One Winter Weekend

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“ S ignorina Caroline,” he said happily, “I am so happy to find you. Everyone left so quickly…”

She stared at him impatiently, waiting for him to explain what he was doing outside her room.

It was then that she noticed the clothing bag hung over his arm. “I bring good news: your dress has arrived. The wedding is saved!”

Caroline chuckled ironically as Fabrizio handed the bag to her. “Well,” she said, “thanks anyway, but we’re no longer sure at this point if there’s actually going to be a wedding.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, looking shocked.

She sighed. “Well,” she explained, “everybody left because there was a big row over dinner between Ben’s parents and Molly’s, and it ended with Molly walking out on Ben.”

“Oh no,” he replied concernedly. “So where is she now?”

“That’s the thing,” Caroline said. “I’m heading out now to try and find her. She took off, and no one seems to know where she is.”

“And you are going to, what, walk around Roma after dark calling out her name until you find her?”

Caroline shrugged. “She can’t have gone far,” she replied.

Fabrizio shook his head. “Of course she can. There are trains, buses, trams, taxis – she could be halfway to Napoli by now.”

Caroline’s face fell. “Oh God, Fabrizio,” she said, panic rising in her voice, “you don’t think she would do that, do you?”

“I do not know,” he answered. “She is your friend, after all. You know her best.”

Caroline nodded. “Right, right,” she said. “Okay, let’s see… where would she go?”

“Perhaps something related to the wedding?” Fabrizio ventured. “Maybe the church or to the Fontana di Trevi to think.”

“At this point, I think the wedding is the last thing she wants to think about. You didn’t see her, Fabrizio. She was very upset. She ran off before I even had the chance to to talk her.”

Fabrizio nodded. “Okay, I have an idea. Go, leave your dress in your room, and meet me downstairs in a few minutes. We will drive in my car to a few places I know. Perhaps we will be lucky.”

Caroline stared at him again – only this time, it was in admiration. “Fabrizio, that’s very kind of you… I’m…”

“I know,” he said, flashing her his increasingly charming smile. “I will see you downstairs.”