Two days later Rosa and Marco found themselves back in Tuscany. To Rosa’s surprise her entire family and Serena were still in residence. It made her wonder if her family had lost their minds. Five minutes after arriving, Luca and Mia pulled them into the office.
“Thank God you’ve come back,” Luca said, looking frustrated. “Help me get rid of our family. I have no idea why Momma and Papa are still here. Never mind our brothers. But I can tell you this, I’m losing my mind. Mia and I have no privacy. I can’t get any work done. I sneak off to the grapes and Papa is right there beside me asking many questions. Some I can answer, some I can’t. He’s making me feel like an idiot. Momma’s doing the same with Mia. Since when do they have any interest in vineyards?”
Both Marco and Rosa laughed. “Are you done? That was quite a rant,” Rosa said with a smile. Marco and I are glad everyone is here as we have decided to get married in two days.”
“Two days?” Mia and Luca said simultaneously.
“Si,” Rosa answered. We made all the arrangements. The ceremony will be in the gardens here. Nothing fancy, just family. We ordered the food and flowers and hired a musical trio to play. Oh,” Rosa looked at Mia and asked, “will you be my matron of honor?”
Mia’s face lit up, “Yes.” She grabbed Rosa’s hands. “I’m so happy for you both. And I have the perfect dress to wear. One I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”
“Wait until you see my dress. I bought it at my favorite shop in Amalfi. It’s gorgeous. I hope Momma has something to wear, or we must take her shopping into town tomorrow.”
While Mia and Rosa chatted Marco pulled Luca aside, still not quite believing he would marry Rosa in two days. He truly was the luckiest man in Italy. “Will you be my best man?”
Luca slapped him on the back. “Glad to.” His lips slid up into a crooked grin. “So, you are marrying my sister? Have you asked my papa yet?”
“Oh, shit.” Marco knew he’d forgotten something. And he wasn’t looking forward to the conversation. He glared at Luca as Luca laughed. “Your papa is one frightening man. I had nightmares last night of him making me take a test before he gave his blessing. I failed. Woke up in a cold sweat.”
“He’ll give it. It will thrill both my momma and papa at Rosa’s choice of a husband. And as long as you promise to love, honor, and cherish her they will give their blessing.”
“I better go now before I lose my nerve. Tell Rosa I’ll be back soon.”
As Marco walked throughout his home, practicing his speech, he came across nearly everyone else but Mr. and Mrs. Melchionne. Finally Angela said they were strolling through the gardens out back.
Coming upon them sitting on a bench, Marco swallowed the lump in his throat and hoped his heart slowed down as all he could hear was the pounding of his blood in his ears. If it didn’t slow how could he hear himself think, never mind speak.
“Mr. and Mrs. Melchionne.”
They both looked surprised to see him. “I didn’t realize you returned. Is my daughter with you?” Mrs. Melchionne inquired with a knowing smile. Had Rosa already spoken to her parents?
“Si. She is.” He cleared his throat and forged on. “I have asked Rosa to marry me, and I was hoping for both of your blessings.”
Mrs. Melchionne clapped her hands and smiled while Mr. Melchionne snarled at him. “Wonderful. Isn’t it wonderful, darling?”
Then the craziest thing happened. Rosa’s papa stood up and pulled Marco into a great big hug. “As my wife said, wonderful. Truly wonderful. You have our blessing.” He released Marco and stepped back. “When is this ceremony to take place?”
Suddenly Marco found himself nervous all over again. “We planned everything already. It takes place two days from now.”
Mrs. Melchionne jumped up. “Two days. I must go find Rosa. There is so much to do.”
After she left, Mr. Melchionne looked at him, sadness in his eyes. “Promise me you will treat my daughter properly. She is the only one I have.”
Marco put himself in Mr. Melchionne’s place, and he understood the sadness in the man’s eyes. Rosa was his only daughter and in a way he was saying goodbye to her. “You have my word, sir. I will take good care of her, better than good. I will love and cherish her until the day I die.”
They shook hands. “Gracie, Marco. You are a good man.”
The morning of the wedding brought pandemonium to the vineyard house. Too many guests staying in tight quarters. But in Rosa’s little room, Mia, Angela, and her momma helped her fix her hair, makeup, and get dressed, Serena helped as well. Serena genuinely appeared happy for Marco and her. Rosa kept trying not to think about how weird it was to have Marco’s ex-wife celebrating their wedding day with them. But Rosa had to admit, the more time she spent with Serena, the more she realized she liked her and hoped their friendship continued.
“Oh my,” Momma said with tears in her eyes, and she dabbed at them with a tissue. “You look bellissimo. The simple, elegant, cream halter dress suits you perfectly with your skin tone and long dark wavy hair. Marco will be speechless when he sets his eyes on you.”
“Gracie, Momma.” Rosa dabbed at her own watery eyes. “Stop crying or you’ll ruin your make-up and I’ll ruin mine.”
“No promises. You are my only daughter and today is a happy day. What is a happy day without tears?”
Someone knocked on the door, and Rosa heard her father’s voice. “It is time. The groom is getting that panicked look on his face. Should we put him out of his misery?”
“Si, Papa.” Rosa opened the door and smiled at the sight of her papa dressed in a navy suit and looking ten years younger. This break from work had done both her parents good. She moved aside as the rest of the people in the room headed downstairs and outside into the gorgeous gardens. Then Rosa wrapped her arm through her papas and they made their way outside and down the make-shift aisle created by white fabric chairs and a white runner. The musicians played Ava Maria.
Rosa didn’t hear the song. All her attention centered on Marco, looking more handsome than any man had the right to be in a navy blazer, gray pants, white shirt open at the collar. Her whole being hummed with awareness. When Marco looked deep into her eyes and grinned when her papa handed her off to him, Rosa’s eyes watered as more emotions than she knew how to deal with settled deep inside the very marrow of her bones. How she loved this man with all her heart and soul. Marco looked at her as if she hung the sun, the moon, and the stars. Their marriage was destined to be one for the record books.
It wasn’t until the priest spoke that Rosa recognized Father Santello, the family priest from Venice, who had married Luca and Mia not five months ago. Her mother had been busy behind their backs.
They went with traditional wedding vows, then exchanged rings. Rosa’s platinum band complemented Marco’s late mother’s princess cut diamond ring that he surprised her with last evening perfectly. Rosa slid a black gold band on Marco’s finger. When the priest introduced them to the wedding guests as Signore and Signora Romano, everyone cheered.
The festivities went on until well after dark. Marco and Rosa said their goodbyes just as the sun was setting. They had a plane to catch to California. Besides spending time at Mia’s vineyard in San Luis Obispo, they planned to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and stop wherever the wind took them.
They hadn’t discussed Rosa’s job or where they would live after the honeymoon. Wherever they lived, be it at one of the Melchionnes’ many hotels or at Marco’s Vineyard in Buongiorno it would be home. Their love and being together and making each other happy was what mattered. And if they were blessed with children, then home would be where they all lived. Love = Marriage = Family = Love = Love = Love. And so it goes on and on for the rest of time.
The End