After my mother stopped crying and my father finally let go of her, we had lunch and told them of our plans. They tried their best to look happy for us, but it was no use. I had just broken their hearts, and I felt like a criminal.
Chapter Ten
JOE
The eleven hour flight took it out of us. The dream team was ready to land on American soil and sleep like the dead. The girls were bowled over by the culture shock, gawking at all that their new home would offer them. Fabio and I needed a beer, stat. While our bags were loaded into the car we’d bought before we arrived, the dream team had refreshments in the lounge at the airport.
Florida was beautiful. My father had done his homework well. Ella and I were excited to get our lives on track. Fabio’s father put him in contact with a few trusted developers to help him find the best land to develop for building casinos. It was a new venture in Florida. All they had at that stage were bingo rooms, something Fabio was hell-bent on changing.
Bria was offered a position as a dancing instructor at a prestigious college, and my Ella was headhunted by the University of Palm Beach. All in all, the gang was on the up and up. The home that Ella and I wanted to build would be perfect on a large estate on Palm Beach. Ella fell in love with the grounds, the beautiful flora on it, and the possibilities of what she could do with the ample space.
I was happy because she was happy. It didn’t matter much to me where I lived and worked, as long as my family was safe and happy. Ella and I rented a quaint little villa while we met with architects, looking for the right one to share our vision. The garden at the villa was no match for Ella. We weren’t there very long before the neighbors were asking Ella for gardening tips. They were exciting times for us. Days were spent working and creating, and in the evenings we enjoyed checking out the nightlife with Fabio and Bria.
Our parents insisted that we build a home that would accurately represent the status of the Coli and Lastra families. No expense was spared. Italian marble, expensive roof tiles, handcrafted furniture carved from exotic wood, the works. Nothing was too much for my gorgeous. She blossomed in Palm Beach.
ELEANORA
Palm Beach in the 70s was paradise. Bright colors everywhere, pool parties, late-night excitement, Trans Ams, and Mustangs as far as the eye could see. I was happy at work, Joe was making inroads in the business world, Bria was her bubbly self, and Fabio had, against all expectations, become a committed entrepreneur and loving husband.
The architects understood exactly what I wanted—the plans for our new home were spectacular. We’d settled on a white, two-story Tuscan villa with terracotta roof tiles and wide arches. The entrance hall was vast with a staircase running along the sidewalls. The double volume space in the kitchen and living room gave an air of space that made the house look quite regal. I absolutely loved it. The six ensuite bedrooms were on the first floor, with our bedroom and study at the south-facing wings of the house. I craved sun and light and so did Joe. I was particularly excited about the garden. The grounds were expansive, leaving me plenty of space to play with.
After a month or two, Mario and Franco came to the States to see what we were up to. They were rather comfortable, and we were sure they’d never go back home to Sicily. It was so good to see them, I even shed a tear when they left—bizarre, I know!
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Mama would check in on a fortnightly basis, regular as clockwork, to ask if I was pregnant yet. The woman was an Italian ovary whisperer. I kept my cool and made sure my birth control regimen was bulletproof. Mothers!
JOE
My father and I were working closely together on the new venture. I made plans for new locations and opportunities to expand what we already had in Sicily. A few men from the organization relocated to Florida to assist me in the expansions. The USA was most certainly the land of opportunity. The business was booming, and not having Gino in my face everywhere I turned was a huge relief.
Having Mario and Franco visit completed the gang. The beautiful women of the nightclubs of Palm Beach were never the same again after Mario’s visit. Even Franco lightened up, shocking as it was.
Ella and I were very involved with the construction of our dream home. Ella had planted as many exotic flora and trees as she could get her hands on. The driveway looked like a scene from the Amazon rainforest. Roses, ferns, palm trees, manicured lawn—my wife had the greenest fingers I’d ever seen.
“Darling, don’t you think we should slow down with the foliage? Soon, we’ll be living in a jungle.”
“And why is that a bad thing? I’ve always wanted to be the Jane to your Tarzan.”
“Now that you put it that way, plant away, my sexy botanist. I can’t wait for all this construction to be done so that we can christen every room in our new home.”
“Joe, you’re a man after my own heart. Now come over here, Romeo, and help me choose a paint color for the walls in our bedroom.”
“I think the color ‘nude’ will work nicely. Don’t you, gorgeous?”
“Tell you what, strip and let me see what I think.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The builders were all
