The Legacy (33 page)

Watching Adagio as he watches me causes my heart to
flutter. He will always be the most handsome man in the world
to me, and I frequently admire how lean and muscular he still
is, thanks in part to chasing our sons around. Well, that and
good genes. His gaze warms me as I approach him. When he
looks at me this way, the rest of the world just falls away. I
wonder sometimes if the effect will ever fade. But I only have
to look into his eyes and I know it never will.

”It looks like they wore you out,” I say, plucking the grass
from his tousled hair.
He grins, pulling me into his arms. “You heard my
surrender, huh?”
“I did. For a moment there, I thought I was going to have
to come and rescue you.”
“I was almost ready to call you.” He presses me closer,
whispering seductively in my ear, “You know, you could have
joined us and it would've been even more fun.”
“Maybe later,” I growl softly and he laughs.
Arm in arm we walk back up to the veranda to be with
the boys. By the time we get there, half the tray of
biscotti
is
already gone.
“I see you got a head start on us,” Adagio says, smiling at
the two, their cheeks full.
“But
they're
so
good,”
Ingo
says
before
biting
into
another one.
“Well, thank you,” I say, pleased they turned out so well.
I sit down and Phillip automatically moves to my lap.
“Are
you
going
to
eat
one,
Mama?”
he
asks,
holding
a
chocolate covered cookie out to me.
“Now when have you ever known me to turn down
chocolate, little man?”
“Never, Mama,” he says, grinning.
“That’s right, and I never will.” I take it from him.
“Thank you.”
Adagio smiles at me as we watch his namesake watching
me eat the offered cookie. Both boys look like little chipmunks
with their cheeks stuffed and we can't help chuckling.
“Well, I guess that’s it,” I say as Ingo and Phillip polish
off the last of the
biscotti
. “If you two keep this up, you are
going to look like cookies with legs.” I pinch their cheeks,
provoking a laugh from both.
“I have to agree with them,
amore
. These are very good. I
could not have made them better.”
“Thank you, my love. I've had a good teacher.”
Adagio winks and kisses my hand. “Why don’t we help
Mama take everything in,” he says to the boys.
Ingo immediately takes the empty tray into the house and
Phillip collects the used napkins. I smile at their promptness.
We've been doing our best to raise them to be obedient and I
am grateful they are so helpful to me. I hope they will always be
that way. Like all kids, they have their moments and give us fits,
but I wouldn't trade motherhood for anything in the world. I
want to be the best mother I can be, and I never want our
children to doubt my love for them or feel neglected in any
way.
I saw
and
experienced enough
neglect
in
my
own
childhood to ever let them suffer those feelings. I try to enjoy
every moment of every day with them, and I look forward to
having more children.

After taking everything to the kitchen, the boys head to
their rooms to play for a while and Adagio goes to checks on
things at the restaurant. Since everyone is occupied with other
things, I decide to use the time and go through some of the
clothes Ingo and Phillip have outgrown and take them down to
Signor Giovanni. By the time I am done, I've filled two boxes
with both clothes and shoes. I can’t believe how fast they are
growing, especially Phillip. Even after keeping a few clothes
handed down from Ingo, it seems we
have to purchase new
shoes and pants for Phillip often.

Pondering this for a moment, I again feel a deep sense of
gratitude that we are able to afford to get the things we need
for our family. I often think about growing up poor and what it
was like to have to go without. I never want that for our
children. I want them to have all I never had and more, without
spoiling them, of course.

Having taped the boxes shut, I take them downstairs to
put them in the back seat of my car. Adagio returns just as I am
taking the first one out.

“Thanks. I wasn’t going to take them to the church until
later, but I just wanted to get them loaded ahead of time.” I
smile. “You know me.”

“Yes, I know you. You are the most organized person I
know.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that, but I do like to get things
done.”
“Well, thank you for always being one step ahead of me.”
“Anytime.” He snorts and kisses me. I am about to
follow him out with the second box when the phone rings.
“You go ahead and get it,” he says, “and I will come back
for that one.”
“Thank you.” I put the box down and head back into the
foyer to answer the phone.

“
Ciao!
” I am both surprised and delighted to hear from
my cousin. “How are you?”
“I’m doing great!”
Picking up on the excitement in her voice, I'm instantly
curious. “You sound like you’re doing better than great. What’s
happening?”
“Well, that’s the reason I called. I could let you try and
guess, but I’m too excited for that.”
“I can definitely tell. So what’s up?”
“I’m getting married!”
“Really? I can’t believe it! Congratulations, Velma! I’m so
happy for you.”
“Thanks. I’m so excited I can’t sit still. I feel like I’m
about to jump out of my skin.”
“I can hear it in your voice. He must be a great guy.”
“Oh, he’s the best.”
“Well, tell me about him.”
Velma sighs softly. “His name is Ted Wright and girl, he
is definitely Mr. Right.”
Shaking my head, I chuckle at the pun.
“I met him during my nanny job in Florida. We were
having lunch in the same restaurant and were sitting across
from each other. After five minutes of staring and smiling at
one another, he came over, introduced himself and asked me to
join him. He was there on vacation for a couple of weeks. We
had a great time and went out a few times after that. Then he
went back to New York. I liked him a lot, and I never expected
to see him again, but I've thought about him over the years.
Then three months ago I ran into him at a motivational
seminar downtown. Can you believe it? He was visiting a friend
here and suddenly there we were, face to face.”
“It looks like you two were destined to be together. I’m
so happy for you.”
“Oh, Cisely, I can’t wait for you and Adagio to meet him.
I know you’ll love him.”
“I’m sure we will, but of course, not as much as you do.”
Velma laughs. “Nobody will love him as much as I do.
But I guess you feel that way about your husband, too.”
I sigh dreamily. “Every second of the day and every day
of forever.”
“That definitely sounds like celestial love to me. Oh, by
the way, I have two questions for you.”
“Ask away.”
“I would love it if you and Adagio could come to the
wedding. And if you can, I was wondering if you would be my
maid of honor.”
“I'm honored that you asked me. We would be delighted
to come and I would absolutely love to be your maid of
honor.”
“Thank you so much, Cisely. You’re the only person I
wanted to ask. You have been such an example to me. I
appreciate all the support you’ve given me through the years.”
Her words make me a little teary.
I treasure the good
relationship I have with my cousin. “You're an amazing person,
Velma, and I'm grateful for your support as well. Thank you for
inviting us and for always thinking of me.”
“You’re welcome. Now we come to question number
two.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Well . . . I know it’s a lot to ask, but . . . would you
perform at my reception? It would mean so much to me if you
would.”
“I would love to,” I answer, flattered that she asked.
“Thank
you!”
Now
I know
it
will be
a
wonderful
reception. You are definitely the most talented person I know.”
“Oh, I doubt that, but thank you for the compliment
anyway.”
“I’m just speaking the truth. The wedding will be three
weeks from tomorrow. Will that be enough time for you to
prepare and get arrangements made?”
“That should be plenty. We all have valid passports and
the boys' tutor isn't scheduled to come for another couple of
months, so there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Thank you so much for doing this for me, Cisely.”
“You’re welcome. I’m just so excited for you.”
“Me too. Are you sure all of this will be okay with
Adagio?”
“I know it will. And he will be just as happy for you as I
am. There’s no way we would miss this.”
I smile as Adagio’s
arms encircle me.
“Happy about what,
amore
?” he whispers against my ear.
“It’s Velma. She’s getting married.”
“Congratulations, Velma!” he says.
She laughs. “Tell him I said thanks.”
“I will.
We’ll call you
back
as
soon
as
we
get
the
arrangements made.”
“I look forward to hearing from you. And Cisely?”
“Mmm hmm?”
“You’re the best.”
“The feeling’s mutual.
Ciao
.”
I hang up and turn in Adagio’s embrace. “I can’t believe
she is really getting married,” I say, slowly caressing his arms,
feeling the solid muscles through his shirt.
“I think it is wonderful she has found someone. She is a
special lady. I think she has some of your strength.”
“Sometimes I don’t feel very strong, but I try.” I caress
his face. “The wedding is three weeks from tomorrow. She
invited us and asked me to be her maid of honor.”
“That's great. You mean more to her than you know. It is
good that you two have each other.”
I nod, pondering the truthfulness of his words. Thinking
back on the next to nonexistent relationship we had when we
were younger, I never could have guessed she and I would be
so close now. “She means a lot to me too and I feel pretty
honored. She also asked me to perform the music at the
reception.”
Adagio's smile widens. “Even better. You know how
much I love hearing you sing.”
“I know. And I love singing for you.”
When he draws me even closer, I press my face in the
hollow of his neck, breathing in his cologne. The masculine
scent is intoxicating and always fills my senses with nothing but
him. Of course, just being with him has the same effect.
“We should be able to get everything arranged in time,
shouldn’t we?”
“If I start right now.”
He tightens his embrace. I never tire of being in his arms.
“Well, maybe you’d better get going.” Drawing back a little, I
give him a coy smile. “I’ll save your place.”
He presses a light kiss to my lips. “You promise?”
Drawing his head down, I whisper, “I promise.”

After dinner is done and everything is put away, I make
myself comfortable on the veranda and gaze out across the
land. This is my favorite place to sit and ponder things. There is
a slight breeze in the air. It carries the scent of the rose bushes I
planted a few years ago that are now in bloom. How well I
remember undertaking the project. It was the first time in my
life I’d ever planted anything, and the feeling of satisfaction I
felt after accomplishing the task was priceless.

When the roses finally began to bloom that year, I would
awaken twice a week to find a single red rose in a small vase
sitting on my bedside table. Adagio told me he wanted me to
thoroughly enjoy the fruits of my labors. When the weather
changed that year and the roses were no longer blooming,
Adagio made a trip to the flower shop once a week, bought a
half dozen roses and placed them by the bed every Monday.
And every year since then, he has continued this ritual. His love
never ceases to amaze me.

Gazing down at the roses, I again ponder my life and
how far I have come. If someone had told me ten years ago
that I would one day be living in Italy and married to a painfully
handsome Italian man, I would have considered that person
out of his or her mind. Then I probably would have offered the
person a drink to help them regain their sanity, because that
was how I always handled things back then. A drink and an
occasional drug to go with it could cure anything. Thinking
about that part of my life always makes me shudder. Back then,
I never could have fathomed living such a life now.