One Step to You (The Rome Novels #1)(54)

Babi bent over to pick up the Union Jack, and she started folding it. “Oh, you are? Why?”

“Well, just because…because I am. I’m happy, and that’s that.”

“Because you think you’re going to be the first?”

“Listen, I apologized. Now enough’s enough. Let’s be done with it. God, you’re difficult.”

Babi smiled. “You’re right. Truce.” She handed him one of the hems of the flag. “Here, help me fold it.”

They stepped apart to hold it out flat and then stepped closer again. Babi took the other end of the flag from his hands and gave him a quick kiss. “It’s just that the topic gets on my nerves.”

They walked back to the motorcycle without speaking, and Babi climbed up behind him. They drove off, down the hill, leaving behind them the broken stalks of wheat and a conversation left halfway finished.





Chapter 21



Stop!” Babi shouted, and grabbed tight to Step’s waist. The motorcycle practically froze to a halt at her command.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s my mother.”

Babi pointed at Raffaella’s Peugeot, parked a short way farther on, in front of Falconieri High School’s steps. She got off the motorcycle and looked at her watch. It was only a few minutes before one thirty. She had to at least give it a try.

She kissed Step on the lips. “Ciao, I’ll call you this afternoon.”

She hurried off, hunching low along the line of parked cars. She moved along cautiously. When she was in front of the school, she slowly stood up. There her mother was, just a few yards away. She could see her perfectly through the glass of a parked Mini. She was fiddling around with something in her lap. Then Raffaella raised her left hand and checked it. Babi understood. She was manicuring her nails. A moment later she lifted the nail file she was holding in her right hand. Sure enough, she’d guessed it.

Babi huddled against the car and checked her watch again. The other students should be coming out right about now. She looked to her right, to the end of the street. Step was gone. She smiled. She wondered what he must think of her. She’d call him later. Suddenly she remembered that she couldn’t do that. She didn’t have his phone number. She didn’t even know where he lived.

The bell rang, marking the end of the school day. The first classes appeared at the top of the stairs. The younger girls started descending the steps. Another bell rang. Now it was the turn of the ninth-and tenth-grade girls. One of them looked at her curiously. Babi lifted her finger to her lips, in the universal command of silence. The young woman looked away. They were all accustomed to secrets of every sort.

Finally, it was Babi’s class’s turn. Slowly, Babi stood up again. Her mother was still distracted, so this was the exact moment to go. Babi emerged from her hiding place and mingled with the other girls. She said hello to a few and then, careful not to let herself be seen, turned back to look at the car. Raffaella hadn’t noticed a thing. She’d pulled it off.

“Babi!” Pallina ran toward her.

The two girls hugged. Babi looked at her with a worried expression. “How did it go? Did anyone notice anything?”

“No, it’s all under control.” Pallina handed her a sheet of paper. “Here, this is the classwork and homework they handed out today. There are the names of everyone who was tested too. All perfectly accurate and precise, you could hire me as your secretary. Well, did you have a good time?”

“A very good time.” Babi stuck the sheet of paper in her bag and smiled at her friend.

“Let me guess.” Pallina stared at her for a second. “Breakfast at Euclide on Via di Vigna Stelluti. Cappuccino and pastry with whipped cream.”

“Almost nailed it. Same order, but at Euclide on the Via Flaminia.”

“Of course! Much more private. Perfect. Then a quick ride to Fregene and frantic sex on the beach, am I right?”

“Wrong-o!” Babi walked away with a smile on her face.

“About Fregene or all the rest?”

“All I can tell you is that you got one thing wrong.”

Babi got into the car, lying to her friend and leaving her there in front of the school, dying of curiosity. In reality, she’d got both things wrong.

“Ciao, Mamma.”

“Ciao.” Raffaella let Babi kiss her on the cheek. Their relationship seemed to have returned to normal.

“How was your day at school?”

“Fine. I didn’t get tested.”

Daniela arrived too. “We can go. Giovanna says that she’ll get home on her own from now on.”

The Peugeot took off. While they were waiting at the traffic light on Piazza Euclide, Babi suddenly felt something pricking her. Without letting herself be seen, she stuck her hand under her blouse. Caught under her bra was a small, golden stalk of wheat. She pried it loose and put it between the pages of her notebook. Then she stared at it for a moment. That enormous little secret. Step had touched her breasts.

She smiled, and just as the light turned green, there he was, parked to the right of the piazza. Laughing, he was waving the Union Jack, her own flag. She wondered when he’d stolen it from her. Then she remembered the most important detail. Step was like Pollo: he, too, stole things. She was amazed that it hadn’t occurred to her before. She was dating a thief.