Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Renata
I’d read in books and seen in movies where a character described a kiss as transformational. One that brought them to life. But I was completely unprepared for the reality of such a kiss.
Mike had dipped me and held me suspended in the air, making the moment and the touch of his lips even more otherworldly. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was the moment my dormant romantic heart, the one that dared to dream of such a moment, beat for the first time.
His full lips created delicious tingles over mine that matched the sparks that ran down my spine, short-circuiting my brain.
The scent that was so uniquely Mike, mixed with the sweet, slightly citrusy smell of the gardenias surrounding us, came together to make something magical, something intoxicating.
Or maybe it was just my husband who was doing that.
My husband.
The thought blanketed my mind, making my body sigh with pleasure and contentment.
Mike slowly brought me up, still holding me close.
There was something comforting and exciting about his strength.
I knew he’d never let me fall, not physically or emotionally.
He supported me, and I was safe. This foreign feeling made me dizzy as I stood close, breathing the same air as him, while he looked down at me as if I were precious. We were both slightly out of breath.
A thought infiltrated my joy. Will you ever be able to love him, though?
Remembering my conversation with Vicky, all I could think of was, ‘Is this what love feels like?’ I could fall in love with him, couldn’t I?
If I didn’t, as I always supposed was true of myself, I’d break this beautiful man’s heart.
Mike was looking at me so sweetly, my heart ached.
So, I pushed the warring thought away, deciding to enjoy this day. God would help me, I hoped and prayed.
“Hello, Mrs. Walker,” Mike said, bending to touch his forehead to mine. His words, touch, and nearness made my breath stutter in my throat.
“Hi, Mr. Walker,” I answered, my voice so breathy it was almost embarrassing. He had made me want to fall in love and experience what Vicky and my new friends had.
Feeling brave and impulsive, I leaned forward and brought my lips to his again, kissing him sweetly, because I couldn’t help myself. I was never so grateful for my heels that put me in just the right position to take him unaware. His eyes were as wide as his smile.
I stepped back and looked around to see Vicky holding her chest with tears in her eyes. I laughed, and Mike pulled me close to his side and whispered in my ear, “I may have surprised you with my perfect Italian, but you keep surprising me, too.”
Before I could tease him for his cockiness, our friends surrounded us, pulling us into tight hugs and congratulations, talking excitedly. We held them all, and the girls and I wiped each other’s tears while the guys gave loud and enthusiastic slaps on the back and bro handshakes, as I called them.
I was hugging Vicky again when I looked over her shoulder and saw my mother discreetly wiping away tears, her head turned away from everyone. When I pulled back, I nearly fell over when my father put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him.
Mike appeared beside me when I stood frozen on the spot, his eyes following my line of sight. His eyebrows raised as we both watched with rapt attention as my mother slowly laid her head on my father’s shoulder, lost in their own moment.
Grammy, who had been seated on the other side of my mother, caught our attention as she nodded knowingly. Mike and I rushed over to her, taking turns hugging her as she spoke softly of blessings and congratulations.
“Mike, Ren, you’ve made me so very happy today. My heart is full,” she said, her lips trembling with emotion.
“Thank you, Grammy. Thank you for everything,” he said, holding her tightly. When he let her go, she held me close.
“You are my answer to prayer, my dear. The one God brought to show my Mikey the light,” she said, and I prayed she was right. I stepped back, still holding her hand, and went to speak when Mike stood beside me again with a phone in his hand.
“Renata Walker, I’d like you to meet my parents, Andrew and Rachel.”
My eyes went wide as I looked between him and the phone, finally realizing what was happening.
“Oh, my goodness, Mr. and Mrs. Walker. What a beautiful surprise. It’s so good to meet you both,” I gushed, holding the phone and trying to tame my unruly curls after being tousled around by everyone.
“Renata, what a pleasure to meet you, too. Please forgive us for not being there. We’ve been out of communication and had no idea what was happening.
Seems we’ve missed a lot,” Mrs. Walker said, with a shake of her head and a smile that looked like Mike’s.
“And please. Call us Andrew and Rachel. You’re family now.
” Her voice broke, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“We are making our plans and trying to speed up our return. We can’t wait to meet you and get to know you. It was a beautiful ceremony,” Andrew said, slightly squinting his eyes.
“I can’t wait either. Please be careful, and we will be waiting for you,” I answered, looking back at Mike, who kissed the top of my head, as I handed him the phone.
“Grammy wants to talk to you guys. I love you both. Thank you so much for staying up to be here with us. Get word to us as soon as you know your flight information,” Mike said before handing the phone to Grammy.
I stepped away to give them privacy when I saw my parents standing off to the side, waiting to speak to me. My father opened his arms when I started walking toward them, letting go of Mama’s hand. I hadn’t realized he’d been holding it when they stood up.
“Renata, you are the most beautiful bride,” he said, pulling me in for a hug.
I chuckled. “You told me that when you walked me down the aisle, Papa,” I teased. “I’m so happy you’re both here. I just got to meet Mike’s parents in Africa.”
My mother still wasn’t smiling, but her posture was more relaxed than I’d seen in years. I walked over to her and held her tightly. “Thank you for being here, Mama. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”
She stepped back and nodded. “It wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind for your wedding, but it was, ah, lovely.”
We both looked over my shoulder when we heard Mike’s loud laugh as he and Grammy spoke to his parents. When I looked back at her, she pointed to him with her chin.
“Your husband is--.”
“Wonderful?” I asked, pinching my lips to hold in my laughter when she looked at me, unconvinced.
She scoffed lightly, her expression softening. “He’s…interesting.”
My grin grew slowly. “He’s perfect.”
“Ha. Hardly.” She looked at him again, then at me. “The vows in Italian were sweet.”
“That’s because he’s amazing,” I said with sass. “Intelligent. Kind.” I couldn’t hold back my smile. This was the most fun I’d had with my mother in…ever, actually.
“Well, he is tall,” she said with the tiniest smile.
“Good Lord, Lucia. You’re practically fawning over him now,” my father teased. She shook her head and walked away, turning back to glare at us both when we burst out laughing.
I looked at my father in wonder. “What has happened to Mama?” I asked.
He watched her walk into the house and then turned to me and said, “I think Grammy would call it a miracle.”
Confused, I scrunched my eyes. “What do you mean?”
He took a deep breath in and answered, “When the pastor told Mike he could kiss you, she leaned over to us and whispered that we were all witnessing a miracle.”
Mike had used the same word in the waiting room the night he first proposed.
“Then she looked at your mother, and it was like she was staring into our souls,” he said, eyes unfocused as he spoke. “She said, ‘there’s another miracle coming,’ then told us it was never too late.”
I gasped and huffed out a laugh. “Papa, that’s amazing.”
My father looked at his hand, again lost in thought. “She held my hand,” he whispered. “I can’t remember the last time she did that.”
“Oh, Papa,” I said around a sob and hugged him. “It is never too late.” I felt him nod as he held me. “Go to her.”
He pulled back, and for the first time in my life, I saw tears in my father’s eyes. He hadn’t even cried when Nonno or Nonna died. “Si, I think I will.”
Before he walked away, Mike wrapped his long arms around my waist from behind, making me yelp. “Everything okay?” he asked, looking at my father.
“Yes, it is. Mike, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that you and Renata have found one another. I still don’t know how to process the speed of it all, but I’m trusting you to keep her safe and make her happy.”
Mike slid to my side, one arm still around my waist. “Always, Paolo. She’s my life now.”
They shook hands, then Mike hugged him before walking away to find my mother.
“Mike, she let him put his arm around her,” I said excitedly. “Something has happened. I’ve never seen her like this. She almost smiled.”
All I could think was if it were possible for my mother to soften and let herself be loved, maybe there was hope for me after all.
“Wow. Maybe we’ve rubbed off on them. I mean, we’re ridiculously adorable, don’t you think?
Who wouldn’t be affected by such a perfect couple?
” he said, his head held high in mock superiority.
The stunning sunset behind him and everything that we’d experienced that day let something loose in my heart. Joy.
I laughed loudly, my head thrown back. That joy seemed to exude from everything inside me. He was looking at me with awe. “My life’s goal is to make you laugh like that every day for the rest of our lives, Renata Walker.”
Pursing my lips smugly, I said, “You sure do enjoy using that name, Mr. Walker.”