Bella Fortuna

by Rosanna Chiofalo

  “I added a little extra vodka to this one.”

  I don’t even give my usual fight when he makes my drinks too strong. I’ve never been much of a drinker. But he’s right. My nerves are starting to feel less shaky.

  “I’m sorry, Aldo. I didn’t mean to just completely lose it.”

  “Vee! Your fiancé just broke things off with you. Did he? Or was it you?”

  I give him an exasperated look. “Would I be such a wreck if I was the one who ended it?”

  “Sorry! Sorry! I just didn’t want to assume anything since I don’t know the details yet. Anyway, your engagement is off. You have every right to have a nervous breakdown! I mean, don’t have one! But you know what I mean. I’m sorry. I’m not being very helpful right now, am I? I’m just still so shocked myself.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “So you didn’t see this coming at all?”

  “No.”

  I stop to blow my nose as the tears come back.

  “I thought everything was fine.”

  “Well, what about earlier today at the shop? I know you said you’d come down with a case of the ‘Bridal Blues,’ but I sensed there was more.”

  “I guess I did notice Michael had been distancing himself a bit from me the past month or so. But I thought I was just being paranoid, and I knew how busy he’d been at work since he got that big promotion. And I’ve been so busy at the shop and planning this stupid big wedding. I was neglecting him. I’ve even neglected you, and I’m sorry for that, Aldo. We haven’t hung out as much since I got engaged. I shouldn’t have let my wedding planning swallow me up.”

  “Vee, I didn’t feel neglected by you. Please! This is what happens when people get engaged. Plus, you were making your own dress on top of all the demands from work. And I don’t think you were neglecting Michael.”

  “I should’ve made more time for him. I should’ve insisted we see each other during the week in addition to the weekends.”

  “Stop it! You’re playing the blame game. You’re not the one who broke the contract. He did.”

  “Well, there was no contract. We didn’t get to the marriage.”

  “He made a promise to you, Valentina, when he gave you that ring. Where is it, anyway? You didn’t give it back to him, did you?”

  “I forgot to, but I will. I can’t keep it.”

  “Of course, you can. Think of it as payment for damages rendered. You can sell the ring, not that it’s going to cover all of your wedding-related deposits.”

  I hadn’t even thought of the financial repercussions of Michael’s decision. But then I remembered how he said he would take care of the house. But still, we both put money into the deposits. He was losing just as much as me.

  “I can’t keep the ring, Aldo. I won’t. It’s not the right thing to do.”

  “And breaking off an engagement one month before the wedding date is the right thing? Screw him! Stupid pig! Now, that’s what I call true guinea trash. No class at all. He acts like he’s got it, but I always knew he was nothing more than a wannabe.”

  Though I’m furious with Michael, I can’t agree with Aldo’s assessment of him as guinea trash.

  “So what did he say? Why the sudden cold feet?”

  “He just said he couldn’t go through with the wedding anymore. He said he doesn’t want to get married. I asked him if there was someone else. He swore there isn’t, but I don’t believe the only reason he ended it with me is because he doesn’t want to get married.”

  “You’re probably right, but who knows? Maybe he did realize he’s not the marrying kind. But did he ask you how you would feel if you didn’t get married but continued to be in a relationship?”

  “No. He knows I’m old-fashioned and want the commitment. And how would he face my mother after making an arrangement like that? My mother would just as good as disown me.”

  “You underestimate your mom, Vee. I know she’s from the Old World, but still. She loves you. If it made you happy to just be with Michael and not make it official, she’d be happy for you even if she was a little disappointed that you weren’t tying the knot.”

  “Well, that wouldn’t be good enough for me. I’ve dreamed about this day since I was a kid. What little girl hasn’t? I want to have children. I’m not going to have children with a man who can’t even commit to marriage.”

  “True. I didn’t think of that.”

  “He told me he was doing this for me as much as he was doing this for him.”

  “Uh-huh. And I’m Brad fuckin’ Pitt.”

  “I know. He’s full of it. I told him I didn’t believe him. I can’t believe I forgot to give him the ring back. Now I’m going to have to face him again. It’s not like I can mail it.”

  “I would. But if you insist that he get the ring in person, I can return it.”

  “Thank you, Aldo.”

  I start crying again just at the thought of Aldo’s gesture. I can’t stop crying.

  “Just let it all out.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

  “Listen to me, Valentina DeLuca. This hurts like hell and will keep hurting like hell for some time. I’m not going to deny that. But you will get over this and that piece of guinea trash. I promise. And unlike that swine, I keep my promises.”

  “I hope you’re right. I just can’t see not having Michael in my life anymore. I’ve known him my whole life. But I can’t even imagine ever being civil toward him or friends after the way he broke my heart.”

  “Don’t worry about that. Just think about yourself. Lean on your family and me. We’re here for you.”

  “My family! This is going to kill them, especially my mother. That’s why I came here. I couldn’t go home just yet and face them like this. I’m so embarrassed.”

  “What? He’s the one who should be embarrassed. You’ve done nothing wrong. You hear me?”

  “I know, but I can’t help feeling like that. All those people who gave us gifts at the shower and others who have been sending gifts. And I just can’t help but feel like I somehow have let my mother down.”

  “First of all, the shower gifts you’ll return so there won’t be any guilt involved there. And your friends will understand. He’s the one who is the villain here. If I were Michael, I’d hightail it back to Germany. He’s going to get the worst looks from everyone in the neighborhood. You think Beady Eyes have a staring problem now? Wait till they hear what he did to you.”

  I laugh. Suddenly, I remember how coldly Antoniella acted toward him that night five months ago when we were having dessert at the bakery.

  “I think the Hunchback had his number all along. She even subtly tried to warn me.”

  “I’m not surprised. People think they’re getting what they see with that old woman—a crotchety, cheap woman who only cares about her business and money. But I’ve always known there’s more to her than meets the eye. In fact, I think she’s just become my hero.”

  I shake my head and laugh.

  “You can always make me laugh even after my world’s just come crashing down.”

  “That’s what good friends are for.”

  “I hate to ask you for another favor, Aldo, after the way I barged in on you tonight. But would it be okay if I spent the night here? I just want one night to myself before I have to tell my family.”

  “Of course you can stay here. You don’t even have to ask. I have an idea. Why don’t you let me break the news to your family?”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that. It’s my responsibility to tell them.”

  “You take on too much, Vee. Please. Let me do this. I want to do this for you. Also, it would give your family the night to process the news. You’ll all be stronger this way when you see each other tomorrow.”

  His reasoning on this last point does make sense. It would be better for both my family and me. I can already feel the heavy burden of having to break the news to them lift off my chest.

  “Okay, you can tell th
em.”

  “It’s decided then. You can sleep in my bed.”

  I’m about to tell Aldo I’ll take the couch when he stops me with his hand. I nod my head.

  “I think I’ll go to bed now.”

  “Yes, you do that. I’ll put out some clean towels in the bathroom for you, and then I’ll call Rita. I think it’s better if she tells your mother.”

  “Yes, you’re absolutely right. Thank you again, Aldo. Have I ever told you that you’re the best friend in the universe?”

  “No, actually. I don’t think you have.”

  I walk over to Aldo and kiss him on the cheek.

  After washing up and slipping into Aldo’s enormous king-size bed, I don’t feel as sleepy as I did a few moments ago. I can just barely make out Aldo’s voice. He must’ve gotten through to Rita. I’m grateful he’s talking so low because hearing someone else say my engagement is broken will make it all the more real for me. Then again, all I need to do is look at my bare finger to know this isn’t a bad dream. As I drift off to sleep, my thoughts return to my perfect wedding dress—a dress that no one will see now.

  13

  Bridezillas Unleashed

  A month has passed since Michael broke off our engagement. I’ve been in a daze, mostly staying home and not doing much of anything. I haven’t been to Sposa Rosa since the day Michael ended it. The thought of being surrounded by wedding dresses and happy brides-to-be is just too much to bear. But I can’t stay cooped up any longer. This is my life: making wedding gowns and making other women’s dreams come true.

  On Saturday mornings, the DeLuca custom is to have breakfast together. As I make my way downstairs, I can smell Ma’s special cinnamon French toast, as she likes to call it. You won’t find better French toast anywhere. Her secret is adding a few drops of pure vanilla extract and adding enough eggs so that the bread has an extra-thick coating of batter.

  “Hey, Ma.”

  “Oh! Valentina, you scared me. I didn’t hear you coming down.”

  Ma is working at her usual frenetic pace. The woman does nothing slowly. She’s flipping the French toast with one hand while the other is dunking a slice of challah bread into the egg batter to replace the slice that’s just been removed from the skillet.

  Rita is at the table, sipping coffee and sketching a new purse design. I fill my own mug with coffee and sit down next to my sister.

  No sooner have I sat down than Ma plops a plate of French toast in front of me. Of course there are too many slices of toast on the plate.

  “You gave me too much, Ma. I’m just having one slice.”

  “Valentina, you’ve lost too much weight. You’re going to get sick. Eat at least two slices.”

  Ma looks at me as if I’m going to break her heart if I don’t do as she says. With the guilt I’ve been feeling over my failed wedding plans, I’ve done whatever she’s asked of me lately, which hasn’t been much, but still.

  “Okay. I’ll try to eat two slices.”

  “That’s my girl!”

  Ma smiles. She’s been so strong for me this past month. I haven’t seen her cry once since the end of my engagement. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t shed any tears in private.

  I woke up one night at three in the morning. I haven’t been able to sleep throughout the night lately. On my way to the bathroom, I heard Ma’s soft cries in her bedroom. Her door was just slightly ajar, allowing me a peek. She was holding her favorite photo of me. It was a photo taken on the night of my high school senior prom. She’d outdone herself with the dress she’d sewn for me. It was a one-shouldered violet dress made out of taffeta. The shoulder strap had little rosettes with sparkling crystals at the center of each rosette. A skinny belt surrounded the waist of the dress. Two glittering combs adorned with crystal rhinestones swept my hair to one side, allowing the long strands to drape over my bare shoulder.

  Michael had agreed to be my prom date. We weren’t dating yet, but our friendship had deepened in the year since my father’s death. He had made good on his promise to e-mail me while he was away at Cornell, and he even called me a few times. Whenever he came home for the holidays, we hung out together. Often it was in a group setting with friends of ours. Though I had secretly wished we were dating already, his friendship had meant the world to me in those days and helped me move on after losing my father. I wasn’t dating anyone at the time, and no one had asked me to the prom. So I’d worked up the courage to ask Michael to escort me.

  He was in the photo, too. His pale gray suit complemented my violet dress perfectly. I liked it that he was wearing a suit as opposed to the tuxedoes all the other guys wore to the prom. He stood out amid the sea of tux-clad penguins. He’d given me a wrist corsage of cream-colored and violet roses. I couldn’t believe he’d found violet roses. They weren’t a common sight at florist shops.

  I was surprised Ma still had this photo, because I hadn’t seen it displayed on her dresser since Michael broke up with me. I’d assumed she probably tore it up or at least would’ve cut Michael out of the photo. She was known for cutting out boys my sisters and I had dated.

  “I don’t want any reminders of those clowns,” she’d say when we’d catch her in the act of snipping yet another guy out of a photo. Ma had loved Michael as if he were the son she’d never had. I guess she wasn’t ready to cut him out just yet even though he’d hurt her daughter more than any of my other ex-boyfriends or my sisters’ exes had.

  “That smell of French toast woke me up. I’m famished.”

  Connie limps into the kitchen in her silky boy shorts and matching camisole. Her hair looks like a tornado has just whipped through it.

  “Rough night?” Rita asks.

  “Lou and I went dancing. I don’t think I’ve ever danced that much.”

  It’s out of the bag that Connie and Rita are dating the Broccoli Brothers. I don’t even know why they were ever keeping it from Ma. Since they’re from the neighborhood, it was only a matter of time before one of our nosy neighbors broke the news to Ma. And that’s exactly what happened. Of course, it was the Mayor of 35th Street who spilled the beans to my mother as he spotted her outside of Top Tomato while she was picking her weekly produce.

  “Ciao, Signora DeLuca!”

  “Buon giorno, Paulie. Com’é sta?”

  “Eh . . . mezza mezza. How are the vegetables looking today?”

  “Not bad. Look at these beautiful, shiny eggplants. And they’re on sale. I’m getting a few. My daughters love eggplant rollatini.”

  “Be sure to pick up some extra broccoli rabe. Your daughters like that, too, from what I hear.”

  Ma frowned. “What are you talking about? Only Valentina likes broccoli rabe. Rita and Connie think it’s too bitter even though I know how to cook it to cut down on the bitterness.”

  “Oh, really? They don’t like broccoli rabe? That’s funny considering they’re dating the Broccoli Brothers.” Ma’s eyes opened wide, but she quickly disguised her surprise and said, “They’re good boys.”

  She went back to sorting out her eggplants, squeezing each one to test its ripeness.

  “Yeah, I suppose. That Lou Rabe has a bit of a wild streak, riding that motorcycle.”

  Ma shrugged her shoulders, refusing to give Paulie any validation.

  “It’s no crime to ride a motorcycle. Well, if you will excuse me, Paulie, I’m ready to go in and pay. Buon giorno.”

  “Buon giorno, Signora DeLuca.”

  When Ma got home that night she scolded Rita and Connie for not telling her about the Broccoli Brothers.

  “I had to find out from Paulie, of all people! I hope he didn’t notice that I had no idea my own daughters were dating the Rabe boys. He takes such pleasure out of knowing other people’s business. And then I have to hear his stupid, rude jokes. Disgraziato!”

  Although Ma was upset that Rita and Connie yet again hadn’t confided in her, she didn’t give them any grief about dating the Broccoli Brothers. I always thought she’d go through the roof over
Connie dating Lou since he’s a bit of a rebel. Maybe it was because Ma found out a week after my engagement was called off. She didn’t have the energy for the battle.

  “When are you going to invite those boys over for dinner? It’s about time I get to know them better. You have been seeing them now for several months, correct?”

  Rita and Connie exchange glances.

  Before they can think of an excuse to get out of bringing their boyfriends home for dinner, Ma quickly adds, “Why don’t you ask them if they’re free next weekend? They can come over for Sunday dinner.”

  “Ahhh, sure. I guess so,” Rita says. She knows better than to say anything else, as does Connie.

  I decide this is a good time to make my announcement.

  “I’m going to the shop today.”

  “What?” Rita and Connie cry out in unison.

  “That’s okay, Valentina. We have everything under control. Just relax. Why don’t you go outside and enjoy the day? It’s going to be beautiful. Maybe Aldo is free. The two of you can go to a museum. You haven’t done that in a long time.”

  Ma is talking so fast.

  “I’m okay, Ma. It’s time for me to get back to work. I’ve been away for three weeks. I know you guys are swamped. It’ll be good for me. I need to keep busy.”

  “I agree, Vee. You do need to do more than just hang out inside the house like you’ve been doing. But why don’t you go out with Aldo like Ma suggested. Or even go shopping. You can distract yourself with other things besides work.”

  It’s hard to take Connie seriously with her disheveled hair and smudged mascara, which she hadn’t even bothered removing the night before. She presses a napkin to her forehead and examines it for grease.

  “I know you guys are just trying to protect me. But I’m a grown girl. It’s time I get back to work. I’ll be okay. For that matter, you can all stop walking on eggshells around me.”

  “Vee, I’m going to be blunt with you, since Ma and Connie are too afraid to do so. It’s too soon for you to be back at the shop—and this week, no less. You were supposed to be in Venice right now making the final arrangements for your wedding next Saturday. How can you even think about going back to work, where you’ll be bombarded with wedding reminders?”