coming here?
They parked the car and walked quickly through the rain. Cristiano held a large umbrella he kept stashed in his car. She carried the baby and they moved in step, close together, to avoid the drizzle. It wasn’t too late to turn back, he thought as they approached the door. He didn’t know how he’d explain the situation to Mariella if he broke down, but he’d come up with something.
Entering the restaurant, Mariella took a deep breath.
“If we could bottle this aroma and pipe it into other streets, people would flock here,” she said. “It makes my mouth water.”
Cristiano took a breath. To him it was home, as familiar as ever. The awkward stress grew until he felt it was almost tangible. He could taste the uncertainty and fear. One of the waiters came over. The two men greeted each other.
“We haven’t seen you in a long time,” the waiter said.
“It has been a while. Is my sister or father in today?”
“No. They are both at some meeting they had to attend.”
“We’ll sit in the back, if there’s room,” Cristiano said, letting the relief wash through him. One worry avoided. Now he just had to remain normal until the meal ended.
“Quiet today. Rain keeping people away, I think,” the waiter said, leading them back to one of the small tables near the rear wall.
The wooden paneling gave the restaurant a cozy feel, contributing to quiet enjoyment, mixed with anticipation of the meal to come. When the waiter brought the high chair, Mariella strapped Dante in and handed him his plastic keys.
She opened the menu and scanned the offerings. Everything looked delicious. Choosing only one item wasn’t easy.
Once they had ordered she leaned back and looked at Cristiano. “Do you know everyone here?”
Cristiano glanced around and shrugged. “I know most of the wait staff and I bet most of the people in the kitchen. My father has owned this place since before I was born.”
“Sorry you’re missing him today.”
Cristiano pushed a glass toward the right a fraction of an inch. “It’s just as well.”
“Why?” she prodded.
He glanced up. “No reason.”
She narrowed her gaze but didn’t push the issue.
Breaking a bread stick, she handed half to Dante and began nibbling on the other half. She studied the decor. “When we ate here before we sat on the terrace. It’s lovely. I really liked that. Too bad for the rain.”
Just then there was a commotion by the door. Cristiano looked over and frowned.
Mariella turned around to see.
A woman in her early sixties was arguing with one of the waiters. She turned as if in a huff and then spotted Cristiano.
“Oh-oh,” he said softly even as he began to rise as she stormed over.
“Cristiano.” She reached him and kissed both cheeks. “I thought you were injured and recuperating.” She ran her gaze from head to toe. “You seem fine to me. You were always such a good-looking boy.”
“Aunt Lisa. I am fine.”
“Hmm. So I see. Where is your father? What meeting is he attending?”
“I don’t know. I expected him to be here.”
She looked at Mariella. “How do you do? I’m Lisa Firenzi, Cristiano’s aunt.”
“Mariella Holmes.”
“Holmes? Are you from around here?”
Mariella shook her head. “Rome originally. Most recently, New York.”
“Ah, there they have fine restaurants that are appreciated by everyone.” She looked around a bit and shook her head. “Cozy. Who wants cozy? Tell your father I want to talk to him. Or your sister. Perhaps Isabella would be easier.”
Cristiano smiled slightly. “I’ll make sure they know.”
She gave a wave and headed back outside.
“Wow, a whirlwind,” Mariella said.
“She actually owns the restaurant next door. Even though she’s my father’s sister, they have barely spoken to each other in years. I wonder what she wants.”
“Maybe she appreciates the family she has. I wish I had family somewhere, besides Dante, of course.”
“He’s lucky to have you. Many people would not consider the child your responsibility. It’s such an awesome one.”
“Don’t you want children?” she asked. “I mean after you marry and all.”
He did not want to go there. On the surface, he looked normal. Only he knew what turmoil lurked inside his mind. He could not subject anyone to that. Fearful of what the flashbacks could lead to, he had to make sure no one came in harm’s way. How could he enter any kind of intimate relationship with a woman if he could go off the rails without warning?
In fact, it was a risk to be away from the isolation of the cottage for this long.
Not that he’d had a problem since the night of the fire. Twice he’d thought he was coming close, but one look at Mariella and he’d staved off the threatening flashbacks.
For a moment he hoped he was recovering. Maybe he would be able to go back to work before long. It was still too early to say with complete confidence, but he might touch base with his commander in the next week or so.
“Maybe, if I marry,” he replied.
“I’m so surprised you didn’t go into this business. A ready-made family affair that you could take over when your father retires,” Mariella said a short time later when savoring the first bite of her rigatoni. The sauce had a piquant flavor that she relished.
“It’s my sister’s thing. My brother and I couldn’t wait to leave. It always felt too settled here, I guess you’d say.”
“So you two chose the opposite extreme. You with your job, he with his races. Why do you both put your lives on the line like that? At least your actions are for some greater good, but just to challenge the laws of physics and risk death in car races seems a bit reckless.”
“Ah, but there is that awesome feeling when he succeeds. Can’t be measured.”
“Is that how you feel about fighting fires?”
“It is always a challenge. No two fires are exactly the same.”
“Scary.”
He shrugged. He wouldn’t admit it, but he had felt fear a few times. Overcoming it to come out on top was another kind of high. One that he could not achieve with the aftermath
