by Angelo, Judy
His assistant rolled her eyes. “When have you ever known me to leave office by five o’clock?”
He chuckled. “True. Anyway, get outta here. I’m sure there’s a couch at home calling out for you to sprawl off on top of it.”
“Yeah, I’m going,” she said, stepping away from his door so he could pass.
But then, just as he entered his office and was heading toward his desk she stopped him. “Uh, Rome, may I ask you a question?”
“Shoot,” he said as he turned to glance at her. “What’s up?”
For the first time since he’d known her, Iyana seemed hesitant. “Forgive me for being nosy,” she said, “but the day before you left and you were on the phone, did I hear you say something about a baby?”
That took him by surprise. He wasn’t in the habit of discussing his personal life with his employees but, with her direct question, Iyana was challenging that policy. Eyes narrowed, he studied the woman’s face. How much exactly had she heard?
“Uh huh,” he conceded with a brusque nod. “You heard right.” Then he proceeded on his path to his desk. That was as much as he was going to give. As great an assistant as Iyana was, Arie and the baby would not be up for discussion.
“Oh,” she said softly, “I thought so.” Still, she hesitated in his doorway. “I’m just glad it wasn’t my mind playing tricks on me.” Then, still looking thoughtful, she turned and walked away.
Rome frowned. Now what the heck was that all about? But then he shrugged and sank into his chair, and Iyana and her question were forgotten in the mountain of paperwork piled on his desk.
That evening Rome didn’t leave office until after eight o’clock and by the time he got home, showered and ate he had just enough energy left to climb into bed and crash for the night. With all the meetings he had scheduled, tomorrow would be a long day.
He was in deep sleep, probably drawing his second or third gear, when the ringing of the phone had him jerking awake. He gave an involuntary groan and reached over to grab it before it gave him a headache.
“Hello.” His voice was thick with sleep and he blinked, trying to drag himself back to wakefulness. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Three-fifteen in the morning. This had better be damn important.
“Rome, it’s your mother. I’m afraid I have bad news.”
“Wh…what’s wrong?” A sudden fear gripped his heart and his mouth went dry.
“It’s your father. He’s had a stroke.”
“Oh, shit.” The word escaped before he could stop it. “How is he? Where is he?”
“He’s still at the hospital. He’s conscious and the doctor said as long as we keep him stable he should soon be on the road to recovery.” Lily Milano gave a shaky sigh. “But he’s been asking for you, Rome. Can you come?”
“What kind of question is that? There’s nothing that would keep me from Papa’s side.” As he spoke, Rome was sliding out of bed and padding across the room to his walk-in closet. He would be home only as long as it would take him to throw some clothes into a bag and then he’d be on his way to Italy. His father needed him and he planned to get there as fast as his private jet could take him.
The flight to Italy was like torture for Rome. The plane could not get there fast enough. As soon as they landed he hopped into the waiting car and sped off to the hospital. There, he found his mother, his nonno and nonna, all three of his brothers and one of his sisters. They filled the reception lounge of the hospital’s private wing.
He didn’t even bother with greetings. He just walked up to his mother and hugged her. “How is he, Mama?” His heart pounding, Rome held his mother tight, afraid of what she would say next.
Lily pulled out of his arms and peered up at him. “It’s okay, Rome. You can breathe now. He’s been through the worst and is recovering now.”
It was only then that Rome exhaled. Then he looked around the room. “So what are all of you doing out here?” he asked. “Shouldn’t you be with him?”
Lorenzo shook his head. “Sophia’s with him right now. One at a time, they said. We have to take turns going in to see him.”
Rome regarded his brother and he could see the tiredness in the younger man’s eyes. In fact, they all looked beat. It was obvious they’d suffered during the last several hours, maybe as much as he had. They’d all been doing some serious fretting for the patriarch of the family.
“May I go in next?” As Rome asked the question he glanced at his mother but then he looked over at Lorenzo then at Dante then Marco. When he walked over to Nonno and Nonna they both smiled and pulled him into their arms. He turned to look at Lucia and she gave him a nod.
“Go ahead, Rome,” she said, her voice low and grave. “You’re the one he wants to see right now.”
It was another fifteen minutes before he was able to do as his sister instructed. As soon as Sophia returned to the lounge he gave her a hug and then he was striding down the hallway to his father’s private room. There, he found Vittorio propped up on his pillows, his eyes glued to the iPad on his lap.
He came to a halt just inside the doorway where he stood staring at the man who was supposedly at death’s door. From the look of things his father was still quite some distance away from said door. Rome had expected to find him on his back, looking frail and helpless. No such thing. Apparently, Vittorio had been knocked down but he was far from out.
Good to know.
“Papa, are you all right?” Rome said as he walked into the room. “And why are you using electronics when you should be resting?” He was frowning as he approached his father’s bedside.
“Rome, my boy. You made it to see your old man.” Vittorio’s face broke into a broad grin. “Why that long face? You didn’t think I’d chip out without seeing you first, did you?” Although he was smiling and speaking cheerfully Rome could hear the strain in his voice.
That made his frown deepen. “Papa, you just had a stroke. That’s not a joking matter.”
“And you always take things too seriously, Rome. Come on. You have to laugh at yourself sometimes.” Vittorio was still smiling but at least he had the grace to put away the iPad.
“No,” Rome said, still as serious as ever. “There’s no reason to laugh, not when you almost lost your life.”
That seemed to have the desired effect on Vittorio because his smile wavered and then it faded altogether. “All right, all right,” he said with an exasperated sigh. “You had to come in here and be the wet blanket, didn’t you?”
Rome reached for the nearby chair, pulled it close to the bed and sat down. “Sorry, Pa. When I got the news it just…” he shook his head, “…scared the hell out of me. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you can look back and laugh at this but when the news hit me all I could think was…I don’t want to lose you.” He reached out to take his father’s hand. “You’re a tough old bull but you’re my father. I can’t help but worry about you.”
Vittorio squeezed Rome’s hand. “Thank you, my boy, but no need to worry this time. They say it’s a mild stroke so I’ll live.” Then he grimaced. “The problem is, I’ll have to take these cursed pills for the rest of my life.”
Rome squeezed back. “You do what you have to do to stay alive and stay strong. We want to have you around for a very long time.” Then he gave a low chuckle. “You’re not done getting grandkids, you know. You’ve got a lot to live for.”
Instead of agreeing with him Vittorio gave a hrumph then pulled his hand away and folded his arms across his chest. “Grandkids,” he said, the laughter gone from his eyes. “And you’ll be the next one to give me a grandchild, right? The only thing is, it won’t really be yours. It will be one foisted on you by that woman you picked up back in the States.”
That made Rome sit back in his chair. He thought he’d put that argument to bed. He couldn’t believe it was enough to put fire in Vittorio’s eyes. He shook his head. “Let’s not talk about that. Right now you need to focus on your recovery. The last thing you need is to get ups
et-”
“I’m already upset,” Vittorio spat. “Who knows? Maybe it’s this darned baby thing that put me in the hospital. Why the devil did you have to go pick up a woman saddled with a baby that isn’t even hers?”
Rome sucked in his breath, the words like a slap to the face. Vittorio had crossed the line with his stinging remark but Rome would not respond, not just yet, not when his father was lying in a hospital bed just barely recovering from his stroke. Fighting to control his anger, he clenched his teeth and glared at his father who looked like he’d gotten his second wind.
“How much do you know about this girl?” he asked. “First, she bewitched you into a sudden engagement and then all of a sudden she brings a baby into the picture. Next thing you know she’ll be telling you she has some past life that could jeopardize your reputation.” He frowned. “Did you check if she’d been married before?”
Rome was so pissed he didn’t answer. If he opened his mouth he’d probably say something he would regret. He kept his trap shut.
“Why couldn’t you have married a nice Italian girl?” Vittorio glared at his son, waiting for an answer.
When Rome finally spoke his voice was cool and stern. “You shouldn’t have schooled me in the United States then.”
Vittorio’s scowl deepened. “I think you’re making a big mistake,” he said, his voice equally cool. “I hope it’s one you won’t regret for the rest of your life.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Something was not right. Rome had been gone a week and he’d only called three times. Was that the behavior of a man who was in love?
Arie heaved a sigh and slid out of bed. She was being unreasonable, she guessed, but she couldn’t help it. She missed him so much.
When he’d called her from Italy to say he’d rushed off because his father had a stroke she totally understood. Then he’d called to tell her his father was at home and making a strong recovery. After that he’d called her only one more time and he’d seemed so preoccupied that she’d asked if everything was okay with his dad. Excellent, he’d said, but then he’d grown silent, almost as if he couldn’t think of a thing to say to her. When the conversation ended and she hung up she’d felt the tears sting the corners of her eyes. Something had definitely changed.
Was he having regrets? The baby and the thought of being a father, was it all too much? When he’d met Maya they’d seemed to connect but now that he was far away maybe the glow had faded. He was probably having second thoughts. He’d probably changed his mind about the baby. Maybe about her, too.
“Stop it, stop it, stop it.” Arie muttered the words under her breath as she headed for the shower. She was thinking too much. She definitely had to get out of the house.
When she got to Talk of The Town that morning her business partner was already there, bustling about the office. As soon as she saw Arie she jammed her fists on her hips. “You’re late,” she said with an exaggerated scowl. “Is this the way to run the number one catering company in all of New Orleans?”
Arie grimaced and let her bag strap slide off her shoulder. “It’s just one of those days, Lena. I’m not in the mood.” With a sigh she trudged past her friend on her way to her office. She saw when Lena glanced at the receptionist but Marilyn had her nose buried in a magazine with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the cover. She wouldn’t be surfacing any time soon.
“Hey, what gives?” Lena had followed her to the office and now stood in the doorway, a look of concern on her face. She stepped in then reached behind her to pull the door shut. “What’s going on?”
Arie sighed. “I don’t know. I just…I just have a feeling that things are falling apart between Rome and me.”
Lena’s eyes widened. “What in the world do you mean? Are you guys having problems?”
Arie lifted her shoulders then let them fall on a dejected sigh. “That’s the thing. I don’t know. He’s just been so distant. It’s weird.”
Lena shook her head. “You told me he’s going through a rough time. You said his father was seriously ill. Don’t you think that would account for the change you see in his behavior?” She walked over and put her arm around Arie’s shoulder. “Be sensible. Give the man some space and give him time.”
Arie bit her lip and then she nodded. She could always count on Lena to bring her back to her senses. “I guess you’re right,” she said. “Give him space and give him time.” Then she gave her longtime friend a rueful smile. “I was never too strong in the patience department.”
Lena squeezed her shoulder. “You’ll be okay.” When she let go she was smiling. “In fact, you’ll be more than okay. We’ll knock off early this afternoon and go shopping.”
Arie gave Lena a look of puzzlement. Leaving early in the middle of the work week? That was so not Lena. “Shopping?” she asked, her tone skeptical. “On a Wednesday afternoon? What about our clients?”
Lena shrugged. “Wednesday is always the slowest day of the week for us. I don’t have any appointments. Do you?”
Arie didn’t even have to check. She shook her head. “No, not a one.”
“Well, then.” It wasn’t a question but a declaration. Apparently they were going shopping. “I’ll tell Marilyn we’re leaving at three. Make sure you’re ready.”
It must have been that Lena-imposed deadline that did the trick. Just like that, Arie snapped out of her morose mood and before she knew it she was absorbed in the day’s task of planning the next eight events which would take place over the next couple of weeks. One of them included a Bar Mitzvah celebratory meal, the first one she’d been asked to cater in her four years of running the business. She wasn’t too familiar with Jewish cuisine so she had a lot of preparation to do for this one.
She was so absorbed in her task that when she heard a knock at her door she jumped. She glanced at the clock on her computer screen. Three o’clock already? Where had the time flown?
Lena peeped in. “Still at it? I haven’t seen you all day. Don’t tell me you worked through lunch.”
Arie swiveled around in her chair and gave her partner a guilty smile. “You did say I should make sure to finish by three.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t say you should starve yourself to do it.” She stepped inside then jerked her chin at Arie. “Come on. I’ll buy you lunch at the mall.”
Arie grinned. “Sounds good to me. I’m starving.”
“Says the woman who would have gone on until five o’clock if I hadn’t walked in.” Lena chuckled as she turned to go. “Be ready in five or I’ll drag you out of this office and lock the door.”
And she would do it, too. Arie knew Lena so well. They’d been roommates at Duke and had gone on to become partners in Talk Of The Town Catering. Ever since she'd known Lena her friend had been bold and direct, a real go-getter and a woman who knew how to take charge. Even better than that she had a solid business head on her shoulders and, utilizing Arie’s cooking skills and event planning expertise, they'd built their business until it was known and respected throughout all of Louisiana.
Every day Arie gave thanks for Lena’s presence in her life, not just as a business partner but also as a friend and mentor. If there was anyone who she could turn to for advice it was Lena. Always levelheaded and firm, she knew how to put things in perspective. And when you’d grown up in foster care and had no family to turn to, a friend like that was more precious than gold.
Half an hour later Arie and Lena were strolling along, browsing the shops at Lakeside Mall.
“I know a special little miss who’ll be joining you soon,” Lena said. “You’ve got tons of shopping to do.”
Arie laughed. “She’s the best excuse I ever had for playing truant. Let’s go see what the kids’ stores have to offer.”
They picked up a few pieces of baby gear in Gymboree and Mimi’s Kids Boutique but it was when Lena suggested they leave the mall and check Zuka Baby in the Lower Garden District that Arie really got her shopping groove on. There were so many cute little baby girl o
utfits that she didn’t know which to choose. In her excitement she ended up grabbing far more outfits than Maya would ever wear. Once again it was Lena, the voice of reason, who rescued her from herself.
“But this one’s so cute,” she wailed as Lena tugged a pink and white polka dot dress from her fingers.
“Yes, but you already have a polka dot one in that stack of yours. No need to deplete the store’s inventory.”
Arie heaved an aggrieved sigh. “All right. You win.” Then she gave her friend a fake frown and a crooked grin. “But don’t think I’m taking you along next time I go shopping.”
Lena put her hands up, palms facing forward, and shook her head. “Hey, after today you’re on your own.”
That evening Arie bid Lena goodbye and drove out of the mall with a car packed with baby gear and a heart that was happy and light. A shopping spree had been the perfect medicine to get her out of the doldrums. Now all she wanted to do was get home and go through the tons of baby girl stuff she’d bought. What better way to spend the evening?
She was still smiling and humming to herself as she pulled off the main road and drove the half-mile through the quiet neighborhood toward her home. Just as she’d done hundreds of times before, she swung off the tree-lined street and turned down the gravelly road that led to her home.
But this time as she turned into her driveway her heart did a little leap of shock. But it was a good shock, an unexpected and truly wonderful surprise.
There, parked in the middle of her driveway, was Rome’s black Maserati.
Arie’s face broke into a wide grin. Her beloved Rome was home.
***
Rome heard the soft rumble of the engine just before Arie’s BMW drove up the driveway toward the house. He shifted out of his slouched position, straightened and glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see her car rolling in behind his. As he watched, she waved and gave him an infectious grin that had him smiling back. With the mood he was in his half smile was a poor response to her joyful greeting but he was doing his best.