Chapter 16 When Life Gives You Grapes, You Make Wine #3
The lights above were playing nice with the fog, not burning it away like the sun. The hundreds of candles on the tables, illuminating all the tablescapes, did the same. Candle flames made everything shimmer, including the air once the sun had left us for the night.
Rocco and I chatted with everyone, sharing memories of the day, receiving countless compliments on the food and wine, our new home together, and how happy everyone was that the two of us found each other.
Rocco made sure my crown was on straight the entire night, and even though he’d told me earlier, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he loved me in the silk burgundy dress I’d changed into.
It was another vintage design, but this time I wanted something a little dressier for the night.
The night.
It moved like the fog, slow and easy, and it clung to everyone’s feet as they took to the dance floor, moving in tempo to traditional Italian dances.
My head was fuzzy from so much wine, and I was dizzy from all the dancing and laughing, so I told Rocco I was going to take a break and have a seat.
He walked me to a chair, then walked off, coming back a minute later with a glass of cold water for me.
All the wine had made me warm, and the bite to the water made me shiver.
He rubbed his hand along my shoulders, then kept his warm palm on my neck.
Maggie Beautiful danced up, drunk on wine and the exhilaration of the night.
Luca was right behind her, and even though Maggie Beautiful complimented me on the harvest celebration, and Luca nodded in agreement, there was still something so far away about his eyes.
As if he was inside of a scene only he could see, and maybe… maybe he was trapped inside of it.
Rocco nodded to his father, then went to hold out a chair for Maggie Beautiful, but she shook her head and wrapped her arm around his.
“I’m still in the mood to dance, Handsome! This reminds me of the parties Brando and Scarlett used to host, minus the grape crushing, which I loved! Weeee!” She clapped at a bunch of kids running with sparklers.
Scarlett said they were always a hit, and they were.
“See!” Maggie Beautiful deftly took one from a boy who had two.
He hadn’t even noticed until he stopped running, and after looking down at the hand that just had it, he looked confused as he searched the ground for it.
Unfazed, Maggie waved it around, and the light seemed to drag against the darkness, almost etching into it.
“So much fun! Dance with me, Rocco! Let’s give it another go, Handsome!
” The sparkler burnt out, and she set it down on the table.
Rocco squeezed my neck and then moved his hand to my shoulder, where I kissed his fingers.
He offered her his arm, and together they walked toward where everyone was dancing.
Maggie Beautiful had not only danced with all of Luca’s sons, but each of their wives too.
At one point, she had all of us together.
I smiled at the memory, taking a sip of the water Rocco had given me. I watched as they danced. As the reflection of twinkling lights above my head swayed on the ground. At the kids with the sparklers again. Anywhere but at the man who stared at me.
Finally, I met my father-in-law’s eyes. I decided to just come right out and ask what was wrong in Italian.
I asked respectfully, softly, and even though his eyes softened some at the tone of the question, nothing had softened about his demeanor.
But I wanted him to know that whatever was going on, I had suspected it wasn’t good from our last interaction at my birthday party on the bayou.
For a moment, I thought he was going to take me by the arms and shake me.
He hadn’t moved, but the oddest sensation moved over me that he wanted to seize me.
It was as cold as the water my husband had given me to help clear my head.
I felt a rush of emotions from my father-in-law, like he needed to release some of the pressure that had been building inside of him.
I wasn’t sure why it was aimed at me, but it was. Maybe because he thought I knew something I didn’t. Scarlett would’ve been a better source for that kind of information, but if he’d been looking at her the way he sometimes looked at me after the party on the bayou, I hadn’t noticed it.
All I knew, though, was that my husband’s back was turned to us, and when he finally turned fully and caught the way Luca was looking at me, because no doubt he would…I didn’t want any trouble.
I stood abruptly and whispered, “If you want to speak to me, let’s do it privately.”
It wasn’t shock in his eyes, but I’d caught him off guard with my offer. Maybe he thought I was going to cower and not ask him directly. Maybe he was impressed, and in his opinion, his respect for me went up a notch.
Before he could offer me his arm, the entire celebration seemed to go quiet at a figure who appeared out of the fog. He almost seemed like a ghost created out of it. Or created from this family. But before the man could fully uncloak himself, he turned and left in a cloud of what seemed like smoke.