Chapter 19 #2
Fatigue was still clinging to her as I looked into her eyes. “It’s so good to see you, Grammy. Since they only let Mike come a few times a day, I didn’t want to take that away from him. Forgive me for that.”
I sat down on the bed where she’d tapped, careful of her IV. I looked around, listening to the beeping machines with a frown.
“My heart is still going strong, don’t worry. And I knew you’d come when you could. Let me look at you.” Without breaking eye contact, I felt her hand find my left one and bring it up for inspection.
“It looks beautiful on you, my girl. I knew it would.”
“Grammy, I will cherish it always. Thank you for entrusting me with not only your ring, but with Mike. I promise to take care of both of them,” I said, emotions pricking at my eyes again. “Sorry, I haven’t cried this much in years.”
“Tears are a gift, Renata. It’s evidence of love, of feeling, of gratitude. Even in pain or grief, tears are a product of love.” Her voice was quiet but strong.
I put my hand over hers. “What do you think of all this? I know it must seem strange to you.”
She shook her head, her hair falling in her eyes. “No, I don’t. This is an answer to my prayers. For both of you.”
My mood sobered. “Grammy, what if I’m not enough?”
She eyed me closely. “You are because of God.”
Her quiet conviction gave me enough peace to not waver in my promise to marry her incredible grandson.
Father, help me see what everyone else sees in me. Help me with these warring thoughts.
She spoke again, turning my focus back to her. “Mikey said the wedding will be in a few weeks to be sure I can be there. That means so much to me”
“There’s no way we’d do it without you,” I said with a watery smile.
“So are you and Vicky making your plans?” she asked, her eyes getting heavy.
“Yes, ma’am. We’re going to have the ceremony in Luke and Sofia’s backyard.
Very simple. Pastor Danny will do walk us through the vows and pray over us.
Vicky and Niko will be our matron of honor and best man, MJ our flower girl.
And my parents are coming in a few days before.
My mother is having a hard time accepting it, but she promises to be there,” I said, smoothing her blanket.
“Leave her to me,” she said cryptically.
“I’ll head out then. Mike says he will stop by on his way home.”
The word caught in my throat, and by the knowing way she was looking at me, she understood. Home. One that I would soon share with my husband.
“Been a while since you’ve had someone to come home to or wait for, I gather?” Her all-knowing eyes had me in her trap, and I couldn’t deny it.
“I’ve never had that.”
“This is only the beginning, Renata. God has great things in store for you.”
A few days later, I took an Uber to meet Mike downtown at the County Clerk’s office to apply for our marriage license while he was on his lunch break. When I slid out of the car, I found Mike waiting for me on the sidewalk.
“Wow. You look beautiful in green,” he said, kissing my cheek as I walked up to him. My olive green maxi dress ruffled in the wind as I held it up with one hand.
“Thank you. You look nice, too.” He was in grey slacks and a white button-down shirt. I didn’t miss how impressive his shoulders looked in it, his tan more pronounced.
“Here,” he said, moving me so that he walked along the outside of the sidewalk. I looked up at him in confusion. “So you are safe from traffic,” was his simple answer, shocking me.
No man had ever done that for me. Purposefully putting themselves in potential danger to protect me.
He smiled down at me as we walked through the busy streets, dodging overeager tourists.
I chuckled to myself when I realized I’d now considered myself a local, one of many changes that had happened quickly since I’d gotten to San Diego.
When his hand grazed mine as he stepped out of the way of a man running down the street, I took it and laced my fingers through his. I heard his breath catch as he peered down at me, looking at our hands, then at my face. That infamous wide smile let me know he was pleased.
“Did you have lunch yet?” I asked as we crossed the street.
“No, but I have a meeting at one, so I left a sandwich that I’ll eat at my desk. I wish I could’ve eaten with you,” he said, frowning.
I waved my hand. “That’s okay. I’ll grab something at the cottage. Grammy gets discharged today, right?”
Mike opened the door for me to step into the office building, the cold air making me shiver after walking in the sun.
“Yes, I’ll go there right after work to pick her up.
We were hoping for yesterday, but the doctor was being overly cautious after a rough night of sleep that had her pressure up slightly.
She will be glad to go home today and see her friends, I’m sure. ”
We followed the signs and walked into the clerk’s office, where Mike gave them our information. Less than an hour later, we had the license and were back outside.
“That was pretty easy,” I said, grateful that I’d had all the right documentation they’d needed.
“Yeah, it was, thankfully. The immigration process will be much harder, but I’ll take this easy win.” He looked at his phone and pressed a button. “I’ve ordered you an Uber to take you back to the cottage, and they’re a few minutes away.”
“Thank you, but I could’ve done that,” I said, looking up at him as he smirked.
“You know, you’re going to have to start letting me take care of you sometimes, right?”
Huffing out a laugh, I answered, “I’m not sure how to do that. Yet.”
Mike smiled and said, “I like that word. Also, I was thinking about something. What do you think of us writing our own vows?”
A car pulled up, and Mike confirmed my name as I watched my fiancé in awe. “Oh, wow. Yes, I love that idea. It will make it so much more special.”
He bent down to kiss my cheek before opening the door for me. “Good, I’m glad you like it. Not much longer, and we won’t have to say goodbye at the end of the day, fiancé.”
His words made me shiver, and I nodded. “Yes, soon.”
I waved as the car drove away, putting my hand over my cheek where he’d kissed me, the feeling making me warm all over.
Two weeks later, Mike and I waited at baggage claim for my parents to arrive. He had been nervous about it all week, no matter what I said to try to ease his tension.
“Do I look okay? I mean, are they used to dressing up every day? I heard Italians are way more stylish than the rest of us,” he said, looking down at his black pants and light blue button-up shirt.
“You look great. Mama and Papa are simple business owners, so they don’t wear gowns and tuxes on the regular,” I teased, hoping to make him laugh.
He smiled and exhaled loudly. “Sorry, I just want them to like me. I’m starting off with several points against me, so I have a deficit to overcome. Especially since I coerced their only daughter into marrying me.”
I straightened his collar, my hands resting on his chest when I was done. “Oh, they’ll never let you forget the coercion part, but they’ll warm up to you. Eventually,” I said with a smirk. “But I do want them to know the real Mike. Shorts, T-shirts. I like the real Mike.”
He wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me a little closer, his bravado showing as we chuckled. “Do you now? You like my casual look? Sand in my truck, mussed up hair and all?” When he bent down to look at me, I could feel the warmth from his large frame and something loosened in my chest.
“The faint smell of pine, a little salty air, mixed with your musky cologne,” I said quietly, my words making his eyebrows raise and his smile brighten.
“Oh, so you like the way I smell. I’m pretty sure that’s the second time you’ve told me that, Ms. Valenti. Good to know,” Mike said, his voice low and rough.
My eyes scanned his perfectly styled hair, a wicked grin on my face.
“Renata,” he warned slowly as my hands went up. “What are you doing?”
I jumped on my tiptoes to reach my hands into his perfectly gelled hair and ran my fingers through it, making him growl. I couldn’t tell if it was from pleasure or frustration, but the sound reverberated through me.
“So that’s how it’s going to be, huh?” he asked, tickling my waist, making me scream and try to twist out of his hold.
We were making a scene, but I didn’t care.
I loved being held by him, his presence making me feel safe and free to be myself.
I’d worked so hard for so long, without rest or fun, that I’d forgotten what it was like to laugh with abandon like this, especially with a man.
It was in moments like this that I could feel my fears melt away, at least for a little while.
We were still twisting and laughing when someone cleared their throat, making us stop suddenly. Mike’s hair was sticking up like he’d stuck his hands in a socket, and my clothes were twisted. I turned to see my parents standing next to us, my mother glaring, my father holding back a smile.