The Breakup

by Brenda Grate

  “That okay. We have time plan. I not take long plan meal. Much good food in market.”

  Aja smiled at Julianna. “You’re amazing, you know. I’d be freaking out about planning a wedding feast for a bunch of people I’ve never met. Yet you take it in stride.”

  Julianna looked confused. “What mean freaking out?”

  “I’d be stressed.”

  Julianna shook her head, a frown on her face.

  “Worried?”

  “Ah. Yes. I no worry. Love cook.”

  It didn’t surprise Aja that Julianna didn’t know what freaking out or stress meant in English. Aja doubted she even knew those words in Italian.

  Julianna got up, replenished the snacks and poured more wine. “You sleep here, Aja?”

  “Sure. I’d love to. I can’t go back to the winery anyway. I’m going to have to call Nona and tell her I’m quitting my job.”

  “Why?” Julianna looked shocked. “I think you like job.”

  “Yes, actually I was starting to like it. A lot. But Marco and I had a big fight and now I don’t want to be anywhere near there.”

  “You fight with Marco?” Julianna frowned. “That bad.”

  “Why?”

  “Marco never fight with me. He love you.”

  “What? What do you mean? He doesn’t love me.”

  “Yes.” She nodded her head like a wise old sage. “He love you. He never love me.”

  “How do you know, Juli?”

  “I never see Marco fight with woman. Never.” She said it with such assurance that butterflies took up residence in Aja’s stomach.

  “If he loves me why would he fight with me? That doesn’t make sense.”

  “It make all sense,” she contradicted. “He not care to fight before. He love you so he emotion get mix up. Capire… uh, understand?”

  Aja understood all too well. And it scared the hell out of her.

  “Pietro be sad. Hafa tell him.”

  “I don’t have to tell him anything, Juli. I’m not in love with either of them.”

  She laughed. “You lie. You love Marco, no love Pietro.”

  “What are you, a fortune teller?”

  “What that?”

  “A wise woman?”

  “Oh. Yes. Wise. Like mother.”

  Sometimes Aja wished she and Julianna could speak each other’s language perfectly. She felt there was much she could learn from her.

  “You need tell Pietro. Not want brother hurt.”

  “You’re the one who pushed him at me, you tell him,” Aja grumbled.

  Julianna said, “No. You let kiss you much time.”

  Aja choked on her wine. “What now you’re spying on me?”

  “Pietro tell me. He love you.”

  “Great. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?”

  “We close. I like mother to him. He tell all me.”

  Aja squirmed on the couch, not liking the direction the conversation was moving. “Well, I didn’t let him kiss me. He just did it without asking.”

  Julianna giggled. “Yes. He do that.”

  Aja put her glass on the table. “Can we change the subject now?” Without waiting for a response she asked, “What about you and Marco? Why wouldn’t you marry him?”

  “Parent want us, but then they die. Mother first, then father. I take care of family ristorante. Marco want me and Bella go winery. I say no, stay town. We not agree where live so I stay. He need woman work with. I not woman for him. I not love him.”

  Aja figured that summed things up pretty well. “But it must be hard being a single mom, working and raising your daughter?”

  “Yes, hard. Marco help when I say okay. Pietro help. I fine. Bella fine. She happy here.”

  “She sure seems happy. She’s a wonderful little girl.”

  Julianna got up and pulled a photo album off the bookshelf. The pictures started with a very pregnant Julianna; she looked like a little girl, all the way to pictures of Bella’s last birthday. Marco and Juli stood beside the birthday girl with big smiles. It gave Aja another pang to see them together. They looked so good, especially with their little girl who was a perfect combination of their features. They’d made a gorgeous child together.

  “Does the restaurant do well? Does it support you and Bella?” Aja cringed, hoping she wouldn’t take offence to the very personal question.

  “Yes. We do well. Marco help, but I no need it. Put in bank for Bella school.”

  Aja was happy to hear that Marco was a good father. He tried to get Julianna to marry him, it wasn’t his fault that she didn’t. Maybe she was right, maybe he did love her and she was being unfair. Aja got a sick feeling in her stomach. Marco was a decent man, he’d proved it over and over. I might have screwed up my chances for good.

  Julianna studied Aja’s face. “You go see Marco?” she asked.

  “You are a mind reader too, aren’t you?”

  Julianna didn’t respond, just grinned at Aja.

  Marco was waiting outside when Julianna opened the restaurant. Aja was helping her set the tables and prepare for the morning customers. He stepped inside, said good morning to Julianna and then turned to Aja.

  “I need to talk to you, please.”

  “OK.” She placed the last plate on the table, and walked out the door. Her stomach was in knots. She wasn’t sure what to say to him. He didn’t give her a chance to say anything. As soon as they were out the door, closing it behind them, he said, “Aja, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me for insulting you.”

  Aja dropped her head. “You didn’t, Marco, I’m the stupid one. I thought you were rejecting me and I couldn’t stand it. Please forgive me.”

  He didn’t answer, just pulled her into his arms and tucked her head under his chin. She rested there, peace coming over her. Marco wouldn’t hurt her like Stephen had, she was sure of it now.

  She heard a gasp and jerked around to see Pietro staring at them. His eyes widened in hurt and surprise. Then he opened the door of the restaurant and went back in.

  “Did you have something with Pietro, Aja?” Marco’s voice rumbled against her head.

  “No. He wanted something and I admit I was attracted to him, but there was nothing there for me. It was you all along.”

  She could feel his smile against her hair. “Marry me?”

  Aja’s head jerked up and clipped his chin. Marco let out a yelp.

  “What?” she gasped. “We hardly know each other.”

  He studied her while rubbing his chin. She stood in front of him, her arms wrapped around herself. Her legs shook. Marriage? Is he nuts?

  “We know each other enough to be in love. Marriage is the next logical step,” Marco stated as though she were a child.

  “But Marco, things are just starting to go right for us, why would we want to mess it up now?”

  “Why would marrying me mess up your life? I thought you loved me?”

  “I do. I think.” She cringed as soon as she said it.

  “You think?” Marco’s voice got very quiet.

  “Well, it’s so sudden.”

  Marco got himself under control and the look on his face scared her.

  “It’s not sudden for me, Aja. I want to marry you. What is so scary about that? I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  She swallowed, terrified now. He didn’t know what he was asking of her.

  “I… I… I can’t Marco. I can’t marry anyone.” She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the reaction, but nothing happened. When she opened them he was gone. This time it was probably for good.

  She stood there shaking for about five minutes. The door opened and Pietro came out. “God save me,” she muttered. Italian men are going to be the death of me.

  “Where’s Marco?” Pietro asked.

  “He’s gone. Probably for good.”

  Pietro’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “You broke up with him?”

  “Yes,” she sighed. “I guess. He asked me to marry him and
I said no.”

  Pietro grinned.

  “I didn’t say no because of you. I said no because I won’t marry anyone.”

  He looked up at the sky with a long-suffering face. “Why women not do what they should I never know.” He grinned at her to show it was a joke, but she smacked him on the arm and shoved by. At that moment the only company she wanted was female.

  Julianna was in the kitchen making something delicious; Aja’s stomach rumbled in response to the wonderful aroma.

  “Where Marco, Aja? He come for dinner?”

  “You mean breakfast? No, he’s not coming in.”

  At the look on her face, Aja wearily elaborated. “He asked me to marry him and I said no. He took off and I doubt I’ll ever see him again.”

  Julianna put the spatula down on the counter and sighed. “Poor Marco. Two time too many for one man.”

  Aja gasped, only now realizing that she’d done exactly what Julianna had done to him. Poor man indeed. How could I have hurt him like that?

  “I turned him down just like you did. Oh, Juli, I’m so awful! I should have thought of a nicer way to say it.”

  “How say no nicer than no? It no.”

  “You’re right.” Aja dropped into a chair and put her head on the table. How much more can I screw up my life?

  Pietro came into the kitchen. He fired off what Aja assumed was an order for breakfast because Julianna immediately started dishing up a plate of food. He winked at Aja, and then went back into the dining room.

  For the first time in a long time, Aja wished her mother were there to give advice. One thing her mother was good at was not letting her emotions cloud her thinking. Aja wondered what her mother would think of Marco. She would probably think he was perfect. Aja groaned again and sank lower in her chair.

  Moments later she shot out of her chair. “Juli!”

  Julianna whirled around with a gasp, nearly dropping the spoon she’d been using to stir the soup for that evening’s supper. “What? What wrong?”

  “I need Marco’s phone number.”

  Julianna smiled a slow smile. “Oh.” She set the spoon down and wiped her hands on the towel she’d slung over her shoulder. She found a pad of paper and a pen in the drawer and wrote down his number. She handed it to Aja. “Here. Hurry. Call.”

  Aja saw worry in Julianna’s face. Worry for Marco. The reality of how she’d hurt him came crashing down on her again and tears sprang to her eyes. How could I have done that to him? Marco was a good man. Maybe he was a bit arrogant at times, but he’d been nothing but kind to her. He was also a good father, something every woman wanted in a man.

  Aja grabbed the phone and dialed. She noticed Julianna leaving the kitchen to give her privacy. Aja was so glad Julianna helped her realize the truth about Marco. Her whole body trembled at the thought of losing him. She still didn’t know how she’d fallen so fast, but she no longer cared.

  “Hello?”

  The words froze in Aja’s throat and she had to force them past her fear. What if he hangs up?

  “Marco? It’s Aja,” she paused, hoping he would say something. He didn’t.

  “I, uh,” she stopped, swallowed and tried again. “Yes.”

  “Yes?” he finally spoke. “Yes?”

  “Yes. I will marry you. I do love you and I’m sorry. I was scared, but you’ve never done anything to make me afraid. I don’t want to lose you,” she said in a rush. He still hadn’t said much and she was afraid it was already too late.

  There was a long sigh that travelled the wire and continued through Aja’s blood. Just the sound of his voice was enough to stir unimaginable emotions through her. Why didn’t I see it before?

  “I love you,” Marco said.

  Aja could hear the smile in his voice and everything inside her went still. It was going to be okay. He still loved her. He had forgiven her. Her heart seemed to leap back into its normal rhythm, and she took a deep breath. She slumped onto the stool beside the phone, not even trying to hold back the tears that flooded her eyes.

  “Marco, I’m such a shit.”

  He laughed. “No, you’re not. You’ve been through hell. I do understand, Aja. I couldn’t help being hurt though. It’s hard being rejected twice and outside the same door both times.”

  Aja gasped. “Marco…”

  “No, don’t say it. I’m fine. In fact, I’m better than fine.”

  Aja smiled through her tears at the joy in his voice. She’d never experienced a man being that in love with her before. It was exhilarating.

  “Can I come see you? It’s not that late, I want to take you to meet some friends.”

  Aja said yes while picturing the state of her face. The tears had probably left streaks of mascara down her face, but she didn’t care. She would clean up as fast as possible. She had to see him.

  “I’ll be there soon,” he said. “I love you, Aja. You won’t be sorry.”

  “No, I’ll never be sorry,” she said and hung up the phone. She took a few seconds to let it sink in, then raced for the stairs, calling for Julianna.

  Chapter 25

  Aja followed Marco through unfamiliar back streets and tried to keep herself from asking him any questions. She had an insatiable curiosity, and found it hard to wait for surprises. She usually talked her father into letting her open at least one Christmas present before the big day. Last Christmas he finally told her he thought she was getting a little too old for such impatience, but gave in when she wouldn’t stop pleading. With Marco, however, she wanted to appear mature, so she kept her mouth shut despite the urge to start begging for answers.

  They arrived in front of a heavy old door with elaborate carvings. Her Italian wasn’t good enough to make out the sign above it, but she didn’t miss the heavenly smell of food leaking around the edges of the ancient portal. She turned to Marco, her eyes sparkling, but he put a finger over her lips and said, “Shhhh.”

  Marco stretched out his fist and glanced around before pounding on the door three times, pausing briefly, and then knocking twice more. Aja nearly started giggling over the theatrics. Her curiosity bubbled in her throat and she feared she wouldn’t be able to hold it back.

  They waited in silence for a few seconds. Something rustled behind the door. A small window Aja hadn’t noticed slid back and a pair of dark, mysterious eyes appeared. They were framed by bushy brows and rosy cheeks; a startling contrast.

  “Who’re you?” The eyes asked in a British accent.

  Aja looked at Marco. He stared intently back at the pair of eyes. He didn’t look at Aja. Then she saw him bite his cheek and realized he was as amused as she.

  “Marco. Marco Polo, now let me in.”

  “What’s the passphrase?” Aja realized the accent was a weird mix of British English and East Indian English.

  Marco lowered his voice and leaned toward the window. “For God’s sake, do we have to do this every time? You know who I am.”

  “I don’t know her.” The eyes swung to Aja and she shivered. “The phrase.” The dark glare lingered on Aja before swinging back to Marco.

  Marco lowered his head and muttered, “Italians rule, Americans drool.”

  Aja let out a bellow of a laugh and then clamped her hand over her mouth, but squeaks kept escaping. Marco looked up at the dark sky and let out a long-suffering sigh.

  The door swung open and they were confronted with the rest of the guardian. Aja used all her willpower not to laugh again. The only intimidating part of the man standing in front of her was his eyes. He was Aja’s height. She glanced at the door. The window had been well above her head. Then she saw the stool and nearly choked.

  “Come in out of the rain, my friends,” the little man said with an expansive gesture of his arms.

  Marco rolled his eyes at Aja, but neither of them mentioned that it wasn’t raining. “He says it every time,” Marco whispered to Aja behind the troll’s back.

  Marco shut the door behind them. “Carlos, I’d like you to meet Aja.”


  “It’s nice to meet you, Carlos.” Aja said and stuck out her hand.

  Carlos whirled on Marco. “In here we use English names, remember? I’m Carl, you’re Mark.” He shook his finger at Marco, looking like a child reprimanding his father. “We speak English here at all times.” His eyes swung to Aja and she was startled again by their dark intensity. “She an American?”