Chapter 11 - checkmate

Arriving in Siderno they decide to go straight to the riding school, Christel parks the car, gets out, and takes a deep breath and turns to look at that wonderful place, full of meadows, green, and with a crazy stable made all of wood, gives a hug to Cosimo, and goes to the boy who takes care of the horses, makes a signal to Cosimo who greets him from afar, the boy accompanies her at that point to get ready and prepare Cosimo's horse. Cosimo enters the offices and goes straight to his father's office.

<< Cosimo you're back today, finally my son, get a hug, how are you?? Why didn't you let us come and see you?? Your mom doesn't sleep at night anymore!! >> << I'm fine I told you there was no need for you all to come there, Pietro was enough for me >> he laughs << Where is Pietro? >> << In Cosenza >> << Like in Cosenza?!? with whom did you come here, don't tell me that you already took the car and drove?? >> << My car is destroyed Pa, that bastard almost killed me, this is nothing compared to what could have happened >> he takes out his phone and shows him the photos << Pietro took them for the insurance >> << Damn bastard, how is he? Please don't show them to your mother, she already has nightmares at night >> << don't worry, he has to answer to the Eternal Father, poor parents were desperate in the hospital, the screams could be heard from outside, I felt sorry for them, the father came to see me and Pietro >> << Poor things.. Thank God I still have you here >> and hugs him << come on dad, don't do that, everything is fine >> << Why didn't you tell me how bad it was?? When I take Pietro in my hands..ah but who did you come with?? >> << we'll get to steps..you have to hear me now >> << Cosimo who did you Done?? And who is outside??>> << I'll give you the file with all of Irene's conversations with her boyfriend and you talk to her father because I can't stay in Siderno, unless you tell him to come now >> << Because where do you have to go?? >> << In Cosenza >> << There is no such thing, your mother wants you at home, and I demand it too >> << I'll stop by Mom's, but I need to start seeing with Giuseppe how to manage the store, before Claudia has the baby and then in a couple of days I have to go to Naples >> << To Naples?? But what the fuck are you doing?? But you took a good blow >> << And you don't know how hard pa >> and laughs << What are you hiding from me >> << Nothing serious Pa go see with your own eyes >> Cosimo's father gets up from the chair and goes out with Cosimo who follows him goes outside and sees Christel, in the riding school, but he doesn't recognise her, with Cosimo's horse, he gets nervous and calls the boy who follows her, but Cosimo blocks him and tells him to approach the riding school, shakes his head, and approaches and recognises Christel << Miss welcome back, you have a good taste you got the best horse we have at the riding school, Cosimo's >> << Well now I can take advantage of it and I'm sure he likes me more than Cosimo, I'm nicer>> << of course you're very nice >> << Both very nice, what do you have to tell me?? Even if the painting already seems complete to me >> << Pietro but now you don't like me anymore we were friends the two of us >> Pietro looks at Cosimo << Dad she is out of her mind and I know it, but she's crazy with her head on her shoulders and since I broke up with Irene I decided to hit on her now >> << To hit on me?? This is nice, you've tried since you met me, but don't tell lies that your dad is not stupid >> she gets off the horse, greets him and thanks the boy who meanwhile looks at Cosimo and laughs, comes out of the fence and greets Pietro again giving him a kiss << Pietro let's go I'll tell you how things are, I respect you anyway, I know you're an intelligent person, my father already knows everything and I don't think it's right to hide from you how things are now >> and look at Cosimo laughing << Laugh laugh >> << My Lawyer Excuse me, go ahead, make a good argument >> << Lawyer? >> << Forget it >> << Guys my head is spinning >> << You too, it's a family disease >> << Ahh >> << Christel stop it you confuse him even more, if you let me finish he would have already understood everything >> << Ok I'll cut the conversation are you two together now?? >> << Yes>> << ok I can talk to Cosimo alone for a second >> << No >> << Even >> << Yes because I have to ask you something and then I'll leave you Cosimo and go to my parents and on the way back I'll take my father if it's okay with you, so you know each other >> at those words a car arrives near the gate of the fence and Christel immediately recognises it and looks at Cosimo << I think the permit is no longer needed, my father and mother are here >> << No but how did they understand that we are here? >> << Wait >> opens the phone and goes to the app << I had the family's GPS open, they saw that we left Reggio >> Christel's parents get out of the car and Pietro can't believe his eyes << Domenico >> << Hi Pietro how are you? And you haven't shown up for a month >> Cosimo takes Christel's hand who looks at him shocked << What are you doing you don't say hello?? Anyway, now you've fallen in love, you come back, you don't call, I have to follow you from a GPS that thank God you still keep it open >> << Dad I just finished telling Pietro that I would come home and bring you here, we just told him about us >> <> Domenico laughs << My friend at least they told you from their mouth, I went on guessing, until they confessed and I also suspected from that evening that it was your son, and today when I followed her from the phone And I saw her coming here I laughed with Marisa >> <> << She's on the phone with Anna >> << Anna? >> << Yes with Cosimo's mom, we've been friends since high school >> Cosimo laughs << I can't believe it >> << Think I wanted to call you tomorrow to talk to you or Vincenzo about Cosimo's insurance for his accident >> << What can I say I can't say no to my future son-in-law, to think that I held you as a baby and now you're with my daughter, but a question? You told me that Cosimo was engaged to another girl >> << Yes but they broke up because she cheated on him >> << And you immediately took my daughter's cross, you're crazy >> << Dad!! >> << Dome stop it, leave our daughter alone >> << Thanks Mom, How are you?? >> <> << Thank you Mom you anticipated her son and Husband >> << When I saw that her car was not here I called her, she is coming and in seventh heaven as I am too. Welcome into the family Cosimo >> and hugs him, Pietro can't believe his eyes, he was very happy with his son's choice, much better than Irene, they were friends, the perfect family, the perfect girl for his son, Christel was from a good family, studious, nice, beautiful << Come on let's go inside the office we wait for Anna there, and Cosimo pass me that folder, I'll take care of it, since then you have to go to Cosenza, Naples and go around the world >> he laughs << No no Pietro, I still have to ask you that thing >> he laughs << Of course Christel everything you want, tell me >> << You and I have to become accomplices for a matter, you have to help me >> << Christel>> Domenico shouts <> << Dad this time you can't help me, I'm sorry only Pietro can help me >> << Whatever you want don't worry, now you're part of my family >> << We have to make a call, I know you know Claudia's father, my father is a witness he never lets her come anywhere, never on a vacation, we bought tickets for Tony Colombo's concert in Naples it's our dream since When we were kids, but the father will surely say no, can you tell him that now that since I'm with Cosimo and Mara is with Pietro they will come to check on us, and they will take us?? >> << Yes dad also because if not they don't invite us >> Domenico laughs <> << ah the fever these days didn't come to me because of the accident but because of what your daughter is doing to me >> << Cosimo I see that you are already well done >> << Thank you Dad >> << Please >> << Stop it, can you help me or not?? I have to book the hotel and the tickets for these two!! >> << Focuu ok ok I'll pick up the phone in the office and call him >> Domenico pats him on the shoulder << I'll come with you >> << Don't you trust?? >> <> << Okay, you trust my son >> Christel laughs << Ahhh you're too nice >> << You're too much your father's daughter >> << Proud daughter of my father >> Domenico sends her a kiss with his hand and follows them to the office.

Pietro manages to convince, after a thousand attempts, Claudia's father, with Christel's contagious smile that jumps on his neck and thanks him, then they go out and reach Cosimo and Marisa and find them together with Anna. Anna greets Christel and hugs her, but Pietro points to Cosimo << I recommend to you Claudia if something happens to that girl it's a bitter cabbage, your eyes shouldn't move from her, I don't give a damn that it's your romantic trip, you do it in three!! >> <> << How do you do it?? >> << Claudia is with Daniele surely he will come too, jealous of how I know him >> <> << Pa Daniele is a good guy and he won't put a finger on Claudia >> << I'll call him now and I'll tell you that he won't put a finger on Claudia neither in Naples nor in Cosenza, until he goes to talk to his father the responsibility is mine and yours, I gave him my word >> Domenico looks at Christel <> << Dad don't hurt yourself, come on smile >> << Love we have to go and dad don't worry we'll take care of the girls everything will be fine >> << OK >> Christel greets her parents and hugs Anna and whispers to her << Don't worry I'll take care of him, get my number and call me whenever you need it >> << Thank you're a treasure >> and kisses her then says hello to Pietro << Thank you Pietro it was a pleasure to do business with you >> << Finally a crazy woman has arrived in the family, you go, we Let's go celebrate, I'm going to call the Gambero I'll book a table >> << Yes I think so too we have to celebrate >> << In fact call Vincenzo and Teresa too >> Christel puts her hands on her head << what love, you're not happy >> << Mom tell me if this is not called Destiny?? You, Anna, Teresa, Papa', Vincenzo and Pietro, you also need to know Antonio and Karol>> << Of course we know them, We made our first trip to America for their wedding and then we went for our tour together, why?? >> << Mara is with Pietro>> << We have to call them too, great reunion tonight >> << There's no need to call >> indicates outside, Antonio and Karol enter hand in hand through the front door << We hoped to find you here again, when Anna called us we couldn't believe it, the Destiny of life >> Cosimo hugs his Uncle and Karol << Uncle calls Pietro because you'll find out something maybe he wants to talk to you first >> <> << ok bye parents in heaven, but you are not normal, please don't send us selfies >> << Close the Cell phones because we won't give you peace >> << What's going on?? >> << Your son fell in love >> <> << Yes of Mara the daughter of Teresa and Vincenzo >> << NOO>> << Yes here we have all the children in love with each other >> << I can't believe it >> << eh I'm telling you now that they're gone, those 4 they're going to live together >> <> <> << It's true, then imagine Cosimo has a villa in Cosenza >> << Ah I told you he didn't rent it >> << To Rent?? But it was the villa of their party guests for years >> they laugh, and continue to chat, thinking about the old days, the trips made together and they don't explain why they were seen eachother anymore.. time seemed to have stopped between them.

Christel and Cosimo smile happily in the car, incredulous of everything that had happened at the riding school, Cosimo shakes her hand and then lets it go and turns up the volume of the stereo and starts the bluetooth to connect it to her cell phone and opens youtube on the phone, writes the name of Tony Colombo and opens the song "Si bella comm'e' Napule" she starts singing the song at the top of her lungs and drives shouting: << -7!! -7 days Tonyyyyy... we arrive >> he looks at her and dreams at the same time, he lets her do it, then he opens the phone and makes videos of her as if Wanted to immortalise that moment forever, she turns around and sees him with the phone in her hand, laughs and continues even more crazy than before, and at the moment of the soundtrak of the song, she starts sending him kisses << My love.. you realise what we have done in just 7 days >> << Yes >> << You're still afraid >> << A little more, also because our parents scare me now, knowing them they will already talk about weddings, official engagements with friends and relatives, all things that don't interest me at the moment >> << Why? Don't you want to celebrate? >> << No I want to live you before all this... that's why I didn't want to say anything to my parents and I wanted to keep it to ourselves, I know we've been through everything in 7 days, maybe other people go through it in a month and in the first 7 days you only see each other 3 times one for coffee, one for the first kiss and one to say we're officially together, but we don't, we have to do things big!! >> << Amore and what do you want, that's how we are, in seven days I had to take a skid for you, convince you that I'm not as bad as you thought, kiss you, lose you, find you, find out that I was cuckolded by my ex and then by you, have an accident, find you, lose you again, find you and officially get engaged >> << What?? You and I weren't together yet, so just cuckold on my part, doesn't it work?? >> << Driving please >> she enjoys seeing him jealous, and changes the stereo and switches it to the USB and passes the songs quickly arriving at number 70 the song by Rosario Miraggio that he had dedicated to her I love you and I think of you << We should also go to his concert >> << Shut up that it took me a year to convince the band for Tony's, I called his agent asking him to tell me when he would have the idea of doing the concert >> << And you were about to go even without me >> << It would have been Even more fun for me and Mara >> << Why?? What did you want to do in Naples?? >> << Falling in love with a Neapolitan >> << And you tell me like that.. without even thinking twice >> << Yes because that's what's going on your mind, you think that girls have fun like you do, only finding someone, we girls know how to have fun even without a man in the middle >> << Mmm if I don't believe it >> << Don't believe it.. but it's true with you there, we won't be focussed on the three of us, but on the three of you >> <> at that point she turns up the volume and continues driving without talking, yes She loses in her thoughts, Cosimo realises it, to distract her he starts singing a song to her, trying to make her smile and he succeeds << You are beautiful when you smile.. >> << Thank you.. >> << But now tell me what worries you, you don't know how to lie >> << It's nothing.. >> <> <> <> << Believe me they are just my fears, and I don't want you to take me for stupid, or to read something in your eyes that I don't like >> <> <> << You've already regretted it >> and he touches his head << But I didn't regret it, do you see that you don't listen to me? >> << You said you're afraid that we ran too much on all the points, not only about being able to make or not to make love, you're afraid of having run too much with me too >> << Anyway, I knew I had to shut up >> << No enlighten me on what I didn't understand, because I don't think I'm stupid, if you love me and I love you what do you have to be afraid of explain to me? >> Christel starts with the car in a gas station and asks the gas station to fill it up, then she turns to Cosimo, takes off her belt and takes his hand << About the fact that I love you, I have no doubts, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today, but I'm afraid, yes I'm afraid, because I've never run with anyone, maybe it's because in a week we ran so much that we didn't understand anything anymore, I was single and I find myself engaged to the son of a best friend of my father's whom I didn't even know about Existence, and maybe this also shocked me a little>> << Ok said like that it makes more sense I can understand, but you don't have to be afraid, we love each other things will come naturally >> << We are about to move in together >> << We are not alone, like we are married, we have 4 other people who are coming to live with us, it will be fun >> << Pietro is coming too?? >> << Amore Pietro doesn't let her go, do you think I'm jealous?? He doesn't show it, he's smart, but if he sees even someone looking at Mara he leaves in fifth >> Christel smiles << We're all crazy >> << No I'm crazy about you, and I promise you that we'll never do anything you don't want, I'll become stupid, but it doesn't matter >> Christel hugs him and goes down to pay, goes back to the car << Come on love show me the way, we've arrived in our new city, let's go home!! >> he kisses her << Yes >>