Chapter 3 Flight to a new horizon

The house was silent, rocked by the soft murmur of the breeze which infiltrated through the ajar window. Emily was sitting at the kitchen table, her laptop in front of her, the light of the screen lighting up her thoughtful face. Before her, the employment contract sent by Sistemi Globali Novatech, the Italian company that had made this incredible proposal to him. Since the last call of Giacomo Morelli, she felt her hesitation dissipate little by little, replaced by a firm determination.

His mother, Margaret, entered the room with a cup of smoking tea. She put her in front of Emily, taking his place in front of her. "So, my darling, did you make your decision?"

Emily looked up, a slightly uncertain smile floating on her lips. "Yes, mom. I'm going to accept. This is an incredible chance, not only for me, but also for us. With this salary, I will be able to cover our costs, save for the future, and perhaps even redo this roof that concerns you so much. "

Margaret smiled warmly, touched by the intentions of his daughter. "Emily, I'm so proud of you. And what do you know? You don't have to worry about me here. I will be very good, especially knowing that you are your dreams."

Emily took a deep inspiration. She knew that she made the right choice, but the idea of leaving her mother left her a pinch in the heart. "I'm going to answer Giacomo tomorrow to confirm him, and then I guess everything will go very quickly."

Margaret put a reassuring hand on that of Emily. "I will be there to support you at every stage."

The next morning, Emily sent an email to Giacomo Morelli, confirming her acceptance of the offer. A few hours later, his phone rang. She immediately recognized Milan's number and replied with a certain nervousness.

"Giacomo Morelli on the aircraft. Hello, Emily. I am delighted that you have accepted our proposal! We will now proceed to the formalities necessary for your arrival in Italy."

The conversation lasted almost thirty minutes, during which Giacomo explained the next steps to him. "We need some administrative documents: your passport, a copy of your diploma, and an extract from criminal records. You will also have to sign the privacy agreements that I will send you by e-mail. Once all of this settled, we will reserve your plane tickets and will cover your travel expenses. "

Emily carefully noted every detail, taking care not to forget anything. "Thank you, Giacomo. I'm going to start gathering all this today."

Giacomo added with a warm tone: "If you need anything, do not hesitate to call me. We want this transition to be as fluid as possible for you."

After hanging up, Emily felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. All of this became real.

The following days were a whirlwind of activities. Emily spent hours gathering the necessary documents, filling out the forms sent by Sistemi Globali Novatech, and responding to many emails. Every day, she received updates from Giacomo or her assistant, Francesca. They explained the smallest details to him: from temporary accommodation in Milan to the orientation planned for new employees.

Between two administrative tasks, Emily devoted time to her mother. They were shopping together to find clothes suitable for Italian fall, and Margaret insisted to buy a new suitcase. "You can't go to Italy with this old thing. You need something robust and elegant. "

Kira, of course, was also very involved in preparations. She presented herself one day with an exhaustive list of what Emily had to take away, ranging from toiletry to the catch adapters for Europe. "Do not underestimate the importance of these small details. You will thank me when your phone is loaded instead of dying in the middle of the street. "

The last weekend before her departure, Emily invited Kira and Margaret to dinner. It was an evening full of laughter, nostalgia and hope. Margaret, although sad at the idea of seeing her daughter leave, was optimistic about what this adventure would bring to Emily. Kira, on the other hand, was convinced that Emily would return with incredible stories and perhaps even an Italian accent.

On Sunday evening, while Emily finally completed her suitcase, she stopped to contemplate her room. Each corner reminded him of memories: the hours spent studying, late conversations with Kira, and simple moments shared with her mother. She felt a wave of emotion invade her, but she knew it was time to turn a new page.

Margaret slowly entered the room, a tender smile on her face. "Ready for tomorrow?"

Emily nodded, shining eyes. "Yes, mom. Ready to discover what the future has in store for me."

The days were always animated in Emily's house, between the preparations for her departure and the spontaneous conversations that punctuated every moment. An evening, Margaret was preparing a soup while Emily and Kira were sitting at the table, chatting with everything and nothing.

"Is it me or this house begins to look like a warehouse with all the suitcases and boxes piled up?" Kira launched, picking in a bowl of chips.

Emily rolled her eyes. "It's just a few suitcases, Kira. And you exaggerate as always."

Margaret intervened with a smile. "It is true that it gives the impression that we are moving. But it is a good thing. It shows that you are seriously preparing, Emily."

"Yes, seriously," replied Emily with a sigh. "But I'm starting to wonder if I don't forget anything. I checked the list three times that Kira gave me."

Kira, pretending to be an offended air, cried: "My list is perfect. If you forget something, it will be your fault, not mine."

Margaret laughs slowly. "Kira, you could be a professional organizer. You thought of everything, even of taking adapters."

"Thank you, Margaret. I try to cover all the angles. After all, an computer scientist without a charger, it is a disaster in the making," added Kira with a wink.

Emily smiles, shaking her head. She appreciated the energy of her best friend, who made her days a little less stressful. However, another important step awaited him: to announce the news to his current employer.

The next morning, Emily and Kira went to their office. The small IT services company where they worked was nestled in a modest but friendly building. The team was reduced, a dozen colleagues who shared an almost family atmosphere. Emily knew that the news would be a shock, especially for their boss, Mr. Laurent, a man in his fifty years, renowned for his attachment to his team.

When they arrived, Laurent welcomed them with his usual smile. "Hello, my young ladies. You are ahead today."

Emily exchanged a look with Kira before answering. "Yes, because ... I have something important to tell you."

Laurent frown slightly, intrigued. "Really? Let's go to my office to chat."

Once installed in the office, Emily took a deep inspiration. "Mr. Laurent, I received an offer from an international company, and ... I decided to accept it. I'm going to leave for Italy next week."

The silence that followed was heavy. Laurent seemed to seek his words, while Kira, sitting next to Emily, observed the scene with a slight nervousness.

"Emily," started Mr. Laurent gently, "it's a big news, of course. I'm happy for you, but ... our team will lose a lot without you."

Emily felt a wave of guilt, but she tried to stay firm. "I know, and I am sorry. This decision was not easy. But it is a unique opportunity for me, and also a chance to support my mother financially."

Mr. Laurent nodded, a benevolent smile appearing on his face. "I understand, Emily. You have always been someone determined. I know you will do wonders in Italy. You know that you will always be welcome here."

Kira, who had hitherto kept silent, intervened: "We are sad, of course, but I am super proud of her. And you know what? I am going to ensure that her post is well kept until her return."

Emily laughs slowly, grateful for the support of her best friend. The conversation continued, Mr. Laurent asking for details on the Italian company and Emily's projects. When the rest of the team learned the news, the reactions were similar: a combination of surprise, sadness and pride.

During the following days, discussions between Emily, Margaret, and Kira continued to revolve around preparations. An evening, when they shared a pizza on the sofa, Kira suddenly launched: "Hey, do you know what I am already missing? The post-work snacks where we make fun of the television series that Mr. Laurent watches. "

Margaret laughs slowly. "You have really created unique traditions at the office."

"Yes, and now, Emily will make fun of the Italian reality TV," added Kira, laughing. "Besides, if you meet a beautiful Italian, think of me."

Emily laughed. "I'm going to try, but it's not my priority."

Margaret, observing her two young women, could not help smiling. Despite the excitement of imminent departure, she knew that Emily would need these light memories to face the great change that awaited her.