Jane took a leisurely shower enjoying the hot water as it seemed to wash away the last remnants of Boston. She felt truly transported, it was as though her other life didn't exist. Realistically, of course, she knew that it did, but for the time she was here, the stressed detective was determined to enjoy this feeling of lightness, that's the only word that came to her, lightness, the absence of the dark energy that had surrounded her in recent months.
The beautiful Italian was going to enjoy nights of long restful sleep without nightmares, and long morning runs on the beach, the wonderful food, and the sound of the waves gently waking her. She was going to enjoy the evenings filled with interesting conversations and storytelling with her aunt.
Marie's story was fascinating and she couldn't wait to hear more tonight. What had happened all those years ago? Did they get to be friends or more? And where was she now? Where was her husband in all of this? Jane dried her hair and found the light summer weight tan slacks she'd packed and matched it with a sleeveless black blouse. As she slipped on her loafers and grabbed her jacket, she heard Marie call from downstairs.
"Perfect timing, Janie, it looks like we're ready."
Marie drove, and for once Jane didn't mind someone else driving. That, she told herself, was the real sign that Boston was behind her, if even for a little while.
"We're going to one of the local wineries for dinner. This area has a few, actually southwest Michigan has quite a few, but this one is my favorite, maybe because it's been owned for the last 50 years by the same Italian family. It's about 30 minutes from here through some beautiful country. I think I actually like the ride as much as I do the wine and the food. Although, Janie, I have to tell you that while it's beautiful here in September, there is nothing like southwest Michigan in the fall. It is spectacular. Can you try to come back in late October?
"You know, Aunt Marie, if I relax anymore here, I may not even be gone by late October." They both laughed, and then rode for a while enjoying the quiet and the view of beautiful wine country.
"So do you feel like continuing your story while we drive?"
"Oh, of course, Janie, I've been lost in my head thinking about it since we went to get ready for dinner."
They had been on the road about 20 minutes when Marie took a deep breath and began. "Let's see, we left off after I'd met her for the first time when her daughter fell in the lake. So, I'm sitting on my deck after work that evening having a beer, it's about 7:30, still light, and I look out and see a woman out by the water facing the lake. It kinda looked like her, but I couldn't swear it was her, so I decided to walk down there. As I stood up and stepped off the deck into the sand, she turned and started walking toward me. Now, I knew it was her."
Marie stopped and put her hand to her chest as though the memory of it was so powerful that it took her breath away. "Wow, she said, I didn't think it would still have that an effect on me. Well, my…my."
Jane reached over and touched her on the shoulder. "You okay? Maybe we should wait till we get to the restaurant for more of the story."
Marie replied swallowing hard as if holding back tears, taking a deep breath. "All I can say is wow, again, I'm talking about something that happened over 30 years ago and it still has this effect on me. No, I think I'm okay."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I think I actually need a beer myself before we continue."
Marie was grateful and smiled at Jane. "Thanks, Janie, I think you're right."
They pulled off the main road onto the long private drive way that wound back though the vineyards to the restaurant. There was something unique about the view as the sun was reflected off the grape vines and the water spray created rainbows everywhere. Big old trees lined the driveway like a protective canopy.
Jane was impressed. "Wow".
"That seems to be our word of the day, we're here!" And like two people who had known each other all their lives even though they hadn't really, they simultaneously said, "Yea", and laughed, really enjoying each other's company.
As they walked toward the restaurant door, Jane stopped, "I do have a little confession to make. I don't know one wine from another so the wine part may be wasted on me."
"Aha," said her aunt, "and that's why I saved the best surprise for last. Years ago they bought the brewery that was in the next town over. So this, Janie, is like the best of all worlds."
Jane reached over and put her arm through her aunt's and they practically skipped up to the door.
Still smiling, they were led to their table by the hostess. It was only a few minutes later that an older Italian couple came out of the kitchen and Marie stood up to move toward their open arms.
"Marie, why so long since you've been here"? After they hugged and kissed each other multiple times, the woman turned to Marie and asked, "Who is this beautiful Italian here?"
"I'm sorry, said Marie, of course, this is my niece, Jane from Boston. Jane, this is Joe and Rose Calderone the owners of this magnificent place. Jane stood up and they both kissed her cheeks and made a big fuss over how beautiful she was.
Joe went back to the kitchen while Rose stayed at the table. "We are so happy to see you bella, we are going to cook you a special meal," said Rose. Meanwhile, Marie, we have a new red I'd love you to try. Jane, are you a wine drinker like your aunt?"
"As much as I'd love to say yes, I'm more of a beer person myself".
"Okay, I will get you the beer menu and send someone over to wait on you. You just worry about your beer, the food and wine will be our responsibility. We'll come out and have desert and coffee with you later."
After Rose left, Jane said, "Marie, these people treat you like family."
"They are very much my family, Janie, and that is a story for another day, but trust me when I say that they share a most special place in my heart and in my life."
Just then the waitress appeared and handed Jane the beer list. Jane selected one quickly and ordered. When she brought back Jane's beer, she opened a bottle of red wine and placed it in front of Marie with a large wine glass. Marie sampled and swirled and approved the wine and the waitress poured her a glass.
Marie raised her glass and Jane touched it with her bottle. "Salute", they said simultaneously.
Jane looked out the window, then back at Marie, "I guess we don't have to worry about ordering, and I bet we came early because we're going to be here a while. So, that means we can we get back to our story."
Marie chuckled, "You seem to really like this story, Jane. We are at the beginning of the story where everything is high adrenalin and happy, but there will be parts of the story that will be very sad.
"I wouldn't have expected anything else. You know how we Italians love our drama. Honestly, I want to hear the good and the bad, so please, continue." Marie smiled and began.
"In my head, it was like a movie. You know it's not easy walking in that soft sand so it took us a while to make our way to each other. I was in jeans and a light jersey, she was in a yellow sundress.
When we got to within talking distance, she was the first to speak. 'I wanted to thank you again for what you did this morning. That child of mine is the light of my life, and if anything had happened to her while she was right there in front of me, I don't know what I might have done."
'Please, it was what anyone would have done, honestly, it was nothing."
'No, it was something that you were there right at that moment, right at that distance. It was as if you were meant to save her."
'Well, again you are more than welcome. Are you going to carry that bottle of wine back home with you, or should we open it and celebrate?"
"I was rewarded with the biggest smile I had seen yet from her. And it filled me up, and I smiled back and took her arm to help her walk in the sand to my place."
The waitress interrupted with a large antipasto, and Marie continued while she and Jane filled their plates. After a few minutes, they were served oxtail soup and fresh bread.
"As we were walking, I asked about the children. She said that her mother was staying with her for the next few weeks and she would take care of putting them to bed in a little while. Her mother had given her the night off"
"My mother, their grandmother, also thanks you."
"Is you husband here this week as well." I was only assuming, but I really wanted confirmation.
'No,' she said, 'he's out of the country for the next 3 weeks which is why my mother is here.'
"Well, here we are. I said as we entered my house. Let me take that to open it, and get some glasses."
'I can help', she answered. "We walked into the kitchen and as I pulled out the corkscrew, I pointed to the cupboard, and she out got 2 wine glasses."
"This wine smells delicious. Is it one of the local wineries?"
'Yes, she said mildly surprised, it's from Calderone Farms. The Calderones are old friends of my family on my dad's side. Have you ever been out to the winery?'
"I answered that I hadn't, and she promised that we would go one evening."
"We took the bottle and our glasses and moved back outside to the deck. The sun was beginning to set, there was no wind, and we grabbed our chairs and moved them onto the sand. The sunset that night was all yellows and oranges and reds - it was really something."
"We spent the next few hours telling each other our stories. She was originally from the east coast, old money. Her father had been a banker in Connecticut, her mother a stay at home wife who lunched with the girls and did charity events. When she would stop talking to reflect on what she was going to tell me next, I would take the opportunity to look at her profile and take her into my memory as if every moment was a gift that I could store somewhere for future reference."
"Catherine had been the apple of her dad's eye. But he had passed away just a few years before. Her husband was also a banker with a large bank in Chicago, and that's how they ended up in the mid-west. They had been married six years, and the little ones were, just as I'd guessed, five and three."
"Sorry to interrupt" said the waiter, as he appeared with two large platters.
"Oh, my said Jane, it looks like it's time for pasta and sure enough two large platters were delivered to the table – one spaghetti and meatballs, one ravioli with meat sauce." Jane ordered another beer, Marie poured some wine, and they served themselves the pasta.
"Aunt Marie, I think this is so delicious and this is plenty of food. I don't think I can do the whole Italian 7 course dinner. Can you tell them that this is just fine without the meat course?"
"I agree, Janie, let me go back to the kitchen to tell Rose." She came back in a few minutes. Well, if you knew them you would know that they weren't thrilled, but offered to send the next course home with us so we could have it tomorrow."
All Jane could do was smile and say, "they are really something. So, where were we?"
"She was telling me about her husband. She didn't say much about him, and I didn't press. Honestly, if he didn't exist, it would have made me much happier. As she talked about him, though she seemed to be a little upset or sad, I couldn't tell which. But when I asked her if she was ok, she said, 'of course'.
"After the sunset, we moved back to the deck and opened another bottle of wine."
"She wanted to know all about the Rizzolis. So I told her about my grandparents coming here from Naples and Sicily, about my parents and brother and sisters. And then she asked me why I left Boston."
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Expect another Chapter soon, like probably later tonight. I can't seem to stop. I've fallen in love with these characters and I want to know how it turns out! Reviews if you are so inclined.
