Page 82 of Where We Fall

She helps me unload the groceries when we return to my house.

“Do you want a glass of wine while I cook?” I suggest.

“Yeah, I’ll get it, though, babe.”

I let her mosey over to my wine selection while I start getting everything ready for dinner.

I put a little Dean Martin on. It’s something Ma and Pa have always had on in the background, especially while cooking in the kitchen. Now, I find his music to be a must-have when I’m cooking Italian.

He was from Ohio, a point of pride we Italians in Ohio hold onto.

I start to singOn An Evening In Romato myself as I dance around the kitchen. The times Pa would twirl and dunk Ma while Dean’s music played in the background are forever etched in my brain.

Lexi comes in, holding two glasses of wine. I grab them out of her hand and place them on the counter.

“What’re you doing?” she asks.

“This,” I reply as I take her into my arms and dance.

I take the lead, moving forward and backward in circles in the kitchen while singing to her. She laughs as my moves get more daring, twirling her a couple of times and then bringing her back into my arms.

“Though there's grinning and mandolining in sunny Italy. The beginning has just begun when the sun goes down,” I sing.

“What’s happening right now?” she laughs.

“I’m just serenading Mia Bella while cooking. You have a problem with that?”

I twirl her again, then take her by surprise when I dip her. She screams and laughs at the same time.

“You are wild.”

“What? You don’t like it?” I tease.

“I love it.”

The song switches toYou’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You.It’s a slower song, so I grab her hand and wrap an arm around her waist. She rests her head on my chest as we sway back and forth together.

The lyrics make me think about all the years I’ve been single. How I never realized the little meaning they held compared to what it feels like is happening right now.

When the song ends, we pull apart from each other. I softly kiss her lips.

“Thanks for the dance,” I say, then bow. “Now, I shall get back to cooking.”

She takes a seat at the island with her wine, smiling. I love knowing I'm the reason it's there.

We drink our wine, laughing and talking while I continue to cook.

It feels like nothing can bring me down in life.

Then her phone rings and everything changes.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lexi

MyphoneringswhileMarcus is busy cooking. I want to ignore it. Whatever it is, it can wait.

Then, I steal a glance at the screen and see that it’s the assisted living center.

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