Say Ye (40 page)

“You’re too naïve, sweetie,” Lee said, shaking his head.

“No, Lee, she has faith,” Celeste said. “Thank God, we all have hope again.”

“I don’t,” Lee said.

“I’m sorry,” Lorenzo said. “You’ve been my brother when I didn’t have one, my best friend when no one else would talk to me. I know you feel betrayed. I won’t let it happen again. I don’t expect you to believe me, but I hope you can accept that Lita and I are together. We’re family. We need each other.”

“Please Lee,” Lita said. “You’re my big brother.”

“Sometimes people make choices we don’t like, but if we love them, we have to let them, within reason, of course,” Carlo said as he gripped Lee’s shoulder.

“But this isn’t reasonable.”

“Love isn’t,” Janetta said.

Warmth rushed through the room, the fire popped, smiles beamed on his family’s faces. Lita dropped his hand and hugged her brother.

“I’ll try, for you and Janetta, I’ll try,” Lee said.

Lorenzo exhaled as Lita came back to him. Lee looked at him, not with friendship, but not with anger. Talking started, some came and hugged him. Someone placed a steady, broad hand on his back. His dad stood behind him, smiling. He hugged Lorenzo and Lita together before going to Janice. Vincente appeared behind them.

“I called Nick. Knew he wouldn’t want to miss this.” Lita hugged Vincente and Lorenzo clapped him on the back.

They stood talking. Lita leaned into him, their arms intertwined. Lorenzo’s body warmed, from the inside, and relaxed, each muscle released with every smile, with every calm word, with every soft touch.

“So, when’s the wedding?” Lorenzo teased Janice about her new ring as they stood in the living room. Lita and Joanna laughed in the foyer, putting on a Frank Sinatra CD, cajoling the family to dance.

“Ha ha. It’s an Oprah engagement, you know, forever engaged, never married.” She and Lorenzo watched everyone in the foyer. The older couples danced sedately while Nick twirled Lita around and Joanna swayed with Pete.

“Come on, Lorenzo, let’s go,” Janice said, pulling him into the crowd. She grabbed Nick and Lorenzo took Lita in his arms. Almost everyone danced now, and, as Lita sang boisterously along with “I Love My Wife,” others joined in, giggling and hamming it up.

Even Lorenzo sang along, whispering in Lita’s ear as he held her close. “’But just in case you couldn’t guess, or hadn’t heard, or didn’t know, I love my wife, I love my wife, I love my wife…’” he trailed off as she gazed up at him before smiling.

“You’re no Sinatra,” she said.

“I hope not. One wife’s all I need.” He kissed her, enclosed in her wondrous softness.

Their family chatted, some lingered into the kitchen, still hungry, while others sat around, laughing and snuggling. He and Lita chose the latter.

They stood together at the door, he, Lita, Uncle Enzo, and Celeste, watching Sophia and Carlo get into their car, the last to leave. He shut the door, still smiling. His face was sore. He wasn’t used to smiling this much. Uncle Enzo and Celeste hugged them, wishing them a Merry Christmas and goodnight. He and Lita turned off the lights and walked upstairs together, stopping to look at the pictures, exchanging memories. He showed her the baby’s room. A few tears escaped and he thought he’d messed up, but when she kissed him he knew he hadn’t.

“That little angel looks just like I imagined he would,” she said as she gazed up at the mural near the ceiling. He held her for a long time. She looked up at him, her eyes sparklingly tender, her fragrance surrounded him. “You’re the best, the only, man for me.”

He smiled wider; she took his hand and led him into their room.

Later, they lay in bed, sleepy eyed, their breathing rhythmic and steady.

“Life’s full of little miracles, isn’t it?” she asked as he stroked her hair.

He paused for a few moments, feeling her warm softness, her breath tickling his neck. He remembered that first night they’d spent together, how he never thought they could be together like this, how Lita forgave all his mistakes, how they made love again tonight as if it was their wedding night, full of tenderness and fire. How he watched her earlier as she sang, her beautiful, glowing face, her silliness, how she had become a part of them all, how even Carlo and Lee accepted them, how incomprehensible it was that he loved her more than ever.

“Yes, it is,” he said. His Christmas wish came true. He held Lita tighter. He finally believed.

About the Author

Celia Juliano learned to read at the age of two, beginning her lifetime love of books, especially those with a happily ever after. She grew up believing in fairies, angels, Santa Claus, and the true love of an Italian prince. Now she writes about everyday angels and Italian American men…as well as other stories of relationships, minor miracles, and happy endings. A native Californian, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

For more information, including recipes and news of The Everyday Angels series (featuring the D’Angelos and the DeGrazias), please visit
http://www.celiajuliano.com

Thank you for purchasing this book. Celia loves to hear from readers. She can be contacted at
[email protected]
or you can find her on Goodreads, Twitter (celiajuliano), and Facebook.