19. Emilio
Iknow my first step in mending things with Caterina is talking to her father.
“Emilio,” he says after answering the door. “This is a surprise. Come in.”
“Oh, I can’t stay long. I just wanted to say your daughter is a good person. I never should have said the things I did about her.”
“She and I talked about it. We’re on good terms.”
“I’m glad.” I clear my throat. “I just wanted to let you know I’ll do everything in my power to see her safe.”
“I know about Dante. And I’m glad you saved you.”
“I would give my life for her. I’m confident in that. No matter the problems Caterina and I have had in the past, that’s no reflection on the kind of person she is. I can tell she’s a good daughter to you. You’re a good father.”
“You could learn a thing or two from me when you have kids of your own one day.”
“You’re right. I could.” And I mean it. If there’s one thing I learned from almost losing Caterina, it’s that I need to put my pride aside and do what’s right. I need to listen to those around me. I don’t have all the answers.
And though I don’t know what’s going to happen with Dante, I know I’m not going to go after him.
Not if it puts Caterina at risk.
“You take care, Emilio,” Francesco says. “And take care of my daughter.”
“I will.” Because I’m going to be better for her.
After talking to Francesco, I go to Rocco’s house.
“I knew this was coming,” he says as we settle into chairs in his office. “Call me out for how I acted. I deserve it.”
“I know you want to do what’s right by our family. And I know Dante scares you.”
“He’s unpredictable. That’s what scares me.”
“But,” I say, “you will never put my wife in harm’s way again. If it were Lara, you wouldn’t have hesitated to let Dante go. We’re supposed to be a family, and he’s tearing us apart. I’m tired of it. I know I’ve been stubborn, but Dante taking Caterina was a huge wake up call for me. It taught me what’s important in life and what isn’t. Dante’s not worth all this effort. Our family is.”
Rocco leans back in his seat as he looks at me for a while before saying, “I’m proud of you, you know.”
“You are?”
“You’re putting your family first. That’s all I ever wanted you to do. And I’m sorry for putting Caterina in a potentially dangerous situation. That wasn’t right of me. It will never happen again. Now, you should go home and spend time with your wife. After the crazy ordeal you’ve been through, you deserve it.”
I stand up and look back at him before I leave. “Thank you for making me marry Caterina. I wasn’t happy about it at first, and honestly, we’re probably still going to have days we bicker like crazy, but I can’t think of anyone better to be my wife.”
“That’s why I chose her for you. I knew you needed someone just as stubborn.”
I smile.
* * *
“So,this is a real and proper date?” Caterina asks as we walk through Central Park.
“This is. I said I’d make the time for you, and I am.”
She leans her head against my arm. “I appreciate that. All I’ve ever wanted was to spend time with. Get to know you.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Um … your most embarrassing childhood memory.” We sit down on a bench.
“Of course, you’d ask me that,” I mutter.
“Of course. So, answer it.”
“I don’t have any.”
She rolls her eyes. “Bullshit. Everyone has an embarrassing childhood memory.”
“Ok, then. What’s yours?”
“You’re not getting out of this, buddy. I asked you first.”
I lean back and watch the people walking by and enjoying their day. “My brothers and Gabriella went to icing skating on this lake. I didn’t want to join because I thought it would be too dangerous. My siblings told me to live a little. So, I did. And when I went out there, I not only fell flat on my face, but I ripped my pants in the process. I was twelve years old and mortified.”
Caterina laughs. “Poor thing.”
“Tit for tat.”
“Ok. My embarrassing childhood memory is … this one time, when I was five. It was my birthday, and I ate too much cake. My dad didn’t know when to stop me. So, I just ate and ate and ate. And then I threw it all up. But that’s not the worst part. I threw it up on this boy I had a crush on.”
“A crush? You were five.”
She shrugs. “Hey, I was wild, even back then.”
We laugh, with her resting her head on my shoulder and me resting my head on her the top of hers. I never knew talking to Caterina could be this enjoyable.
This … fun. This easy.
For a long time, I tried to fight our natural chemistry because I believed things needed to go my way. But now I know I don’t need things to go my exact way because that led to Caterina being captured and almost harmed by Dante. Life isn’t about pride or ego.
It’s about who you love.
And sitting on this park bench with Caterina, I know I love her. I think I’ve loved her ever since we met, even when she was driving me crazy. I think it was because I loved her that she drove me insane.
“What would you think if I said I love you?” I ask her.
She stills before looking up at me. “What?”
“I love you, Caterina. I know I haven’t been a good husband. And I’ll probably still be a shitty one going forward. But I love you, even with all your faults.”
“Jeez. Thanks for the compliment,” she says, rolling her eyes.
I grab her face and kiss her. “That’s to shut you up.”
“Fine. But you should know I love you, too.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. Why do you think I always wanted to be around you? Bug you? Because I cared, even then. I still do. I love you, Emilio.”
I smile as we kiss again.
And for the first time, I feel truly and utterly happy with Caterina.
We may not be perfect. We’re more messy than anything. But it’s us. And it works. And we will continue to make it work.
For the rest of our lives.