A New Story: È Bello Rivederti

Aldo greeted the couple when they entered the restaurant.  Julie said to Aldo, “Buona sera, caro signore. È bello rivederti.”  (Good evening dear sir.  It is good to see you again.)

Immediately, both Aldo and Marcus looked at Julie with surprise.  Marcus asked in English while Aldo, playing his part as an Italian waiter asked in Italian, “When did you start learning Italian?”  Julie looked at both of them and responded to Marcus, “I learned a couple phrases for tonight when you said we were coming here again.”  Then to Aldo, she smiled and said, “Uh, if you were asking the same thing, what I just said to him.”

After being seated, Aldo’s father, Antonio, and uncle, Carlo, entered.  The two gentleman were immaculately dressed as they prepared to sing to the couple.  They greated Marcus and Julie as if they were old world Italians.  Julie said to them, “È bello rivederti.” 

After grandiose greetings to Julie the brothers said to one another, “La signora bella parla la nostra lingua.”   (The pretty lady speaks our language.)

“Si, dovremmo tenerla qui con noi per sempre.”  (Yes, we should keep her with us here forever.)  Aldo and Marcus laughed as Julie looked to them for translations.  Marcus said, “I’ll tell you later.”

Julie hoped there would be another seranade.  She thoroughly loved it the first night enjoying the restaurant.  For this night, the brothers and Aldo rehearsed special songs.  Julie beamed as she soaked in the ambiance.  She felt as if she and Marcus were in Italy. In the back of her mind she wished for a day when the two of them would travel to Italy.  She wanted to explore the ancient land and learn the language.  She imagined romantic evenings of delicious foods, wines, candlelight and lovemaking.  Her heart was full.

When the seranade was complete, Julie jumped up and kissed the three men on their cheeks.  To each she said, “Grazie, caro signore.”  (Thank you, dear gentleman.)

Carlo turned red as he retreated to the kitchen.  Antonio smiled and said, “We’re going to take good care of you sweet lady.”  Then referring to Marcus, “This guy, he might get the spaghetti we drop on the floor if he’s lucky.”

Courses of foods and wine were brought out to the table.  As the couple ate, Julie noticed Marcus was preoccupied and found it curious.  She mused he was concerned about having a perfect evening.  He needent worry.  It was a perfect evening.  Julie was finishing some antipasto when she saw Antonio standing in the doorway of the kitchen holding a tray.  She heard a small commotion in the kitchen and saw people line up behind him. 

Once he started for the table, the others in the kitchen followed him.  Then she saw her parents were behind him.  The wheels of her mind began turning when she recognized Marcus’s parents walking toward them.  What was going on?