“I’m so glad you are here. This has been fun.”
“It’s been so much fun.” I give her a hug, we thank the assistant for helping us, and we leave together.
“Ciao.” I wave to her, then head to my shop as a light rain begins to fall, wetting the sidewalk.
Dammit. I make a run for it, ducking under awnings to get a respite from what has gone from a light rain to a downpour.
Marchello texts and says he has an important meeting tonight and that he will be late. I bet it has to do with the black book but it’s a simple exchange with Besnik, so I’m not worried about it.
After I get home and dry off, I decide to make us some pasta and salads for dinner, but dinner time comes and goes and he’s not here. My texts to him go unanswered, so I imagine he’s busy and can’t respond.
With no appetite to eat, I call Juliet and she mentions that Dante is out late as well.
Shit, shit and more shit.
They must be together. Marchello didn’t give me any details, but he would have told me if the plans were changed to include Dante. I hope this isn’t a set up. The last thing I want is for more of my life to go sideways again.
“I can’t be much help, Dante didn’t give me any details either,” Juliet explains as we lie in our beds, separated by distance but together in concern and worry for our men.
I kind of like having a sister. With Juliet, I can talk about things I can’t share with Mila.
“I’m so glad I met you. I had fun picking out the flowers for your wedding and helping you with the food selection.”
“Oh, thank you so much. Really, you were a great help.”
“I’m so excited. But first we have Christmas and I have no clue what to get Marchello as a gift.”
“That’s a tough one. I don’t know him all that well, but I found Dante a special edition bottle of Chivas Regal. It came in a nice box, and I had it engraved.”
“That’s so thoughtful but I don’t have that kind of money. This is my first Christmas with his family. Do they exchange gifts?”
“Not really, Mama Micheli has everything she needs. Dante makes sure of that. We do little things, and we’ll set the tree up on Sunday, just a small one. And we go to Mass on Christmas Eve. I don’t know if you’d like to join us at the church.”
“Oh, yes, sounds lovely.” I haven’t been excited about the holidays since Mama passed. “I’m always too busy working this time of year. I guess I’ll be hiring more staff.”
“For sure, I get that. It’s nice. I work for the family business.”
I wonder what she means by this and am afraid to ask.
“Oh, you decorated our condo, and did such a great job. I love it.” I recall she’s the one with an eye for art.
“Thanks, yeah, I get to do graphic art and media stuff for the company now. That way, I still get to be creative. You are too, with flowers.”
“Yea, so what do you think of Ms. Loren? She had a lot of ideas, have you known her long?”
“No, not really. She came as part of the hotel wedding package,” she chuckles.
I laugh and it feels good. I like having a friend that’s also family. We say our goodbyes and I lay awake in the dark, worried about my husband.
I hear Marchello’s footsteps, the jangling of keys, and the soft thud of his wallet hitting the dresser. Even though it’s dark, I imagine his handsome face and hard body moving about the room.
I’m touched he’s trying to be quiet and doesn’t want to wake me.
“Marchello, are you okay?”
“Fine, go to sleep.”
Of course, my eyes are wide open now.