Chapter 23 How Big?
HOW BIG?
DELILAH
“Lemme see,” Daphne says as soon as we walk through the front door of the bar.
I hold out my hand and wiggle my finger, showing her the extravagant ring Lucio bought for me. I would’ve been happy with a small rock. Size never really mattered to me. How could it when I have a guy like Lucio by my side?
“It’s so beautiful.” She stares at the ring, bringing my hand closer to her face. “He did damn good. I’m impressed.”
“Where is she?”
I turn as Betty comes down the stairs with the biggest smile on her face. She’s wearing the most magnificent black-and-white polka-dot dress with her hair styled like a 1950’s pinup. She’s absolutely stunning and smiling bigger than I’ve ever seen before.
“There’s my girl,” she says, holding out her arms. For a second, I think she’s going for Lulu, but when she wraps her arms around me, I can’t help but smile. “You’ve made me so happy.” She pulls back and grabs my cheeks. “So, so happy.”
Lucio clears his throat, getting his mother’s attention. “I wouldn’t let you down, Ma.”
She pats his chest, always proud of her son. “I never had any doubt, baby. Now let me see my granddaughter.”
“Ma, it’s not official yet.”
She rolls her eyes as she takes Lulu from my arms. “I don’t need a court to tell me she’s one of my own.” Lulu laughs, grabbing for those pearls again, just as attached to Betty as she was the very first time she held her.
“When’s the wedding?” Daphne asks, almost chomping at the bit to know more.
“I don’t know.” I look to Lucio because we haven’t even talked about when we’ll actually say I do.
“As soon as possible,” he answers easily.
“We must book the church immediately. No child of mine is getting married at city hall. Father Michael must be the one to marry you.”
“I’ll let you ladies plan everything,” Lucio says and shakes Angelo’s hand as soon as he walks over.
“Finally growing up,” Angelo teases him. “Locked it down like I told you.”
“Locked it down?” I ask.
Lucio leans over and kisses my cheek. “Made sure I never let you go, sweetheart.”
“Oh.” I laugh. It’s a bit cavemanish, but I kind of like it.
Angelo grabs Lucio by the shoulder and announces to everyone, “My brother’s getting married. Beer’s on the house.”
The few regulars, people I’ve come to truly like, erupt into cheers, congratulating us on our upcoming wedding; although they are probably more excited about the free drinks.
“There’s so much to do.” Daphne grabs me by the arm and ushers me to a nearby table. “Dresses, reception, invitations.”
“We can keep it small. I don’t really have anyone to invite.” The words sting a little, but besides my father and mother, there’s no one left in my family who hasn’t been driven away.
“Girl, our family is huge.”
“How big?” I ask.
“Between the cousins, we’re talking well over a hundred people.”
My mouth falls open, and all I can do is blink. “For real?”
“Italians always show up at weddings.”
“Always?”
“Always. I can bet my mother is going to invite everyone from the neighborhood, then we have the customers, and the family too. It’s going to be enormous.”
I’m suddenly nervous, thinking about all the strangers staring at me as I walk down the aisle. “Maybe we should just keep it small. Do it right here in the bar.” I like my idea. It sounds simple and more intimate.
“Don’t be crazy. We have a wedding shower to plan and so much to do. You’re going to look like a princess on your big day,” Daphne tells me, and my mind’s reeling from all the information she’s hurling at me.
I was so excited about the engagement, I didn’t even think about all the things that would come with it.
“I’m planning the bachelorette party,” Michelle says, coming to sit with us finally.
“I’ll let you, but you better make it good.”
I smile because I don’t know what else to do.
I’m so overwhelmed by their love and excitement I can’t even talk anymore. I just look around the bar, watching their happy faces and know I’ve found my forever home.
Michelle places her hand over mine as I watch Daphne walk away. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just overwhelmed.”
“The Gallos don’t do anything small, but I promise we’ll be there to help. Don’t get scared. You’re about to be part of something amazing.”
“I know,” I tell her, and my smile comes easily. “I’ve never been so happy in my whole life.”
“Daphne and I have been planning our weddings since we were kids. We’re excited about this and hope we can help you.”
“Of course. I want your help in everything.”
I don’t even know where to start. After watching my parents’ marriage end in spectacular fashion, I never thought I’d be willing to take the plunge. I didn’t have the best role models, and the thought of making the same mistakes scares the shit out of me.
“Do you want to postpone the wedding?” Lucio’s standing in the doorway to my bedroom, watching me.
“No. Why would you ask that?”
He walks across the room and sits next to me on the bed. “We can elope, then.”
“We can’t do that.”
He grabs my hand and kisses my fingers. “You seem overwhelmed.”
I stare at him and smile. “I am, but I’ve also never been more certain about anything in my life either.”
“What can I do to make this easier for you?”
God, how is he always so great? So patient. So understanding. “My parents were a terrible example, and”—I lean over and put my head on his shoulder—“what if we mess the entire marriage thing up?”
He turns on the bed and grabs my face between his giant hands. “Listen, sweetheart. My parents were basically a shitshow most of my life. I know how my mom talks, you’d think they had the type of love you only see in movies, but it’s not true. I never want to be like my father. Never.”
“His actions don’t define who you are,” I tell him as I place my hands on his thighs.
“And neither do your parents.”
He has a point.
He slides his hands to my shoulders, and he strokes my neck with his thumbs. “I promise to love you and only you. I’ve always been so scared to commit to someone because I thought I’d be like my father, but I know now, I’m nothing like him.”
“I’m nothing like mine,” I say.
“Even though my father wasn’t the best partner, he was a great dad.”
“Neither of my parents was spectacular in any area of their life.”
“But you’re an amazing mother,” he tells me, and I smile, happy someone has noticed.
“Thank you, Lucio.”
He turns his eyebrows inward. “For what?”
“For everything.”
“Sweetheart.” He pulls me into his lap and wraps his arms around me. “Don’t thank me. I should be thanking you. Until you showed up, my life was empty.”
“Looked pretty full to me,” I say and giggle.
He peers down at me and shakes his head. “I’m being serious.” His finger finds the engagement ring and moves it. “I never let myself get close to anyone. Never had any real connection. But then this scared girl turned up, and nothing else mattered but keeping her and her baby safe.”
“So, we were basically a pity case?” I’m totally joking. Well. Sort of.
“I wouldn’t ask you to be my wife out of pity. I’ve never loved another person as much as I love you.”
I sit up straighter and slide my arms around his shoulders. “I love you too, and I don’t want to postpone the wedding. I want to be married to you more than anything in the world.”
He tightens his hold and presses his lips against my forehead. “As soon as the adoption paperwork is ready, we’ll get married. I’ll talk to Sal and find out when everything should happen, and we’ll plan around it. I don’t want to waste another day without you being mine.”
I peer up into his beautiful green eyes. “I am yours, silly.”
“Forever,” he tells me before he moves his face closer and steals my breath in a devastating kiss.
All doubt. All worry. Everything disappears as his mouth covers mine. I know where I’m meant to be. Whom I’m meant to be with. Nothing else matters. The past is the past, but our future is just beginning.