Rossi arrived home early that evening to find Christine anxiously awaiting him. He noticed that she was wearing a new embroidered top and, if he hadn't known about her condition, he wouldn't have guessed it was a maternity top.
"Good – You're here!" Christine's enthusiasm was contagious.
"Nice top!" Rossi commented with a smile.
"I ordered it last week and it arrived today along with some other clothes!" Christine twirled around to show it off. "Now I can finally go out in public!"
Rossi had to laugh at her. "Okay," he offered her his arm and escorted her out to the car. "What's our first stop?"
Their first stop was a drug store and, after Christine had verified that it was not particularly crowded, Rossi watched in amazement as she began plundering the shelves. After he had helped her deliver her many selections to the cash register, he watched as she handed the clerk a pile of coupons, and then saw her grand total reduced by more than half.
The next stop was a Scents and Bath Shop, where she again began by checking to see that the store wasn't overly crowded. Her stack of coupons in that store once again netted her several bags of product with very little cash spent. Christine then invaded a shoe and purse warehouse store, and made a significant contribution to their sales figures for the day. By the time they reached a local yoga studio, where she signed up for a Mothers-To-Be Class, Rossi's head was spinning.
"I've had three wives, and numerous girlfriends," he told her as he surveyed the pile of packages in the back seat of his car. "And, I have never seen anything like this!"
"Maybe you've been taking the wrong women shopping," Christine suggested demurely.
"I'll buy that or, actually, you did," he responded. "Where to next?"
"Dinner?" Christine suggested. "I suspect you're hungry and, I hate to admit it, but I am getting a little tired."
"I know just the place," Rossi replied, and soon was maneuvering his car into the parking lot of a small strip mall.
"Ciao, David!" the greeting rang out as they entered the small Italian restaurant. "It has been too long, my friend!"
"Giovanni," Dave greeted the man rushing towards him. "It has been a while!"
After exchanging hugs and handshakes, Rossi motioned for Christine to join the men. "Giovanni," he told him. "I would like you to meet my friend, Christine. Christine, this is Giovanni, owner of the best Italian restaurant in the area!"
"You must be the lovely lady Sonia told us about," Giovanni greeted her. "Welcome to my restaurant!"
"And, now," he continued. "Let me show you to the best seat in the house!"
"Giovanni, when it is your house, every seat is the best," Rossi assured him as he and Christine followed their host across the restaurant.