I almost turned away from her, overcome by the feelings she somehow brought to the surface. I made myself still, though, to stay in the moment. Nodding once, I made the other. No one else could tell, but she had. She winked at me and then went to cut and distribute the cake.
She had made my favorite, wedding cake soaked in almond simple syrup, coated in cream cheese icing. Vanilla and chocolate gelato on the side. We shared from the same plate, at first, but then I went back for seconds.
Full to imploding, I rested my head against her shoulder, breathing in her mango-scented shampoo and rose-scented essence. “Grazie, mia moglie,” I whispered. “This has been the perfect day.”
“Even better than diving with sharks?”
“No comparison.”
She grinned, her face flushing.
I had asked for simple. She had given me so simple that it was fucking magical.
She and Mia had served me breakfast in bed. After Mia went down for a nap, I had my wife all to myself. Lunch was one of my favorite dishes, as was dinner, and then we explored the property, followed by the swim.
All I ever wanted in life.
Another year around the sun didn’t feel much different; she was still beside me. Yet it did; she was beside me.
After finishing another beer, I got her on her feet to dance. A slow song had come on, and everyone was lounging around, talking, some still eating. It might as well have been just the two of us, though. I’d led her to a spot underneath crisscrossing lights that shimmered over the glistening water, and we moved in time to the rhythm.
Her body melted into mine, conforming to make room for the both of us, just as we did when we slept close. She seemed to flow into me, feeding the marrow of my bones with her love.
She looked up at me, and her face became serious. “Will you tell me your wish—wishes?”
She was so curious that it was almost hilarious.
I grinned down at her. “I would, but then they might not come true.”
“Can you give me a hint?”
“Is it that important to you, baby?”
“Well,” she sighed, looking away from me. “If there’s something I can do—to make them come true, I mean. I’d like to.”
“You made all of my wishes come true the moment I looked at you.” I lifted her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes, then placed a soft kiss on her lips. “La mia vita.”
“All right,” she whispered, keeping her eyes closed. “But you wished forsomething. You already have me. You always did.”
“True,” I agreed, staring at her.Open your eyes, look at me, woman.She did. “But I could’ve wished to keep this night forever. Mia would stay this young. We would stay locked in this moment.”
“That’s—” She blinked at me. “That’s a beautiful wish, Brando.”
“Just one,” I said, reminding her.
“A big one.” She grinned.
“Yeah, you can say that.”
“You’re nothing if not audacious,” she muttered. “Can I—can I help with the other one? Since I can’t make time stand still?”
Wrong, I thought, but kept it to myself.
We stopped moving. A new song had started to play, more upbeat.
I took her face in my hands, leaning in even closer. Her eyes grew wider the closer I came, then shrunk into slits, her mouth parting, letting the moment carry her away.
“You can,” I whispered against her mouth. “In tempo.”
