Common Scents

When we film this story, the spectacular montage of sexploits will go here. For now, suffice it to say that Eliza and I spent the second half of the trip making up for lost time, having sex like we hadn't enjoyed since our honeymoon, if then. We had sex morning, noon, and night, in every position we knew and a few new ones. We had soft, gentle sex and raucous, noisy sex. Largo sex and prestissimo sex. We took advantage of our every orifice, sometimes tre or quattro at a time. We played with vibrators and dildos and blindfolds and fragole con panna. Eliza used her hand to give me surprise erections under the breakfast table, and on walks, and in the elevator, and, most memorably, poolside, when I fell asleep in my chaise and woke up with a massive hard-on and half the inn's guests grinning at the classic tent shape of my swim trunks. We made love in the bed, on the floor, in the shower, and in the hot tub. And under the silvery light of the moon we had sex what we now called "Giulietta's Balcony."

As you no doubt guessed long ago, our cherished twin daughters were born nine months later. Their career paths are telling: Julia works on the wine staff at an upscale restaurant while studying for her Master Sommelier exam, and April trains dogs for law enforcement agencies. Their careers—and their very existence—show that something profound and powerful happened at that clearing with the fountain, much as it seems like a dream. And of course we still have that magical green dress, which we take to the clearing with us on every visit.