Serial: Down the River – Chapter Fifty-Three

I’m finally revisiting the characters from The River City Chronicles nine years after their original timeline. I’ll be running the series weekly here on my blog, and then will release it in book form at the end of the run. Hope you enjoy catching up with all your faves and all their new secrets!

Today, Carmelina gets the surprise of a lifetime in the Roman foothills…

< Read Chapter 52

Join my email list to get my weekly newsletter
with notifications of new chapters.

Chapter Fifty-Three
A Million Bright Stars

Daniele drove his cousin’s car through the Italian foothills, winding their way back down the curvy roads toward Rome. It was well after 10 o’clock—the promised tour of Strangolagalli had turned into a community dinner where half the city had turned out to meet the visitors.

Carmelina couldn’t complain. It had been a marvelous evening. She’d been surrounded by the denizens of the small town who reminded her so much of their counterparts in the Papavero mysteries. There had been the famous stesa, as well as lasagne, tortellini, ravioli, strangolapreti, salads, fresh-baked bread, and trays and trays of dolci—local sweets. So many things that she couldn’t remember half of them. She was stuffed to the gills, but she didn’t regret a single bite.

She couldn’t see the Italian countryside in the darkness, but she knew it was there. This is a blessed land, so much different than back home. Buildings that were historical national treasures in Sacramento might as well have been built yesterday when compared to Italy’s long, storied history. The roots of the Italian culture grew deep beneath these hills.

Her palms rested over her full belly, and her great grandmother’s precious book of recipes was tucked into a bag in the trunk.

After a while, the twists and turns lulled her into a light sleep, she dreamed about cooking some of those amazing dishes.

“You look happy.”

Carmelina opened her eyes. She was sitting in her favorite chair at home, a wingback rust-colored upright chair that she had bought at a yard sale and reupholstered herself twenty years earlier.

Arthur was seated across from her in his orange La-Z-Boy massage chair that went all the way back, so he could sleep there when he was too tired to get up and go to bed. She had hated that chair as much as he had loved it.

He was seated upright this time, looking at her.

“I haven’t seen you for a while.” He’d passed away a good ten years ago now, but she had gotten used to him, showing his face every now and then, when he thought she needed his guidance.

He laughed. “You’ve been too busy for me. Look at the life you’ve made for yourself. You’re a celebrated dessert chef surrounded by a circle of amazing friends. And now you’re in Italy with Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.”

She and Arthur had gone to Italy once together, on their honeymoon, and she had never been back since, though she had always wanted to. “I wish it was you here with me.”

He chuckled. “You’re doing fine without me. But then, you do know why you’re there, right?”

She blinked. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

He shook his head. “You know why he brought you to his cousin’s wedding.”

Her throat went dry. She hadn’t let herself think about it, but she had her suspicions. Daniele had made it clear, without ever coming out and saying it, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

She had put him off, again and again. I’m not ready. Her heart was still with Arthur, and there were so many other things she still wanted to do that didn’t include being tied down again to a man. And maybe, just maybe, she was scared to commit to somebody, when she knew she might lose them in the end. “You don’t know that.”

Letting go of Arthur had been so hard—hell, he was still here. How is this moving on?

He laughed. “You’re right. I’m just a figment of your imagination, after all. But I think you do.”

“I’m not ready…”

“We both know that’s not true.”

She sat with that for a moment. What the hell am I waiting for? She was letting fear rule her life, which she had sworn she would never do. Daniele had been with her for nine years, and had shown himself to be nothing less than a gentleman and a true partner. She had made other commitments with him—letting him move into her house, opening the new business with him. Why is this one so hard?

Something jerked out of her dream.

The car had come to an abrupt halt. “Sorry about that. We’re here.”

Carmelina opened her eyes. “Where is here?”

He flashed her a devilish grin. “It’s a surprise.” He unbuckled his seatbelt, and she did the same.

She looked out through the windshield, but there wasn’t much to see, only a parking rail visible in the car’s headlights and some tufts of grass, and then even those vanished.

They got out of the car together. They were in a small parking lot. There were no other cars and only a single street lamp to provide illumination.

She looked around doubtfully. “Are you going to kill me, and then dispose of the body?”

He rewarded her jest with an evil cackle. “Yes, you have discovered my wicked plan. Fly to Italy, show you around a bunch of people so everyone knows you’re here, and then take you to an abandoned parking lot to murder you and fly home without you.” He grinned, his teeth white in the moonlight. “Follow me.”

She laughed. “After that confession?” Nonetheless, she did. She found she trusted him implicitly. Maybe that was the most important thing.

They walked through the parking lot, between the low fence, and onto a small trail that led up a hillside. “Seriously, where are we going?”

He winked at her. “It’s a surprise.” Taking her hand, he led her up the hill, along a foot path that wound through hummocks of dried grass. The sky was clear, the half-moon giving off just enough light for them to find their way, painting the pathway silver. The stars stood out like a million pin pricks in the velvety night sky.

They came out on top of the hill, and Carmelina gasped.

A vast city was spread out below them—it had to be Rome—its lights twinkling like reflected stars from the night sky above. “Oh my god, it’s beautiful.” The air was warm, and a slight breeze teased her red curls. It was a perfect night after a perfect day.

And then he sank down on one knee before her, and time slowed to a halt.

“He’s quite handsome.”

Carmelina expected to see Arthur when she turned around. It was Brad.

He was wearing the pale yellow button-down shirt he’d had on almost every time she’d seen him, unbuttoned at the collar. His arms were crossed, and he was looking at her the way her father used to, when she’d failed a test in school.

“What?”

He inclined his head toward her frozen paramour. “He’s about to ask you.”

“I’m not blind.” Her fears reared up again in her mind—fear of giving up her hard-won independence. Fear that it would never be as good as it had been the first time, with Arthur. Fear that he would leave her, just like Arthur had.

Brad raised an eyebrow. “He’s younger than you are.”

“Now you can read my mind?” Brad—the real Brad—had never been this intrusive.

He chuckled. “That’s your takeaway?”

“That and the fact that I’m talking to a ghost.” It’s too soon. Isn’t it?

“Look at him, down on one knee. Look how happy he is. He loves you. Even a ghost can see it.”

“A ghost who’s just as much of a pain in the ass in death as he was when he was alive. Maybe more.” Still, she looked.

Daniele was looking up at her, his face almost glowing. He was a good-looking man, still as handsome as the day they’d met at Corti Brothers. The dusting of wrinkles only added a rugged gravitas to his countenance. He loved her—she could see it. It practically radiated from him.

“You have a choice. Say yes, or break his poor heart and tell him no. But remember, nothing lasts forever. And it’s over in the blink of an eye.” And with that, Brad was gone.

She knew, somehow, that she would never see him again.

Time lurched forward again, almost knocking her over, and before she could recover, Daniele was taking her hand.

“Carmelina, I know you’re scared. I know I will never replace Arthur. But I love you. I have loved you since the day we met, and I can’t imagine my life without you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

Her breath caught. This is really it.

He opened it, and she gasped for the second time that night.

It was her mother’s wedding ring—two braided bands, one silver and one gold, paired with an emerald to match her mother’s fiery eyes. Just like mine.

Only that ring had been lost the night she’d died, misplaced in the hospital and never returned. “How…?”

“I asked a jeweler friend to recreate it from some of your old photos. I hope it’s all right—”

She nodded reaching out to touch it, not sure if it was real. “It’s perfect.” And suddenly she knew.

Her fears slipped away like tendrils of fog into the night.

“Carmelina, will you do me the honor of—”

“Yes!” She took Daniele’s hands and pulled him up into her embrace.

Her ghosts were right. It was time to let down the last of her defenses. “Yes, Daniele Amoroso. I will marry you.”

“I was just going to ask you to go steady,” he murmured into his ear.

She laughed and let him go. She held out her hand for him to slip on the ring—not really her mother’s, but that didn’t matter.Then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again, opening her heart and soul at last to the man she loved, on a hillside in Italy under a million bright stars.