"So, no big wedding?" she asked, rather than ask a question sure to offend him.
"Are you saying there is going to be a wedding at all?"
"You haven't actually asked me."
"I did that five years ago." And his tone said,look where that got us.
She had to acknowledge he had a point. "So,ifthere is a wedding, no church?" she rephrased her question.
"No." That was definite.
But then he probably had very bad memories of standing in the front of a full church only to have a no-show bride.
She nodded. "Good."
"You did not want a church wedding before?" he asked, clearly surprised.
"I didn't want a spectacle." She'd hated the thought of saying their vows in front of hundreds of people that were strangers to her.
"You did not say."
"My mother took over planning the wedding practically from the moment I told my parents that we were getting married."
"Surely she wanted your opinion on things."
"Trust me, she didn't."
"A celebrant and only the necessary witnesses," Carlo said. "Perhaps in our sibling's shared hospital room."
If all went well, the doctors thought Joyce would be able to be moved into Fantino's room before the end of the week. Alceu was already looking into what it would take to bring them both home soonest so they could see their baby and Fantino could get his physical therapy in familiar surroundings.
"You want to get married this week?" she asked with an embarrassingly shocked squeak in her voice.
"You heard Fantino, you do not need the stress of a wedding late in your pregnancy."
And maybe he thought that if they didn't put it off too long, she was more likely to follow through.
"If we get married, we already agreed there will be no big production. Therefore, no stress."
Frowning, Carlo nevertheless nodded. He withdrew from her, though, and got out of bed.
"Carlo?"
"I have some work to attend to this morning. I cannot keep putting off my responsibilities."
"Visiting your brother is part of those responsibilities, isn't it?"
"Sì. Even so…" He shrugged, grabbed his slacks and slid them on before heading to the door, the rest of his clothes in hand.
Something had happened there and Annette wasn't sure what it was. "Carlo. Stop. What is going on?"
"I have work. I said."
"Yes, you did. I just…"
"What?" He turned to face her. "You think my pride likes the constant reminders that I'm good enough for sex, but not good enough for marriage as far you are concerned?"
"I never said that!"