was very kind to make that offer. Hopefully, the kids will behave." said Giulia with a big smile on her face.
It was a hard decision to make, but Carlo and she were feeling weirdly enthusiast about it, now that they had come to terms with it.
"Gaia will be glad." said Carlo. "Elio, on the other hand, will remain indifferent as usual."
"I'm not sure...Gaia made friends with a lot of kids in summer camp. She'll be upset. And about Elio, he’s gonna hate it anyway." commented Giulia.
"I can't wait anymore. I'm gonna wake them up." suggested Carlo firmly, and walked towards their rooms calling them by their name.
He did not even let me rinse their face.
"Your mother and I decided what you're going to do in the summer. School ends on Friday and on Sunday Morning you'll be all packed and off to the train station!"
"But summer camp doesn't start for another two weeks!" Gaia pointed out worriedly, who looking at her mother. From the kitchen door, she was watching what was going on in the corridor.
"As a matter of fact, you won't be going to summer camp this year" replied Giulia and by doing so, she confirmed Gaia's fears. "We thought we'd give you the opportunity of spending the summer in an old-fashioned way; the way we used to spend our summers when we were your age".
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Gaia, whilst Elio was silent and grim-faced.
"You will be outdoors, run until you lose your breath, swim in the pond and spend the summer nights at local fairs" replied Carlo to his daughter.
Gaia could see her parents look at each other and laugh, and immediately thought they were pranking them.
"Stop pranking us. What's wrong with you this morning?"
"This isn't a prank. Aunt Ida offered to host you for the summer." Carlo finally revealed to his kids, who were staring at him incredulously.
"This is a nightmare. I'm going back to sleep!" said Gaia, who was visibly upset.
"I thought you would be happy" said her father.
"Happy? I had already reached my friends! I've waited all winter!"
"Gaia, you will make friends at auntie's too." Giulia encouraged her.
"But why would I want to? I like it there at summer camp. I can stay outdoors and dive into the lake. I don't need to be anywhere else."
"Yeah, you don't. But Elio does. He needs to change air." added Carlo.
"I knew it!" she blurted out. "It's because of Elio! Then why can't he go to Aunt Ida on his own?"
"We don't want him to go all alone." insisted Giulia.
"I am not his nanny!"
"But you are his big sister. Why aren't you saying anything, Elio?" asked Carlo.
Elio didn't say a word. He only shrugged his shoulders, which blew up Gaia's mind.
"So? Nothing? Nothing matters to you. Come on, tell mum and dad that you won't be doing anything in the country-side either."
Elio nodded and agreed with her.
"Stop it, Gaia! Stop doing this! We have already made up our minds. Your cousin Libero will pick you up from the station" Carlo shut down the conversation.
Gaia ran away, visibly disappointed and upset.
"She'll get over it." said Giulia, knowing her daughter's joie de vivre.
Elio went back to his room unnoticed.
Carlo was surprised. However, he was sure that their decision had been the best in years.
Friday came by quickly. Carlo picked up his nephew from the station and was overjoyed at the thought of hugging him again.
Libero was a joyous, easy going and unconventional boy. He was tall and slim, yet he wasn't boney. His face was tanned by the sun, his hands were big and used to working in the family's farm. His green eyes stood out on his skin, and his short brown hair were side parted like a man from the 50's. He hugged his uncle tightly and since then he never stopped talking.
Carlo was staring at him amazed. He perfectly remembered the time Libero had been sick, indifferent and easily ill-tempered. Although Libero was not particularly brilliant, the humble life he was leading made him happy. And Carlo would have wanted Elio to embrace his cousin's positivity. In the meantime, Libero was pushing his nose up against the car window and was asking questions about everything he was seeing along the way.
Everyone at home was waiting for him.
Giulia was nervous whilst she was packing up the last things. The time had come and she was asking herself if things would turn out for the best. After all she was their mother and couldn't help but worry.
Gaia, on the other hand, had already come to terms with the idea. She was chasing her mother around the house with thousands of questions: what could she see? what could she do around the farm?
Elio and she had not been to the farm since they were kids and their grandparents were still alive. They did not have any memory of that place, except for some vague memories: the fields, or the perfume of the trees behind which they would play hide and seek.
After her husband passed away, Aunt Ida struggled to get her life back together. Thus, she decided to move with her kids to her parents abandoned old farm.
As soon as she heard the sound of the keys turning inside the lock, Gaia ran towards her cousin, who lifted her up and spun her around like in a carousel. Gaia smiled as she did not expect such display of affection.
"Hi, Libero. How have you been?" she warmly asked her cousin, whom she had not seen in a very long time.
"Well, honey." replied Libero.
At the same moment, Giulia joined them and Libero greeted her like a gentleman, giving her two quick kisses on both cheeks.
"How was the journey?" thoughtfully asked Giulia.
“Very well, the "steel cow" is very fast and comfortable when you need to travel; and the city is full of interesting things to see. I'm happy to be here!"
"Please, sit down. You must be tired. Would you like some ice-cream?" asked Giulia.
"Yes, thank you, Auntie." Libero accepted gladly. "Where's Elio?"
"Elio is in his room. He'll be here in a minute." replied Carlo. He was mad because his son would not even bother to come and greet his cousin, who had travelled a long way just to pick him up. As he started walking towards Elio's room,
Libero began to speak:"Don't worry, uncle Carlo. I'll go. I want to surprise him. Just tell me which one is his room."
As soon as Carlo pointed out Elio's room, Libero threw himself towards the door. Libero’s cry of happiness could be heard from the corridor whilst he was greeting his cousin.
Not
