I looked back at her father, and he looked as if he was about to cry.
“Ah, did I say something wrong?” I asked, worried there was some Italian wedding rule I wasn’t aware of, and I’d just insulted or offended her parents. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, wishing I had just used Google Translate. But I didn’t trust it, so I wanted to go to the source.
Mr. Valenti cleared his throat and shook his head. “No, no, Michael. You didn’t say anything wrong. I think you just surprised us.” He looked at his wife, who had closed her mouth and sat staring at the rug. “It’s a beautiful gesture. One I think Ren will love and treasure.”
I smiled widely and pretended to wipe my brow. “You had me worried there. It is too important to trust a computer program, so I thought of you. Didn’t want to accidentally compare her to a goat or something,” I said, making him laugh loudly. Mrs. Valenti didn’t even smile.
Tough room.
“Tell me what you had in mind, and I can help you with the translation,” he said warmly, his posture relaxed. “If you have it written down, I could write it out for you.”
“I didn’t write it, but I have it memorized.” That made him smile wider.
“Okay, then. Let’s hear it.”
I side-eyed Mrs. Valenti, praying she didn’t make any more remarks.
Looking back at him, I started. “Ah, I want to say, Ren, when I look into your beautiful eyes, I see forever.” I swallowed loudly and continued. “So I vow to walk beside you and be your champion. Today, I give you my heart, my life. Everything I have is yours, now and forever.”
I cleared my throat, the words stirring my emotions. I saw Mrs. Valenti stand and walk to the back of the house without a word. Her husband watched her, pain in his eyes, and continued looking in the direction she’d gone.
Ren had told me her mother was disappointed when love didn’t follow after they married, but it looked like her father was at least trying now. Maybe it was just too late. Remembering Ren’s concerns about her own feelings made me realize I’d have to double down on winning her. If Mr. Valenti waited too long to show his wife he loved her, I wasn’t going to let that happen to us.
Slowly turning back to me, he said, “That’s beautiful. I’d be honored to help you with it.”
“Thank you so much, sir. I just have one request. Please call me Mike,” I said, smiling at him.
He put his hand on my shoulder. “Then call me Paolo, son.”
The morningof the wedding arrived with an unexpected phone call. When I reached for my phone, it was a video call from anunknown foreign number, and my heart raced, praying it was my parents and not some stranger telling me something had happened to them.
When my mom’s worried face came into view, I sighed in relief. “Mom, I’m so glad you’re alright and that you got my message. So much has happened,” I said, suddenly feeling like a kid again, one who needed his parents with him on such an important day, not to mention help with Grammy’s care. I’d gotten so used to them not being in my everyday life that I’d pushed back the disappointment of them missing my wedding day. We exchanged video calls as often as possible, except for when they were in the remote parts of Africa.
“Mike, oh my goodness, I’m so glad the call went through. The weather was horrible for over a week, then it took this long to get back to our base camp,” she said, holding back tears. “Please don’t tell me?—”
I shook my head quickly. “No, Mom, Grammy is still with us.” I heard her sob of relief, and my father’s face came on the screen. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until that moment. The last time they’d been home was over six months ago, the longest they’d been gone to date. They were due home in about a month to run their annual fundraising campaign.
“She had a heart attack,” I said roughly, the truth still painful. “Apparently, she’s known about her heart condition for a few months and kept it from me. I met her cardiologist, and he said even with the congestive heart failure, with lifestyle changes and medication, she could live for several more years.” Mom had covered her mouth with her trembling hand.
“Mike, I’msosorry you had to face that alone,” my mother cried, through tears as my father held her close. Her long hair was in her usual bun, and Dad looked like he needed a haircut badly. Dirt streaked their faces, and they looked exhausted.
“I’m just glad I was here for her. It’s been a couple of weeks, and she has everything she needs at Willowgrove, even though I offered to bring her to my house. She’s doing much better. She’s on a new medication that’s working well. Um, also, there’s something else I need to tell you. If you still have internet later today, we can call you again. She’ll be here for, well, for my wedding.” I said it quickly, hoping the speed would ease the shock of the news.
“I’m sorry, son, the connection must be bad. It sounded like you said yourwedding,” my father said, squinting like he always did on these infrequent calls. He needed glasses but refused to get them.
Sitting up in bed and pushing my hand through my wild bedhead, I said, “That’s exactly what I said, Dad. It’s a long story, but I’ve met a woman. Her name is Renata Valenti. She’s from Italy, and she’s amazing, beautiful, so smart and is a believer. I met her on a video call with Vicky months ago, and I think I fell in love with her instantly. She came to visit and once I got to know her, there was no way I was letting her go. Ren is the woman I want to spend my life with.”
My voice was calm, and I chuckled as I spoke, my parents’ faces still confused as they looked at each other, then at me. They were gone so often, they barely knew my friends other than Niko, but I was pretty sure they’d heard me talk about Vicky at least once. It was another reminder of how little they knew of my life the last few years.
“So she’s in San Diego?” Mom asked.
“Yes, she came here for a type of long vacation, and I don’t know, Mom. She’s, she’s theone. It started off as something else and changed almost instantly. Like I said, it’s a long story. Grammy and I believe God brought her here, that we were meant to meet. For me to find the woman I didn’t even know Ineeded,” I said, my voice dropping at the last two words as the thought took hold in my chest.
God loved me so much that He brought this incredible woman here just for me. This didn’t mesh with the feelings I’d been battling that He was angry with me, but my thoughts were cut off when my mother spoke.
“Mike, wait, you’re getting marriedtoday?”
“Yes, it’s today.” Her pained look cut through me, and I knew where they were going with this line of questioning.
