“I’ll count the minutes,” I rasped when he kissed me by my car that we had picked up from the club. I almost didn’t say it out loud—I wasn’t a romantic—but I decided to practice expressing what I felt instead of keeping it coiled inside me.
“I’ll come as soon as I can and as soon as you update everyone.”
“This weekend, bring everything.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I entered the Riviera shop in the late afternoon and went behind the counter. Rio and our new employee, Grace, were busy with clients. Rio gave me a bewildered look and almost sprinted to the counter as soon as she was free.
“Stock room, now, please,” she said.
I chuckled and followed her.
“Where were you? I was worried. It’s so unlike you to disappear like that. You were sick last week. Then, the day after your sister’s wedding, you text to say you’re away?” She skimmed her eyes over me. “And why are you in the same dress you wore three days ago to the wedding?”
I hugged her.
Rio just stood there, her arms by her sides, while mine wrapped around her. She then brought her arms hesitatingly up and hugged me back.
“Thank you,” I said. “For everything.” I pulled back and looked at her. “I was in San Francisco, at Angelo’s. I had to go to him. And the dress? I didn’t take anything with me because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, and I wore it because I wanted to look pretty for him.” I took a deep breath and put my left hand forward.
Rio looked at it, then into my face.
“We got married.”
“Married?” She looked like I was speaking Italian to her.
I made ayupexpression and waited for her to say something.
“Congratulations!” she said subduedly as soon as she could speak again. Then, as if the news had finally hit her, she called out, “Oh, my God! Congratulations!” and squeezed me in a hug, almost raising me from the floor.
She then made me fill her in on the details of what, and why, and how, and where we’d live, and when he’d be back. “Does your family know?”
I took a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”
“They’re going tolovehim.”
After showering and changing, I decided not to drag this out. I drove to Tammy’s and broke the news out to her and my mom.
Tammy threw her hand to cover her mouth—we always had the same gestures—then hugged me, whispering all teary—that was where we were different, as she had always been out with her feelings—“I’m so happy for you, June. I want to meet him. Ifyouchose him, then I know he’s worth it, I know he’s great.”
I was glad we spared them the less palatable part about how Angelo and I had met.
My mom remained seated at my sister’s kitchen table and looked at me and Tammy hugging. “You thought we would disapprove because of your age difference,” she said, shaking her head rebukingly. “A man of thirty is old enough to know his own mind and choose wisely. And he did. You should have brought him with you, June. What would he think of us?” She then rose to her feet and hugged me. “You silly girl. I’ve never seen such happiness on your face, and if he’s the cause of that, then I want him in my family.”
For the second time in a few weeks, I ugly cried—tears, sobs, snot, the whole package.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Are you kidding me? I love this! Marrying a younger Italian is your version of dropping the ball, June?” January looked at me with open amusement when I stopped by Sandy Hills, the senior citizen home, during her shift the next day. Then, narrowing her eyes and side-gazing at me, she added, “That’s what you meant when you said back then, right? Because it’s been going on for a while.”
“Yes, that’s what I meant. Although, I also ran into difficulties after opening the second shop.” I wanted to come clean about at least some of it, especially to January. “See? I don’t have a handbook on life.”
January made apfftsound. “Though I’m sure Angelo is much more than that, I know women who would gladly take you as a mentor if you could tell them the secret to getting a younger hot man from Italy.”
I shrugged. “You chase him away.”
I loved the sound of my sister’s laughter. It was as unencumbered as I hoped mine would be soon.
