Massimo going to walk me down the aisle? Where is he?” My attention focused on the brass clock on the wall. “We better get going—”
“He’ll be here. He just went to get something for you.”
“Something old?”
Lex laughed and shook her head.
I continued, “Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue?”
There was a knock at the foyer.
“Come in!” I shouted.
The door flew open.
Holy shit!
“ Padre .” The word barely escaped my lips. I haven’t said that in so long .
He appeared shorter than I’d remembered, almost frail, and sad. Oh, God, the sadness…
“Jemma,” he said as if something was stuck in his throat, stepping closer.
“What are you doing here?” I clenched my jaw to push back a sob. I wasn’t prepared to see him. Inhaling deeply, holding it for a second or two, I exhaled and muttered, “Did Masi send for you?”
“Not exactly. Although his plane brought me here.”
“Then who?” I asked as Lex excused herself from the room, giving us some privacy. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with him. Not today …
“Luigi and Rocco called me last night. They repeated what they’d said months ago when they asked for my approval to have your hand in marriage.”
“I see…” I tried to keep my guard up. “And you came here today to try and talk me out of it?”
He shook his head. “To apologize. Make things right between us, and hopefully walk you down the aisle.”
Unexpected glee pursed my mouth. I couldn’t believe he’d just said that. “You’d give me away?”
“Only if you promise we can let the past stay behind us. I want you back in my life, Jemma. I’ve missed you. You’re the only family I have.” The tone in his voice seemed different, as if he’d changed.
“I’d like that, Padre .”
I ran into his arms like I was a little kid and hugged him tight. He smelled of tobacco and wine, as he always had. Wiping the tears from his dark eyes, I asked, “What about my lifestyle? You know I’m marrying both of them today, don’t you?”
He laughed. “ Sì , you have my blessing.”
My defenses began to subside, instead replaced with a headiness. Dizzy almost. I thought I was going into shock that he was supporting my choice. “Why didn’t you accept them before?” I motioned for us to take a seat on the two chairs in the room.
He poured me a glass of water from the nearby pitcher. I took a sip and waited for him to answer.
“It’s not that I didn’t approve. It’s just that I didn’t want you to go through life being discriminated against because of your poly relationship. The world is filled with so much hate. Life is hard enough without adding an extra layer of judgments to it.” He paused for a minute as if thinking what to say next. “The day you’d told me was your mother’s funeral. I’d already lost the love of my life. I was angry that she’d died. Your madre and I always joked that I’d go first.” He gave a slight chuckle.
“Life is mysterious, isn’t it, Padre ?” I reached for his hand and stroked it. Sunspots, more than I’d recalled, scattered across his skin.
“At the end of the day, I just want to see you happy. I love Luigi and Rocco. I always have.”
“Really?”
“ Sì .” He nodded. “When you were going through chemotherapy, they called me every week to let me know how you were doing.”
“Luigi and Rocco called you while I was ill.” Caught off-guard by his reply, I sat upright, more awake than before.
“They texted me photos and kept me up-to-date on your recovery.” His thin lips spread into a wide smile. “I had to make sure you were okay.”
“Why didn’t you come visit me then?” I asked in exasperation.
“The doctors had told us any added stress would weaken your immune system. I figured having a father around you hated would surely make you sicker.”
“Hate.” A cold knot formed in my stomach. “No, Padre . I could never hate you.”
“I love you, Jemma. You’ve
“He’ll be here. He just went to get something for you.”
“Something old?”
Lex laughed and shook her head.
I continued, “Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue?”
There was a knock at the foyer.
“Come in!” I shouted.
The door flew open.
Holy shit!
“ Padre .” The word barely escaped my lips. I haven’t said that in so long .
He appeared shorter than I’d remembered, almost frail, and sad. Oh, God, the sadness…
“Jemma,” he said as if something was stuck in his throat, stepping closer.
“What are you doing here?” I clenched my jaw to push back a sob. I wasn’t prepared to see him. Inhaling deeply, holding it for a second or two, I exhaled and muttered, “Did Masi send for you?”
“Not exactly. Although his plane brought me here.”
“Then who?” I asked as Lex excused herself from the room, giving us some privacy. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with him. Not today …
“Luigi and Rocco called me last night. They repeated what they’d said months ago when they asked for my approval to have your hand in marriage.”
“I see…” I tried to keep my guard up. “And you came here today to try and talk me out of it?”
He shook his head. “To apologize. Make things right between us, and hopefully walk you down the aisle.”
Unexpected glee pursed my mouth. I couldn’t believe he’d just said that. “You’d give me away?”
“Only if you promise we can let the past stay behind us. I want you back in my life, Jemma. I’ve missed you. You’re the only family I have.” The tone in his voice seemed different, as if he’d changed.
“I’d like that, Padre .”
I ran into his arms like I was a little kid and hugged him tight. He smelled of tobacco and wine, as he always had. Wiping the tears from his dark eyes, I asked, “What about my lifestyle? You know I’m marrying both of them today, don’t you?”
He laughed. “ Sì , you have my blessing.”
My defenses began to subside, instead replaced with a headiness. Dizzy almost. I thought I was going into shock that he was supporting my choice. “Why didn’t you accept them before?” I motioned for us to take a seat on the two chairs in the room.
He poured me a glass of water from the nearby pitcher. I took a sip and waited for him to answer.
“It’s not that I didn’t approve. It’s just that I didn’t want you to go through life being discriminated against because of your poly relationship. The world is filled with so much hate. Life is hard enough without adding an extra layer of judgments to it.” He paused for a minute as if thinking what to say next. “The day you’d told me was your mother’s funeral. I’d already lost the love of my life. I was angry that she’d died. Your madre and I always joked that I’d go first.” He gave a slight chuckle.
“Life is mysterious, isn’t it, Padre ?” I reached for his hand and stroked it. Sunspots, more than I’d recalled, scattered across his skin.
“At the end of the day, I just want to see you happy. I love Luigi and Rocco. I always have.”
“Really?”
“ Sì .” He nodded. “When you were going through chemotherapy, they called me every week to let me know how you were doing.”
“Luigi and Rocco called you while I was ill.” Caught off-guard by his reply, I sat upright, more awake than before.
“They texted me photos and kept me up-to-date on your recovery.” His thin lips spread into a wide smile. “I had to make sure you were okay.”
“Why didn’t you come visit me then?” I asked in exasperation.
“The doctors had told us any added stress would weaken your immune system. I figured having a father around you hated would surely make you sicker.”
“Hate.” A cold knot formed in my stomach. “No, Padre . I could never hate you.”
“I love you, Jemma. You’ve
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