We go home, shower, eat, and head over to Vincent’s house. I get a text to meet everyone at the new house. As we pull into the driveway, we see Vincent’s foreman there and two large trucks backed up to the garage. We get out and head into the house. The house is full of boxes and furniture.
“This is the last of the stuff,” Vincenzo smiles.
“Really?”
“I know. I’m a little shocked, too. Vincent’s foreman and the other workers have been at it all day.”
Angel and Maria walk around the house. I see people unloading boxes in the kitchen. Someone is in each of the bathrooms and I hear more people upstairs.
“Can you help with the rest of the stuff in the truck?”
“Sure.” I walk out and start unloading the truck. It is mostly boxes and everything is labeled with what room it needs to go in. Once we have everything unloaded from the truck, Vincenzo walks the guys out. Everyone who was at the hospital is here. Everyone is here helping Brea and Vincent get moved into their new house before they bring the baby home. I smile.
“What are you smiling at, Handsome?” Angels asks as she wraps her arms around my waist.
I look down at her and smile. “Just the way everyone has come together to help. It is very heartwarming to know that people still do that.”
“I know, can you believe that? Nobody had any rest after staying up and waiting for Arturo to be born, and look at them.”
I follow Angel into another room and she starts telling the guys what to do and where to put things. She moves boxes out of the way and tells us to put the furniture where she wants it. I haven’t seen Vincenzo in a while. When I finally see him, he is standing on a ladder hanging hardware for the curtains. I can’t help but laugh.
He looks down at me. “That girl of yours is a pretty little thing, but she sure is bossy.” He laughs.
“Mason, come and help me.” I hear Angel call from the other room, and I laugh, too.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
“I think I do, son. I sure didn’t want to do this tonight, but I couldn’t tell her no.” He holds the electric screwdriver up and starts screwing a screw into the wall. She does hold a lot of power.
I walk into the dining room and Angel is struggling with an area rug. She has delegated work to everyone and this place is looking great. It was a disorganized mess when we got here. Once the rug is in place, we center the dining room table and chairs on it. Once she is satisfied, we walk upstairs and see Brea’s sisters working on the master bedroom and bath. Sara, Sylvia, and Cam are in the closets hanging clothes and putting items on the shelves. Angel looks into a few boxes and pulls out clean bed linen.
“Go over there,” she says, pointing to the other side of the bed.
“You are a bossy little thing.” I laugh as I walk to the other side of the bed.
“Do you want to stand there, or do you want to get this done so we can go home?”
“Toss me a sheet.”
“That’s what I thought.”
We make the bed and then go into the guest bathroom and start unloading boxes. I hang the shower curtain while Angel puts the towels and washcloths in the linen closet. Once we are done, she looks around and nods.
“Come on.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I follow her downstairs and we move some more furniture around. She leaves me and walks into the kitchen. She opens the refrigerator and talks to Doris and Selena for a minute. She opens more cabinets and says something else. A few minutes later Selena and Doris walk into the room and tell John and Vincenzo they need some money for groceries.
I leave the room and head into the kitchen. Angel is sitting on the floor rearranging some things on the bottom shelf.
“This place looks great.”
She looks up. Her hair is coming loose from her ponytail and falling around her face. She blows it out of her face, but it doesn’t work. I kneel down and move the stray hair from her face and tuck it in behind her ear.
“You look very beautiful when you’re messy.”
“Are you trying to get out of work? Because it’s working,” she laughs.
I bend down and kiss the top of her nose. “No, Beauty, just stating the facts. I’m going to help Donovan hang curtains.”
“Don’t mess them up or hang them crooked.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
We work on separate rooms and help out when asked by someone. I am shocked to see the progress we are making. Bruce, Vincenzo, John, Roger, Donovan, and I start taking empty boxes down to the garage. The girls pull up and we start to carry groceries into the house. They smile and talk with excitement when they see the progress of the house.
“This place looks lovely; it’ll be perfect for Brea, Vincent, and baby Arturo,” Selena cries.
“Oh, Lord, we forgot all about the baby’s room,” Doris cries.
“Oh, how awful. How did we forget about baby Arturo’s room?” Selena shakes her head. “I feel just terrible.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you. That was the first room Vincent wanted done before they moved in. It’s a surprise for Brea. Would you like to see it?” Angel asks softly, almost as if she is embarrassed.
“Oh, heavens, yes, we would love to, but where is it?” Doris asks, looking around the house.
“It’s in the master bedroom. He wanted to use the sitting area as a nursery until the baby was old enough to be in his own room.”
I watch as everyone goes upstairs to see the nursery. The guys head to the kitchen. There is beer and wine and platters of sandwiches and vegetables out on the counter.
Vincenzo tells me he has the item that Angel wanted for the nursery. He says it’s in the basement and he’ll be over tomorrow to help her with it. I have no idea what he is talking about, so I nod. When I open my second beer, Angel comes down the stairs, smiling.
She walks up to me and wraps her arms around me. “This place looks amazing,” she says as she looks around.
“Yes, it does.”
“Angel, you must be starving; please eat something,” Roger says.
“Thank you, I will.”
Angel says to me, “I’ll be right back. Do you need anything?”
“No, Beauty, I’m fine.”
Angel touches my arm lightly and walks away from me. I turn around so I can watch her. She gets stopped by several people as she fills her plate. She laughs and smiles freely. I take a drink of my beer and watch her. She looks up at me and I wink at her. She smiles and quickly looks away.
“She is one of a kind.”
I look over and Vincenzo is standing next to me.
“I think so, too.”
“You saw how quickly she got this place in shape.”
I look around the fully furnished house, complete with draperies.
“She’s a go-getter. I like that about her,” he says as he walks away.
I take another drink of my beer and Angel comes over and stands next to me. She hands me another beer. The girls all come down the stairs chatting about the nursery and how beautiful it is. Once everyone has eaten and everything is cleaned up, we get ready to head home. Brea’s Mom, Dad, and sisters are staying at Vincent and Brea’s new house. Vincenzo tells Angel he’ll meet her here tomorrow at noon to help with the nursery.
We invite Maria to stay with us, but she declines. Angel tells her we’ll pick her up tomorrow morning for breakfast.
Angel
We get home, shower, and go right to bed. It has been a long time since we got any sleep, and we have been working hard. I get as close to Mason as I can in bed. He snuggles up to me, wraps his arms around me, and then kisses the top of my head.
“Are you all right?” he whispers into the top of my head.
“Better than ever,” I say, looking up at him. “I just want to be close to you, tonight.”
“I like that. I want to be this close to you every night,” he says, kissing the top of my head again.
I fall into a dreamless sleep wrapped safe
ly in Mason’s arms. I swear I dream of his scent in my sleep.
I wake up to the smell of coffee and bacon. I hear someone in the shower and I also hear someone in the kitchen. I sit up in bed not sure who all is here. I hear female voices out in the kitchen and hear Mason singing in the shower. I smile. I love when Mason sings. He has such a soft, sweet voice. I remember yesterday: Aunt Maria’s arrival and baby Arturo’s birth. I climb out of bed and dress quickly in a tank top and yoga pants. I open the bedroom door and see Aunt Maria and Josephine in the kitchen, standing near the stove.
“Well, what a pleasant surprise.” I beam.
“Pumpkin, good morning. I hope we didn’t wake you.”
“Nope, not at all. Good morning. I have to pee and brush my teeth,” I say, walking through the living room into the guest bath. “Be right back. Good morning, Josephine.”
“Good morning, dear.” I hear them laughing.
After I wash my hands, I head out into the kitchen where a cup of hot coffee is waiting for me. I walk over and give Aunt Maria a big hug before hugging Josephine. I am so happy to have them both here. They are smiling and cooking breakfast together in Mason’s house. This feels just perfect.
“May I help with something?”
“No, Pumpkin. Go sit down and drink your coffee. Another five minutes and it’ll be ready.”
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to make the bed then.”
I walk in the bedroom and the bathroom door is slightly open. I peek in and see Mason standing at the sink with a towel wrapped around his waist. He often opens the bathroom door after his shower to let the steam out. I just stand there and watch him brush his teeth. The muscles on his back and on his triceps flex. I should be making the bed, but I just stand there and watch him. The steam dissipates in the bathroom, and Mason smiles at me in the mirror.
“See something you like, Beauty?” He laughs.
Damn, he caught me ogling him, and he is using my line that I once said to him. Think, Angel, think.
“Nope, just looking to see who was making all the racket in here.”
I turn around quickly so he can’t see the blush on my face. I make the bed quickly and go back to the kitchen where Josephine and Aunt Maria are. I open the cabinets and begin setting the table. I move quickly without looking at anyone. I will the blush to go away from my face.
Mason strolls out of the bedroom wearing a pair of jeans — nothing else, just jeans. I look up at him; he is barefoot, no shirt, hair still wet and unruly. He smiles that All-American dimpled smile of his and I look away. He knows he got to me and he is going to use it to his advantage.
“Are you all right, dear?” Josephine asks, sweetly. I can feel the blush on my face. I only nod in her direction.
Mason walks over to me and whispers so only I can hear. “Racket, huh? You call my singing racket?” He smiles.
Game on, Handsome. I look up, smile brightly and stand a little taller. “I’m fine, Josephine. Thank you. I’m still tired, that’s all. Someone was in the bathroom singing off key early this morning. I have a slight headache, that’s all.”
Mason chuckles, “Are you referring to me, Angel?” he says, as he clears his throat.
I look around the room. Maria and Josephine are laughing as they carry the food to the table.
“Well, since you’re the only one who showered, I guess I am referring to you, Mason. It would be nice if you waited until everyone is awake before you try singing in the shower the next time. You were a little off key; you were not quite making the high notes, or the low notes — or the notes in the middle.”
“Mmm, off key, huh. I’ll try to keep it down from now on.” He takes the towel he is holding and dries his hair while walking back into the bedroom, humming, His muscles flex as he moves the towel to dry his hair. Damn him. I can’t help but watch until he is out of view.
I take a seat at the table and Mason re-enters fully dressed in his signature white linen shirt. He is still barefoot, which is very distracting. He smiles as he takes the seat beside me. Mason fills my plate and then his plate after Maria and Josephine fill theirs. I pour orange juice for everyone and we begin to eat.
Mason hums softly at the table and I smile, although I try hard not to.
Mason tells us there is a chance Brea will be released from the hospital later today.
“What? They are going to let her go home today?”
“Yes, typically 24 hours after the birth of a baby is all they keep you.”
“A woman pushes a baby out the opening the size of a nostril and she gets to rest for only 24 hours? How will she get around? Can 24 hours possibly be long enough? Who is going to care for Arturo?”
“Oh, Pumpkin, she’ll be fine. She’ll walk, that’s how she’ll get around and she’ll care for Arturo. If she needs help, her Mom, Dad, and sisters are there, not to mention Vincent,” Aunt Maria says.
“She can walk? Are you sure?”
“Beauty, Vincent called me and said she wants to come home now. He is having a hard time keeping her in bed as it is.”
“I had no idea,” I say, eating the last piece of bacon on my plate. “The house isn’t ready yet. Do we have any plans for today?” I say, looking to Mason.
“You need to meet with Vincenzo about something he made for Junior at noon. I thought you could stay at the house while I go and pick Brea up from the hospital and bring them home. That way, you’ll have time to put the finishing touches on the house.”
“Finishing touches, I have more than finishing touches to do. I’ll shower as soon as I help clean up.”
“Angel, we’ll clean up, and you go and get ready.” Josephine smiles.
“What are your plans today? Do you want to go with us to Vincent and Brea’s house?”
“Oh, no, Pumpkin, that sounds like too much fun for us.” Aunt Maria laughs. “Josephine and I are going to play bingo at the church this morning.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Did you drive over here this morning?”
“Josephine and I were having coffee this morning when Mason called and asked if I was ready for him to come and get me. Josephine didn’t have anything planned for today, so we thought we would come over here and have breakfast with you two before we went to bingo.”
“I’m so glad you did. Bingo sounds like fun. I didn’t know you played bingo,” I say honestly.
“Oh, yes, I love playing Bingo. It’s so exciting to yell ‘Bingo.’ You and Mason need to come with us one day.”
I look over at Mason and he has his brow raised, shaking his head at me.
“We would love to. The sooner the better.” I laugh. Bingo, I got him, I think to myself.
Once I have showered, I say my goodbyes to Josephine and Aunt Maria. Mason and I pick up a few items from the store before we head over to Brea and Vincent’s new house. The house is busy with Brea’s sisters running the sweeper and mopping. Vincenzo, John, Doris, and Selena are up in the nursery, so Mason and I go up there.
Vincenzo is placing the handmade wooden baby cradle near the master bed. He swings it lightly to check for squeaks and to make sure it swings smoothly. I let out an ‘aww’ and he looks up at me and smiles.
My eyes tear up. “That is so beautiful. I can’t believe you made that by hand.” I walk over to the cradle and swing it softly. A small music box inside the cradle plays “Jesus Loves Me.”
Selena and Doris also have tears in their eyes. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Selena says.
“Oh, it is. I had no idea how talented you are,” I say, looking over at Vincenzo.
“At one time I would have stained it; but now they say that the fumes from the stain are bad for the baby. I like the natural wood color,” he says, swinging the cradle again.
“I love it just like it is; I think it’s perfect.”
Mason clears his throat and asks, “Has Vincent called yet?”
“Hi, Mason. He called and said they’ll be ready at three.”
I look at my watch, “I bett
er get busy.”
I head into the nursery and get a clean cradle-sized sheet from the dresser with a soft blue blanket. I go to the cradle and wind up the small music box again. After making the bed, I re-position the cradle so it will be perfect for them to view upon entry into the bedroom. Everyone leaves, and Mason walks up behind me and hums, “Jesus Loves Me.” I stand and lean back into him. I love his singing and move slightly side to side with the music.
“We could have this as ‘our song’ at our wedding,” he laughs.
I turn around to face him, “As much as I love this song, we need something a little more romantic. I was hoping you would sing to me at our wedding.”
He laughs, “So you can insult me again? Never. What was that you said earlier? I sounded like I was making racket and was off key?”
“It was racket and you were off key,” I lie. “We are getting married at nighttime so you’ll have time to condition your throat or voice, or whatever it is people condition.”
“Mmm, I do like the song ‘Brickhouse’ by the Commodores. Have you ever heard it? With practice I may be able….”
“Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t even joke about that.” I laugh.
“Would I do that to you?”
“Um, yeah. Yeah, I do believe you would. Don’t you have someone to pick up at the hospital?”
Mason leans down to kiss me before he leaves. “I do need to get going. I’ll be home shortly with the Salvatore family.”
“Drive safely and hurry. I can’t wait to get my hands on Arturo.”
Mason smiles and walks out the room singing “Brickhouse” by the Commodores.
I laugh and he looks back at me and winks before he disappears down the hallway.
Mason gets the base of the car seat fastened correctly in the center of the backseat of Vincent’s truck. Sara, Sylvia, and Donovan pull up and Donovan rides to the hospital with Mason. Everyone else stays behind and gets the house and some food ready for Arturo’s homecoming. Selena and Doris strategically places hand sanitizer throughout the house. Good thinking.
Sara and I do a walkthrough of the house and it looks amazing. Hard to believe we did all this in a matter of two days. It’s wonderful to have so many people pitching in to help. I am so blessed to be part of this amazing group of people, of this family. I look at my watch.
Starting Over Trilogy Boxset Page 47