My Son's Father

My Son's Father Chapter 5

“Do you think this dress is nice?” I asked Maria- I mean Mamma- from the corner of the changing room. Romano was taking Benny somewhere to get fancier clothes- we weren’t going to force him into a suit- and a haircut. He really needed one.

“You look great in everything, but it doesn’t really go as well with your complexion as I thought,” she scrutinized, but not in a bad way. I wanted my dress to be perfect- I’d never been to a ball before. Prom, yes; Ball, NO. I was trying on a green dress, but I didn’t like it very much so I discarded it. I wanted Romano to see how pretty I could be in a dress. I changed back into my clothes and we left the store for another dress shop. Nothing was working. Ball gowns were very hard to shop for, but it put me at ease to know that Romano was letting me use his credit card. He was going to regret that later…

I walked into a promising shop and looked around for about two hours before I found it. Mamma told me that everyone wore long elegant gowns that make them look like princesses and queens from faraway lands, and that’s how I’d describe this dress. The blue was a dazzling dark color, with beadwork and embroidery on the bust and a long wispy fabric skirt from the waist down. (Dress is in the photo on the side)

“If you don’t wear this one to the ball I’ll murder you!” Mamma shouted in excitement. Wow, I guess it’s only funny when you aren’t the victim! She really was scary!

“You really like it?” I asked, blushing from the sudden attention others in the store were giving me. I wasn’t one for the spotlight, that’s why I hid behind my pen as a writer and journalist before.

“Of course I like it! The bottom is so flowing and the top is dazzling! Oh you will not stay single for long in that dress! I can’t wait to see Romano’s face when he sees you, the girl of his dreams, in this!” she squeaked. More blushing on my part followed that, and I decided to buy the dress. It did look amazing…

“What do you mean? There’s no way in hell Romano’s ever even thought of me that way, Mamma,” I sighed. We were standing in line at the front when I saw a familiar face. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but the salesclerk looked like an awfully familiar guy.

“I’m his madre, Emily. I know what I’m talking about; he is obviously head over heels in love with you. A mamma is supposed to keep her children’s secrets, but I say to hell with that! He admits it, so take him!” she prodded. I knew eventually she’d try to get Romano and me together, but I didn’t think it would work out. I mean, he used to bring home girls that were absolutely stunning! Now don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty (I’ve been told, at least), but I’m nothing compared to the girls that fell for Romano.

“That isn’t true. Out of everyone in the world, why would he pick me? He has all those beautiful women constantly fawning over him.” What? I wasn’t going to deny it when Mamma could probably see right through me.

“Let me tell you something. My husband was the most handsome man in the world to me. I thought he was so attractive, we had pictures taken every month or so just so we could all admire how beautiful he was,” she began. I screwed my eyebrows together in a pout and opened my mouth.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better…” I managed before her hand shot up and covered my mouth.

“Let me finish or I’ll treat you the same way I treat Romano!” That got me to shut up. “When my husband got sick, he aged so much and most of his attractive qualities faded away. He always looked pale and sickly, his hair turned gray and fell out, and he was bedridden so he gained weight like crazy. He was still the most handsome man in the world to me, even though he lost his outer beauty. Darling, when you love someone like Romano loves you, no matter how many other temptresses there are out there he will always think of you as a masterpiece. Even Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Donatello, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Raphael combined couldn’t create something as beautiful as the way you see your soul mate.”