White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick

ignored the tone. She began by pointing to every object in the suite and having Arcineh repeat the Italian word. Carpet, bed, lamp, dresser, pen, paper, sheet, curtain, window, pillow, shower, towel, and on and on it went. Arcineh thought she would lose her mind, but this woman, for all her gentle ways, had a will of iron. Until Arcineh could say every word by memory and to Sarafina's satisfaction, they did not move on.
    Arcineh, as with every area of learning, was a quick study. By noon she was saying simple sentences with a charming accent and gaining approval from Sarafina when that woman would suddenly point to something in the room and Arcineh remembered what it was from two hours past. Not until her head was pounding and her insides rumbled did Arcineh begin to resist.
    "What's the word in Italian for 'I'm starving'?"
    Sarafina studied her student for a moment. Sam's child had taken it very well, and Sarafina was impressed, but she remembered his warning not to go easy on her.
    "We will go downstairs and eat in the small restaurant here in the hotel, but from the moment we leave this room, you will not speak a word of English."
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    "How am Ito order my food?"
    "You will have a menu. You will read it and figure it out:" "Where did Sam find you?" Arcineh asked, speaking her thoughts. "Right here. My father owns this hotel."
    Arcineh took time to put on makeup and fix her hair, but Sarafina would not allow a change of clothing.
    "You're eye-catching enough:' that lady said quietly while ushering her charge out the door.
    Arcineh considered the fact that she was in Italy. The morning before she'd woken up in her own bed. All the way down on the elevator Arcineh told herself she must be dreaming.
    By 4:45 Arcineh's head was pounding and she could not go on. However, Sam was nowhere in sight. Sarafina was reticent to leave Arcineh alone, but Arcie sincerely assured her she didn't want to go anywhere.
    As soon as Sarafina left, Arcineh lay on the sofa and stared into space, but that only lasted for ten minutes. She was sure that her grandfather would be back by 5:00, and when the clock crawled on to 5:30, Arcineh's temper began to rise. By the time he opened the door at 6:15, she was in full-blown rage.
    "Do you know what time it is?" Arcineh shot, immediately on the attack.
    "I'm sorry it's so late, Arcie. I got held up:'
    "You're sorry!" Arcineh flopped into a chair, not sure why she was so put out save the fact that she hadn't wanted to come along in the first place.
    "I've got something for you."
    "No, thank you, Sam," she responded, using his name and hoping to irritate him.
    Sam still came to her chair and held out a small gold box.
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    "What is it?"
    "Take it:' Sam urged. "Try some."
    Arcineh wasn't happy with him, but she took the gift. She found small white blocks of candy inside and picked one up.
    "What is it?"
    "Just try one."
    Arcineh bit in unwillingly, a frown still on her face. But that soon changed. She sat very still as the confection melted in her mouth. She took another bite and let it melt again. Only then did she look at Sam.
    "What is this?" Her voice had softened.
    "White chocolate."
    "I don't think I've heard of it."
    "They make it in Turin, in northern Italy"
    Arcineh finished the piece, her whole body melting with pleasure. Not until it was completely gone did she look up into Sam's eyes. "Thanks, Grandpa"
    "You're welcome." He smiled at her. "How did the lesson go?" Arcineh answered him in Italian, and Sam stared at her. "Now that didn't occur to me:'
    "What's that?"
    "That you would learn to speak Italian better than I do:'
    While Arcineh was still smiling over this, Sam asked, "How about some dinner?"
    "Can we leave the hotel?"
    "Yes:'
    Arcineh was out of her chair in a flash and headed to change. She would give him no time to change his mind.
    Given the choice, she would have stayed home, Arcineh realized, but four days later, sitting on a plane bound for Chicago, Arcineh
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    knew she would