Before You Say I Do

On Monday I went back to meet with Jacqueline and Katelyn. I had made a few changes to the cake Adam and I had designed on Saturday, but kept it mostly the same. Now all I had to do was convince Jacqueline it would be a good cake.

“okay, so I have a cake that I think is the one.” I comment. Sitting down across from the two of them.

“and what makes you think that?”

“well, I feel as if I know this couple more than just what has been told to me. It feels as if, from what I've been told, that I've walked in their, well her, shoes. So I just went off of instinct. I also got views from men and women around town and they all said that the cake looked beautiful. Hopefully you two agree.” I smile sweetly.

“Let's see it.”

I flip to the page in my sketch book where there was the cake. It was white with a red swirly design. That was all. No flowers, not toys, no nothing.

“It looks so plain.” Jacqueline comments.

“Plain? Mother, the cake looks gorgeous. I just want to look at it and not touch.”

“well what happened to the other plans that we had?”

“No offense Mrs. DiGerlando, but it seemed as though on Friday that your daughter had a better feel of the couple. I decided to go off of her ideas.”

“what kind of cake will it be?”

“I was thinking an Italian cream with dark chocolate chunks in it. The frosting in between would also be a rich chocolate, to add in what you wanted. Katelyn informed me that the wedding was being moved up and I feel as though this is the best I can do in such a short time-frame.”

Jacqueline crosses her arms, “if you say so. It goes with the wedding theme so I can't argue it too much.”

Katelyn smiles and gives me a thumbs up. “is that all for today then? I can have a cake for you to taste tomorrow if you'd like, or you can just go along with it.”

“it's fine, do what you have to do.”

I smile and nod, “well then, I best be on my way. I need to find where the best products are in town.”

“ah, Ms. Richards, before you go...”

I look at Katelyn worried, “yes?”

“I don't mean to make it sound like I'm snooping around or anything. I just wanted to see what you have done in the past.”

“I understand fully. Most of my customers do that.”

“I noticed that you had made the cake for Finn and Dakota Snyder. If I recall though, that cake was made by a friend.”

I look to Katelyn for help. What was I supposed to do? “mom, are you sure you read the site right? You know how you are when you look at a computer screen for too long.”

Jacqueline laughs it off, “oh you're right dear. I guess it was just a silly mistake. I mean, how crazy would it be if you were making a cake for best friends.”

“crazy.” I mumble, “I apologize but I really have to go. Some people found out I was in town and I'm supposed to meet with them.”

“oh alright. Meeting is still planned for Thursday, correct?”

“correct.” with that I got out of the house as fast as I could.

I grab my phone as I slide into the car, calling Katelyn so that we could talk.

“oh god, that was close.” she answers the phone and I drive out onto the street.

“a little to close if you ask me.” I comment. “I need you to make sure she doesn't double check.”

“so she knows who you are, what's the big deal?”

“Kate, Adam and I had a long conversation yesterday and in the midst of it he was trying to convince me to meet your mom because she has only heard wonderful things about me.”

Katelyn laughs, “in the stories he called you Julie. She wouldn't know.”

I sigh, “whatever, just please, try to keep her away from anything like that. I need to go now though so I'll talk to you later.”

“where are you going?”

“I have some people to see in town.” I say and then hang up the phone.

I drive to the countryside and finally find the vineyard Adam and I stayed at for a weekend. The couple there was so sweet to me and practically begged for me to stop by when I was in Italy. How could I turn down such an offer?

I park the car and get out, walking up to the front door and knocking. Rose, the older woman who owned the vineyard, answered the door.

“Skye!” she exclaims, “si ritorna (you're back!)”

I look at her shocked, she was the only one who recognized me, “me riconosci? (you recognize me?)”

she laughs and pulls me into a hug, “naturalmente, come potrei dimnticare quel naso? (of course, how could I forget that nose?)”

nose? What was she talking about. Whatever, at least she recognized me. “bene,èbellovedertidi nuovo.possoentrare? (well it's great to see you again, may I come in?)”

“naturalmente! Naturalmente! (of course! Of course!)” she steps aside and closes the door once I step inside “vieni!C'èunanuova coppiasposatadadegustazione di vino.Li deveincontrare. (come! There's a new married couple to be tasting wine. You must meet them.) she pulls on my hand and I stop in my tracks.

“Rose,vadodaJulianaadesso.Nonsose avetevisto- (Rose, I go by Juliana now. I don't know if you've seen-)

she interrupts me with her laughter again, “ Naturalmenteiosochiseicaro!SeiRichardsJuliana. (of course I know who you are dear! You're Juliana Richards.)

I smile and follow out to where the couple was. The first thing I heard was a woman screaming, “oh mio dio! E'Richards Juliana! (oh my god! It's Juliana Richards!)” Then the sound of glass hitting cement and then a kid crying.

I look up and my smile drops. Who would of thought I'd run into him here of all places? I tug on Rose's arm and go back around the corner, “per favore, fate fintacomese Adamoenon soaltro (please, pretend as if Adam and I don't know each other.)”

“perchécaro? (why dear?)”

“Vi spiegheròpiù tardi (I'll explain later)” she nods and we go back out to the crowd. Stephanie was quieting down Tristan while Adam was cleaning up the mess he made. I take a deep breath and take a step forward, smiling, “ciao, io sono Juliana Richards. (hello, I'm Juliana Richards.)” I hold my hand out for her to shake.

“Ste-Stephanie Bertina” (St-Stephanie Bertina)” she stutters, and shakes my hand.

“echièquestoragazzocarino? (and who's this cute little guy?)” I say, bending down to Tristans level.

“sono Tristan e sono tre anni(I'm Tristan and I'm three!)” he says proudly.

“Tre?! Wow, stai diventandogrande (three?! Wow, you're getting big.)” he nods and smiles.

I stand back up and notice that Adam was gone. “questo èil miofidanzato,Adam.Egli nonètroppoinlacosanozzeinsieme. (that's my fiance, Adam. He isn't too into the whole wedding thing.)” Stephanie says, pointing to where Adam was throwing away the broken glass.

“maggior partedegli uomininonsono (most men aren't.)” I tell her, “così,quandoè ilgrande giorno (so, when's the big day?)” for the next two hours we sat there and talked about the wedding and Adam played with Tristan a little ways away.

“sembra bello (it sounds beautiful.)”

“Cosa staifacendo in questovigneto? (what are you doing at the vineyard?)”

“Mi piaceesserein grado diraccomandarei postiai miei clienti. (I like to be able to recommend places to my customers.)” I answer her.

“buonaidea.Iovorrei che tu fossicosìfacendola miatorta.Mammadi Adaminsistette per prendereparteoltreperò. (good idea. I so wish you were making my cake. Adam's mom insisted on taking that part over though.)” she complains.

“ Sonosicuro chechiunquetuamadre-in-lawottenutosaràfavoloso.Inoltre, sonogiàqui perun altromatrimonio,per cui sarebbedifficiledestreggiarsi traentrambe. (I'm sure whoever your mother-in-law got will be fabulous. Plus, I'm already here for another wedding, so it would be hard to juggle both.)”

“davvero? Il cui matrimonio? (really? Who's wedding?)” she was curious now.

“Nonposso dire.Sorry.E 'una sorpresaperlasposaelo sposoele notizienon possonouscire (I can't say. Sorry. It's a surprise to the bride and groom and news can't get out.)”

“che ècosìdolce (aw, that's so sweet.)” I nod and out of the corner of my eye I notice Adam get up and walk into the house. I bring the glass of wine I had, up so that it looked like I was going to take a drink but instead I let my fingers slip and the red wine got all over my light pink shirt.

“grande (great)” I mutter. “mi scusi,sto perandare Ripuliamolo (excuse me, I'm going to go clean this up.)” Stephanie nods and I hurry into the house. Adam was standing in the doorway of the dining room and I grab a towel before going to his side.

“what are you doing here?” I ask, drying up the mess some. He looks down at me surprised that I was there and then chuckles.

“what did you do, spill the wine and kiss the girl?”

“ha ha. Very funny.”

“and if you didn't notice, we're wine tasting. What are you doing here? I thought you had work today.”

“I did. The meeting finished and I thought I'd come out here and say hi to Rose. The last person I expected to see was you.”

“It's not like I was planning on running into you here either, if you didn't catch that when I dropped my glass.”

“Caro Adamo, abbiamo persone a prendere in aeroporto, cosìabbiamo bisogno di lasciare (Adam dear, we have people to pick up at the airport, so we need to leave).” Stephanie breaks in.

“Meglio che vada troppo (I better go too.)” I mumble and say bye to Rose and the others before going out to my car. The only problem? My car wasn't starting. “you've got to be kidding me!” I hit the steering wheel. Rose was at the door and must have noticed. “oh cara. Macchina di Giuliana è ripartito. (oh dear. Juliana's car is broken down.)”

“Adamo è buono con le automobili, non è vero tesoro? (Adam is good with cars, aren't you honey?)” she pushes him toward the rental and I get out.

“ma dobbiamo (but we have to-)”

“Non si preoccupi. Vado a prendere la ragazza in su. In realtà,potrebbe rimanere al vostro appartamento stasera? (don't worry about it. I'll go pick the girl's up. Actually, could you stay at your apartment tonight?)” she asks him. Actually, no he can't, I think to myself, “le ragazze e voglio raggiungere. (the girls and I want to catch up.)”

“Sì, va bene (yeah, fine.)” Adam mumbles and gives her a peck on the cheek, “addio (bye)”

Stephanie and Tristan leave and Adam stays behind, looking at the car. “what the hell did you do to it Julie?” Adam asks.

“what did I do? I tried to turn the car on. That's what I did!”

he looks around under the hood, “and I don't even have a place to stay tonight.” he mumbles.

“and that's my fault too, huh?”

“well you are the one staying there.”

“sorry for the inconvenience.” I say sarcastically.

“honestly, why did you come here? Because I'm starting to think it was to get revenge on me.”

“revenge? Why would I want revenge on you?”

“I can think of a few reasons. Because ever since you got here things have been getting screwed up.”

what the hell? “and this is my fault?! You're the one who is marrying a woman you don't love! And I'm the one screwing things up!?”

“you know what, Stephanie was right. You are just some white trash!”

My mouth drops open. Did he honestly just say that about me? I was speechless. So I did the only sensible thing a woman would do in this situation. I slapped him.