Tom and Luke Get a Family Pt. 07

Twice per year, the children's schools had parents' evenings for the teachers to give feedback on a child's performance. In order to avoid confusion, the two fathers took it in turns to accompany Olivia to these events. The teachers of course were aware of the three-parent situation, but seemed take it in their stride, irrespective of any conversations they might have among themselves in the staffroom after these meetings! Bernardo settled in quickly at school, even though he was separated from his brother, but when it was Caterina's turn to start school, she was more of a handful. In spite of giving no problems in her pre-school nursery, she resented having to leave her mother. Eventually however, she settled down.

By the time he was nine, Giovanni was being taken to see every production at the Teatro Musicale, and during the school holidays, he got taken by Luca to watch the rehearsals. Irrespective of his parenthood, it was clear that music in general and opera in particular were in the boy's blood. Thanks to his Kindle, he was also a voracious reader.

Chapter LXIII A surprise for Luke

One Tuesday morning, Cornelio called Luke into his office. "Luca," he said, "I've been offered the job of General Administrator of the opera house in Sanadova." Sanadova is a large and prosperous city in Northern Italy with an internationally prestigious opera company. "Accordingly, my job here will be up for grabs, and I want you to have it. You deserve more pay and responsibility, and I am confident that you can do the job as well or better than me! What do you think?"

Luke was bowled over. This was something totally unexpected. Such a job would catapult him into the top ranks of opera administration. He would be able to make big changes in the set-up in Trabizona, provided that he could get a hold on the financial aspects of the job. He came from a family where no-one got their hands dirty handling finance: they paid some-one else to do it. But if he took this job he would have dual responsibility for both the artistic and financial activities of the Teatro Musicale di Trabizona. Moreover he would have to deal with the Board of Governors of the theatre, and his first contact with them would have to be persuading them that he was the right man for the job! He said to Cornelio, "Yes, I am interested and I want the job. My first thought was that I would not have to work every evening and could see more of my family. I hope you don't think that that is an inappropriate reaction for someone taking on increased responsibility! How do I set about applying?"

"The job will be advertised, but that is a legal obligation. You will need to make an application and a shortlist of three candidates will be interviewed. But I know the field. There are unlikely to be any worthwhile applicants from outside Italy, because Trabizona is not yet on the international circuit. What I hope is that you will be able to complete my efforts to get us on to that circuit. Of Italian applicants, I can tell you here and now that there is unlikely to be anyone as good as you.

"One of your jobs of course will be to meet other opera house managers regularly and you will soon learn the managerial setup in other theatres. In that way you will soon know who has the power and reputation in the world of opera management in Italy. I will write you a very strong reference and so will Pauline. There will be a lot more responsibility of course, but there will be a big pay rise as well. It's unlikely that anyone else will get the job, but if they do, my successor will need you, because there's no-one else with your experience! Moreover, the governors are as keen as I am to get Trabizona on to the international circuit, so they are going to be on your side. But you are going to have to develop bargaining and negotiating skills to get good visiting artists at prices that we can afford. Maybe your father will be able to give you some help in that area!

"I don't start at Sanadova until next January, so if you get the job, I will be able to show you the ropes and with Vittore, keep this place running while you go on a three-month Financial Management course. If the Governors won't pay for that, you and I will go halves on the cost, as well as me giving you leave of absence."

The advertisement duly appeared, and Luke submitted an application with a CV, listing all the productions that he had directed, produced or for which he been répétiteur. After about six weeks, he was summoned for interview by the Governors along with two other applicants. In conversation in the waiting room before the interviews, it became clear that neither of the other applicants had anything like his amount of experience. He had been briefed in advance by Cornelio, who had told him about each of the members of the interviewing panel and the sort of questions that he might expect.

The interview went well. In addition to all the questions that he had expected, he was quizzed on why he had decided to make his career in Italy, and how long he expected to remain there. He told them that he had three children at school in Italy (little Caterina was at nursery school, but was due to start at the scuola primaria within a few months), one of whom was in the cathedral choir, and he had no intention of leaving Italy for ten years or so. At the end of the interview, the chairman told him that the committee would deliberate, and that he would receive their decision by E-mail within a week.

Needless to say, Luke got the job. The family was delighted that he was finally getting a senior job, even if it consumed more time and was less fun than his work so far. At least he would have more evenings at home. Tom talked to him quite frequently these days in Italian. He said to him, "Carissimo Luca mio, you have always enjoyed your job and its interactions with people. You will enjoy being boss just as much. Remember what Steve Jobs said to the Stanford Commencement class: Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. I know that the man I love will make the Trabizona Teatro Musicale into a world-renowned centre for opera. Let's go to bed early! Olivia won't mind. I'm desperate for a fuck!" With that, he kissed Luke long and passionately.

Olivia was just as thrilled as Tom at Luke's promotion, and the next night that he was in bed with her, she whispered that a man who could fuck both men and women would be a certain success in the opera world!

Chapter LXIV Envoi

Tom had submitted the seventy or so papers that he had published since he began in Trabizona to the University of Camford as part of his supplication for the degree of Doctor of Science. After several months, he heard that his application had been successful. He decided to leave taking the degree until the following year when he could combine it with a visit to the research team in Camford. In the meantime, Arturo advised him to submit an application for promotion to the Italian equivalent of Associate Professor. Without help from Arturo, he secured funding from the European Union for another postdoc position. After consultation with his collaborators in Camford, the post was advertised throughout the EU, and a Dutchman called Maurits Timmerman was appointed.

The family decided that as the children were growing up, Costanza needed more help in the house. She knew a young girl who needed a domestic job, and so the household was joined by Maria, who was prepared to work at the weekends in return for two days off during the week. She was a good cook and she was good with the children, who soon became very fond of her. As it became apparent that she was good at her job, she rapidly got a series of pay rises. Her presence meant that both Olivia and Tom could get a break from cooking at the weekends, and Costanza could get a similar break during the week.

These changes enabled Olivia to take Giovanni to school each morning in her new little red Fiat, and collect him at lunchtime, avoiding Tom having to drive into town on his way to work. She was considering getting a part-time job, not because she needed money, but to give her the opportunity to get out of the house and re-enter the adult world. Who knew? She might meet a man more suitable than Roberto if she widened her circle of acquaintances.

At this point in their lives, we leave Tom and Luke and Olivia. Tom is on the verge of a senior academic appointment and Luke is about to begin a new job. After nearly fifteen years in Trabizona, they have achieved the ambitions of their youth. They both have jobs that they love and are successful at them, they have the children that they longed for, but thought they would never get, and they are sharing their lives with the woman who has given them their children, whom they have learnt to love at least as much as their parents. The love that they swore to one another fifteen years before has strengthened and been a source of hope and support in times of distress and the warm intimacy that they share with one another has become a continuing delight. Perhaps in a future story we will learn about how they perform in their new jobs, how their life with Olivia progresses, and how their children grow up. In the meantime, we will find out what has been happening to Jon and David, Tommy and Eleanor in Camford and Dom and Sandro in Womble.

THE END