Lara was left all alone in the world when she was just a child. Her parents had been killed in a horrific car wreck, leaving her in the care of her uncle.
Years flew by. The little girl grew into a bright young woman with dreams of nursing school. But the household she lived in was far from wealthy, and no one in the family was interested in footing the bill for an orphaned niece’s education.
“We’re barely keeping our heads above water as it is,” her uncle’s wife snapped one evening. “We can’t afford to keep carrying you. Everything costs money, Lara. It’s time you earned your keep. Go out and find a job.”
“I’m sorry,” Lara replied quietly, looking down at her hands. “I didn’t mean to be a burden. If I need to work, I will.”
She started as a waitress at a busy local diner. It was grueling work. She spent the entire day on her feet, rushing between the counter and the booths. The place was always packed, leaving her no time to catch her breath. By the time her shift ended, her legs throbbed and her ankles were swollen.
“At least you’ve got a steady paycheck coming in now,” her aunt said, barely looking up from the TV. “You’re finally being useful.”
“I know, but it’s exhausting,” Lara sighed. “And some of the customers… they don’t always keep their hands to themselves.”
“Well, honey, life isn’t a fairy tale. You have to work hard for every cent you make.”
Lara didn’t argue; she just let out a heavy sigh. She didn’t know how much longer she could take it until one afternoon, she ran into an old family friend, Natalie. Natalie walked into the diner with her husband, looking elegant and world-weary.
“I don’t believe it! Lara, look at you—you’re stunning,” Natalie exclaimed. “You’ve grown up so much. It’s a shame your mother isn’t here to see the woman you’ve become.”
“Thank you,” Lara said, forcing a polite smile. “It’s good to see you. How have you been?”
“Oh, wonderful. We just got back from Italy. I could talk your ear off for a week about it. But tell me about you. Are you in school? I see you’re working here. How are your relatives treating you?”
The dam finally broke. Lara poured her heart out, telling Natalie about the coldness at home, the constant pressure from her aunt, and how she’d been forced to drop her dreams of school just to survive. Natalie listened, shaking her head in sympathy.
“That’s awful, sweetie. We need to get you out of this rut. Listen, I can help you with the paperwork to get to Italy. There are plenty of families looking for live-in help. It’s not easy work, I’ll be honest, but the pay is better and the scenery is a hell of a lot nicer. Here’s my card. Call me in a few days and I’ll explain everything.”
“Lara! Stop chatting!” a gruff, heavy-set man shouted from the kitchen. “The orders are backing up. Get moving!”
“I’m sorry. That’s my boss,” Lara whispered. “I have to go. I’ll call you, I promise.”
“Wait, don’t run off yet. We only had coffee, but still…” Natalie pulled a few crisp, high-denomination bills from her purse. “Keep the change. Buy yourself something nice.”
Lara tried to wave the money away, but Natalie insisted.
“Thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it. Just call me,” Natalie said with a wink as she headed for the door.
A few days later, Lara made the call. The job involved senior care for a family in Italy. The pay wasn’t a fortune, but it was more than she could ever hope to save at the diner. True to her word, Natalie helped with the visa and the flight.
Before she knew it, Lara was packing her bags.
“Make sure you send plenty of money back,” her aunt said as a parting gift.
Lara didn’t say a word. She gave her uncle a tight, final hug, climbed into a taxi, and headed for the airport.
When she landed in Italy, she was met by a short, stout woman with a warm smile and a distinctive mole on her forehead.
“You must be Lara? I’m Nina. Natalie called me and told me everything. She asked me to look out for you.”
“Hello! It’s so good to meet you. Thank you for doing this.”
Nina gestured to a silver-haired man sitting quietly in a car nearby. He hopped out, took Lara’s small suitcase, tucked it into the trunk, and motioned for her to get in.
“This is Adriano. He doesn’t speak much English, but he understands more than he lets on.” Hearing his name, the man flashed a bright, gap-toothed grin.
“Nice to meet you, Adriano. I’m Lara.”
As they drove through the countryside, Lara pressed her face to the glass, mesmerized by the rolling hills and the golden light. Until now, she’d only seen Italy in movies; she used to joke that visiting the next town over was “traveling abroad.”
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Nina asked, noticing her wonder.
“It’s incredible.”
“Careful,” Nina laughed. “You see Italy once, and you risk falling in love and never leaving.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad problem to have.”
They pulled up to a charming white cottage with its windows flung wide to the breeze.
“This is our place. Welcome. Stay here for a bit, get settled, and start learning the language. Once we find you a placement, you can move in there.”
Lara’s room was small but flooded with sunlight. Nina and Adriano were wonderful to her. They treated her like a daughter, teaching her Italian phrases and feeding her meals that made her diner shifts feel like a lifetime ago.
Seven months later, Nina came home with a look of excitement.
“Pack your things, Lara. I’ve found the perfect spot for you. You’ll be looking after an elderly lady who lives nearby. I’ll help you get settled, and you can call me whenever you’re stuck.”
“Thank you so much. I’m nervous… I feel like a kid on her first day of school.”
“Don’t worry. Everyone has to start somewhere. Adriano, get the car!”
They drove to a magnificent two-story villa with a sweeping terrace and a garden overflowing with flowers. The interior was even more breathtaking. In the center of a spacious living room sat a frail, tiny woman in spectacles. Standing beside her was a tall, handsome man.
“Good afternoon! This is the girl I told you about,” Nina said in Italian.
“It’s a pleasure,” the man replied in English, his voice deep and smooth. “I’m Bernardo, and this is my mother, Charlotte. Please, come in. I’ll show you to your room.”
Nina stayed back to talk to Bernardo for a few minutes before calling Lara over.
“Charlotte can still walk on her own, which is a big help,” Nina explained. “But she needs help with the house. You’ll cook, clean, do the laundry, and look after her garden. She also loves the morning papers—you’ll have to read the news to her and chat about it.”
“Does she live in this big house all by herself?” Lara asked, looking around.
“Yes. Bernardo comes by once a week. He brings the groceries and handles the bills. You’ll get paid monthly, and your room and board are covered.” Nina paused and handed her a small device. “This is your monitor. If Charlotte needs you, she’ll call. You need to go to her immediately.”
“I’ll do my best. My Italian is still a bit rough, so I might be calling you for advice quite a bit.”
“Anytime. Just remember: feed her three times a day. There’s a list on the fridge of what she can have and her medication schedule. But most importantly—no matter how much she begs—do not give her chocolate. It keeps her up all night.”
Once Nina and Bernardo left, Charlotte looked Lara up and down and wrinkled her nose.
“You’re far too thin,” she grumbled. “Did they forget to feed you back home?”
“No, ma’am. I’ve just always been small.”
But the old woman wasn’t listening. she was already heading for the kitchen, clattering pots and pans.
“Well, make me something to eat! I like it hot and spicy. And hurry up. My stomach is touching my backbone. Do you want me to end up skin and bones like you?”
Lara realized then and there that Charlotte wasn’t going to be an easy boss.
“Let me check your diet list first, Charlotte. Then I’ll make you something delicious.”
The old woman just huffed and marched away. Lara immediately called Nina to double-check some recipes. Once the meal was ready, she walked into the living room to find Charlotte fast asleep.
She looks so sweet when she’s sleeping, Lara thought, tiptoeing out. But the second she sat down, the monitor in her pocket crackled to life.
“How long am I supposed to wait? Am I getting fed today or not?!”
Lara ran downstairs to find a very grumpy Charlotte.
“I’m so sorry, Charlotte. I’m bringing it now. I thought you were napping.”
“Napping? I don’t nap! I haven’t slept in weeks. You just didn’t want to feed me. I’m telling my son!”
“I promise that isn’t true,” Lara said, setting a plate of pasta in front of her.
“What is this? Feed me! It’s too heavy for me to lift. Can’t you see I’m struggling?”
Lara patiently fed her, spoon by spoon. Charlotte made a point of chewing loudly and “accidentally” spilling sauce on her own blouse just to give Lara more laundry to do.
So began Lara’s trial by fire. The old woman was incredibly difficult. According to her, Lara’s cooking was “tasteless,” she couldn’t tell a story to save her life, she was a terrible cleaner, and she was “starving” her. Every time Bernardo visited, Charlotte would launch into a dramatic list of complaints.
“Yes, Mother, I hear you. I’ll talk to her,” Bernardo would say. But he would catch Lara’s eye and offer a sympathetic smile, knowing exactly how his mother could be.
“Do something, Bernardo! I won’t stand for this disrespect!”
Every morning began with a shout through the monitor. “Are you still in bed? Get up! Stop being lazy, I’m hungry!”
“Good morning, Charlotte! You sound energetic today. I’ll be right there.”
Lara spent her days on her feet again—cooking, cleaning, and tending to the garden. She read the papers aloud every morning, listening to Charlotte complain about the government, her joints, and the price of milk. By the time evening rolled around, Lara was exhausted, but Charlotte always found one more task.
And then there was the chocolate. Lara caught the old woman multiple times raids the kitchen, poking through jars and the back of the fridge.
“Where is it? You ate it all, didn’t you? You’re eating me out of house and home! I’ll tell Bernardo you’re a thief!”
One morning, Charlotte woke up early and made an announcement.
“My friends are coming over this evening. Do not embarrass me. Clean the house until it shines. Make a proper dinner. And look presentable.”
As the old woman reached up high into the closet to grab a fancy dress, there was a sudden, sickening sound. She collapsed, her body seizing on the floor.
“Oh my God! Charlotte!”
Lara’s training kicked in. She called the paramedics and then Nina. Charlotte was rushed to the hospital. A few days later, she was allowed to return home, but she was different.
“Don’t panic,” Nina whispered to Lara. “I talked to the doctor. It’s serious. She’s going to have good days and bad days, but the outlook isn’t great. Just keep her spirits up.”
“I will. I’ll do whatever she needs.”
The next morning, Charlotte was uncharacteristically quiet. She even smiled.
“Thank you for helping me,” she said softly. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be in the ground by now.” She paused. “You’re my tenth girl, you know. No one stays long. I have a nasty temper, I know it.”
From that day on, Charlotte was a different person. The bitterness vanished, replaced by a genuine affection. She began to treat Lara like a granddaughter. They spent their mornings drinking tea and actually enjoying their conversations.
When Bernardo visited, he was stunned by the change in his mother. One afternoon, Charlotte called Lara over.
“I don’t feel well, dear. I know my time is short. But I want to see my son happy. He’s been married twice, but neither woman was right. I think you’re the one he’s been waiting for.”
“Don’t say such things, Charlotte! You’re going to be around for a long time. And Bernardo will find someone when he’s ready.”
“You never listen,” the old woman chuckled. “I see the way he looks at you. He adores you. I want to die a happy woman. Do me a favor—go on a date with him. I’ve already set it up.”
True to her word, Charlotte had cornered her son, and Bernardo took Lara to a beautiful restaurant overlooking the valley.
“I didn’t mean to force this on you,” Lara said, blushing as they sat across from each other. “Your mother was very insistent.”
“I know. But for once, she’s right. I really do like you, Lara. I’ve watched how you’ve cared for her, even when she was at her worst. You’re a remarkable person. If you say no, I’ll understand. Но I’d very much like for you to stay.”
Lara didn’t know what to say.
“Just think about it. The offer stands whenever you’re ready.”
That night, he dropped her off and kissed her hand. “Goodnight, Lara. I’ll be waiting for your answer.”
Lara couldn’t sleep. She wanted to say yes, but it felt so sudden. The next morning, Charlotte noticed her distraction.
“Don’t be afraid, honey. He’s a good man. He won’t hurt you. Now, be a dear and bring me a glass of liqueur and a piece of chocolate. We need to celebrate your engagement!”
“But nothing has happened yet! I haven’t even answered him.”
“Don’t argue with me. I know it’s going to happen. Bring the chocolate. And don’t you dare give me a lecture about my health. It’s a celebration! My heart is singing. Bring it!”
Lara gave in. She watched as Charlotte savored the piece of chocolate, washing it down with the sweet liqueur. It was the last thing she ever ate.
The next morning, Charlotte passed away peacefully in her sleep. Lara called Nina and Bernardo immediately.
“Bernardo, I’m so sorry,” Lara sobbed when he arrived. “She asked for chocolate last night… she was so happy for us. I didn’t think it would hurt her.”
Bernardo pulled her into a tight embrace.
“It wasn’t the chocolate, Lara. She knew it was her time. She wanted one last taste of the things she loved before she went. You gave her a happy ending.”
A few weeks after the funeral, Lara moved into the main house with Bernardo. She accepted his proposal and decided to make Italy her permanent home.
A year later, she gave birth to a beautiful, blonde-haired baby girl. They named her Charlotte, in honor of the cranky, difficult, wonderful woman who loved chocolate—and who had brought them together.
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