It Had To Be You

  When we finished eating, Bonnie Sue reached for her napkin and dabbed her lips, then extended her hand in Sal’s direction. He took a final bite of ham, then pushed his chair back.

  D.J.’s dad rose and followed them to the front door, looking back at all of us with a panicked expression on his face. I wasn’t sure if he was worried they might wreck his new toy or, as Bonnie Sue had suggested, ride off into the sunset, never to return again. Regardless, I wanted to witness it firsthand.

  “Can we watch?” I whispered to D.J.

  “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  Minutes later, the whole group was standing on the front porch, watching as Bonnie Sue—all two-hundred-plus pounds of her—took her seat on the four-wheeler, with Sal taking the spot behind her. Well, what was left of the spot behind her, anyway. They made quite a pair, no doubt about that. Dwayne Sr. gave them a few instructions, and they shot off down the driveway, headed for the clearing beyond the house.

  “Do you think we’ll ever see them again?” Mama asked, her brow wrinkled.

  “Heavens, yes,” Twila said, dismissing that idea with a wave of her hand. “We haven’t had dessert yet, you know. There’s pecan pie inside this house. Bonnie Sue never could pass up pecan pie, even for a man.”

  At this revelation, we all breathed a sigh of relief and headed back indoors. Earline started a pot of coffee and sliced up the pies. I took a sampling of two kinds—pecan and chocolate. Then D.J. and I retreated to the living room, where everyone had congregated.

  Twila settled onto the sofa with Terrell at her side. They held hands, gazing at each other periodically with sparks exuding. I’d seen her happy before, of course—the woman radiated joy—but the expression on her face today was different than in days past. She had that “I’ve been bitten by the love bug and I’m under its spell” look. Terrell had the same expression on his face.

  “Oh, Bella!” She looked my way with passion in her eyes. “I still can’t believe Terrell and I are getting married. Isn’t it the most glorious news in the world?”

  “Well, of course. Falling in love is wonderful.”

  “If anyone knows that, you do.” She offered a wink. “Now look, honey, we’re planning to get married at our own church. Pastor Higley would never forgive me if I up and married anyplace else. And we’ll have a little reception in the fellowship hall too. But Terrell and I were thinking of taking a cruise for our honeymoon, so we’d be heading down to Galveston the morning after the wedding, anyway. He came up with this idea that we could have a glorious reception at your wedding facility on that day.”

  “W-what day?”

  “Well, the cruise leaves on January 18 at five o’clock. Now, that’s a Sunday, I know. But we’re not asking folks to leave their church service or anything. We’re thinking a one o’clock party, lasting only a couple of hours. Sort of a bon voyage as we head off on our way.”

  “But … January 18?” Did she not realize I was getting married on February 14? That I hadn’t finished my own plans yet?

  “We picked that day because Rosa and Laz will be back by then,” she said. “I want Rosa to celebrate with me.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m going to be her maid of honor,” Jolene bragged. “But don’t tell Bonnie Sue. She gets jealous.”

  “I heard that, Jolene,” Bonnie Sue said, entering the front door. “And just so you know, I’m not jealous. Not at all.” She looked at me with a brusque nod. “We drew straws. It was the only fair thing to do.”

  “Yes, how could I choose just one?” Twila asked.

  At this point in the conversation, I took note of Sal, who came through the front door on Bonnie Sue’s heels. His hair stood atop his head and his cheeks blazed red. Talk about windblown.

  “Well?” Pop asked.

  “It was different,” Sal said, hobbling across the room in a bowlegged sort of way. “I’m not sure certain parts of me are going to recover.” He rubbed his backside, then gingerly took a seat in the recliner. We all laughed, but he seemed to take our reaction in stride.

  “Welcome to Texas, Uncle Sallie,” I said with a wink. “You’ve been initiated. And on Christmas Day, no less.”

  “Yep. Initiated.” He nodded, a look of pain on his face. “That’s the word I was looking for.”

  Earline handed him a cup of coffee, and he took a sip and leaned back with a contented look on his face.

  Before long, he and Bonnie Sue were eating pecan pie and talking about their adventures in the piney woods on the four-wheeler. I listened with a smile, convinced God was up to something here, though I couldn’t be sure what. When we finished our pie, Earline announced the time had come to open presents. I’d been looking forward to this all day. I had purchased the perfect gift for D.J.—an expensive pair of Lanciotti boots. I could hardly wait to see the look on his face when he opened the package.

  He insisted I open his gift first, though. When I peeled back the paper on the small box, I found a key inside.

  “What is this?” I asked.

  “The key to our house, of course. I figured it was about time you had one of your own.”

  “Does that mean … I can see it?”

  “In a few weeks. Maybe a month or so. I’m going to have to ask you to keep trusting me till then.” After a moment’s pause, he added, “I want you to know I’ve been working hard to make that house our home, Bella,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me, but don’t you worry about that. Sometimes all the hard work is truly worth it.”

  “Yes, it is.” I leaned over and gave him a kiss, and he grinned.

  He walked back over to the tree, reaching down for another small box. “But just so you know, that’s not the only present. I thought you might like these too.” He handed me the box, which I opened at once. I found the prettiest diamond earrings inside. Real show-stoppers, shaped like teardrops.

  “Wow.” It was really the only word that would do. They took my breath away.

  “Look, Bella!” Sophia said, her eyes wide. “I don’t believe it! That’s a Tiffany’s box!”

  Sure enough, the earrings were from Tiffany’s. I looked at D.J., perplexed. “How did you know?”

  He looked confused. “Know what?”

  “To order them from Tiffany’s?”

  He shrugged. “Actually, I bought them online. Ordered them from the store after they sent an ad to my email. Didn’t realize the store had some special significance.”

  “Well, of course it does!” Sophia went into a lengthy story about her wedding plans, and I shook my head. Seemed no matter how hard I tried to avoid thinking about all of these other weddings, they followed me.

  Still, I wouldn’t let it bother me. Not today. It was Christmas, after all. A day for giving.

  And receiving.

  I looked at the tiny key, realizing its significance. In a sense, I was holding the future in my hand. Mine and D.J.’s. Somehow, knowing that made all of Sophia’s ramblings worthwhile.

  Now, if only I could get this strange sensation in my chest to pass, I would be just fine.

  24

  As Time Goes By

  On January 16—just two days after D.J. and his crew put the finishing touches on the new suite—Rosa and Laz arrived home from Italy. Mama and I had worked overtime in the week leading up to their arrival, shopping for furniture and buying artwork. Everything in the room screamed Italy, right down to the terra-cotta color on the walls. We’d gone with a true Mediterranean theme, making most of our purchases from a well-known furniture shop in Houston. I had enjoyed picking out the furniture with my mother. Doing so had filled my head with all sorts of ideas for my own home. The one I hadn’t seen yet.

  When Pop pulled up to the house with Rosa and Laz in the car, my heart leaped for joy. Then again, my heart had been leaping a lot lately, and not just out of joy. I’d developed an erratic heartbeat, one that kept me awake at night and scared the daylights out of me at times. I would’ve talked to Mama about it, or even D.J.,
but they were both so busy, I hated to bother them.

  I took a few deep breaths and willed my heart to slow down. Then, with a smile on my face, I greeted my aunt and uncle. I could hardly believe the transformation in Rosa. It wasn’t just the broad smile on her face or her tan. She’d been shopping. And had her hair done. I’d never seen her look so young—or fashionable.

  “Rosa, you look amazing!” Sophia said with a smile. “I love the outfit.”

  “Thank you.” Rosa blushed. “Turns out I like to shop. Who knew?”

  After greeting us all with kisses, she went at once to her kitchen, gushing over how much she had missed it during their month away. “Laz bought me the most amazing set of pots and pans,” she said. “We brought them on the plane. I hope they’re not damaged.”

  She talked at length about their many purchases—everything from clothes to shoes to kitchenware—but pointed down at her feet for the best purchase of all. “Look, Bella! Cowboy boots!”

  I had to laugh. Of all the things to buy in Italy. Only after a second glance did I realize what I was looking at. Lanciotti’s. I let out a slow whistle, admiring the beautiful boots with their exquisite detailed work. If anyone deserved them, Rosa did. Laz entered the kitchen with the box of pots and pans, which he put on the counter. Then he lifted his pants leg, showing off his own Lanciotti’s.

  “Christmas presents,” he explained. “We couldn’t resist.”

  “I don’t blame you! I bought some for D.J. as a Christmas gift too.”

  This started a lengthy conversation about Christmas at the double-wide, which led to the story of Sal riding the fourwheeler, which led to the crux of the matter—Sal’s decision to stay in Texas. The minute he heard the news, Laz let out a whoop. “Praise the Lord! God is really at work here. I can feel it.”

  “Well, he’s at work, all right,” Mama said. “There’s a little romance blooming between Sal and Bonnie Sue. We’re praying that one through, though. Don’t want to see her matched up with someone who doesn’t know the Lord.”

  “We’ll see what he does,” Laz said with a nod. “You never know.”

  “He’s in the miracle-working business, you know,” Rosa added. She looked at Laz and winked. “We’re proof of that, I guess.”

  “Well, speaking of miracles, are you ready to see your new room?” Mama clasped her hands together at her chest, ready to get on with this.

  When Rosa and Laz nodded, we led them upstairs to see their new suite. Now, granted, they knew we’d been working on their room. But they had no idea how much space they had or that my parents had sprung for all new furnishings. So I anticipated quite a few tears.

  What I got, however, was a gusher. Rosa stood in the doorway of her new space and wailed like a baby. Even Laz teared up, though he didn’t speak a word. I had a feeling it would be some time before he could formulate words.

  Rosa took a few ginger steps into her new room, not saying a word as she made her way from the bed to the tall chest of drawers with its magnificent mirror. She ran her hand along the painted walls and stood in front of the painting of her beloved Napoli, shaking her head. I had a feeling it was a good shaking, not a bad one.

  “This is my home,” she whispered at last. “I’ve come home.” She turned to face us with tears streaming. “Don’t misunderstand me. I loved visiting Italy. It felt wonderful to go back to the place where I grew up. But Galveston Island is my home. The people I love are here. I wouldn’t trade this for anything—or anyplace—in the world.”

  Mama, Sophia, and I rushed her way, ending up in a holy huddle, as Pop was prone to call it. At this point— probably sensing an estrogen overload—the men headed off to Armando’s room to look at the original drawings. Not that we minded. Rosa gestured to her new bed, and she, Mama, Sophia, and I climbed aboard for some serious girl time. Sophia held out her hand to show off her engagement ring, which got a whistle from Rosa. She gave Sophia a hug and whispered, “You two are going to be so happy, sweet girl.”

  “I can’t wait.” Sophia’s cheeks turned pink. “It’s all so wonderful.”

  “So, catch me up,” Rosa said, turning my way. “I heard through the grapevine that everyone in the state of Texas got engaged on our wedding night. Who all’s getting married, and in what order?”

  “Twila and Terrell are first. Day after tomorrow.” I smiled. “Then D.J. and me. Then Sophia and Tony. That leaves Joey and Norah, Lilly and Gordy, and …” I squinted, deep in thought. “Who else? Oh yeah—Bubba and Jenna. They’re renewing their vows.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Not sure I got those last few in order, to be honest. I’ll have to check my calendar.”

  “Can’t blame you there,” Rosa said with a shake of her head. “I guess I’d better write all of this down. How many of these weddings am I baking cakes for?”

  I gave her a knowing look, and she nodded. “Aha. I see. Including the one in two days?”

  “Well, that one’s up in the air. Twila knows you’re just getting back in town, so she has a bakery on speed dial, just in case.”

  “A bakery?” Rosa looked horrified at that suggestion. “We will have no bakery cakes at Club Wed. Not for a friend’s wedding, anyway. I will call her this afternoon and get to work.”

  “Speaking of cakes …” Sophia’s eyes sparkled, and she clutched Rosa’s hand. “Wait till you hear my plan for our Tiffany’s-themed cake. Each level is going to look like a present, Rosa. A gift box. Can you do that?”

  “Well, sure. I’m getting pretty good with fondant, and I have square baking pans.”

  “It’s going to be glorious,” Sophia said. “Oh, I just know you’ll make it so pretty, Rosa. You’re the best!”

  Sophia lit into a conversation about the design of her cake, which led to a conversation about the food at her and Tony’s wedding, which led to a lengthy dissertation about the need for better serving utensils. While I found all of this enlightening, I had other things to take care of. At the appropriate moment, I dismissed myself and headed next door.

  As I made my way across the lawn, I dealt with that same strange sensation in my chest. It wasn’t pain, really. More of a gripping feeling followed by an erratic heartbeat. Though I did my best to dismiss it, it would not be dismissed. So I worked around it. Spent a lot of time praying through it. Surely God was big enough to handle a little erratic heartbeat, right?

  That evening my symptoms intensified, and by the time I awoke the next morning, I felt a little breathless. Still, I pushed things off. Who had time to fret over the physical right now?

  I had a wedding reception to coordinate! And hopefully, once Twila and Terrell boarded the cruise ship afterward, I could get back to planning for my own big day.

  The morning of January 18 dawned cold and clear. After attending the morning service at church, Mama and Rosa worked with me to prepare the reception hall for Twila’s reception.

  “What did you think of that ceremony up in Splendora last night?” Mama asked.

  I couldn’t help but smile as I reflected on Twila’s emotional wedding. “I thought it was beautiful. It was so sweet to see all of the tears from the bride and groom. And didn’t you think the ladies did a fabulous job with that trio?”

  “No kidding.” Mama nodded. “The audience was speechless.”

  “I talked them into repeating the song today,” I said. “Just had to hear it one more time.”

  “You know, Bella,” Rosa interjected, “I really love those ladies. I find it interesting since we’re all so different.”

  “Yes, I know what you mean. I’ve thought about that a lot over the past few months. God has really broadened our family circle, physically and culturally.”

  “I love Twila’s beauty secrets,” Mama said, showing off her soft hands and silky smooth elbows.

  “And I love Earline’s chicken-fried steak,” Rosa said. “Might have to learn to make it myself.”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I love cowboys.” I giggled at this confess
ion. “And cowboy boots.” I lifted the hem of my pants and showed off my latest pair.

  “We’re just a bunch of Tex-Italians, I guess.” Rosa nodded. “It’s about time. Only took us sixteen years to make the jump.”

  Her words led to a conversation about how we’d all come to live in Texas, which led to a bittersweet talk about family members who had walked the road before us. As Rosa and Mama talked about their parents, I listened closely. As much as I hated to see the passage of time, I knew there would come a day—hopefully years and years from now—when Sophia and I might gather in a room just like this one to talk about the good old days, the days when our family members were gathered around us and we felt sure that life as we knew it would go on forever.

  Blinking away tears, I decided not to let my mind go there. Not today, anyway. No, today I had an incoming bride. And caring for her needs was all that mattered. Tomorrow I could think about other things.

  The next several hours passed in a blur. The reception hall filled with friends from both Splendora and Galveston, and though the event was simple—no band, no over-the-top decor—everyone in attendance had a lovely time. Twila looked glorious in her soft pink dress and heels. And as she and Terrell danced to a familiar country tune, I felt that same lurching in my heart. Maybe I was just emotional. I had a lot to be happy about. And now that this wedding was behind me, I could truly focus on the one that mattered most—my own.

  25

  Always in My Heart

  I somehow made it through the end of January, though my workload increased daily. Finding myself overwhelmed more often than not wasn’t unusual. Still, I convinced myself it would all be worth it once Valentine’s Day approached. On that wonderful Saturday night, D.J. and I would link hands and hearts.

  If I made it that long. Every day I grew more exhausted and frazzled than the day before, and though I loved my sister, she was getting on my last nerve. Who had thought bunking together would be a good idea? I never had a moment to myself, never got to talk about my wedding without the discussion shifting to hers. Still, I did my best to plaster on a smile and keep going—for all of our sakes.