holidays that he didn't seem too displeased when Nicola informed him that she needed to 'fly back to London' early for a school project that couldn't wait — a simple enough lie that would get her to Gio sooner. There was no way she was going to miss her first Christmas with her husband.

Unfortunately, Christmas dinner at her house took longer than expected, but thankfully Lorenzo had a need for speed that a usual hour and a half to Laglio was reduced to forty minutes. With barely an hour left to the day, Nicola finally found herself in Gio's room. And just like that, she was transported back six years ago when he would sometimes sneak her in.

Looking around, the room seemed empty. But his sister, Vienna, had told her that he'd retired early, so where could he be?

Nicola didn't have to wonder long. One step into the heart of the room and there she saw him, standing in his balcony smoking. With a glass of whisky in one hand and his phone in the other, he seemed busy, texting. For a moment, she said nothing, merely watching him. Until finally, he put his phone to his ear, and her familiar ringtone rang in her hand, his name flashing across the screen.

"Buon Natale, tesoro mio..." Nicola murmured, her voice carrying itself only the balcony, catching her husband's attention. "I'm sorry I'm so late, I—..."

Gio's lips had captured hers in a heated kiss before she could even get the rest of her words out. Three days. They were apart for just three days. But one breath of his kiss made it feel like it had been an eternity three times over.

"Never again..." Gio demanded, pleaded, as he tightened his embrace and swept her off her feet. It took three large strides for him to get to his bed, leaving a trail of their clothes in his wake. He needed no words to explain his pain further. She knew of that pain all too well.

"Never," Nicola promised her beloved, "ever again."

* All conversations are in Italian.