23: I Don't Understand

Cora waited patiently, sitting on a small leather sofa just off the kitchen area. As soon as Zola walked in, she felt her body warm with pleasure. "Zola, did you tuck Matteo in?"

"Oh no, he's still going strong. I don't envy Dom and Marie tonight. The little prince is wired." Zola fell into the sofa with Cora.

Cora shifted closer and they sat facing each other with their legs crossed. Cora leaned in and brushed Zola's hair back, gently revealing her face. When Cora gave her a crooked grin, Zola sighed with love and disbelief. It felt like the universe was at peace. Made for her.

" Come here and kiss me."

Cora's grin widened as she leaned in. Zola recognized the look in Cora's eyes as she immersed herself in the moment. "I love your lips." She kissed Zola gently and with compassion.

", how did you get here?"

"Oh, I'm not exactly sure myself. But I think Marge started the ball rolling and Edra, Joce, and Erin made it happen."

"? Really?"

Cora smiled at the thought of her friend. "Yes, Zola. She loves me. She loves me enough to help me get to you, even though it hurts her."

"What happened to you and Erin, ? What brought your love to me?"

Cora's gaze dropped to the space between them as memory and contemplation overwhelmed her. "I lost my family. I lost everything that was permanent in my life. I don't regret my spiritual journey after the accident. I didn't lose 'God,' I found it. I am deeply passionate about Engaged Buddhism and Secular thought. But I it's hard for me to see my own weakness sometimes. And when I considered us I had a blindspot."

Cora's chest tightened with the thought of losing Zola. "It's hard to bear the thought of a loss like that again, in measure."

"," Zola slipped forward, kissing Cora on the forehead, "that's understandable. The pain is not a weakness. It's scarring, it's a pain that lingers. The blindspot, though?" Zola smirked lightly, "If I'm a part of that blindspot, I guess I'll just have to work harder for your to see me."

Cora raised her eyes to meet Zola's."Zola, Baby, you're perfect."

Zola smiled. "So you haven't ... loved? In all these years?"

"No, it's not that, exactly. I love people sincerely and infinitely, in different ways. I have loved many things about since the first night we met. I think the bigger issue has been my abilit to . I was only loving in slices and moments, in a deconstructed way."

Cora's voice wavered. "So Erin, I hurt her. I didn't intend to ... but ..."

"And she loves you still? And you her?"

"Yes. I will always love her but we can't our bell. My mistakes with her, learning from that, is a big part of the reason why I can be here with you. Erin helped me see that and then she released me."

"I like this woman, ."

"I'm glad. I like her too."

"So Marge, Edra, Joce, Erin ..."

"And about a half dozen more people all working so we could be here together."

"Wow, then I guess we shouldn't disappoint them." Zola lifted up, forcing Cora back into the sofa.

"Zola, you said you needed sleep."

"I do, but, . I can't resist you." Zola mouth crashed into Cora, stealing her air. The kiss was dizzying. Zola pulled back for just a moment. "I love your friends."

Cora rolled with laughter. "Me too!"

----

Over the next three days, Cora and Zola lost themselves in each other and Rimini.Cora could see why Zola loved the seaside city; the offseason was quiet and romantic. The two women split their time between walking the shore and the small city, spending time in the main house with family, and wrapped up in each other. Cora made sure to take full advantage of Marge's purchases, much to Zola's delight.

On the final morning, the family sat in the farmhouse enjoying a breakfast before they left to travel back to the States. Alberto, Dominic, Marie, and Matteo heading toward New York and Zola and Cora to Austin.

"Are you ready to get back to work, Cora?"

"I'm definitely going to miss Rimini, Marie, and your family. But, yes. I have patients to see. And I have a feeling I'll be covering shifts for a month."

"How is your burn patient?"

Cora smiled softly with gratitude. "Oh, I attended a service for Ms. Reyes last week. Thank you for asking."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes," Cora smiled with fondness for the woman,"it's those of us who remain that suffer. Her suffering is over and she found great comfort in knowing that her children are safe and have known her love and sacrifice."

Zola slipped her hand into Cora's. "I understand. I imagine she too felt very lucky to have you at her side."

Cora leaned over and kissed Zola gently on the cheek. She whispered softly but loud enough that everyone heard clearly, "I love you."

Breakfast ended and the family moved, slowly hugging each other in love and farewell. Zola found herself sitting with her father at the kitchen table while the others moved back to their rooms or to the bathrooms making final preparations for travel.

Alberto leaned closer, speaking softly with concern. "Zolina ..."

", Papa?"

He spoke only in Italian, "She you."

"."

"But this cannot be."

"Papa?" Zola's eyes widened.

"Zolina, you are . You are . It's time to let these affairs of the heart go. They are temporary and you are the future of our family."

"Papa! I don't understand. I thought you Cora." Tears filled Zola's eyes.

", Zolina. I do, very much. But she cannot be, my darling. She doesn't into our family. She declared her love to you. If you let this continue, you will cause her great suffering."

Tears were streaming down Zola's face. "I will not! Why,?! "Why?! Is it because I love a ? Is it because she's ?"

Alberto backpedaled, slightly stunned by his daughter's intense reaction. "Zolina, don't cry. You don't have to let her go right , but you must understand she cannot be. No (heretic). She does not believe in , Zolina, our ."

Zola had no response. She sat, tears running down her face.

", We are family, we will always come in your life."

Zola stood, her head spinning. Cora would return from the carriage house any moment. "Cora is with me now. We'll talk about this later."

"Zolina, there is nothing to speak about."

", Papa. There is." Zola turned and went to find the bathroom and then Matteo to say goodbye.

"There you are!" Cora sat waiting in the farmhouse kitchen. She saw puffiness in Zola's eyes. "Are you okay, Baby?"

Zola smiled, sadness lingering in her eyes. ". I just said goodbye to Matteo. He is . My treasure."

Cora smiled. "I can see that. You two have a very special relationship."

Zola smiled at Cora, holding onto the vision of her and Rimini as long as she could. "Well, I guess I must wake from this dream. Ready, ?"

Cora sensed that there was more to the story but did not push the issue. She nodded and followed Zola out to the car.

----

"Wait ... wait ... wait. . Tell me again about the clothes."

"Edra! Please! Just come over and look in my closet. You'd know more about the names of the designers than I would."

"Okay then, tell us about the sex." Joce was deadpan and serious.

"Joce! It was exactly what you're hoping it wasn't, too good to speak of it out loud."

Cora grinned, teasing Jocelyn and Edra. "And I got to keep all of the lingerie too."

"Jesus!"

"How has Erin been?"

Edra grimaced. "Well, we've been kissing her ass for a week and you her. I have no idea how you're going to make it up to her. But she's fine, Cora. She's going to be ."

"I know, I owe all of you. I can't believe you pulled this off."

"Well, I know I'd love another pair of shoes."

Cora laughed. "Oh don't worry, I think you'll find Zola is extremely grateful. I'll be working 14 days straight and I'll be the first person every chaplin comes to for a favor for the next year. But, totally worth it."

----

", Marge! !" Zola crossed to Marge and hugged her fiercely. Zola's joy was contagious and Marge rolled with laughter returning the embrace.

"So you had a good time, Zola?"

"!" Zola was beaming with the memories of the week. "Marge, we have to figure out what to do to say thank you to Cora's friends and colleagues."

"Yes, I'll take care of it, Zola. Tell me then, how'd they get her to go? Dr. Sarin wasn't as confident as I would have expected."

"Oh, her , Erin, convinced her."

Marge's eyes widened and her mouth made the shape of an "O."

"! I know! ." Zola was now as giddy as a teenager, speaking in broken English.

" she loves me, she said so. She told me and there was no , only certainty. We stayed together in the carriage house. We lost ourselves in (bliss)." Zola's smile faded. "There's just ."

"Oh?"

"Papa. He thinks Cora is an 'affair' and 'temporary.' He told me she has no place in our family."

Marge grimaced. "Men. So rigid."

". Papa said I have 'time.' He doesn't understand, Marge. I love her. I won't give her up."

"If your father asks you to choose Zola, what will you do?"

". I don't know, Marge."