Authors: Jennifer Moulton
Tags: #Fiction, #Mystery, #Retail, #Suspense, #Thriller
“Oh, all right!” Dom slowly stood. “I suppose I could let the feisty cat out of the proverbial bag,” he joked.
Mark said loudly, “I don’t know about this, Uncle. I can’t take too many more of your surprises!” he joked.
“No kidding!” Allie chimed in.
Dom laughed and waved them off. “No, no. This is a good surprise, I promise! It’s just a little Christmas gift for all of you,” Dom said coyly.
“Little?” Anita scoffed. “Tell them, already! I can’t stand it any longer!” she laughed.
“What is it, Uncle?” Sophia asked curiously.
Everyone quieted and looked at up at him, intrigued by Anita’s excitement.
Dom began slowly. “I have made arrangements, for everyone at this table...”
Williams and Kate glanced at each other, wondering what could possibly include them as well.
“Everyone, including myself, will be spending Christmas Break, on vacation!” Dom exclaimed.
The girls gasped. Everyone was so surprised and very excited, all except for Mark. He had many questions. He was concerned with the restaurant and wished that Dom would have included him in the planning. Perhaps he could split the cost. He would settle up with him later.
“Dom, are you serious?” Mark tried not to scowl.
“Tell everyone WHERE we’re going!” Anita stood and grabbed hold of her brother’s arm, excitedly.
“Why don’t you do the honors?” Dom indulged her.
“Don’t mind if I do! Listen up every body, we’re all going to … ITALIA!” she exclaimed.
Williams and Mark gasped now. Julie leaned back and covered her mouth. “Mark!” she whispered excitedly. “I’ve never been out of Idaho.”
The young girls all squealed with delight and began talking about shopping and what to wear. Williams looked at Dom, cautiously.
“Dom, that’s very generous of you, but I don’t think we can accept,” Williams said realistically.
Dom looked at Williams, puzzled.
“Nonsense, Williams. I would be insulted if you declined.” Dom responded. “That goes for all of you,” he said sternly, looking directly at Mark.
Dom cleared his throat. “Listen carefully, all of you.”
Everyone quieted their noisy chatter.
“For a very long time, I wanted nothing more than to look around my dinner table, as I am now and see the faces of my family smiling back at me. Williams and Miss Kate, you are no exception. You are loyal friends and are thought of fondly, with the highest of respect,” Dom looked at Williams and said, “Don’t take that lightly.”
Williams understood and smiled in agreement.
“Jennifer, young lady, there is no need for me to explain this to you, is there?” he smiled sweetly at her. Jen slowly shook her head and smiled back.
“
No, sir, thank you,” Jen replied.
“You’re quite welcome, young lady,” Dom responded. He now addressed the table.
“Now, I would like to take my family to the country in which my father was born and show you the city in which your family comes from. I still have living relatives in the region. It’s my greatest wish to introduce you,” Dom’s voice shook for a moment, exposing his vulnerability.
Dom’s family sat quietly and listened to him. They all admired the unconditional love and generosity that poured from this kind and humble man’s heart.
Mark thought about it for a moment and no longer thought of the monetary cost involved. He just saw it for what it was. It was a selfless act of kindness that meant so much more to his Uncle, than expenses and work schedules. It was about togetherness and understanding of family roots. That was definitely worth more to Dom, than any amount of money in the world. Everyone
absentmindedly looked to Mark for an answer.
“Okay,” Mark said loudly. He smiled at Dom and nodded approvingly at a shocked Williams. “To Italy, we go!”
The younger girls shrieked to each other, excitedly. Julie looked worried suddenly and whispered inaudibly to Mark.
Dom gleefully raised his glass for a toast. “Alright then, it is settled. We have a wonderful trip to look forward to!”
The others raised their glasses as well.
“Hold on to that toast for just a moment,” Mark interrupted. “Go ahead, Jules… tell them,” Mark smiled a sly grin at her.
“Maybe we should wait, Mark,” Julie whispered, shyly. Mark reassuringly kissed her hand.
“Julie’s going to tell you about someone else that will be coming along on our trip,” he encouraged her.
Everyone looked around at each other, slightly intrigued by who this might be.
Julie swallowed hard and stood up slowly. She had no idea how to begin. “Okay,” she said reluctantly.
She took away the thick cloth napkin from her lap that she had gathered and bunched all evening. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders, preparing to speak. She had no idea how to say what she needed to, so she decided to just show them.
She turned to the side and arched her back slightly, gently sliding her hand down over her rounded belly. The stretchy cotton fabric of her dress tightened and shifted revealing her surprise.
“It’s still a little early, but we’re pretty sure, judging by the 17
th
week ultrasound photos we got yesterday, that….. It’s a Boy!” Julie exclaimed.
The girls reacted first and cried out in joy. Everyone clapped.
Dom began to cry. “Thank you, Jesus!” he praised. He began saying a Catholic prayer in Italian.
Anita went to them at once and began hugging her and congratulating Mark and Julie.
Mark stood up as Dom and Williams came to congratulate and hug him as well.
“I knew it!” Allie said. She raised her hands up in the air as if she were finally being vindicated. “I knew it, I knew it!” Allie grinned wide enough for the whole world to know how happy she was to be a big sister.
Kate, Sophia, Jen, Allie and Anita pulled their chairs over to Julie’s and began asking twenty questions. “When did you find out?” Jen asked.
”Can we see the pictures?” Anita asked.
“Well, actually, Mark knew before I did,” Julie smiled up at Mark as he stood at the opposite end of the table with Dom and Williams. “The pictures are in my purse, wherever that is…” Julie began to search for her purse, but the girls located it quickly for her.
“Congratulations are in order, brother,” Williams shook Marks hand and hugged him, giving him an extra hard slap on the back.
“Thank you! I’m very blessed and extremely excited about him!” Mark grinned.
“It’s about time… we need another man around here,” Dom joked.
“Forgive me for saying this, but you must have been trying right off the bat, especially if you knew she was pregnant before she did,” Williams commented.
Mark’s voice became softer. “Well, we weren’t exactly trying, but I can tell you, without a doubt, that I know exactly when we conceived and I knew it would be a boy,” Mark took a sip off of his drink.
Williams raised his eyebrows. “Say no more, bro,” he joked.
“Marko,” Dom playfully scorned him. “It isn’t respectful to a woman, to “kiss and tell” haven’t you learned this yet?” he chuckled.
“Yeah, Mark, don’t you know anything about girls?” Williams laughed.
“Your right, Uncle, I know this. I apologize… but when you know, you just know,” Mark laughingly looked at Julie now, who looked up at him from across the table, lovingly… knowingly.
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