FULL NAME: Gianluca Angelo Dellucci
KNOWN AS: Luca
DATE OF BIRTH: May 10, 1986
AGE: 25
LOCATION: Farmington, Maine
OCCUPATION: Part-time stable hand at the Morning Star Stable, part-time line cook
SEXUAL PREFERENCE: homosexual
MARITAL STATUS: single; recently ended a six-month relationship

Gianluca Angelo Dellucci grew up in the town of Piecorto, part of the Chianti Region in Tuscany, Italy, with his mother and her parents in a small two bedroom home. The house had few furnishings, but what it didn't hold in tangible items it held in immeasurable amounts of love. Luca was never told the last name of his father, only that his first name was Angelo, the middle name given to Luca when he was born. Whenever he would ask his mother about the man whose role was empty in his life she would smile and say simply that he had been a good and kind man. A man who had treated her well, worked hard and was planning to marry Vittoria Allessio when he suddenly, tragically, disappeared. To hear and watch his mother speak about his father with sweetness and love was a stark contrast to the memories his grandfather held of his father. Memories full of bitterness because this man, his grandfather would tell him, did not respect Vittoria enough to marry her. And that he was not man enough to accept responsibility for taking in a young wife who was already pregnant. That instead of taking Vittoria as his wife the man left town of his own volition, selfishly abandoning Luca and his mother. The 'tragic disappearance,' was something his mother had made up to hide how hurt and betrayed she was by the man to whom she had given her heart.

This two-sided description of his father left Luca very torn as a child and the longing to know his father only grew stronger. He didn't want to be the bastard of the village, yet was taunted and teased by the kids at his small school for having no father. Luca was soft spoken, a sweet and giving child but quickly learned to defend himself physically, unwilling to take a beating for something that he was not responsible for. Luca would explain away the black eyes or bruises he would return home from school with, choosing to be disciplined for stirring up a fight or being part of anything disruptive instead of telling the truth about being bullied so that his mother would not be hurt.

Luca began working with his grandfather in the vineyards when he turned ten. It was long and difficult work for the boy, but it gave him a chance to develop a deep respect for hard work, working with his hands, and meet people outside of his school classmates or his neighbors. The stories shared at lunches and break times, even those that were shared often while harvesting brought his imagination to life, and Luca began to develop an entire world wherein his father was the owner of a vineyard and would one day come looking for him. A Cinderella story, some might say, as would his grandfather if the man had known about Luca's fantasies. But he was careful to keep them to himself, never wanting to upset his mother or grandparents.

Taught of America in school, and having heard while working of the many people from his village who had moved to 'the states', a desire grew within Luca to find a life of his own outside the vineyards. By the time he had turned twenty, though still working at the same vineyard he had started at ten years previously, Luca had been given a supervisor position. This 'promotion' should have been a time of celebration for him and his family, but the extra money was much needed as both his grandparents were too old, and his grandfather too ill, to work any longer. The money his mother made from her job as a housekeeper wasn't enough for the four of them either. Added to simple life needs were the medical costs that were necessary for his grandfather's care. Luca, feeling horribly selfish about his feelings, however, was anything but happy. He felt stuck. And although he felt that he was ready to leave Italy, to embark on a life of his own, he couldn't find it in his heart to yet let go of his family. With his grandfather's health declining by the day, Luca set aside his dream of moving to America and continued to work at the vineyard. Within a few months of Luca's promotion, however, his grandfather, the man who had raised him and helped mold him into a young man with family values and loyalty, and most of all love for his family, passed away during the night. It was only six months later that his grandmother would follow her husband into eternity, unable to live without the love of her life. Devastated, Luca poured his anger and grief into working not only at the vineyard but also at a village restaurant as a cook. His mother had disappeared into herself, quit work and it was up to him to see to it that she took care of herself. A few month's later, unable to stay in the home of her birth any longer, Vittoria wrote a note for her son, packed her things and left during the day while he was at work. It wouldn't be until late that evening he would come home to find her gone, and himself alone for the first time in his life.

It would be another year before destiny would finally provide him the opportunity he had waited for so patiently when he received a letter from his mother. She was in New York City, and wanted him to come live with her and her sister. Her nephew had a business, she told him, a restaurant where he could work as a line cook, knowing how much her son loved found much solace while working in a kitchen.

Initially hesitant to leave based solely on his mother's request, Luca finally decided this was the sign he had been waiting for and left Italy behind to move to New York. Within a few months of being back with her and surrounded by family once again, Luca and Vittoria repaired their relationship and grew close once more. He had missed her too much to let things bother him for too long, and knowing him so well, it was just a matter of time after working in the kitchen with his cousins brought Luca renewed happiness and a feeling of belonging.

Living in New York was a huge adjustment for Luca, but not one to resist a challenge, Luca embraced every challenge put in his path. In his spare time he volunteered at his mother's parish, working as a mentor for children in need. He loved every moment of it, and it was during this time that he would meet and begin dating another volunteer within the program - a psychologist named Michael Anschel. Luca's mother was very supportive of her son's relationship, despite the large age gap (nearly 20 years) between the two men. She had known for years that her son was gay, Luca having come out to her following his grandfather's death.

After a few months of dating, Michael received an offer for an internship in Maine, and invited Luca to move north with him, and move in with him. Their relationship had sparked quickly, a heated romance that Luca used to tease about being similar to a romance novel. Though they had only been together for a few months, Luca, who was smitten with his boyfriend, chose to follow his heart and move with Michael. With his mother's blessing as well, he arrived in Farmington, Maine, and into a beautiful home with his boyfriend. He began attending culinary school, something he had been saving up to do since arriving in America. A few months later, however, his fairy-tale happiness was short-lived. Having returned home early from school one day, Luca discovered Michael in bed with another man. Luca was devastated. Michael refused to explain his behavior, and the arguments that followed the incident were horrific. Brokenhearted that the relationship was over and all of his dreams had crashed around him, Luca packed his belongings and left their beautiful home, and his first love.

Having only a few possessions left to him that meant anything of consequence, it didn't take long for Luca to pack. He took what little money he had saved up and stayed at a motel for a few days until a classmate offered to let him stay at her small apartment until he could find a place to rent. Forced to put his schooling on hiatus Luca began to work two jobs so he could save up his money once more. He turned down his mother's pleas for him to return to New York, too embarrassed, hurt and unwilling to let what had happened break him. He had friends in Farmington. And a school that he knew eventually he would be able to return to attending soon enough.

Eight months later, while working his second job Luca met Nathaniel Clark. Nathaniel became a regular, one of the customers that Luca would end up serving many times a week, and would always leave a rather hefty tip for Luca. There were sparks, there was flirting, but Luca didn't think anything more of it. The man, handsome as sin with beautiful eyes, was a customer and he needed to remember that. He also reminded himself that he was focusing on his jobs and getting back to school. Nathaniel's tips helped to make a large dent in the savings account Luca had, and he was always grateful for the man's thoughtfulness. And the flirtation. Though he didn't think he was ready for a relationship, somehow when Nathaniel eventually asked him out, Luca did not hesitate to say yes. There was no denying for Luca that he was hopelessly interested in Nathaniel, and their relationship was very physical, but there was also an emotional interest. One that grew strong enough for Nathaniel to eventually convince Luca to move in with him, helping him to get back into culinary school and quit his jobs so he could focus on school.

Once again Luca's happiness was short-lived. He had finally opened himself up once more to someone who he thought cared for him, possibly even loved him. Even though there were more than enough signs to suggest Nathaniel might possibly not be as devoted to the monogamous relationship as Luca thought he was, Luca chose to believe Nathaniel was true to him. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Just over six months into their relationship, Nathaniel told Luca he was going to move from Farmington back to Boston, where he had originally lived. His reasoning for moving was that he had become involved with someone, and was choosing to leave Luca for that man. Not ony was he abandoning his relationship with Luca, but leaving behind his daughter, Georgie. Crushed that he had once again been duped into trusting someone implictily that their words of fidelity were truthful, Luca and Nathaniel fought hard. All of the suspicions that Luca had internalized, chose to live with and deny exploded into a raging argument. And once again, Luca left the home he had grown to love, staying with his best friend for a few days while he recovered from the shock of the break-up.

Ironically enough, Nathaniel's leaving helped Luca become closer to Georgie. They were both experiencing a loss. A feeling of abandonment and the pain that came with being left behind as if you had never existed. The two, who had always been at odds with each other despite Luca's desperate attempts to befriend his ex-lover's daughter, grew to become close friends and developed a bond and trust that could not be broken.

Currently, Luca is planning to move into an apartment with Georgie. He is working part-time at the stables now, the owners offering to pay him as soon as they learned of his situation, thanks to his friend Alex. He is seeking another job at a restaurant, desperate to get back into a kitchen professionally, the one place, oddly enough, where Luca feels the most solace. He is healing from the break-up with Nathaniel, and not looking to become involved romantically with anyone else at this time.