Nonno described the great fire that collapsed the mine. Men tried to climb out. I can’t believe he told a couple of kids such a gruesome story, but what the hell? He did. We were different from the kids today. It’s all kitten stories now. Anyway, the elephant broke free. That was the happy part of the story. But I don’t remember where the elephant went. And I don’t know if the elephant died. The terrible part was the father and son who could not get out of the mine. Whoever dug the mine did not dig an adit, and the workers were trapped. The dangerous work they did provided beauty and value to the world, but they risked their lives to extract the stones. Was it worth it? How could it be? They died in the mine. I remember Nonno saying that a father will do anything to feed his family, and that always stuck with me.
Yeah, sis. That’s the part that always got me. It was dangerous, but it was worth risking their lives for food. I wish I remembered what happened to the elephant. Sorry about that. Oh yeah, I remember one more thing. Nonno said the miners were barefoot. That’s right. They didn’t have shoes or work boots. I can only imagine what it was like to walk over the sharp stones and rock walls in that mine where the tunnels went deep and on for miles. All for a ruby. Or rubies. The treasure they needed to eat. That’s all I got. I’m signing off. I hope this is what you’re looking for. Thanks for a nice visit. Who knows if we’ll ever get back there again? We’re getting up in years, Matelda. Sad, but this is the way of life. It ends as promised. Anyhow, it’s always good to come home and practice my Italian. It was good to see you and Olimpio and the kids.
“Nino doesn’t remember what happened to the elephant either.” Matelda took the buds out of her ears and placed them into the case. “He doesn’t sound like us at all anymore.”
“He sounds like an Italian American from New Jersey because that’s what he is. He’s lived there for fifty years. You are what you eat, where you live, and what you drive.”
“That’s a sad observation.” Matelda placed her phone on the nightstand. “That was disappointing.”
“At least he called you back. He was never going to write it down.”
“No, but he tried. He did something for me. That’s a first for my brother. I asked him to do something for me, and he did it.”
“You’ve let go of the old grudges. You two are getting along now.”
“We are, aren’t we?” Matelda had worked hard at releasing any resentment she had for Nino. He had pulled many stunts over the years. Nino hadn’t taken responsibility for his role in the tumult; instead, he blamed Matelda. Nino accused his sister of stealing his father’s fortune. He sued her for the profits from the sale of the storefront in Viareggio. She gave Nino half of the money, even though it was she and Olimpio who worked in the business. Nino claimed he wasn’t consulted and therefore the building should not have been sold. Nino asked for the original drawings of their grandfather’s designs; she sent them when he assured her there was a university that had inquired about them, only for him to turn around and sell them to a fine jewelry outfit in New Jersey. Matelda had to buy the drawings back to keep them in the family when Nino refused to do so. He didn’t care about family history, though he moved to America with a loan from Cabrelli Jewelers. He made a killing manufacturing crystal embellishments used on handbags and shoes. He never repaid the loan. There were years when brother and sister did not speak to each other. Matelda and Olimpio were not invited to his daughter Anna’s wedding because Nino was furious at his sister over something she could no longer remember. Patrizia could not convince Nino to come to Nicolina’s wedding, because she and Olimpio had not attended their daughter’s wedding. Finally, Olimpio and Patrizia called a truce between the brother and sister. Fingers crossed it would last until the end of their lives.
“Nino is a tit-for-tat person. He always has been. It’s only lately that his primary emotion is not anger. Maybe he is on some kind of medication.”
“Maybe he’s tired of fighting.” Olimpio offered.
“I don’t think our problems were about Papa. Nino might have resented how close I was to my mother. Maybe he had a problem with us living in this house with my parents. Maybe he wanted the house.”
“We paid him for his portion.”
“He has plenty of money. There’s a hole in my brother that nothing can fill. Unfortunately, he thinks I dug it.”
“You know, Matelda? Maybe he just didn’t like your face.”
“That’s it!” Matelda laughed. “That only took you fifty years.”
Olimpio laughed.
Matelda lifted a nightgown out of her dresser drawer. “I’m going to do my routine.” She closed the bathroom door behind her.
“Are we going to be talking about your family for the rest of our lives?” Olimpio called out to her.
Matelda opened the door. “Is that a problem?”
“That’s a yes,” Olimpio grumbled.
Matelda stood at the sink brushing her teeth when her eye caught a layer of bright blue bubbles at the bottom of her drinking glass. She spit out the toothpaste and felt around her neck for her reading glasses. She turned the glass over into the palm of her hand. A bracelet of shimmering blue aquamarine stones set in pavé diamonds slid out of the glass.
“Olimpio!” She dabbed her mouth and went into the bedroom. “What is this?” She held out the bracelet.
“Happy birthday.”
“You put an expensive bracelet in a glass in the bathroom? On the sink? Are you crazy?”
“I wanted to surprise you.” He grinned.
“It could have gone down the drain.”
“But it didn’t.”
“But it could have.” She felt her face flush with anger.
“Oh, for God’s sake, Matelda. It’s a surprise. I made it for you myself. You said you wanted a bracelet to go with your earrings. Don’t ruin the fun. Just enjoy the gift for once.”
Matelda went back into the bathroom. She sat on the edge of tub and cried. There was a soft rap on the bathroom door. She grabbed a towel and dried her tears.
Olimpio opened the door and peeked inside. “Matelda.”
She looked up at her husband in despair.
“Give it to me.”
Matelda handed him the bracelet. “I’m sorry.” She extended her wrist.
“I’m sorry too. It was silly of me to surprise you.” Olimpio placed the bracelet on her wrist, snapping the gold hinge. “I just felt like having fun like the old days.”
“This coming from the man who hid my engagement ring in a sfogliatella.” Matelda gently turned the glittering stones over her wrist in a full circle. “It’s magnificent. Thank you.”
“Happy birthday, bella.” He kissed her and took her hand. They returned to the bedroom.
She turned away from him as she sat on the side of the bed. “I can’t be happy.”
“You’ve been happy.”