by Rich Amooi
“I don’t know . . .”
It sounded like an invitation out of pity. She probably felt sorry for him.
She smiled again. “Well, the invite is there for you. In case you change your mind or make up your mind. You can bring Precious, too—the park allows dogs.”
That was a nice smile. Okay, maybe it wasn’t out of pity.
He watched her head back to work. He didn’t want to seem like a pervert so he glanced away and went back inside with Precious.
Maybe the barbecue wouldn’t be such a bad idea. If anything, it would be an excellent way for Giovanni to avoid his mother. Just in case she was in the mood to stop by again and call him names.
Right. Who was he kidding? The real reason to go to the barbecue was to see Natalie again. She had the amazing ability of making him forget about his problems.
Chapter Five
Precious was in sniff-mode as she entered Strawberry Park with her newly appointed babysitter. Giovanni looked around at all of the people, some playing bocce, some eating, and some drinking. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and it was a beautiful day—clear and in the mid-seventies.
Natalie was talking with a man by the picnic tables. He turned to grab his phone from the table and Giovanni could see it was her fiancé.
Natalie’s purple dress hung just above her knees and was covered with tiny white flowers. Her white sandals made her legs look more tanned. Her fiancé was wearing white slacks and a purple polo shirt. Natalie and Jacks were matching and for a moment Giovanni felt a pang of jealousy.
Or was it envy?
Federico approached and handed Giovanni a ball. “Glad you could make it! Who is this little lady?”
“This is Precious. I’m babysitting her for a couple of weeks.”
Federico grabbed her tiny paw and rubbed it. “Hello, Precious.” He looked to Giovanni. “You ever played bocce before?”
“Never.”
“Okay. The first thing I will tell you is my balls are green.”
Giovanni raised an eyebrow. “You may want to see a doctor about that.”
Federico laughed. “That’s funny!” He pointed down the court. “You need to get your balls closer to the jack than mine. Then you get points!”
“The jack?”
Federico set his plastic cup of wine down on the table and pointed down the court. “The jack is the smaller ball. You see it? Since my ball is against the jack, knock it out of the way! Got it?”
“Seems easy enough.”
Giovanni handed the leash to Federico. He took careful aim and rolled the ball down the court. The ball rolled directly at Federico’s ball and knocked it out of the way, exposing the jack.
Federico jumped with excitement and slapped Giovanni on the back. “Yes! That’s how you do it!”
Giovanni's lip curled up just a tad.
Federico pointed to his mouth. “I think I saw a smile!
“Give me another ball.”
“Of course!”
Federico handed him another ball. Giovanni stepped up, even more serious than the first time and threw the ball down the court. It glided slowly and stopped just an inch from the jack.
Federico slapped him on the back again. “Benissimo! You are a natural, my friend.”
Giovanni let out a small smile. “I kind of like this game.”
“Of course you do! This game goes all the way back to the Roman Empire. What a way to forget about your problems for a while, no?”
“Yeah.”
“Sometimes it also helps you realize that what you believe are problems are actually blessings in disguise.”
Giovanni liked Federico. He was always so upbeat and generous.
“Thanks, Federico.”
“Not at all, my friend.” Federico reached down to pet Precious on the head and caught Giovanni staring at him when he stood back up. “Why do you look at me that way?”
Giovanni shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just wondering how you can be so upbeat all the time.”
“Why not?”
“Well, if my wife had just died . . .”
Federico didn’t answer and handed Giovanni the leash.
“Sorry, stupid question. I’m sorry, Federico.”
Federico waved him off and took another sip. “No, no, no. It’s not stupid at all. What might sound stupid is my answer. You see, Olive is still with me, every minute, every day, right here.” Federico put his hand over his heart and smiled. “I have the most beautiful memories of our years together and if I concentrate hard enough, really hard, it’s as though I am reliving them again one by one.”
Giovanni nodded and smiled. “I like that. You’re a good guy, Federico.”
“Grazie. You, too. You ready for more bocce?”
“Yeah. Although I think it would be unfair if I didn’t give you an opportunity to smack my balls around.”
“I seriously hope you’re talking about bocce balls,” said Natalie. She smiled and kissed Federico on the cheek. “Hi, Nonno.”
Natalie looked even more beautiful close up. She was wearing a purple bracelet and purple earrings that matched her dress.
She looked good in purple.
“Picolina,” said Federico. “Did you get enough to eat?”
Natalie frowned. “Too much. Hi, Precious.” She scratched the dog under the chin and Precious licked her hand.
Federico pointed to Natalie. “Giovanni, of course you remember my beautiful granddaughter?”
Giovanni smiled. “How could I forget?”
“Do I note a hint of sarcasm again?”
“Nooooooooo. Me?”
Giovanni and Natalie smiled at each other as Jacks joined them.
Natalie gestured to Jacks. “Giovanni, this is my fiancé . . . Jacks.”
Giovanni held out his hand. “Nice to meet you. Jacks?”
“Yes, sir.”
“With an S?”
“That’s right.”
Giovanni held in the laughter. The guy was plural.
As if Jacks knew what Giovanni was thinking he squeezed his hand tighter. “It’s short for Jackson.” He let go of Giovanni's hand and pointed to the parking lot. “Some people have been asking to check out the car. You want to see it?”
Giovanni glanced over to the parking lot and then back to Jacks. “The Camaro?”
Jacks nodded. “Not just any Camaro. It’s a 1969 ZL1. Mint condition. Only sixty-nine of them in the world.”
Big deal. “I didn’t know that. But I’ll pass.”
Jacks cocked his head to the side. “You sure?”
“Yes. There’s only one Federico in the world and I want to enjoy his company.”
Giovanni glanced at Natalie and saw her smile.
“You are so kind!” said Federico.
Jacks scratched his jaw. “It’s got a four hundred twenty-seven cubic inch V-8.”
“That’s nice,” said Giovanni. “My next car isn’t going to have an engine at all.”
Natalie perked up. “You’re going to buy an electric car?”
Giovanni nodded.
Natalie smiled. “Me, too!”
Jacks gave up and walked in the direction of his car.
Giovanni glanced over to Natalie who was grinning.
She quickly looked to Federico. “You may want to throw a few more sausages on the barbecue.”
Federico shrugged. “I was going to but we don’t have any more.”
Natalie’s face turned a very lovely shade of pink. “That would probably be my fault. I can’t remember if I had two or three.”
Federico stared at Natalie, waiting.
Natalie let out a nervous laugh. “Okay, I had three. Who am I kidding? I can’t help it. They’re the best.”
A woman who liked to eat. Giovanni liked that. None of that salad-a-day diet crap.
He looked over at the food table and then back to Federico. “I can go pick up a few more sausages.”
Federico lit up and placed
his hand on Giovanni's shoulder. “That would be wonderful! We get them from a secret place so Natalie can show you where you need to go.”
Natalie glanced over at Jacks who already had the hood open on his car. “Okay.”
A minute later Giovanni and Natalie were in the car. Precious was in the back seat.
Giovanni glanced over at Natalie as they sat at a red light. “Is there really a secret sausage place?”
“Top secret.”
He looked over to her again and got his eyes back on the road as the light changed to green. “Really . . .”
“That’s right.”
“So, down a back alley or something? With secret passwords and armed guards?”
“Not quite. Make a left at the next light.”
“Okay.”
“How are you doing, by the way?”
“I’m fine. How are you?”
“Okay, let me rephrase that. I mean, how are you feeling? You know—after yesterday.”
“Oh. That.”
He really was in no mood to talk about that.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay.”
She read his mind, but Giovanni knew he should say something. “Well . . . I haven’t sunk into a deep depression yet, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Maybe you’re in denial.”
“Not even close. I came to a pretty fast realization that that marriage was an accident waiting to happen. Her not showing up was probably the best thing that could have happened. It’s just . . . well. It’s embarrassing.”
“Yeah . . . Make a left here and stop in front of the green house on the right.”
Giovanni did a double take at the house. “This place? Seriously?”
“Yes. Seriously.”
The house was the ugliest shade of green he’d ever seen. There were bars over the windows and a front yard that was just dirt. Someone had decided to park his old Volkswagen Bug on the dirt. A man walked out of the house with a bag and quickly got in his car and took off.
Giovanni glanced over to Natalie. “Don’t tell me—your family is in the Italian sausage black market and the sausage is stolen. Does the Mafia run this place?”
Natalie laughed. “Keep the engine running.”
“Of course. Just like a bank robbery. If someone calls the cops I don’t know you. Hey, wouldn’t that be weird if someone called the cops on us and the dispatcher contacted you to go investigate?”
“I’m not on the clock. And you watch too much television.” She disappeared into the house for not more than a minute before returning with a paper bag. She got back in the car and used her thumb to point behind them. “Go! Go! Go!”
Giovanni freaked out and stepped on the gas. “What the hell is going on?”
Natalie laughed and grabbed his arm. “Calm down or you’re going to get a ticket. I was just kidding. Relax.”
He loved Natalie’s laugh. It was full and hearty.
Giovanni smiled. “You’re crazy.”
“I’m just having fun. The truth is a woman named Anita lives there. She’s been making sausages for over thirty years—she turned her garage into a mini-factory. She supplies them to a few restaurants and markets. It’s a small operation, but they are the best in the world! My grandfather used to be good friends with her late husband so she insists on giving us sausages. I’m not going to say no, either. I think I’ll have another one when we get back. Or ten.”
Natalie was cool. You’d never know she was a cop if you didn’t see her in uniform. Maybe a high school teacher. Or a Zumba instructor.
Giovanni opened his mouth and closed it.
“What?” said Natalie.
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“Okay. Your fiancé doesn’t seem to have the same sense of humor you have. Or sense of adventure.”
Natalie didn’t answer.
“He seems kind of serious.”
“He has a very stressful job. He’s a prosecuting attorney.”
“And he really likes his car.”
She nodded. “That’s an understatement.”
“How’s your wedding stuff going? You planning on showing up?”
Natalie laughed. “Yes, of course I plan to show up. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I was joking.” Not really. “But . . . you don’t seem very close to him.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“That’s a good point, but some things can be pretty obvious.”
Hopefully she wouldn’t take it too personally. Something wasn’t right with the two of them, he was sure of it. Was it a marriage of convenience? Or maybe she was pregnant. He used the opportunity at the stop sign to casually drop his gaze to her belly.
She slapped him on the side of the arm. “I’m not pregnant!”
Shit.
Women were too smart.
“I didn’t say you were pregnant.”
“You didn’t have to. Look, I’m getting married to him because he’s a good man.”
“Is good good enough?”
“I meant to say great. It’s just that I’m a little overwhelmed with the planning. I did most of it and he’s not around much. I want everything to be perfect and he’s not helping. So if something goes wrong it’s my fault.”
“Maybe you should elope.”
“Too late now.”
“Yeah. Too late for me, too.”
Natalie smiled.
“There’s so much pressure to get married.”
“You had pressure?”
“More than you’ll know. From my mother.”
She laughed. “You’re a man.”
“And?”
She shrugged. “Nothing. I just never heard of a guy getting pressure from his mother to get married.”
“You’ve never met my mother. And by the way, that’s probably a good thing.” He thought about his mom for a moment. “She calls me names.”
Shit. Why did I tell her that?
Natalie turned and Giovanni could feel her eyes on him but she wasn’t speaking. Did he have something hanging out of his nose? Damn. He couldn’t wipe it now. She’d notice for sure.
Turn away! Quit looking in my direction! Nothing to see here!
Natalie placed her hand on Giovanni's shoulder and squeezed it. “Sorry.”
“It’s no big deal.”
“Yes, it is. It’s amazing to me that a parent would call their child names. What does she call you?”
He shrugged. “Pansy.”
Natalie’s hand flew to her chest. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
He shook his head.
“God. The woman’s got issues. And you must have a lot of issues too, with a mother like that.”
Giovanni laughed. “Surprisingly, no. I can’t complain about my life at all. The only problem I have is choosing women who don’t realize that it’s okay to break up with someone before the groom arrives at the church.”
Natalie smiled and squeezed his shoulder again. “You’ll find someone else. You’re very nice . . . and non-psychotic. Unlike your mother.”
Giovanni laughed. “Gee, thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
Precious jumped from one side of the back seat to the other. “Arf! Arf!”
Natalie tried to look back at her but the dog was directly behind her seat. “What’s she up to?”
Hopefully, the dog wasn’t taking a crap in the car.
Giovanni looked back at Precious. “I’m not sure—her tail is wagging. She’s excited about something. Maybe she has to pee.”
“Arf! Arf!”
Natalie pointed to the dog park. “Or wants to play.”
Giovanni pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. “Okay, just a quick visit.”
“Uh . . .”
“Sorry. Do you want to go back to the barbecue?”
Natalie looked over at the dog park. “No, no. It’s okay—let’s go.”
Giovanni wondered why she
was hesitant with her answer. She definitely didn’t have a fear of dogs because she petted Precious when they met. They got out of the car and Precious pulled hard toward the entrance of the dog park.
“Looks like she’s been here before,” said Natalie.
“Precious!” yelled an older woman with a labradoodle, confirming Natalie’s statement. “Where’s your mama?” The woman looked to Giovanni for an answer.
“Beatrice went on vacation and asked me to look after her.”
“Well, bless your heart. Come here.”
Oh, God no, not another eager-senior-citizen-mouth-kisser. “Pardon me?”
The woman reached into her fanny pack and pulled out some treats. “Precious loves these. Tell her to sit first, though. She’s a smart girl.”
“Oh.”
Thank God. False alarm. No kissing.
The woman stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled like a high school football coach. “Precious! Here!”
Precious sprinted toward the woman and came to a stop right in front of her. She’d done this before.
The woman turned to Giovanni. “Okay, hold a treat above her and ask her to sit.”
Giovanni took the treat from the woman’s hand and held it in the air. “Precious, sit.”
Precious sat and Giovanni smiled. “Very cool.”
“Now don’t just stand there, reward her!”
“Oh!” Giovanni bent down and held the treat in the palm of his hand for Precious. The dog gently grabbed it with her mouth and chewed.
The woman handed Giovanni a handful of treats. “Here’s a few more. You can get them down at the pet store on University Avenue. Have fun!”
Giovanni waved goodbye to the woman and sat down on the bench with Natalie.
Precious took off again, running around with some of the other dogs. A labradoodle, a pug, and a yellow lab seemed to be her favorite play buddies.
Natalie looked over to Giovanni. “I’ll be back.”
“Okay.”
What was she going to do? Natalie walked toward the large oak tree in the center of the dog park and reached down to pet a golden retriever. She smiled as she talked with the owner of the dog. She stroked the dog a few more times and then wandered back to Giovanni with a smile on her face. A very beautiful, natural smile.
“I haven’t set foot inside of a dog park in a very long time,” she said.