My House in Umbria

Emily Delahunty lives a serene life as an eccentric British romance novelist running a small pensione in Umbria. Surrounded by books, gardens, and a few loyal staff, she guards a quiet present that skirts a painful past. Her manager Quinty watches over her as she seeks stability in the ordinary.

During a shopping trip to Milano, the train Emily rides is bombed by terrorists, plunging her into a crisis of grief and survival. The attack abruptly shatters the sense of safety she had built around her days. She is forced to confront a world that has suddenly become dangerous and unpredictable.

Emily wakes in Milano Hospital to a world irrevocably altered by violence. Doctors and nurses guide her through the initial shock as she grapples with loss and the path forward. The incident marks a turning point that will shape the weeks to come.

Back at the Umbria villa, Emily invites three other survivors to stay for recuperation and a return to some normalcy. The makeshift family begins to form under the quiet rhythm of shared meals and whispered confidences.

The General, a guarded but sharp-tongued retired British Army officer; Werner, a calm but scarred German photographer; and Aimee, a mute American child, join Emily’s household. They carry wounds that echo the turbulence of the attack, weaving new tensions and tenderness into the group.

As bonds deepen, the General mourns his daughter and Werner bears burns from the blast, mourning his girlfriend. Pain emerges from their pasts, testing the group's fragile warmth and trust.

Inspector Girotti starts to piece together what happened, weighing the possibility that Werner could be tied to the bombing. His investigation introduces moral ambiguity as the group builds a surrogate family under the cloud of suspicion.

The care and patience of Emily and the others unlock something in Aimee, and she slowly begins to speak again after the trauma. Her gradual participation reshapes the dynamics of the house and deepens the sense of communal healing.

Aimee’s uncle Thomas Riversmith in the United States is located and agrees to bring her home, highlighting a debate about whether healing means returning to the US or staying in Italy with the new makeshift family.

Flashbacks reveal Emily’s hidden history: she is an orphan who endured molestation, later living as a prostitute before Quinty leads her to Italy. This painful backstory reframes her present resolve to protect Aimee and redefine family.

Emily pleads with Thomas to reconsider, arguing that Italy offers stability, companionship, and healing that a loveless American home might not provide. She frames the choice as a life-affirming one for a traumatized child.

Girotti uncovers that Werner may have ties to the attack and, before any confrontation can occur, leaves the villa, choosing discretion over accusation. The tense knowledge lingers without a formal accusation.

The revelations test the group’s bond but do not derail it; each character confronts violence, guilt, and the uncertain road to recovery. They navigate moral gray areas while staying connected by a chosen family.

The General decides to stay, and Thomas allows Aimee to remain in Italy for the moment. The house closes on a scene of renewal, with imperfect yet hopeful people choosing to embrace a shared life.