Arriva La Sposa by Melanie Saulle

The Story of Enza & Eugenio

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My Babbo was raised with a luxurious lifestyle. However, hardworking Virgilio, my Nonno, always taught my Babbo and his brothers that if you want a life of luxury and to live ‘La bella vita’, you need to reap what you sow, work hard, and work determinedly, and life will repay you with the greatest things it has to offer. Although my Nonna, my Babbo’s mother, Civita, traveled around the city with the trendiest furs and pearl necklaces, regularly acquiring new jewelry and riding in limousines, this never influenced my Babbo’s way of learning and working.

It was 1992 when my father, Eugenio, worked at the local family-run restaurant, ‘Claudios’. The restaurant was popular in the Caserta region, hosting various events such as banquets, weddings, baptisms, comedy nights, and nightclubs. Little did my father know that this year would change his life as he would meet the love of his life, his soulmate Enza.

Mamma Enza came from a very different upbringing than Babbo. She had to take care of her younger brothers and was made to leave school at a young age to help the household. She worked her whole life, going from door to door, asking if people needed their homes cleaned. Coming back home exhausted, she took care of her young brothers while her mother, Nonna Dora, and her father, Nonno Michele, worked extraordinary hours to bring food to the table. Times were tough; however, this never bothered them, and they were simply happy.

Nonna Dora shortly took on a new job as a chef at Claudios. Yes, I know where you see this going…

Nonna Dora would always claim what a beautiful and hardworking daughter she had. This was true; my Mamma was and is a beautiful woman. One day in 1992, Mamma dropped by to see her Mamma at the restaurant, and when my Babbo locked eyes with her, he instantly fell into a deep, deep ocean of love. His goal was to make her fall in love. Mamma, in the beginning, really wasn’t interested and just wanted to see her mamma that day.

Babbo asked Mamma if he could call her at a certain time and date, and she agreed. Dating back then seems ancient but so romantic, right? Anyway, things progressed well, and Mamma finally fell in love with Babbo! Yay!

Until one fateful day, their relationship was put to the ultimate test. Italy was already grappling with an economic crisis; my Babbo hastily boarded the first flight to the UK, embarking on a new chapter in his life. The longing for Mamma ran deep, prompting them to meticulously schedule telephone appointments every week at a specific time and day. The image of my parents walking to the nearest telephone box, eagerly spending all their change on those hopeful phone calls, only to wait another week to do the same, is etched in my mind. The profound pain and relentless sorrow they endured, separated and unable to freely communicate or see each other as they wished, forces us to reflect on how we often take our modern-day blessings for granted.

On one of these phone call appointments, my Babbo proposed to Mamma with the Michael Jackson song ‘You Are Not Alone’ playing in the background.

On January 18, 1997, the much-anticipated day finally arrived – their wedding day! Mamma, at a tender age of 21, and Babbo, a mere 26, were both youthful and deeply in love, fervently yearning for each other with unbridled passion. Mamma’s gown, meticulously crafted from Ivory Mikado and adorned with exquisite Italian lace on the top half, was nothing short of breathtaking. She always reminisced about how her father, Nonno, had adamantly urged her to wear white instead of ivory, yet with unwavering resolve, she fearlessly pursued her heart’s desire.

Following the wedding, the celebrations continued at ‘Claudios,’ where they danced, partied, and joyfully lingered into the late hours.

Regrettably, ‘Claudios’ met a tragic fate, leading my parents to continue their lives in the UK. Little did they know the extraordinary journey that awaited them, and now, look on 26 years later…

As parents of four, two boys and two girls, and as restaurant business owners in the UK called ‘Buon Appetito’, words cannot fully express the deep love I hold for them. I am grateful every day for the invaluable lessons they taught my brothers, my sister, and me – to persist in pursuing our dreams and to fearlessly chase our ambitions, even if they do not unfold as expected. It’s alright to stumble; the important thing is to rise and try again. They embody immense strength, and my affection for them knows no bounds.

I truly hope that one day I will make them proud, just as they have made me proud. You are both my unwavering support system. You mean the world to me. Grazie.