Maybe This Time I'll Win: Part 11

Today was the day that the Cavallo family, Marjorie, Sir Joseph Duveen and all of Puglia were introduced to Mr. And Mrs. Jackson-Bowles! Sally was both excited and anxious at the same time.

As Mrs. Jackson Bowles stepped off the luxury private train car she called out to her private car attendant Tony, “Thanks Tony luv! You were brilliant and the cocktails divine,” she exclaimed with a little hiccup to show her appreciation. Tony, the private rail car attendant smiled and replied, “It was my pleasure Madame to serve you and Mr. Jackson-Bowles. Wishing you a pleasant stay in Puglia,” he added with a smile and wave.

Mummy replied with a cheeky grin, “Now Tony, you know it is mademoiselle!”

“Ah yes, my apologies Mademoiselle Jackson-Bowles!” Tony said with a smile.

“Have a safe and pleasant journey,” Tony responded with a sly grin of awkwardness!

Sally guessed this was a common exchange between her mother and Tony for the long journey from London Paddington Station.

“Sally darling, her mother cried, flinging her arms around her only daughter! “How I missed you, my baby!”

“Welcome to Puglia mummy,” Sally cooed in her mother’s ear.

“What, no love for your old dad my dear,” Sally’s father joked giving her a warm pat on the shoulder.

“Papa, it is so good to see you too and welcome you to Puglia,” Sally exclaimed while giving her father a huge hug. “I missed you both terribly so! And I’m so glad you could make it.” “Please, where are my manners, allow me to introduce you both to our esteemed hosts and benefactors for this joyous reunion and occasion, Mother and Father, may I please introduce you to Ambassadress Mrs. Marjorie Davies nee’ Post and Countess Cavallo, my soon to be mother-in-law, and this is my darling fiancé Contino Luca Cavallo,” Sally said with a blush of excitement.

“It is an honor to make your acquaintance,” Mr. and Mrs. Jackson-Bowles said in unison with a bow towards Countess Cavallo, Marjorie and Luca.

“The honor is ours,” Countess Cavallo replied on behalf of their welcoming party with a warm smile and tilt of her head. “Let’s get to our automobiles for the trip to Villa Vittoria to get you settled in before all of the wedding festivities,” Countess Cavallo replied.

Once they settled into their private suite at Villa Vittoria, Sally’s mother and father looked at their daughter with enormous smiles on their faces replying in unison “My word, you have done well for yourself our Sally!”

“We would have never guessed you’d be in the lap of luxury in this splendid Italian villa a year ago when we found out you had run off to perform in those bawdy cabarets in Berlin!” Sally’s father exclaimed. “We are so proud of you my dear.”

“Now father, you know my time in Berlin wasn’t that bad. As a matter of fact, I had the opportunity to perform on stage, which you know is my dream to become an actress. The cabaret performances helped me to increase my self-confidence in performing,” Sally said defensively.

“My dear, you know your father and I want to support your dreams. We were just concerned about your safety in Berlin with all that is happening these days and the rise of fascism and Hitler coming to power,” her mother replied with a smile and comforting pat on her shoulder.

“Your mother is right Sally. We do support your dreams and whatever you want to be in life my darling daughter,” her father added while joining her mother in a group hug. “And with your new love and this family, I think you may have an even better chance of dreams coming true,” he continued with a smile and gesture around their luxurious suite.

“Let me show you the view papa and mama from the balcony!” Sally exclaimed with a smile. Sally led her parents to the French doors leading out to the marble balcony overlooking the formal villa gardens sweeping out to the cliffs overlooking the blue-green waters of the Adriatic Sea.

“What a brilliantly stunning view my darling!” her mother gasped. “I would love to wake up to this view every morning.”

“A sea view is always inspiring,” her father added. “And the gardens are as lovely as any of our formal English gardens back home.” “What is all the commotion going on in the gardens right now my dear?’ he questioned

“Oh, papa, those are the plans for the wedding engagement celebration the Count and Countess Cavallo are hosting for Luca and me!” Sally beamed with excitement. “There will be many dignitaries, noble families, and community residents from the surrounding masserias (large estate farms) and villages, as is customary in Puglia for momentous events for a latifondista (proprietor of a great estate) like Count Cavallo,” Sally explained in great detail.

“My word!” her father gasped with pride. “Would you listen to our Sally mother, doesn’t she sound so worldly, intelligent, and ready to become a member of a noble family in this fair land of Puglia!” papa responded with and wide smile of approval.

“It makes me so happy that you are proud of my papa and mama!” Sally replied joyfully. “Now, let’s start preparing for the wedding engagement garden party! There’s so much to do! And I will also get the chance to perform at my own wedding garden party by dancing with the renowned Helliconiades dance troupe led by Maria-Theresa, a protégé who studied modern dance under the tutelage of Isadora Duncan!” Sally excitedly replied.

“You are full of surprises my darling daughter!” Sally’s father exclaimed. “Let’s get to work.”

The bright southern Italian sun shined brilliantly upon the verdant and colorful gardens of Villa Vitorria in full bloom, with the sea sparkling in the distance, as the throngs of guests began to arrive for the most anticipated wedding engagement garden party of the year! It was a welcomed distraction from daily life challenges of the times providing a joyful entertaining experience in a world only dreamt of by the masses. The gardens were on splendid display as various outdoor rooms, each with its own floral theme. Guests sauntered through rose gardens, a French parterre garden, Japanese garden with babbling water features, a wild English garden, and many more. Each garden contained smartly attired attendants carrying trays of chilled beverages including champagne and exotic cocktails. Other staff carried canapes on silver trays and cooling hand towels for the guests. The elegant sounds of soft violins, cellos, and guitars floated on the summer breeze across the gardens. Sally and Luca stood arm in arm smiling and greeting their guests as they strolled through the gardens.

“Your mother and father seem to be enjoying themselves and are getting along wonderfully with my parents as well as Ambassadress Mrs. Marjorie Davies,” Luca said with a smile.

“I know!” Sally beamed. “I wasn’t sure about them coming, but things seem to be well with us now, and I’m so happy they are here to celebrate with us my darling Luca,” she said with a sigh of happiness. “They seem to be prouder of me, and are now encouraging of my dreams, even my dream of being an actress,” she continued. “That is a change from before I left for Berlin.” “It makes me happy. It seems a win for me now,” she added.

“I’m happy to hear that Sally, mi amore,” Luca said with a wide grin. “And you know I am always here supporting your dreams too,” he replied with a kiss on her cheek. “It is almost time for the dance performance!” he reminded Sally. “Perhaps, you should go find the dance troupe to prepare.”

“Thank you, darling Luca!” Sally cooed, standing on tiptoes and kissing him on the cheek before running off into the garden to find the dance troupe.

Luca watched his fiancé run off joyfully and felt a sense of pride and happiness having her in his life and being able to support her dreams. She inspired Luca with his own dreams as well for a happier life for him, his family, and his country as he pondered figurative gray storm clouds gathered on the horizon for Italy, Germany, and all of Europe. He brushed aside the dark thoughts to focus on the beauty and happiness of the moment with his wedding engagement garden party. Suddenly, he was broken from his trance by someone taking his arm. Luca looked down, seeing his old friend Dr. Rita Levi-Montalcini, a neurobiologist from the University of Turin.

Giving Rita a huge hug, Luca exclaimed, “I’m so happy that you came!” “I missed you so much my friend!” “It has been so long since we last saw each other at the University of Turin,” Luca said with a laugh. “I insisted that madre invite you to the wedding festivities, but I wasn’t sure if you could get away from your research.” “Thank you so much for coming! I can’t wait for you to meet my Sally,” Luca beamed with pride.

“I can’t wait to meet your Sally too!” Rita replied with a smile. “It makes me so happy to see you doing well and finally settling down my friend,” she continued. “And we all need more beauty and happiness these days,” she continued cryptically.

Luca’s face changed, furrowing his brow while looking at Rita. “Something is up,” he replied. “You could never hide anything from me Rita.” “I sense something is wrong behind that smile of yours,” Luca said with concern. “You know you can trust me,” Luca said.

“Oh Luca, I don’t want to spoil your happy day with my personal drama,” Rita chided.

“Rita, please share with me or I’ll worry even more,” Luca replied.

“Very well, if you insist on knowing, my research and position at the University of Turin may be coming to an end soon.” “There are rumors that il Duce’s Manifesto per la Difesa Dalla Razza, signed by ten Italian scientists, will result in laws barring academic and professional careers to non-Aryan Italian citizens, meaning, as a Jewish-Italian woman, I will not be allowed to continue my position at the University,” Rita said with an exasperated sigh.

“That is unconscionable!” Luca raged. “Don’t they know how talented you are and important the research you are doing is to our country if not the world?” Luca fumed. “We must do something!”

“Thank you, my dear Luca! I know your heart is in the right place, and yes, we must do something to fight against the injustices of the facista, but we must be strategic and cautious as I fear things may get much worse before they get better,” Rita said with warning.

“There will be a time to fight back, and I welcome your support in the fight. But for now, we must celebrate this joyous occasion of your wedding my friend! For to endure the fight against the facista, we must also embrace the moments of joy to sustain us in the long fight. Our joy will one day destroy and overcome the hate and evil of the facista my friend. So, for now let’s raise a glass to joy!” Rita exclaimed as she grabbed two chilled glasses of champagne from the silver tray of a passing garden attendant.

“To joy!” Luca said exuberantly as he hugged his friend Rita. “Oh, here comes my darling Sally!” Luca said aloud to Rita. “Sally, mi amore, I want you to meet my dear friend Dr. Rita Levi-Montalcini from the University of Turin.” Luca said with a smile.

“It is such a pleasure to meet one of my darling Luca’s colleagues from university,” Sally greeted with a smile, taking Rita’s hand.

“And it is a pleasure to meet such a beautiful young independent woman who has won the heart of my old friend Luca,” Rita smiled in reply. “I wish you both all the best and much happiness my dear,” Rita continued.

“Thank you so much Dr. Levi-Montalcini,” Sally replied respectfully.

“Please call me Rita my dear,” Rita replied.

“Thank you, Rita. Now if you’ll excuse me, we are about to begin our formal dance performance for the garden party. I hope you’ll enjoy the performance,” Sally said with a wide smile of anticipation.

“A woman of many talents I see!” exclaimed Rita with a smile. “I’m most excited to see you perform!” “Luca is lucky to have met such an accomplished and talented young woman. I’m sure you will accomplish much in life my dear, and it will be my honor and pleasure to be your champion and mentor anytime,” Rita continued.

“You are very kind Rita, and I am most honored to learn from you as well,” Sally replied graciously before running off to join the dance troupe.

“Your young Sally is an amazing woman Luca. Encourage her dreams and support her as only you can my friend,” Rita continued. “I feel that she will go far in life.” “And she may be a strong fighter in our struggles ahead.”

Luca looked at Rita with a serious expression behind his smile as they nodded to each other, toasted their glasses of champagne, “To the fight ahead. And today, to joy!” they said in unison as the music began, and Sally took the dance stage with Maria-Theresa and the Helliconiades dance troupe.