Gino's Arranged Bride

The customer was elderly, and clearly delighted by the attention. He paid for his drink and would have lingered if the barman hadn’t returned, looking at his watch.

‘Last orders, ladies and gentlemen,’ he announced.

The company was thin tonight, and she was soon finished. Gino waved to catch her attention, and they slipped out into the street together.

‘So this is where you sneak away in the evenings,’ he said, grinning. ‘No wonder you don’t want to be at home when you can be surrounded by suitors here.’

‘Oh, stop that. Sam’s a dear old boy and nobody’s flirted with him for years. It’s part of the job, and mostly innocent.’

‘Mostly?’ he asked, glancing sideways.

‘Nothing I can’t handle. I’ve got a mean left hook. Want me to demonstrate?’

‘I’ll take your word for it,’ he said hastily. ‘Let’s go home.’

It was pleasant walking home under the stars, and Gino was reluctant to spoil their peace, but he had no choice.

‘There’s something you need to know,’ he said heavily. ‘Nikki told me tonight that her father is dead.’

Laura stopped and faced him, horrified.

‘She said what?’

‘She was showing me some family pictures, and when he disappeared from them she said, “My daddy’s dead”.’

‘Oh, no,’ she breathed. ‘He didn’t die. He walked out.’

‘Do you ever hear from him?’

‘Not since the divorce. He doesn’t stay in touch.’

‘Christmas? Birthdays?’

‘Not a word, not a card. I suppose it’s easier for her to think of him as dead than neglectful.’

‘Any chance she actually believes it?’

‘No, if he was dead, I’d have told her. She must know that.’

‘So it’s her way of comforting herself.’ Gino sighed. ‘I’m not supposed to have told you this. She said you didn’t know that she knew, and she didn’t want to worry you.’

‘Oh, God, she’s so sweet and generous.’

‘Yes, she is, but I’ve betrayed her confidence. I had to. I couldn’t have kept a thing like that to myself—’

‘Of course you did the right thing. But I’ve been so stupid. Why didn’t I see it coming? How could I have left her exposed to this?’

‘Hey, hey, don’t blame yourself,’ he said urgently. ‘You didn’t expose her to this. He did.’

‘But I should have thought. Oh, heavens!’

Her voice was husky with tears and she buried her face in her hands. Gino put his arms about her, holding her tightly while she wept.

‘It isn’t your fault,’ he said again. ‘You’re her mother, but you can only do so much. There are things you can’t make right for her, however hard you try. You can see them coming, but you can’t get out of the way.’

‘But I could help her through them. I’ve got to get home quickly, and talk to her.’

‘No, don’t.’ In his agitation he took her arms and drew her around to face him. ‘Stop and think. What are you going to tell her, that I betrayed her confidence?’

‘Confidence? She’s an eight-year-old child—’

‘Even a child likes to be treated with respect. Right now, she feels she can talk to me.’

‘But why not me?’

‘Because you’re her mother. I’m not involved so it’s easier for her to talk to me. As long as she trusts me, maybe I can be of some use to her, and to you. Laura please, don’t do anything to make her stop trusting me.’

He felt some of the tension go out of her, and she sighed, nodding.

‘You’re right,’ she said in despair. ‘I should have thought of that.’

‘You’ve got to stop blaming yourself for everything. You keep saying you should have done this and you should have done that, but you can’t do it all. No one can. Let someone else share the load.’

She gave a wry laugh.

‘There’s never been anyone to share it with.’

‘You’ve got me now,’ he reminded her gently.

She gave a shaky laugh. ‘Yes, I have, haven’t I?’ She put her arms about him and kissed him on the cheek. ‘How did I ever manage before you arrived? The best kid brother I never had.’

‘What do you mean, kid?’

‘I’m three years older than you. That makes you my kid brother. And, like most kid brothers, you can sometimes be a pain in the butt, and at other times be pretty marvellous.’

‘Yes, I finished the shelves,’ he said at once.

‘I didn’t mean—oh, you!’

He hugged her. ‘Come on, let’s go home. Your baby brother is starving.’

He made spaghetti and tomato sauce, which they ate together at the kitchen table.

Laura got out the photo album and he went through it again.

‘You were a real looker, weren’t you?’ he observed.

‘Yes, I was—the dim and distant past.’