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My Italian heritage is well known amongst my friends. And that’s why he was nervous.
“My dad loves you. It’ll be
easy.”
“Ya, right!”
Four eyes peeking out the
window, my mother’s and mine, we watched as they got up from the table and
walked away. Where in the world?
Anticipating an eventual
return and being in on the secret for days, my mom said, “Let’s get it ready.”
“Oh Gawwwd, I sure hope so.”
My dad and new fiancé walked
through the door forty-five minutes later. “Carol, is the champagne ready?” Phewwwwww!
“Sweetheart, may I speak with
you in my study.” Giddy from champagne, I wondered what was on his mind.
“Your mother and I love him.
He’s all the man a father could want for his daughter. It’s the first time I've truly seen this in you, too. Are you certain?” My father loves deeply but is realistic as well.
“Yes.” I replied.
“I’ll ask you again, for it's better to be completely sure than know in your heart
it’s a mistake.”
“Ok, Daddy.” I grin.
On my wedding’s eve, pulling
me into a big hug he whispered. “Are you certain?”
Eyes sparkling and cheeks
flushed from a wonderfully sentimental night. “Yes, Dad. I am.”
With uncommonly spectacular
weather for mid-March in Chicago, the procession traveled slowly from their
house to the city and LSD* proved nearly impossible to traverse. The first
beautiful day on the lakefront and traffic was backed up for two miles. Why
didn’t he choose the Kennedy? I could run faster than this.
Approaching the church in
tears and 35 minutes late, Father Speiss opened the limo door saying, “Child, he’s waiting for you.”
With no time to wipe my
makeup streaked face before rushing in, my father grabbed my hand at the end of
the aisle and for the last time said, “Sweetheart, are you certain?"
“Dad, I’ve never been more
sure of anything in my life! Let’s go!”
He asked me three times.
He asked me three times.
********************************
Author’s note: To this day, neither
my husband nor father will divulged the content of their 45 minute walk just
after he asked for my hand in marriage (From what I surmise it was about
“commitment” and the constant work a loving marriage takes but I could be
wrong). However, my guy always jokes that a limousine, on the street, secretly
met them and the window rolled slowly down….
*Lake Shore Drive
