Page 19 of Gary
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He did ask her if she liked Italian. But who didn’t? The meal he had in mind was going to take some skills and fortunately, his mother had roped him into cooking and learning to prepare delicious meals.
His aunt had taken over the tutoring when he went to live with her. She had three robust sons, several grandchildren and her kitchen was always noisy and smelled of garlic.
A smile touched his lips as he entered the store he had discovered just recently. One that specialized in Italian products. Aunt Angelini had welcomed him with open arms and her sons had done the same. He would be forever grateful to them for making him feel so much at home.
When he left the states, he had practically run away, tormented by his past and the things his family was doing. He had simply packed up and left without even saying goodbye.
His uncle Graham had been the only one who knew of his plans and had kept them to himself. Gary knew that his father had given him hell, but his uncle had stood by him.
Memories of his time spent in the tiny village of Montepulciano had him feeling nostalgic. Things had been simple there and he had been looking forward to returning. But his plans had changed. He laughed ruefully as he exited the car and walked towards his building.
Plucking his phone from his pocket, he checked the time and placed a long-distance call which was answered immediately.
The melodious accented voice had him stopping for a moment. Redirecting his steps, he went back to the vehicle and got in. “Ciao Zia.” He greeted her warmly and sat there listening to her regale him with what had been happening in her large household since he left.
He had contacted them as soon as he arrived in the States but had not called since then. Being the type of person she was, she did not berate him for not getting in touch. She plied him with questions about his father and what was happening with him.
“He looked better when I saw him yesterday.” He listened again and smiled.
“Yes, I am doing my best to put the past behind me and no, I know it’s not going to be easy.”
He listened again and asked about the rest of the family. That part of the conversation took up several minutes well as he was filled in on what was happening with each of them. Angelini might not be the beauty of the two sisters, but what she lacked in physical appearance, she made up for in warmth.
Her personality was one of encompassing love. She spoke her mind and was patient beyond belief. Gary loved and respected her and appreciated her for not being judgmental. She was not capable of hatred but had never approved of her brother-in-law.
“I could see that he was not good enough for my darling sister, but our papa had the final say.”
“I met someone.” He was finally given the chance to put in his piece.
There was a pause, and he smiled as he waited while she assimilated the information.
“Is this woman good enough for you?” She demanded in her own inimitable manner.
“I am wondering if I am good enough for her.” It was early in the morning and the parking lot was practically empty. Gary watched as an elderly lady wrestled with one of the carts and was just contemplating going over to give her a hand when she managed to extricate it.
“What does she do? And please do not tell me she is some actress or some lazy rich American woman.”
He chuckled at her disparaging tone. “Neither. She owns a coffee shop. It’s called Coffee and Books and is very quaint and cozy.”
“She works for a living. That is good. What does she look like?”
He laughed again. “She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She has this wonderful flawless cocoa brown complexion, and her laugh is very infectious. You would love her. I invited her to dinner at my place.”
There was silence again and he waited, instinctively knowing what was coming.
“You just met this woman, and she has agreed to go to your place without a chaperone?”
“It’s just going to be dinner.” He assured her. “I did not want to go out in public in case I was recognized. She does not know who I am. I used my mother’s maiden name.”
“You should tell her the truth from the very beginning and not let her find out for herself.”
“My name is not something to be proud of.” The tinge of bitterness in his voice could not be mistaken. “I just want her to like me for the person I am. Eventually, I will tell her and hope that she will not run in the opposite direction.”
“The sins of the father are not inherited by the son.”
“Are they not?” He blew out his breath. “And it’s several generations to contend with. My family reined with terror inseveral cities for decades, that’s something I am finding difficult to shake off. The old man is trying to make amends in more ways than one, but it might be too late.”