Massimo Longo E Maria Grazia Gullo - Quarter Moon

Then, the automatic door of the car was abruptly opened.

"Elio, what are you doing? Did you catch an ear infection in the city? Do not infect us countrymen with these urban viruses!"

Elio startled. Then, after he had recognized Libero's playful voice, turned around and saw his cousin laugh; he was holding a shopping bag and a soft drink in his hands. Gaia was standing right behind him and was biting into a huge croissant.

There was no trace of the old man. He disappeared just like he had previously appeared. Everything belonging to him was gone: his book, his watch and his bag.

Libero sat down next to Elio and after having passed him a croissant, he noticed that he was shaking.

"Did something happen?" he asked.

"I think it's just some motion sickness." lied Elio.

Gaia understood that her brother was having one of his crises and promised herself she would address the problem to Libero.

The rest of the trip was quiet. Libero described the harvest festival that was going to take place soon and was going to involve all neighbouring villages. It was going to be held outdoors and the evening was going to be livened up by traditional dances like the taranta, and more modern ones.

Elio was looking at his sister and cousin, and asked himself how those two had managed to get along so quickly. Despite that, he was glad to be travelling with them. All those events were worrying him. Was he being victim of some sort of plot against his persona, or was he going insane?

Libero got nervous as it was time to get off the train. He saw from the window Mrs Gina's house, which was taken as a reference point. As soon the train stopped, he took the bags. Then, after Gaia had opened the door, he nervously rushed out of the train like those who are not used to travelling very often.

The locals would consider that a station, but actually it was nothing but a stop in the middle of nowhere. The only comforts were given by a pierced platform roof and a broken ticket machine that would transmit a pre-recorded message saying "Be careful, this station is not under surveillance. Beware of pickpockets".

Libero took a deep breath and said:

"Finally, fresh air. Welcome to Campoverde."

"I can already smell the fields." noticed Gaia. "Can you, Elio?"

Elio could not feel any difference compared to the city, and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Elio, take Gaia's luggage. I will carry the other ones." ordered Libero.

Gaia unexpectedly enjoyed Libero's gentlemanly behaviour, which usually would have annoyed her. But Libero was so genuine that she was amused by it and played along with him. Maybe she had been too hasty in judging him as a fool...

Gaia and Libero walked right in front of the speaking ticket machine, which was repeating the same sentences all over again, and then they headed towards the underpass smiling.

Elio had to grab Gaia's big luggage by its handle in order to climb down and up the stairs of the underpass. He was completely worn out.

On the last few steps he made the last efforts hoping that aunt Ida would be waiting in the parking lot to drive them home.

But when he got into the parking lot, he noticed that no one was waiting for them. Libero, with Gaia by his side, headed west along a narrow road that was poorly paved. Two canals were flowing alongside the road and were separating it from the corn fields on one side and wheat fields on the other.

Elio, who was desperately trying to catch his breath, yelled at them stop for a second. His sister turned around confused. She could not remember the last time her brother had spoken with such a tone, let alone had yelled in that way.

"Where's Aunt Ida's car?" asked Elio.

"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you. She called me saying that she could not come. Camilla, our cow, is in labour and mum cannot leave her alone at the moment."

"Camilla? In labour? What are we going to do?" asked Elio panting.

"Don't worry. It's only four miles and then we'll be at the farm." Libero soothingly replied.

"Four miles?" were Elio's last words.

"Come on! Your sister's luggage is a carry-on!" Libero teased him, and then he got back to walking.

In the distance the first couple of houses can be seen.

"Here it is! The house behind the cherry tree is ours. It's the farm."

Libero pointed at a venetian red farm with green blinds. A luxuriant and well looked after garden stretched from the front door to the clotheslines that was marking the beginning of the stable. Only fields beyond it.

"Mum, we're here!" yelled Libero, dropping off the baggage on the driveway and running towards the stable.

Aunt Ida came out of the frontdoor.

"My niece and nephew!" she screamed out of joy.

Gaia threw her arms around her neck. Elio, who was exhausted, moved close to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. just to be polite.

Ida was in her 50's, but her natural beauty had not faded yet. She was a thin, average-heighted woman... Her body was well proportioned even though, her arms and legs were more muscly and stronger that a runner's. The hard life of the farm was her daily work out. She had her blonde hair in a ponytail, and her fair skin would make her beautiful green eyes stand out, just like her nephew's.

Meanwhile, Libero was coming back from the stable, all smiling.

"Camilla had a female baby cow! More milk for us!"

Aunt Ida invited them indoors. The table was set and the smell of a delicious lunch was floating in the air. The kids were hungry and ate everything. Gaia could not stop telling her aunt her emotions that she had felt throughout the journey.

After lunch, Gaia helped Ida cleaning up. Libero, on the other hand, dragged Elio around the farm asking him, or rather ordering to help him out.

In the evening, aunt Ida explained that the attic was going to be their summer bedroom. However, for now they were going to sleep on the sofa bed in the living room up until the attic was going to be ready.

Gaia rushed upstairs and followed her aunt to see the attic. Elio, on the other hand, was shocked by the additional bad news.

They walked up to the first floor, where Ida and Libero would be sleeping. On the same floor, there was also Ercole's bedroom, the youngest cousin who was off to summer camp. Ida pointed at the wooden ladder that was leading up to the attic. She was not going to climb up there as she was already tired of going up and down the stairs. In fact, she had already been during the day in order to air the room.

In the meantime, aunt Ida went into her bedroom and secretly called up Giulia, her sister-in-law, to update her.

The phone did not even ring twice. Giulia picked up straight away.

"Hello dear, how is it going?" asked Ida.

"Everything is going well, thanks. But tell me. How did he go?"

"He managed to walk here from the station without passing out. He thought I was going to drive them home. Libero lied and told him that our cow, Camilla, was in labour." Ida was laughing.

"I would have liked to see him sweat!"

"After we had lunch..." Ida began to say, but Giulia interrupted her.

"Did he eat anything?"

"Yes, he ate both the first and the second course."

"Wow! At home he doesn't even have a bite of a sandwich."

"It's hard though." said Ida. "But I'm sure he will get better."

In the background she could hear Carlo ask questions and laugh.

"TV and video games are gone. In extremis, extremity."

Elio, was lying on the bed. He could not move his body. It had been years since he moved that much.

At school he would always make up excuses to skip gym class.

"Elio call your sister here. I need some help with dinner."

Elio could not believe what he had just heard. She could not be for real.

But Aunt Ida spoke with such a tone that would not allow any negative answer.