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Kate and Marco sat on the sofa, their feet up on the coffee table, while Renzo limped with his crutches over to the “good” chair—the brown leather recliner. Settling in, he propped up his feet and threw his arms above his head.
Kate turned to Marco, remote in hand. “Sweetie, can you turn off the music? I want to start the movie.”
As Marco walked toward the speaker, the Tango song came on from their favorites list. Kate jumped up.
“Ooh! Turn it up!”
Marco frowned but did as she asked. When he returned, she grabbed his hand, pulling him toward her.
Marco moaned. “Come on, Kate. Not now.”
Renzo rolled his eyes. “Why do you guys always have to dance when you hear this song?”
As Marco swirled her around in front of the coffee table, Kate looked over her shoulder at Renzo. “Because—it reminds us of when we first started dating.”
Renzo slapped his forehead. “Geez. I thought that other song was your song. The one where it spells out the word ‘love.’ You said that was your song.”
Kate laughed.
“Oh, yeah. That’s our song, too. But this one—this was our song from the very beginning, back when I could have been a star.” She whispered the last word—star.
Renzo frowned. “Huh?”
Marco nodded. “Yep. Your mom wanted to be a professional dancer. Like a ballerina.”
“No way.”
“Way,” Kate said, smiling. Marco moved as she’d taught him, holding her close. “I auditioned for Juilliard, a very prestigious school for the arts.”
The violins grew louder as Marco straightened his arm and pushed Kate away, before pulling her arm back to him, twirling her. She chuckled as he bent her backward, her long, chestnut hair falling toward the floor. From her upside-down position, she saw her son smiling. Marco pulled her back up, and she listened to Renzo’s laughter as he watched his parents move gracefully across the living room floor.
As they continued their moves, dodging the coffee table and TV stand, Renzo said, “What happened?”
Marco and Kate continued swaying around the room as Kate responded. “I didn’t make it. Worst day of my life.”
Marco twirled her again. “Well, until that night—when she met me.”
Kate nodded and smiled. “True.”
“Where’d you guys meet? In a bar?” Renzo laughed at his joke.
Kate and Marco stopped dancing. “How’d you know that?” Marco asked.
Renzo’s jaw fell and he covered his eyes. Dragging his hands down his face, he said, “You guys actually met in a bar? That’s so embarrassing.”
Kate put her hands on her hips. “What’s so embarrassing about meeting in a bar? Lots of people meet in bars.”
Marco put his arms around her and looked over at Renzo. “Yeah. It doesn’t matter where you meet. Just that you actually meet.”
Renzo raised his brow. “If you say so. I still think it’s embarrassing.”
The song ended and Marco and Kate flopped back onto the sofa.
Kate pouted. “Not embarrassing.”
Marco started the movie but paused it as the microwave beeped.
“Popcorn!”
He returned with a bowl of popcorn for Kate and him, and another bowl for Renzo who dove in, shoving a fistful into his mouth, residuals falling around his lap.
“Okay,” Marco said. “Let’s get this movie started.”
Kate watched Renzo’s face turn pensive as he turned to his parents and said, “Ah’—wait. Since we’re talking about”—he made air-quotes with his fingers—“love and stuff ...”
Kate tilted her head. “Yes?”
Renzo pushed out his hand. “Don’t freak out or anything. It’s not a big deal, but there’s this girl at school, and I—” he paused, his face unsure. “I kinda’ like her.”
Kate smiled and stood up. “That’s so great!”
His prepubescent voice cracked and squeaked. “Mom! Stop. It’s not a big deal.”
Kate’s shoulders sank as she slid back down. “Well, who is this girl? Have you talked to her? Does she like you?”
Renzo rolled his eyes. “Mom. Please.”
“Are you guys gonna’ go steady?”
“Seriously Mom? Nobody says that anymore.”
Marco chuckled. “Yeah, ‘seriously Mom?’”
Kate ran her fingers through her snarled hair, messed from her recent dancing. “Sorry. I’m just curious, that’s all.”
“I’ll let you know if anything happens. For now, I like her and I think she likes me. Her name is Stella, and she’s in my class. That’s all I’m telling you.”
Kate nodded. “Okay.”
They settled in and Marco started the movie. After it finished, Kate turned to Renzo. “Bedtime, dude.”
Renzo pushed himself out of the recliner and whined about going to bed so early.
“This is bullshit,” he said.
“Renzo!” Kate shouted.
Renzo twisted his mouth. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it. I’m going.”
“Better watch that mouth-a yours, Renz,” Marco said.
“I said I was sorry, geez. It’s not a big deal.”
Marco shook his head and followed Renzo upstairs.
Kate listened to the yelling, which had become more frequent of late. The argument was quick. Marco’s message was usually solid, and so far, Renzo hadn’t fired back.
Marco returned downstairs to help Kate clean up.
“It’s fine,” he said. “Don’t overreact.”
Kate nodded.
They deposited the wine glasses and popcorn bowls on the countertop and straightened things up. Marco turned to Kate and kissed her forehead.
“I’m sorry we met in a bar.”
She set her head onto his shoulder. “Best day of my life.”
He leaned down and kissed her. Pulling away, he said, “Hmm. Maybe we should get to bed, too.”
She smiled. “Maybe we should.”
They walked upstairs and Kate sat on the edge of the bed for a minute before reaching over to turn off the bedside lamp. She snuggled in next to Marco. The darkness of the room mellowed with the moonlight through the slates of the blinds above their heads.
“He’s still awake,” she said. “I can see the light from his phone at the bottom of his door.”
“He sure loves his phone. Hope he’s not lookin’ at boobs again.”
Kate moaned and reached over to smack him. “Stop!”
“Or,” Marco said laughing, “maybe he’s texting his new girlfriend.”
“God.”
She hooked his arm in hers and leaned over to give him a gentle peck on the lips.
He adjusted her under the crook of his shoulder.
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
They held each other in the dark for several minutes before Kate turned on her side to face Marco, his profile lit by the moon, eyes closed.
“I keep thinking about what my mom said. Do you think we should move?”
Marco jerked a little and sniffed loudly, pulling his head back to look at her. “What? No,” he said. “I just got my job. We can’t move. Renzo’s got his friends, his school. His girlfriend.”
Kate shook her head. “I hate to admit it, but she’s right. This neighborhood is getting more dangerous. It’s not like it used to be.”
Marco opened his mouth to object but she continued. “And if he gets hurt or starts getting into trouble ...” She shook her head at the thought. “Then having friends or school won’t matter.”
“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself, Kate.” He sat up on his elbow and turned to her. “Usually, things are fine around here. The neighbors are great; we come and go as we please; no problems.”
“I know. All of that’s true, but ...”
Marco patted her arm. “But—let’s keep the thought of moving on the back burner. Can I at least start my new job?”
She pushed him away. “Fine.”
Marco rolled over as Kate turned onto her back. She stared at the dark ceiling for another hour before finally falling asleep.
