The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop Read online

  Anna looked around at the new framed photos on the walls, some of Imogen’s prints, and then old photos of their family and friends: Vivien in a full-skirted 1950s dress in front of her shop; standing hand in hand with Evie on the pier, both holding umbrellas; and her treasured black-and-white wedding photo, with Stanley, outside Brighton Town Hall, in the late 1950s.

  In the living room were stills from Vivien’s favourite films – Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Casablanca.

  ‘Oh, look at this, Evie,’ Anna said. She pointed at a large map of Sorrento and Capri.

  ‘Hello, you two,’ Imogen called out. She was carrying trays of canapés through for the guests congregating in the living room. ‘Oh, yes, I found that one folded up in the bureau drawer – nice, isn’t it?’

  ‘Lovely,’ Evie said. Something passed across her face, and her gaze lingered on the map for a while.

  Anna looked through to the living room, where Martin and Tom were chatting to friends and neighbours, showing off the converted house with pride after the months of work they’d put in. Matteo and Evie went over to congratulate them. Anna held back for a moment, standing with Bella and Imogen and taking in the new surroundings. ‘It looks so beautiful,’ she said.

  ‘It does,’ Imogen said. ‘Uncle Martin’s worked wonders with it.’

  ‘Is Mum here?’ Anna asked.

  Imogen pointed through the crowd at where Jan was standing, talking to someone she recognised as a journalist on a local newspaper. When she caught Anna’s eye and saw Bella, she excused herself politely and came over.

  ‘Hello!’ she said, greeting Anna and then giving her granddaughter a heartfelt kiss. Bella beamed, and hugged Jan back tight.

  ‘OK if I give her a tour?’ Jan asked.

  ‘Go ahead,’ Anna said.

  Jan led Bella away, holding her tiny hand, and they walked together round the guesthouse. Bella seemed delighted with all the new things in the house that she could look at.

  ‘Now, here’s where your great-grandmother used to do her reading,’ she said, chatting to Bella, ‘in this big chair – see, here’s a picture of her.’ She took a framed photo down from the mantelpiece and showed it to her.

  ‘Granny Vee!’ Bella said pointing.

  Imogen nudged her sister. ‘How cute is that!’

  A lump came to Anna’s throat. In just a few weeks, she would be breaking up the family, taking Bella hundreds of miles away from her grandparents and from Imogen and Finn.

  ‘You’re going to tell them tonight, aren’t you?’ Imogen asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Anna said, worried that her tears might spill over. ‘I’ll tell them.’

  After the canapés had been eaten, guesthouse rooms explored and most of the wine drunk, Martin climbed a couple of steps and knocked against his wine glass with a silver spoon, drawing the attention of the room. A hush gradually fell over the lively party.

  ‘I’m proud to declare the Elderberry Guesthouse officially open!’ His face glowed with pride. ‘Thank you all so much for coming tonight.’

  A cheer went up from the crowd.

  ‘Many of you knew our mother well, and, if you did, you’ll know that the doors of this house were always open to people who needed a helping hand. That’s why setting up the guesthouse seemed right.’

  He looked around the room, and his eyes rested on his brother. ‘Tom, come up here. You’ve been part of all this too.’ Tom edged his way shyly through the crowd, but, once up on the stairs beside his brother, he looked every bit as proud. ‘Here’s to Mum,’ Martin said, raising his glass again. ‘To Vivien!’ Jan called out. Glasses clinked around the room.

  ‘The guesthouse is ready to receive its first guests, and we couldn’t have got here without such a fantastic team. This was a real family affair. So, thank you to Jan, for the publicity, Finn for the website, Imogen for helping out with just about everything – and for the welcome news that you’re not leaving us just yet! – and to Anna, Matteo and Bella for the refreshments as we worked, and for the entertainment.’

  Imogen drew close to Finn, and to her sister and mother, and they smiled as Martin spoke. Finn put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. He was a part of the family now, and everyone adored him, just as she did. Whatever mixed feelings she had about committing, she owed it to everyone else to work past them.

  After a couple more toasts, Martin stood down and the guests returned to their conversations, refreshing their glasses from what was left at the bar.

  Anna whispered to Matteo that it was time, then called her dad and mum over. The area of the living room near to Vivien’s chair was quieter now, and her whole family surrounded them, together with Evie. Anna took a deep breath and readied herself.

  ‘Have you got an announcement to make?’ Tom asked, jovially. ‘And I thought we were done with those for the evening.’

  Matteo took Anna’s hand, and she drew strength from his touch. She was grateful to have him by her side.

  ‘You’re not . . .’ Jan said, putting a hand to her mouth.

  ‘No, Mum,’ Anna said, shaking her head. ‘I’m afraid we haven’t got plans for any more children just yet.’

  Bella was clambering on some furniture nearby, and Imogen brought her over. Imogen caught her sister’s eye, nodding for her to continue, and silently offering moral support.

  ‘But we have got something to tell you all,’ Anna said. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t mentioned anything before. Things have been moving fast.’ She paused. ‘Me, Matteo and Bella have been very happy the last two years, living here, close to all of you, and running Vivien’s. But the time’s come for us to try something new.’

  Jan looked at her husband, concerned, and he put his arm around her.

  ‘We’re going away – to Italy. We’re not sure how long for yet – definitely for the summer, but perhaps longer. We’ve put down a deposit on a wonderful gelateria on the Amalfi coast. We want Bella to see Matteo’s home for a while.’

  Anna saw the sadness in her parents’ eyes and had to fight back her tears as she waited for them to respond.

  ‘Well, I think it’s a great idea,’ Imogen said, trying to break the tension. She nudged Finn.

  ‘Absolutely,’ Finn said. ‘Congratulations.’

  Jan’s eyes started to fill with tears. ‘But you can’t . . .’ she said. Evie offered her a handkerchief and she took it gratefully.

  ‘It hasn’t been an easy decision for us to make, and we are going to miss you all so much. We very much hope you’ll come out and visit.’

  ‘Just you try and stop us,’ Imogen said.

  Jan came over to her elder daughter and gave her a hug. ‘I’m sorry. It’s just a shock, that’s all.’

  Anna hugged her back. ‘I should have said something. We just wanted to make sure everything was certain.’

  Anna turned to her dad and Martin. ‘Vivien’s is going to be in very safe hands,’ she explained to them. ‘Evie’s agreed to take over the running of it, and we’re delighted about that. So, Finn may be taking over her shop, but the arches won’t be losing her just yet.’

  Evie gave a bow, lightening the atmosphere for a moment.

  Anna looked to her dad, hoping desperately that he wouldn’t be as upset as her mum was. His expression was kind, and he managed a smile.

  ‘We understand, love,’ Tom said, coming over, putting an arm around her shoulders. ‘A chance for Bella to see some of her father’s country, and spend time with her other grandparents. You know we’ll miss her – we’ll miss you all. But we can still be in touch, and we’re not going anywhere. We’ll always be here for you.’

  Anna and Matteo hugged her parents, and Anna felt a wave of relief wash over her. Imogen and Finn joined them. Anna let loose all the tears she’d been bottling up, and Jan laughed to see that her daughter was crying even more than she was. Eventually, the group separated.

  ‘OK,’ Anna said, ‘Well, there is one more thing.’

  ‘Yes?’ Tom asked, anxi
ously.

  ‘Does anyone have room for a well-behaved dachshund?’ Anna asked hopefully. She looked in Martin’s direction.

  ‘I thought you might ask that,’ Martin said, laughing. ‘Of course. It feels right that Hepburn should come back home for a while.’

  Part Two

  Chapter 14

  When they arrived in Sorrento, on a Wednesday in mid-May, Anna and Matteo walked out into the sunlit square, Bella toddling beside them. Elegant shuttered apartments and cobblestones surrounded them, and as Anna breathed in she could smell the sweet aromas coming from the bakery. A wave of contentment and relief came over her, along with something else – a curious sensation of déjà vu.

  ‘Here we are,’ Matteo said, smiling at her. He pointed over at the ice cream shop and the apartment above it. ‘That’s it.’

  A flock of birds rose from the fountain in the centre of the square and Bella squealed in delight. They flew up and over the pretty stone building that would soon be their home.

  Anna smiled. ‘It’s strange – I almost feel like I’ve been here before.’

  ‘Well, Carolina did show us around on the webcam,’ Matteo said. ‘And there are a lot of films set here—’

  ‘It’s more than that,’ Anna said, watching her daughter run out across the square. ‘I really feel like I know it.’

  ‘Do you get a sense of her here?’ Matteo asked, gently.

  ‘Yes,’ Anna said, tears springing to her eyes. She brushed them away. ‘Happy tears,’ she explained. ‘I don’t know if it’s the stories Granny told us, coming back to me. Being here, somewhere that I know she was happy, it makes me feel closer to her.’

  Matteo took her hand and squeezed it gently.

  ‘And now we’ll be making our own memories here,’ Anna said.

  Anna and Matteo went up into the apartment and out onto the balcony. From up there they could see the bright blue sea, sparkling under the hot Italian sun. Anna could just picture it: romantic meals out on the balcony on a balmy summer’s evening, the bustle of the evening promenade playing out below them.

  Bella ran into one of the bedrooms and slammed her chubby hands down on the bed delightedly. Anna looked at Matteo’s face and saw the same expression of happiness, excitement at being back in his home country. Even though Sorrento was a new place for both of them, he had relaxed instantly when they arrived, conversing easily and laughing with everyone from the passport officials and taxi driver to the woman at the lettings office where they picked up their keys.

  After a quick look round the flat, Anna was impatient to see the shop premises. The three of them made their way downstairs to the shuttered shop. They stepped inside with trepidation and put on the lights.

  Anna let out a sigh of relief as she took in their surroundings. The previous owner had made it cosy and welcoming with a pretty mural of hilltops and sea on the wall, and glass cabinets, a little dusty but in otherwise good condition.

  ‘It’s far bigger than it looked on the webcam,’ Matteo said. ‘It looks good.’

  ‘Yes – it looks a whole lot better than Vivien’s did at the start. There’s lots of potential here.’

  Excitement at the prospect bubbled up inside Anna.

  ‘I can’t wait to get started,’ she said.

  The next morning, Anna poured out some cereal for Bella, and Matteo made coffee with the silver stove-top coffee maker. It was 6 a.m. and the town was almost silent. When Anna had daydreamed about the move to Italy she’d imagined waking gently from a luxurious sleep, turning towards Matteo on their crisp white sheets and kissing him, the only sound from outside the waves on the shore. Somehow she’d edited out the early starts that Bella had brought to their household, and that now it would be necessary to get the shop up and running.

  ‘So you’re meeting with a supplier this morning,’ Matteo said. ‘You’re sure you’re OK to do that on your own?’

  ‘Of course I am,’ Anna said.

  They took their breakfast out onto the balcony. Even first thing in the morning the air had an enveloping warmth, freshened by the sea breeze. From the balcony there was a good view of the square below – the cobblestones, the bakery opposite, the only place open at that early hour, selling bread and sweet buns. Beside it was a restaurant with a red awning – Luigi’s. A flock of pigeons rose into the morning sky.

  ‘I think I could get to like this place,’ Anna said.

  ‘You’re not missing the rain?’

  ‘Not one bit. Listen, before we get started on the shop, I just want to give Mum and Dad a ring, let them know how things are going.’

  She picked up her phone and dialled through.

  ‘Hey, Mum,’ Anna said. She could hear her mother squealing excitedly in the background for her dad to come and join in the phone call.

  ‘Hang on, love, just putting you on speakerphone,’ she said. ‘So you got there OK?’

  ‘Yes, we’re here and getting settled. Bella’s having a great time. She keeps bringing out her bucket and spade and asking when we can get to the beach.’

  ‘We miss you all already,’ Jan said.

  ‘Us too. But it’s so great to finally be here.’

  ‘You’ll be going out to explore, will you?’ Tom asked. ‘Your granny always talked about the colourful houses, said they stretched all the way up the slopes. Well, that and the tiramisu.’

  ‘We’ll be doing a tour of the local desserts. That’s our top priority.’

  ‘Once we’ve opened the shop,’ Matteo called out, from his seat beside Bella.

  ‘Yes, yes,’ Anna said, laughing. ‘Matteo’s insisting there’s something more important than pudding, but obviously I’ll put him straight on that.’

  ‘Can you put Bella on the line?’ Tom asked.

  Anna passed her daughter the phone, and she gabbled into it excitedly.

  Matteo came to stand beside Anna. She held his hand and squeezed it. Her family didn’t feel that far away, after all.

  Later that day, Matteo took Bella for a walk around the square while Anna started getting the shop ready. She raised the shutters and cleaned the slightly grimy windows with a bucket of soapy water. At least this was something she could manage on her own. She’d spent the morning trying to arrange an order with their supplier, her broken Italian meeting with his broken English, until the two of them had ended up thoroughly confused. Frustrated and disappointed, she’d had to call Matteo and get him to return from the supermarket to translate. It pained her to have to rely on him when she was used to placing orders herself in the UK. She was distracted from her task by a friendly male voice.

  ‘Benvenuta!’ it intoned loudly. Anna turned at the sound, and saw a grey-haired man in a smart suit approaching the shop. ‘Welcome,’ the man said. ‘My name is Luigi.’

  ‘Anna,’ she said, holding up her soapy hands apologetically.

  He laughed. ‘I am your new neighbour here in the square.’ She was relieved to hear his English, a little stilted but far better than she would manage in Italian.

  ‘Of course, the restaurant. I see!’ Anna said, recalling the crowds of lively customers she’d seen the previous evening. ‘I saw how busy it was last night.’

  ‘Forty years I have been running it, and it’s like that every night. I am getting old now but I think they’ll have to carry me out of there.’ He laughed.

  ‘You and your family come from England?’

  ‘I do. Matteo’s from Siena, and we met in Florence. Our daughter is a bit of both.’

  ‘Well, it is always a pleasure to see young people starting here in the square. They were a good couple, the people who used to run this gelateria, and people here were fond of them. But I think what they really wanted was to retire. Now it’s your time.’

  ‘Thanks. We have a week to get everything in order, but then we’ll be open next Saturday. Will you come?’

  ‘Of course,’ he said enthusiastically. ‘I would not miss it.’

  ‘Great,’ Anna said. ‘We’ll see you the
n.’

  After lunch, Anna turned her attention to testing out the new menu that she and Matteo had just finalised. She tasted the strawberry sorbet on a small silver spoon – it was light and sweet, bursting with flavour. Absolutely delicious. It had been simple to make. She’d adapted a basic recipe, but there was something about the fruit here in Italy: it was tasty and rich from days soaking up the sun. She and Matteo had spent over an hour at the local fruit market that morning, picking up the ripest fruit and fresh mint to experiment with as they finalised their menu.

  Matteo put his head round the door of the kitchen. ‘Ooh, that looks good,’ he said. ‘Do you need a second opinion?’

  ‘Of course,’ Anna laughed. ‘I’ve been testing this one pretty extensively actually. What do you think?’

  He took a spoonful. ‘It’s good. But I think it needs a little something else. Texture. Could you put more chunks of fruit into it?’

  Anna mulled it over. Perhaps it was a little too smooth. ‘I’ll try that. I’m also thinking it’s all a bit healthy at the moment, not nearly indulgent enough – so I’m going to make up some more chocolate-dipped waffle cones to serve it in.’

  ‘Perfect.’

  ‘How are things going out there?’

  ‘OK, the furniture we bought looks great outside. We’ve got room for four tables, and then people can always sit on the edge of the fountain when those are full. Seems like kids like playing around there.’

  Anna peeked out into the restaurant. The pictures she and Matteo had brought over were up on the walls, and it was starting to feel as if it was really their place. ‘I’m excited, Matteo. It feels good, doesn’t it? Being here.’

  ‘Vivien’s will always be special – the first place we worked together. But that place was yours and Imogen’s, and my family’s shop is my family’s. This one, this is all ours.’

  ‘Let’s take some time out this Sunday,’ Anna said. ‘Everything’s shut then, anyway. We could go out as a family. Rent a car and drive down the coast.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ Matteo said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She curled in towards him and kissed him gently on the mouth.