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“What’s going to happen?”
“I can’t tell you. I made a promise.”
“Sarah, you can’t do this to me. You have to tell me. What’s going to happen?”
“Let’s just say that everyone is hoping you’ll say yes.”
“Oh no. No. No. No. I can’t. I’m not ready. I can’t…”
She came over to me then, held me by my shoulders, and said, “You can do and say anything you want to but know this, and I truly believe what I’m about to say. Love, true love is a gift, and if you’re lucky enough to get it, lucky enough that someone has handed you that gift, open it with your heart, and when you do, you’ll know exactly what to say and do. Now, let’s get out there. There’s about a million people waiting for dinner, and we’re holding them up.”
“Can I lean on you?” I asked as I took her arm.
“Sweets, you can lean on me for as long as you want. I’m always here for you.”
“And I for you,” I told her.
We grasped hands then, and kept walking towards the happy voices as my thoughts tossed around in my head like bingo balls in a swirling cage.
Gianni 19
“Why did I ever let you guys talk me into this?” I asked my brothers once again as I waited for Dani to make her way out from my office. The four of us stood together near the back of the restaurant. Rocco and Frankie would also be helping in the kitchen tonight.
“We didn’t talk you into anything,” Rocco said. “It’s Valentine’s Day, and it’s a family tradition. Or do you want to wait for a full year before you do this?”
Somehow, I’d been talked into proposing to Dani tonight, with my entire family around to cheer me on. They’d come in not only for the grand opening but for this moment. I’d be the first Capra brother to be married if Dani said yes. If she didn’t, which was a distinct possibility, I’d be the second Capra brother to be devastated by a broken heart. At least I’d be in good company, but knowing that Rocco was still struggling through it, almost two years later, didn’t exactly give me solace.
“Today is not Valentine’s Day,” I told him, protesting. “If I’m going to do this, it should be tomorrow when I might be able to pull her away for a quiet moment without you guys and the rest of the world watching.” I gazed around. I hadn’t seen some of these relatives since I was a kid, yet they were all here, taking up almost every seat in the place… waiting… watching… drinking wine and hard liquor… making me feel like the world was indeed on my shoulders.
Plus, everyone was dressed as if they were already attending our wedding… I could only imagine what that would look like. The amount of people I had to invite would be a staggering number.
We might have to elope, that’s if she says yes, which I doubt.
My feet were getting not only cold, but frostbite was setting in.
“Like you’ll be able to think of anything else but the restaurant officially opening tomorrow,” Ted said, as he stood next to me, wearing the same white chef’s jacket that I wore. “Besides, like our mother said, with the time difference, it’s already Valentine’s Day in Italy, and that’s all that matters.”
“And once this place is officially open, your life won’t ever be the same again,” Frankie added, reminding me of the immense undertaking I was about to embark on.
Frankie wore a white bib apron with our logo emblazoned on the top. He also wore a gray t-shirt, black jeans, and boots. The same outfit that Rocco wore. Our dad wanted to cook with us as well, but I’d insisted that he and Mom enjoy the night, instead. After much debate, he finally gave in, but I could tell just by looking at him, he wanted to join us in the kitchen. He’d done enough. So had Mom. This was their night to sit back and enjoy… that is if everything went as planned, and that included Dani’s acceptance of my proposal, which the more I thought about it, the more I felt certain that she wouldn’t.
She’d made it clear right from the start that she would be returning home after graduation. That had been her New Year’s resolution, and despite everything that had happened between us, that part of our relationship had never changed.
I ran my hand through my hair and gazed down at the floor, as real nausea bubbled up from my clenched stomach. “Thanks for that reminder, Frankie. I feel better already.”
“You know what I mean,” he teased. “This is a turning point for you. Hell, bro, it’s a turning point for all of us. You’re blazing the trail for all four of us, especially with this proposal. Wow! You’re really going to do it.”
I let out a scared sigh.
“It’s now or never,” Rocco said, trying his best to sound encouraging. “Besides, one of us has to take the plunge, and better you than me.”
Rocco knew damn well I wanted to do this, wanted to spend the rest of my life with Dani, the woman I loved more than anything, but I was also scared crazy. Dani meant so much to me that if I lost her over this hasty proposal, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
Especially with the way this was going down. Never in a million years did I think it would ever happen like this. I’d always pictured that I’d propose in a restaurant, but notmyrestaurant, and not with my entire fucking family surrounding us!
“This is a bad idea,” I said as soon as I saw Dani walking our way, her arm draped through Sarah’s, appearing as though she was about to pass out. I didn’t know what Sarah had told her, but Dani looked like she was about to run in the opposite direction at any moment. And the thing was, I couldn’t blame her. “I’m not doing it. I can’t. Call off the mandolin and accordion music. Tell Aunt Bella and Uncle Louie we won’t need it. This isn’t happening. Ted, let’s go. It’s time to serve up the appetizers.”
And just like that, when Dani finally walked over to me, I gave her a quick kiss and pulled out a chair for her at a four-top table with Sarah and Gary who was already seated. Sarah went around and sat down next to him.
