by Kit DeCanti
“Counseling at the retreat and the absence of stress helped Mrs. Lombardi, but finally her heart couldn’t go on, and she died in her sleep, without ever being able to tell me what the numbers meant. Or that she had hidden the wills. I had feared they were destroyed by either the attorney or Stella and Vince.”
Guido smiled at Kat, “But when you told Jack that you saw the message in the secret passage at Mare Vista and the note about the cellar and east wall, I got my hopes up. I knew Mrs. Lombardi had to have scrawled them before her stroke…” Mr. Lombardi grew quiet again.
After sighing heavily he went on, “Mrs. Lombardi was ill and she wanted to go to her homeland one more time and that is where she wanted to die- she wanted family around her. However she wasn’t able to make the trip so she sent me to bring Francesca back to be her nurse,” realizing he had repeated himself, he quickly added, “That must have been when she discovered the wills were missing from her safe. Somehow she had been able to retrieve and hide both wills and leave that note in the secret passage before her stroke… she may have scratched the one on the banister from her wheel chair… there is so much that I’ll never know for sure.”
Guido looked at the letter and documents on the table. “Well, obviously, she was able to get the wills and hide them but she had the stroke before she could tell me where. She might have felt something coming on- or perhaps was afraid her step children would get to her before I returned from Italy so she left that note in the secret passage at Mare Vista. She used to like to sit on the veranda in her wheel chair, and I suppose that’s when she scratched the note on the railing.” Guido realized he was rambling and was quiet for a moment before saying, “When she died, I wanted to avoid the legal hassles that I knew would ensue and I didn’t want to deal with Stella and Vince. So I kept it out of the newspapers and chose to just have her quietly cremated and took her ashes to her homeland to be buried, as were her wishes, and I planned to move again and try to start over.”
“By then Francesca and I were in love, with Mrs. Lombardi’s full knowledge; and approval, I might add. Francesca and I were married in Italy and while we were there, and we brought her mother back with us to Cobb Mountain.
“Mrs. Carloni looked enough like Maria that people just assumed she was her. It wasn’t really planned… we just fell into the rouse. When ever I referred to ‘my wife’ or Mrs. Lombardi, Francesca was in the room, so I could never be charged with fraud in that sense. Deception, yes- but not fraud.
“We thought we were safe for awhile at Vista Montagna, but when you showed up, Miss. Amoretti, it became clear that Stella and Vince had changed their game plan. We had no place to move to, at such short notice, and with Francesca’s mother’s ill health we were desperate.
“Dr. Fleming came to the rescue, by admitting Mrs. Carloni into the retreat and we just had everything put in storage out of the area. Francesca and I stayed at the Featherbed Railroad B & B Resort for a short time, hoping to be able to relax, however, Jack told us that he saw Vince snooping around and that’s when Dr. Fleming offered to let us to stay at the retreat as well. And believe me we all needed counseling by then!”
Guido looked at Kat and said, “When Adult Protection Services got involved, Ron knew that Stella and Vince knew or at least suspected that their step mother was dead. And if they could prove it, they could produce the bogus will, and accuse me of embezzling their father’s money, and without the original wills I’d be convicted and go to jail. Ron and Jack were doing their best to find the wills.” Guido smiled gratefully at Kat, “And with your help they did!” And then he got serious again, and asked Ron, “Were you able to get them to say why they were after Kat?”
Ron scowled as he said, “No, they aren’t saying too much yet, but I think Vince thought she was you when they chased her that night on Cobb Mountain.” And looking at Kat, he continued, “They must have thought you were on to them when you showed up at Vista Montagna on a Saturday, and so Stella tried to run you over to keep you from talking. And then when you showed up at Mare Vista they probably figured you knew where the wills were. I’m sure they will talk sooner or later; but right now, I’m just glad they are behind bars and have been denied bail.”
EPILOG
Boy Gets Girl
Guido and Francesca Lombardi saw Ron and Kat to the door. Francesca hugged Kat and kissed each of her cheeks, hugged her again and whispered something in Italian in her ear. Kat didn’t need to speak the language to know that Francesca was wishing her a happy life with Ron.
Kat took Ron’s arm as they walked to his SUV. He opened the door for her, and their eyes met. A wave of love so strong washed over both of them that they were frozen in time. They didn’t need to say a word. Their eyes were doing all the talking.
Finally Kat climbed into the vehicle and Ron reluctantly let go of her hand and walked to the driver’s side.
As he was getting in, Kat leaned over and batting her eyes, said in the familiar southern drawl of their ‘blind dates’, “Suh, ah do bahlieve mah dance card is not filled for Saturday. I have an engagement at the childrun’s museum and no one to escort little ol’ me.” She batted her eyes wildly and they both broke out into laughter.
Then Ron got back into character and said, “Why Miss Scarlet Kat, it would be my honor to escort you! What time should I pick you up?”
And so it was that Ron and Kat worked the exhibit for the children’s museum annual fund raiser. Their student assistant was Little Jimmy- who Ron had become very fond of. He had replaced his volunteering at the food kitchen which was never at a loss for volunteers with helping at the fledlging children’s museum and had taken a special interest in Little Jimmy.
Little Jimmy was in foster care. His foster mother had raised several boys successfully, but when it came to Jimmy she was way out of her league. He had been diagnosed with Hyper-activity and Turrets. His foster mother did her best to keep up with him, and to use her learned skills to redirect his energy to harmless and useful activities, but more often than not, Little Jimmy won out. Ron rescued him from getting himself into trouble more than once, and they seemed to have bonded.
When Ron and Kat were picking their wedding party it seemed natural to ask Little Jimmy to be the ring bearer.
Their chosen wedding venue was Rancho De La Fuentes. Kat had considered Crossroads Inn Time B & B and Spa. It was very beautiful and she loved it there. But she had been going there for group therapy, and although she was learning so much about her ‘self’ and how to not lose it again, she didn’t want memories of her wedding tied to her experiences at group.
Caroline, who now adored Ron for rescuing her daughter, took the lead in planning the wedding and she and Antoinette had planned a lovely pool side ceremony with Angel choreographing a wedding march fit for a Hollywood production!
Angel had also picked the video-grapher to make certain there would be enough cameras to capture the march from all angles- even from an upstairs window.
The groomsmen would escort the bridesmaids from the back porch down the stairs but as they stepped down the last step, instead of walking together each couple would cross each others path and walk single lined on opposite sides of the pool crossing paths again in front of the groom who would be awaiting his bride under a rose covered arbor, finally taking their places flanking the arbor.
As Kat’s attendants dressed upstairs in the Victorian farm house, Ron and his groomsmen dressed in one of the cottages on the property. The Videographer arranged a cell phone conversation between the bride and groom to be taped, which would be edited together later.
Kat laughed when Ron went into detail about what deliveries were on time, and what wasn’t, and how the carriage had just arrived during the taped call… “Suh!” Kat scolded in her best southern drawl, Ah do buhleive this is where you are s’posed to be romantic!” causing Ron to blush. Who knew he would be camera shy?
However later when standing under the arbor watching Kat appear on the arm of her Uncle Lenny, in a
n off shoulder white satin and tulle ball wedding gown, Ron forgot all about the cameras or people present. It was just him and his Kat- and she was finally walking into his life forever. The Videographer zoomed in to get a close up of the tears in his eyes.
After the ceremony the guests strolled to the nearby barn which was rustic in nature, but with all the amenities of a reception hall. The rustic wood beams wrapped in white tulle and tiny twinkle lights set an elegant base to which the bird of paradise flowers and gold fish in tiny bowls on each white covered round table added the perfect touch.
In one corner a pianist played softly on a white grand piano.
Near the entrance every type of cheese imaginable accompanied by bunches of grapes was stacked on a table beckoning the guests inside. On top of another table was a four foot chocolate fountain with every sort of fruit and cookie waiting to be dipped. Glasses were being filled by yet another fountain of Sparkling Lake County wine. Waiters appearing from the adjoining kitchen with endless trays of hors d’oeurvres, served the guests. While back at the farm house the bridal party and family posed for pictures.
After the photo shoot, the bride and groom were swept away in a horse drawn carriage; and the rest of the bridal party joined the guests in the barn.
Soon it was announced that the Bride and Groom were about to arrive and the carriage delivered them to their reception and the festivities began.
Suddenly before the guest’s eyes, the barn was transformed into a carnival theme when a street parade Dixieland band appeared and marched in winding its way around the tables recruiting guests along the way, while trapeze artists that had been hiding in the rafters were lowered, and began flying above the guests, who were realizing why their ’favors’ were mardi gras masks.
Mr. and Mrs. Lombardi kept their eyes on Little Jimmy providing his foster mother a much need respite. Rumors had been circulating that she was in ill health and would be retiring soon, and everyone was concerned about Little Jimmy. No one more than Kat and Ron.
Dinner was served, the cake was cut; the first, second and third dances were danced and then the DJ shouted “Let’s paaaartee!” And the two hundred guests took over the dance floor.
The bride and groom mingled together and separately among their guests; greeting and making sure everyone had plenty to eat and drink.
At dusk Ron found his bride who was giggling with some of her girlfriends, and said in his best Scottish brogue, “Excuse me, but if I may I’d like to enjoy the gloamin’ with my darlin’,” and he took Kat’s hand and placed it on his arm and escorted her out side to enjoy the lovely sunset and early evening glow.
They strolled among the pillars and statuary on the grounds, thankful for a moment alone. Or so they thought- when they turned around they found they were being taped from a distance by their highly discreet and efficient videographer. They grinned and waved, and Ron took his bride and twirled her around ending in a dip, and then kissed her against the purple blue sky back drop.
Kat and Ron were happy to have the day recorded for them. So much had transpired… so many activities and emotions had been crammed into one day that it was all a blur by now. They would be happy to be able to relive it when they returned from their honeymoon- and again on anni-versaries.
As they walked back to the barn, they were amused at the light show emitting from barn roof. The fiberglass panels that gave a soft light earlier in the afternoon now were alive with a light show dancing to the beat of the music and colored flashing lights going off inside the barn. Ron laughed and pointed at their ever vigilant videographer who was capturing even that for posterity.
Arm and arm the newlyweds returned to their guests. As the night wore down the DJ played easy rock, and the guests were at tables, sipping coffee- tired from dancing, some already had taken their leave, Kat and Ron held center stage on the dance floor- Kat’s Southern Belle gown swayed as Ron held her in his arms his feet barely moving guiding her in a tight circle as a group of teens and kids danced Indian style in a circle around them. The night was magical and full of hope and promise of the life they would have with each other. The spell was broken when an intruder tapped on Ron’s shoulder telling him “Your carriage awaits, sir!” It was time to leave and time to start life together. It was a welcome intrusion.
Kat disappeared with her mother to a near by cottage to change into her ‘going away outfit, while Uncle Lenny gave a fatherly talk to his new nephew.
Caroline Amoretti sat next to her daughter on the side of the bed, hugging and rocking her while speaking softly the words that mothers say to their daughters on their wedding night. Words full of hopes of a happy and healthy future, advice for a healthy relationship with her new husband, and asking for a promise that they won’t ever move far away.
Finally mother and daughter emerged from the cabin, and Ron helped his wife into the carriage as their guests cheered.
Caroline and Auntie dabbed their eyes while Uncle Lenny choked back tears. Angel didn’t even try to hold back the tears that were flowing down her face as she ran next to the carriage waving to her big sister. She was joined by Little Jimmy who was whooping and hollering.
Ron’s dad threw his arm around Lenny and said, “Well Lenny, this was quite a wedding!” and the two men sauntered off to do some male bonding.
The ornately decorated and well lit horse and buggy took the honeymooners by moon light to the Clearlake Park boat dock, where a small decorated house boat was waiting to deliver them to Windmill Island.
Later that night, as they sat on the balcony of their honeymoon cottage sipping Lake County sparkling wine and looking across the water at Mt. Konocti, the legend of the Konocti Caves crossed Kat’s mind- and Little Jimmy. Kat smiled up at her husband and asked, “How would you like a son?”
………………The End
