himself to the gunman and asked if he could be of service. At first, the stranger said nothing and continued his search. Josetta persisted in questioning the man and asked…” Harrison’s recanting was interrupted once again by Paolo who handed him a message. Harrison thanked the owner who withdrew and then quickly scanned the message given to him. Hannah observed a tense expression on her companion’s face and asked, “Is there something wrong?” There was a pause as Harrison thought for a moment as he stared away from Hannah. He turned toward her and said abruptly, “I have to go now. I’m sorry about lunch. We will have to finish our story later.” Hannah asked hurriedly, “Where can I get a hold of you?” He shook his head ‘no’ and said, “You can’t. However, tell me where you are staying and I will contact you when I can.” Hannah appeared disappointed wondering if she would actually ever hear from Harrison again. “I’m staying at the Albergo Sull’acqua.” Harrison nodded and called for the owner. Paolo appeared and Harrison requested, “Please take care of my friend, Hannah.” He gave Paolo fifty dollars in Italian lire, told Hannah that he would talk to her later and left the restaurant. Hannah sighed as she sat alone at the table. Unbeknown to her, it would be one of many times that she would find herself alone as ‘urgent business’ called Harrison away. She gazed at the exquisitely tasting food on her plate, moving pieces nonchalantly with her fork. “Well,” she said aloud to no one, “No sense in letting this fine cuisine go to waste.” As if receiving confirmation of her thoughts from nobody in particular, Hannah picked up Harrison’s plate of meat ravioli and gently moved the succulent pasta onto her plate. ‘Who said you can’t mix pastas?’ she thought rhetorically. Hannah devoured the food on her plate less delicately than if Harrison were still present. It was almost too much for her, but she managed to consume most of what remained on her, er, their plate.
“Roma! Roma!” hailed the train conductor. The announcement jarred Hannah away from the past and back to the present. It took her several seconds to realize where she was and where she was going. Hannah glanced at her watch and noted happily that the train arrived on time in Rome. It also dawned on her that Harrison never did finish telling the story about how he first met Josetta. ‘Well, we’ll see about that!’ she thought to herself and tried to feel miffed without much success. Harrison told Hannah that he would try to meet her at Saint Peter’s Station. Hannah was becoming all too familiar with Harrison’s inability to consistently comply with his schedule. She did not like it, but she was learning how to tolerate it—not accept his inconsistencies mind you, but tolerate them nonetheless.
The train pulled into Saint Peter’s Station on schedule. Hannah peered through her window seat to the crowd of people who gathered to welcome the rail passengers and board the train for other destinations. Her eyes darted for their full range of movement as she strained to see her beloved Harrison. Disappointment crept inside her, as her eyes detected nobody recognizable. Hannah sighed, grabbed her belongings and bit her lower lip. As she stepped off the train, she heard a charming and familiar voice that brought a smile to her face. “Didn’t think I’d make it, did you now?” taunted Harrison. “On the contrary, I knew you’d be here,” said Hannah although her long face just moments ago masked her true sentiments. She dropped her belongings and reached out to give Harrison a sustained bear hug. Harrison returned the firm embrace and said, “Missed me, huh?” “Actually, I’ve been too busy fitting my wedding dress to miss you too much,” replied Hannah as she continued her nuzzling. The expression on her face and the enduring embrace, however, belied her words. Hannah did miss Harrison. She always missed him. She never knew if the last time she saw him…if the last time she touched him…if the last time she heard him…would indeed be the last time.
Hannah regretfully disengaged herself from Harrison and peered intently into his eyes at arms length. Harrison decided quickly that whatever that facial expression meant, he took a remorseful offense and asked apologetically, “I know that look and for whatever I did, for what I’m doing now or for what I’m about to do, I am truly sorry.” ‘There,’ thought Harrison to himself, ‘that should cover just about everything.’ Meanwhile, Hannah was pleased with herself in her training of Harrison. She snapped, “You didn’t finish it!” Harrison looked bewildered and asked with genuine naiveté, “Didn’t finish what?” He added quickly, “And please don’t tell me that if I don’t know what you are talking about, you’re not going to tell me!” Hannah was just as quick to stop the smile that was forming on her face and said, “You didn’t finish your story about the first time you met Pope Joseph Josetta!” Harrison shook his head in amazement and quipped, “Hannah, I began telling you that story about four months ago when we first met—over lunch at Casa di Pasta.” Harrison shook his head and said with some irony in his voice, “For God’s sake, it just dawned on you at this moment?” Hannah replied, “No, silly! I was thinking about how we first met on the train ride from Carrara.”
Harrison smiled, kissed Hannah firmly and said genuinely, “You are indeed a gem!”
“Well?” said Hannah neither persuaded by Harrison’s manner nor maneuver. “You want me to finish it right now?” asked Harrison rather astonished. “Yes,” replied Hannah. “Right here in the middle of the train station?” Harrison asked incredibly. “Yes,” insisted Hannah. “I have a better idea,” Harrison noted. “Josetta wants to meet you principally because he does not believe that anyone in this world would or could put up with me, let alone love, marry and live with me twenty-four hours a day. It just so happens that we have an audience with Pope Josetta tomorrow. You can ask His Holiness to finish the rest of the story.” Hannah gleamed at the news only to be interrupted by Harrison, “Ah, but he wants to meet you as my betrothed, not as a journalist. He worries that there won’t be anybody around to take care of me after his death.” This was more than acceptable to Hannah in light of having the honor to meet this great, holy man of God.
Having reached a pleasant compromise, Hannah and Harrison left the train station. He hailed a cab and requested that the driver take them to his suite at the Fontana Spruzza hotel. “Si,” replied the driver. However, before he drove off, Hannah interjected, “No, honey. I want to so some shopping before we go to the hotel.” Harrison nodded and requested that the driver go instead to the Piazza de Spagna.
The cab sped away from the station. The Piazza de Spagna is the heart of Rome’s most fashionable shopping area. Everyone, because of the Spanish steps ascending grandly from the Piazza, recognizes it. It was a sunny day in Rome making the drive a pleasant one for the senses. “Now what do you need to shop for, my dear?” asked Harrison. “Oh, you know, wedding stuff,” was her general reply. Harrison continued, “Remember, we have reservations for dinner at the Commedia Bastona this evening. The Italian-American comedian Monk Melloni is on stage tonight. He was a former priest and now a comedian—go figure!” “What is it with you and these priests?” Hannah joked. “They’re my guardian angels,” was Harrison’s childlike reply.
The cab arrived at the Piazza de Spagna. Hannah and Harrison stepped out of the cab and found themselves at the bottom of the Spanish steps leading to the Piazza. There were a number of native residents and tourists perched on the steps watching street musicians, vendors and other sightseers. The multitude of young lovers did not escape Harrison’s eye as he mumbled to himself and thought, “Amore!” “Watch it, lover boy! You belong to me,” cautioned Hannah. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Harrison replied judiciously.
Hannah and Harrison window-shopped for a good part of the afternoon at the fashionable boutiques. They blended in the surroundings much like the natives of Rome which was aided by Harrison’s command of the Italian language. Harrison did not question Hannah’s purchases or the lire that flowed out of his pocket much like the water out of Rome’s fountains. Money was not an issue for this special occasion.
Much