HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Over the nine days Zoe had left in Bayville she had chosen to not stay at the Haven and returned to staying in the apartment above Alec’s restaurant. Having so many strangers, nice as they were, around her all the time made her a little uneasy. At the apartment she was given space and having Alec upstairs made her feel secure and close to family. She spent time with her dad and Alec the most as her siblings did have to go to school. But she spent time with Gina a bit more than Alexander. Gina and Sebastian brought her to a small theater in town that was running some old black and white movie. Sure she was the third wheel/chaperone for their date but it was nice to spend that time getting to know her little sister. She did spend some, just not much, time with Alexander generally hanging out in Alec’s apartment discussing art with Alec. She found it interesting that she got the gift of singing and the desire to perform like their father and her mother along with being an artist like her mother, Gina had a love for performing arts but not to take the stage herself, and Alexander had a love for art but no talent in the field himself. Her favorite moment was when her father took her, just her, into the city and to see Les Miserables on Broadway. And it was while sitting there in that world renowned theater that Zoe knew for sure that she wanted to come back to New York and she didn’t care how long it took this was the stage she wanted to end up on some day. But the final day came and she had to leave Bayville, but she knew it would be temporary. Gina, Alexander, and Alec went to the airport to see her and Damon off. It was a long flight home and Zoe wasn’t sure who was more anxious about getting there her or her father. This would be first time in nearly twenty years he’d be face to face with her mother. Gina had requested video of their meeting at the airport. Apparently Gina thought it would be a memorable moment. Zoe was in agreement as they had not told her mother he was coming with her. All her mother knew was that the court proceeding for the charges against Geri were in process, Damon’s restraining order had been approved and he’d filed for divorce which with Geri’s lawyer currently working an insanity plea it was looking at the divorce would be completed quickly.

She vaguely remember being coherent when the announcement came that they were making their final approach to Peretola, the airport in Florence. She half opened her eyes and saw her father already awake. Both had kept their hair covered for the long trip, her with her bandana and him wearing the scarf. He’d shaved before they left New York but there was faint stubble already starting to form though as it was white it was harder to see against his fair skin. The trip had been a long one, they’d boarded at JFK at 10:30am Eastern, had almost a four and a half hour layover in Toronto no boarding there till 4:40pm and then changing time zones arrived in Fankfurt, Germany just after 6:00am local time with an hour and half layover to finally end up in Florence just after 9:00am for a grand total of over 16 hours in transit. At least they had each other to talk to during the trip unlike when she flew to America and had basically kept her tablet on to ignore the strangers around her. “Morning papa.”, Zoe greeted with a yawn. Damon smiled looking at his daughter. “Morning Zoe.”, he greeted as the plane touched down. “Mamma will be waiting for me at the arrivals gate. She is going to be so surprised when she sees you.”, Zoe said. Damon nodded. “I’m sure she will. Rather proud of both of us that neither told her I was coming.”, Damon agreed. “It’ll be more fun to see her surprised face.”, Zoe said sitting up stretching out her arms up, at least to the extent the cabin allowed. In the airport Isadora was waiting patiently her dark blue eyes focused on the international arrivals gate waiting to see her daughter’s face. Finally she saw people starting to walk out and she kept looking and waiting. Then she saw her, Isadora’s face lit up as she smiled and raised a hand to wave to her daughter. Zoe smiled and waved back reaching into her carryon bag for the video camera focusing it on her mother’s face.

Isadora looked confused tilting her head to the side trying to figure out why her daughter was holding a video camera up at her. Then she saw someone behind Zoe, Isadora blinked a couple times gulping as the features of the face became instantly recognizable. Even without his white hair visible she knew who was behind her daughter. Her mouth went open a little in surprise, bringing her hands to cover her look of shock and small tears started to go down her cheeks. She wanted to just run forward but there was too many people and TSA to get past. So she had to wait, to stand there knowing that she was but a few feet from him. Zoe was smiling as she was capturing her mother’s expression before turning the camera to look behind her at her father. Damon had picked Isadora out easily in the sea of faces and was smiling his blue eyes having that same softness they had when he’d told her and her siblings about how he met her mom. In her mind Zoe thought how Gina was going to love this video. Finally they got out to the open area of the airport no longer was there TSA and ropes to separate. Zoe moved out of the way to be able to easily move the camera to show her parents. Isadora pushed past some others who were standing waiting for people to get to them. Originally as she’d waited her only thought had been to hug her daughter. But now she just wanted to reach Damon. Damon ended up meeting her half way. He didn’t say a word just wrapped his arms around her lifting her slightly off the ground with a small spin kissing her briefly before setting her down and kissing her again. He didn’t take his arms from around her waist as he stood there, but did bring one hand up and wiped the stains of tears from her eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “Ti amo. E non sto lasciando andare di nuovo. (I love you. And I am not letting you go again.)”, he whispered with a smile. Isadora smiled back that same smile he’d described where even her eyes smiled. “Ti amo anch’io. (I love you too)”, Isadora whispered softly before kissing him. “I have missed you so my fenice.”, Isadora said wrapping her arms around him hugging him tightly.

Zoe sighed walking over with a smile for a close up and then turned off the camera. “Gina is going to love this footage.”, Zoe stated tucking the camera back into her bag. “Gina?”, Isadora questioned remember the name belonged to Damon’s younger daughter. Zoe nodded. “I promised her I would video tape you seeing dad and how you two greeted each other. She’s a hopeless romantic and thinks your story belongs in a black and white film.”, Zoe explained with laugh. Damon chuckled and shook his head. “Of course my Gina made that request of you. I was wondering what you were doing with the camera.”, Damon said. Isadora laughed a little. “She sounds very sweet. So how long did you know he was coming? Wait how long are you staying?”, Isadora questioned. “I’ve missed you too mamma. And I’ve known the whole time. We just wanted to surprise you.”, Zoe said. “I’m here for two weeks, if of course you don’t mind me staying.”, Damon explained. “Mind? I haven’t had you for almost twenty years, two weeks is not long enough.”, Isadora said hugging him again. Isadora dug into her purse and handed Zoe her phone. “You left this here.”, Isadora said. “Thanks mamma.”, Zoe said taking the phone back and quickly started to enter the phone numbers for Alec, Gina, Alexander, the Haven, Sebastian and even Merrick she’d collected while in America.

“Let’s go and we can discuss the details more outside of the airport.”, Damon suggested taking Isadora’s hand into his left, the wedding ring gone and just a tan line remained. Isadora nodded in agreement pausing to give her daughter a hug before the three walked out of the airport and to Isadora’s car. “So what are the details then? Because apparently I wasn’t given all of them.”, Isadora questioned as they drove. “I’ll be here for two weeks then I have to go back to oversee my dojo’s reconstruction and get whatever I can paperwork wise completed. Then well it’s up to you and Zoe if you want to come back to Bayville. I know we discussed it that night. And I know I still want to have you both in my life.”, Damon explained. Isadora nodded. “I would like that, as long as I am with you again I’ll be happy. But don’t you live at the Academy with the Acolytes?”, she questioned. “If you and Zoe choose to move to Bayville it’s already arranged I will be retiring from the Academy’s active duty and move out. I’ve saved more than enough money these past twenty years that I could afford to buy a house. Alexander plans to remain with the Academy and Gina said if I move she moves with me.”, Damon answered. “Well moving means I’d sell the café I could put some of that money towards a house.”, Isadora offered. “That way it would be ours.”, she explained. Damon nodded. “That’s fine. So I’ll have my girls in one place. Unless of course Zoe takes the offer to rent the old apartment from Alec.”, Damon said looking to the back seat. Zoe smiled. “Which I just might I don’t know.”, Zoe said with a shrug.

She sighed and looked out the window content, she had a whole family for the first time in a long time. She glanced to the front seat and saw her parents still holding hands and smiled snapping a quick photo on her cell and sending it to Gina with the message ‘they haven’t let go of each other since we got here’. They arrived at the café and Isadora and Zoe showed Damon up to the apartment where they’d been living. They enjoyed a nice day in the apartment together just lounging and talking. Zoe knew her parents had a lot of catching up to do and eventually excused herself to go catch up with friends. Which really it didn’t’ take long after she’d left that Damon and Isadora found their way to Isadora’s bedroom to make good on that promise from their first phone conversation about what they’d do if in person. Zoe caught up with a group of her friends at a local haunt to be greeted with exclaims of excitement as she walked in. “ZOE! Eravamo così preoccupati per te! (We were so worried about you!)”, one shouted. “Tua madre ha detto che eri in America. Com'era? (Your mother said you were in America. What was it like?)”, another asked. Zoe laughed taking a seat. “Scusi. Sono andato in America per trovare mio padre. (Sorry. I went to America to find my father.)”, Zoe explained. Her friends blinked. “Lo hai trovato? (Did you find him?)”, they asked. Zoe nodded. And took out her tablet which had all the pictures she’d taken while in America. She brought up the picture of her with her dad taken at Broadway. “Proprio lui, Damon Petridis. Era un cantante come mamma. Si sono incontrati con una produzione di Fantasma dell'Opera è stato Erik e lei era Christine. E 'anche esperto di arti marziali. Durante il mio viaggio che ovviamente mi portò a vedere uno spettacolo di Broadway. (That's him, Damon Petridis. He was a singer like mom. They met via a production of Phantom of the Opera he was Erik and she was Christine. He's also a skilled martial artist. During my trip he obviously took me to see a Broadway show.)”, Zoe explained showing them the picture both had their white hair visible not really carrying that day about being looked at.

“Incredibile! Sembri così tanto come lui. (Amazing! You look so much like him.)”, one exclaimed. Zoe swiped the screen to a picture of her and Alec in his kitchen cooking together that Gina had taken. “Questo è il mio zio Alec. Lui è un cuoco eccellente e possiede il proprio ristorante italiano. E mi ristorante non autentico americana italiano. E ' dalla Sicilia. (This one is my Uncle Alec. He is an excellent chef and owns his own Italian restaurant. And I mean authentic not American Italian. He's from Sicily.)”, Zoe explained. “E ' piuttosto bello per essere e uomo più anziano. (He's rather handsome for being and older man.)”, one friend commented looking at the photo. Zoe rolled her eyes but nodded. Alec was a handsome man she hoped he’d realize eventually being a hermit was not in his best interest and that age shouldn’t matter in regards to finding happiness. Zoe swiped to the next picture which was her with Gina and Sebastian at the local theater. “Così mio padre era stato sposato quindi non ho fratelli. Questa è la mia sorellina Gina e il suo fidanzato Sebastian. (So my dad had been married so I have siblings. This is my little sister Gina and her boyfriend Sebastian.)”, Zoe explained. “Aw, sono adorabili. Hai alwasy voluto fratelli. E sembra che si va d'accordo con lei. (Aw, they are adorable. You've alwasy wanted siblings. And looks like you get along with her.)”, her friend commented. Zoe nodded. “Oh si. Gina e io andare d'accordo piuttosto bene. (Oh yes. Gina and I get along rather well.)”, Zoe explained before swiping to the next picture.

The one was her with Alexander at an art museum in the city. “Questo è il mio fratello Alessandro. Si è laureato questa primavera e sta andando a Boston University per diventare un medico in autunno. (This is my brother Alexander. He graduated this spring and is going to Boston University to become a doctor in the fall.)”, Zoe said proud that her brother was going to become a doctor. Her friends leaned closer to look at the picture. “Wow. Tuo fratello è carino. Sta single? (Wow. Your brother is cute. Is he single?”, they asked with smiled. Zoe laughed shaking her head. “No, ha preso. E anche se non è stato lui è in America e mio fratello in modo da non guardare in quel modo. E ' raccapricciante. (No, he's taken. And even if he wasn't he's in America and my brother so don't look at him that way. It's creepy.)”, Zoe said with a playful shudder. Her friends rolled their eyes and took the tablet and swiped to the next picture and blinked. It was a picture at the Draven with Merrick. Zoe was sitting at the bar and Merrick was behind her with his chin on the top of her head. “Ti prego, dimmi che non è tuo fratello. (Please tell me he's not your brother too.)”, they asked turning the tablet so she could see which picture they were looking at. Zoe started to laugh. “No. Ecco Merrick, lui è il fratello maggiore di Sebastian. (No. That's Merrick, he's Sebastian's big brother.)”, Zoe explained. Her friends raised their eyebrows at her. “Dio benedica l'America, sì? Hai avuto la fortuna in America? (God bless America, yes? Did you get lucky in America?)”, they questioned. Zoe laughed again and shook her head. It was funny they gave the same reaction she did when she first saw Merrick. “No non ho avuto fortuna in America. E 'il fratello maggiore per il fidanzato di mia sorella. Ha regole sul non farsi coinvolgere con le donne che sono la sorella di qualcuno uno della sua famiglia è la datazione. Ma era molto dolce con me mentre ero lì. (No I did not get lucky in America. He's the big brother to my little sister's boyfriend. He has rules about not getting involved with women that are the sister of someone one of his family is dating. But he was very sweet to me while I was there.)”, Zoe explained.

For the two weeks that Damon was in Florence Zoe didn’t’ really stay at the apartment choosing instead to stay at her grandfather’s old house. She wanted to give her parents their privacy and save her own mental anguish from hearing the two of them in her mother’s bedroom. At the end of the two weeks Damon returned to Bayville to get everything settled and start house hunting while Isadora worked on packing and getting the property sold. Geri’s court date was expunged as she took the deal and plead insanity which instead of spending possibly fifteen years in prison she would have to spend ten in the state correctional mental facility. And given her mental condition and that her crimes were generally committed against her husband the divorce was finalized before Isadora and Zoe moved to Bayville and the new house that Damon and Isadora had decided on. They’d found a nice four bedroom house in the city limits they could afford that had a large finished basement so Isadora could have an art studio and they would have a hang out space for the kids. Sure they could have selected a three bedroom but Damon wanted to make sure that if at any time Alexander needed or wanted to stay at the house he had a bedroom. Damon wasn’t sure who was happier to have Isadora back in Bayville him or Alec.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Over the nine days Zoe had left in Bayville she had chosen to not stay at the Haven and returned to staying in the apartment above Alec’s restaurant. Having so many strangers, nice as they were, around her all the time made her a little uneasy. At the apartment she was given space and having Alec upstairs made her feel secure and close to family. She spent time with her dad and Alec the most as her siblings did have to go to school. But she spent time with Gina a bit more than Alexander. Gina and Sebastian brought her to a small theater in town that was running some old black and white movie. Sure she was the third wheel/chaperone for their date but it was nice to spend that time getting to know her little sister. She did spend some, just not much, time with Alexander generally hanging out in Alec’s apartment discussing art with Alec. She found it interesting that she got the gift of singing and the desire to perform like their father and her mother along with being an artist like her mother, Gina had a love for performing arts but not to take the stage herself, and Alexander had a love for art but no talent in the field himself. Her favorite moment was when her father took her, just her, into the city and to see Les Miserables on Broadway. And it was while sitting there in that world renowned theater that Zoe knew for sure that she wanted to come back to New York and she didn’t care how long it took this was the stage she wanted to end up on some day. But the final day came and she had to leave Bayville, but she knew it would be temporary. Gina, Alexander, and Alec went to the airport to see her and Damon off. It was a long flight home and Zoe wasn’t sure who was more anxious about getting there her or her father. This would be first time in nearly twenty years he’d be face to face with her mother. Gina had requested video of their meeting at the airport. Apparently Gina thought it would be a memorable moment. Zoe was in agreement as they had not told her mother he was coming with her. All her mother knew was that the court proceeding for the charges against Geri were in process, Damon’s restraining order had been approved and he’d filed for divorce which with Geri’s lawyer currently working an insanity plea it was looking at the divorce would be completed quickly.

She vaguely remember being coherent when the announcement came that they were making their final approach to Peretola, the airport in Florence. She half opened her eyes and saw her father already awake. Both had kept their hair covered for the long trip, her with her bandana and him wearing the scarf. He’d shaved before they left New York but there was faint stubble already starting to form though as it was white it was harder to see against his fair skin. The trip had been a long one, they’d boarded at JFK at 10:30am Eastern, had almost a four and a half hour layover in Toronto no boarding there till 4:40pm and then changing time zones arrived in Fankfurt, Germany just after 6:00am local time with an hour and half layover to finally end up in Florence just after 9:00am for a grand total of over 16 hours in transit. At least they had each other to talk to during the trip unlike when she flew to America and had basically kept her tablet on to ignore the strangers around her. “Morning papa.”, Zoe greeted with a yawn. Damon smiled looking at his daughter. “Morning Zoe.”, he greeted as the plane touched down. “Mamma will be waiting for me at the arrivals gate. She is going to be so surprised when she sees you.”, Zoe said. Damon nodded. “I’m sure she will. Rather proud of both of us that neither told her I was coming.”, Damon agreed. “It’ll be more fun to see her surprised face.”, Zoe said sitting up stretching out her arms up, at least to the extent the cabin allowed. In the airport Isadora was waiting patiently her dark blue eyes focused on the international arrivals gate waiting to see her daughter’s face. Finally she saw people starting to walk out and she kept looking and waiting. Then she saw her, Isadora’s face lit up as she smiled and raised a hand to wave to her daughter. Zoe smiled and waved back reaching into her carryon bag for the video camera focusing it on her mother’s face.

Isadora looked confused tilting her head to the side trying to figure out why her daughter was holding a video camera up at her. Then she saw someone behind Zoe, Isadora blinked a couple times gulping as the features of the face became instantly recognizable. Even without his white hair visible she knew who was behind her daughter. Her mouth went open a little in surprise, bringing her hands to cover her look of shock and small tears started to go down her cheeks. She wanted to just run forward but there was too many people and TSA to get past. So she had to wait, to stand there knowing that she was but a few feet from him. Zoe was smiling as she was capturing her mother’s expression before turning the camera to look behind her at her father. Damon had picked Isadora out easily in the sea of faces and was smiling his blue eyes having that same softness they had when he’d told her and her siblings about how he met her mom. In her mind Zoe thought how Gina was going to love this video. Finally they got out to the open area of the airport no longer was there TSA and ropes to separate. Zoe moved out of the way to be able to easily move the camera to show her parents. Isadora pushed past some others who were standing waiting for people to get to them. Originally as she’d waited her only thought had been to hug her daughter. But now she just wanted to reach Damon. Damon ended up meeting her half way. He didn’t say a word just wrapped his arms around her lifting her slightly off the ground with a small spin kissing her briefly before setting her down and kissing her again. He didn’t take his arms from around her waist as he stood there, but did bring one hand up and wiped the stains of tears from her eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “Ti amo. E non sto lasciando andare di nuovo. (I love you. And I am not letting you go again.)”, he whispered with a smile. Isadora smiled back that same smile he’d described where even her eyes smiled. “Ti amo anch’io. (I love you too)”, Isadora whispered softly before kissing him. “I have missed you so my fenice.”, Isadora said wrapping her arms around him hugging him tightly.

Zoe sighed walking over with a smile for a close up and then turned off the camera. “Gina is going to love this footage.”, Zoe stated tucking the camera back into her bag. “Gina?”, Isadora questioned remember the name belonged to Damon’s younger daughter. Zoe nodded. “I promised her I would video tape you seeing dad and how you two greeted each other. She’s a hopeless romantic and thinks your story belongs in a black and white film.”, Zoe explained with laugh. Damon chuckled and shook his head. “Of course my Gina made that request of you. I was wondering what you were doing with the camera.”, Damon said. Isadora laughed a little. “She sounds very sweet. So how long did you know he was coming? Wait how long are you staying?”, Isadora questioned. “I’ve missed you too mamma. And I’ve known the whole time. We just wanted to surprise you.”, Zoe said. “I’m here for two weeks, if of course you don’t mind me staying.”, Damon explained. “Mind? I haven’t had you for almost twenty years, two weeks is not long enough.”, Isadora said hugging him again. Isadora dug into her purse and handed Zoe her phone. “You left this here.”, Isadora said. “Thanks mamma.”, Zoe said taking the phone back and quickly started to enter the phone numbers for Alec, Gina, Alexander, the Haven, Sebastian and even Merrick she’d collected while in America.

“Let’s go and we can discuss the details more outside of the airport.”, Damon suggested taking Isadora’s hand into his left, the wedding ring gone and just a tan line remained. Isadora nodded in agreement pausing to give her daughter a hug before the three walked out of the airport and to Isadora’s car. “So what are the details then? Because apparently I wasn’t given all of them.”, Isadora questioned as they drove. “I’ll be here for two weeks then I have to go back to oversee my dojo’s reconstruction and get whatever I can paperwork wise completed. Then well it’s up to you and Zoe if you want to come back to Bayville. I know we discussed it that night. And I know I still want to have you both in my life.”, Damon explained. Isadora nodded. “I would like that, as long as I am with you again I’ll be happy. But don’t you live at the Academy with the Acolytes?”, she questioned. “If you and Zoe choose to move to Bayville it’s already arranged I will be retiring from the Academy’s active duty and move out. I’ve saved more than enough money these past twenty years that I could afford to buy a house. Alexander plans to remain with the Academy and Gina said if I move she moves with me.”, Damon answered. “Well moving means I’d sell the café I could put some of that money towards a house.”, Isadora offered. “That way it would be ours.”, she explained. Damon nodded. “That’s fine. So I’ll have my girls in one place. Unless of course Zoe takes the offer to rent the old apartment from Alec.”, Damon said looking to the back seat. Zoe smiled. “Which I just might I don’t know.”, Zoe said with a shrug.

She sighed and looked out the window content, she had a whole family for the first time in a long time. She glanced to the front seat and saw her parents still holding hands and smiled snapping a quick photo on her cell and sending it to Gina with the message ‘they haven’t let go of each other since we got here’. They arrived at the café and Isadora and Zoe showed Damon up to the apartment where they’d been living. They enjoyed a nice day in the apartment together just lounging and talking. Zoe knew her parents had a lot of catching up to do and eventually excused herself to go catch up with friends. Which really it didn’t’ take long after she’d left that Damon and Isadora found their way to Isadora’s bedroom to make good on that promise from their first phone conversation about what they’d do if in person. Zoe caught up with a group of her friends at a local haunt to be greeted with exclaims of excitement as she walked in. “ZOE! Eravamo così preoccupati per te! (We were so worried about you!)”, one shouted. “Tua madre ha detto che eri in America. Com'era? (Your mother said you were in America. What was it like?)”, another asked. Zoe laughed taking a seat. “Scusi. Sono andato in America per trovare mio padre. (Sorry. I went to America to find my father.)”, Zoe explained. Her friends blinked. “Lo hai trovato? (Did you find him?)”, they asked. Zoe nodded. And took out her tablet which had all the pictures she’d taken while in America. She brought up the picture of her with her dad taken at Broadway. “Proprio lui, Damon Petridis. Era un cantante come mamma. Si sono incontrati con una produzione di Fantasma dell'Opera è stato Erik e lei era Christine. E 'anche esperto di arti marziali. Durante il mio viaggio che ovviamente mi portò a vedere uno spettacolo di Broadway. (That's him, Damon Petridis. He was a singer like mom. They met via a production of Phantom of the Opera he was Erik and she was Christine. He's also a skilled martial artist. During my trip he obviously took me to see a Broadway show.)”, Zoe explained showing them the picture both had their white hair visible not really carrying that day about being looked at.

“Incredibile! Sembri così tanto come lui. (Amazing! You look so much like him.)”, one exclaimed. Zoe swiped the screen to a picture of her and Alec in his kitchen cooking together that Gina had taken. “Questo è il mio zio Alec. Lui è un cuoco eccellente e possiede il proprio ristorante italiano. E mi ristorante non autentico americana italiano. E ' dalla Sicilia. (This one is my Uncle Alec. He is an excellent chef and owns his own Italian restaurant. And I mean authentic not American Italian. He's from Sicily.)”, Zoe explained. “E ' piuttosto bello per essere e uomo più anziano. (He's rather handsome for being and older man.)”, one friend commented looking at the photo. Zoe rolled her eyes but nodded. Alec was a handsome man she hoped he’d realize eventually being a hermit was not in his best interest and that age shouldn’t matter in regards to finding happiness. Zoe swiped to the next picture which was her with Gina and Sebastian at the local theater. “Così mio padre era stato sposato quindi non ho fratelli. Questa è la mia sorellina Gina e il suo fidanzato Sebastian. (So my dad had been married so I have siblings. This is my little sister Gina and her boyfriend Sebastian.)”, Zoe explained. “Aw, sono adorabili. Hai alwasy voluto fratelli. E sembra che si va d'accordo con lei. (Aw, they are adorable. You've alwasy wanted siblings. And looks like you get along with her.)”, her friend commented. Zoe nodded. “Oh si. Gina e io andare d'accordo piuttosto bene. (Oh yes. Gina and I get along rather well.)”, Zoe explained before swiping to the next picture.

The one was her with Alexander at an art museum in the city. “Questo è il mio fratello Alessandro. Si è laureato questa primavera e sta andando a Boston University per diventare un medico in autunno. (This is my brother Alexander. He graduated this spring and is going to Boston University to become a doctor in the fall.)”, Zoe said proud that her brother was going to become a doctor. Her friends leaned closer to look at the picture. “Wow. Tuo fratello è carino. Sta single? (Wow. Your brother is cute. Is he single?”, they asked with smiled. Zoe laughed shaking her head. “No, ha preso. E anche se non è stato lui è in America e mio fratello in modo da non guardare in quel modo. E ' raccapricciante. (No, he's taken. And even if he wasn't he's in America and my brother so don't look at him that way. It's creepy.)”, Zoe said with a playful shudder. Her friends rolled their eyes and took the tablet and swiped to the next picture and blinked. It was a picture at the Draven with Merrick. Zoe was sitting at the bar and Merrick was behind her with his chin on the top of her head. “Ti prego, dimmi che non è tuo fratello. (Please tell me he's not your brother too.)”, they asked turning the tablet so she could see which picture they were looking at. Zoe started to laugh. “No. Ecco Merrick, lui è il fratello maggiore di Sebastian. (No. That's Merrick, he's Sebastian's big brother.)”, Zoe explained. Her friends raised their eyebrows at her. “Dio benedica l'America, sì? Hai avuto la fortuna in America? (God bless America, yes? Did you get lucky in America?)”, they questioned. Zoe laughed again and shook her head. It was funny they gave the same reaction she did when she first saw Merrick. “No non ho avuto fortuna in America. E 'il fratello maggiore per il fidanzato di mia sorella. Ha regole sul non farsi coinvolgere con le donne che sono la sorella di qualcuno uno della sua famiglia è la datazione. Ma era molto dolce con me mentre ero lì. (No I did not get lucky in America. He's the big brother to my little sister's boyfriend. He has rules about not getting involved with women that are the sister of someone one of his family is dating. But he was very sweet to me while I was there.)”, Zoe explained.

For the two weeks that Damon was in Florence Zoe didn’t’ really stay at the apartment choosing instead to stay at her grandfather’s old house. She wanted to give her parents their privacy and save her own mental anguish from hearing the two of them in her mother’s bedroom. At the end of the two weeks Damon returned to Bayville to get everything settled and start house hunting while Isadora worked on packing and getting the property sold. Geri’s court date was expunged as she took the deal and plead insanity which instead of spending possibly fifteen years in prison she would have to spend ten in the state correctional mental facility. And given her mental condition and that her crimes were generally committed against her husband the divorce was finalized before Isadora and Zoe moved to Bayville and the new house that Damon and Isadora had decided on. They’d found a nice four bedroom house in the city limits they could afford that had a large finished basement so Isadora could have an art studio and they would have a hang out space for the kids. Sure they could have selected a three bedroom but Damon wanted to make sure that if at any time Alexander needed or wanted to stay at the house he had a bedroom. Damon wasn’t sure who was happier to have Isadora back in Bayville him or Alec.