Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 100 - October Plans

Zack came home for the third weekend in a row after starting college at Cal Poly on the first weekend in October. Melody was fully recovered from her illness by Saturday, and the entire family took Susan out for dinner at the Italian restaurant near Venice Beach that was once her favorite during childhood.

"Look Mama. You can watch them make pizzas here from behind the glass," Jessie said as she watched the pizza maker twirl the dough in the air while they waited to be seated.

"Is the pizza good here?" Ashley wondered.

"Yeah, it's great," Matt told her. "Zack and I always get pizza when we eat here."

"I'm not," Zack told him. "I'm having the lasagna tonight."

"Do they have spaghetti, Mama?" Jessie asked.

"Yes, and wonderful, freshly made raviolis. I'm having that," Susan said.

Their mouths were watering by the time they were seated. The service at the restaurant was relaxed ... which meant to the children it was very slow. But the staff at the restaurant did so intentionally, insisting a dining experience shouldn't be rushed.

Their surroundings in this particular restaurant were visually interesting, with black tiles on the floor arranged in rosettes on a field of white and interspersed with the occasional, Italian-looking mosaic. Pillars and arches were arranged around the perimeter of the large dining room, creating separate spaces for private parties. Replicas of famous statues stood here and there, as they might in an Italian villa and there were Roman artifacts hung on the walls, in between fresco style, Roman-looking artwork here and there. The ceiling was painted to look like a blue sky interspersed with clouds, giving guests the vague feeling they were dinning on an enclosed patio outdoors in Italy. The overall effect was wonderful and gave those waiting to be served plenty to look at as their eyes wandered about the room.

The food when it came was delicious, and Susan enjoyed every minute of it. Then at the very end of dinner, just when they were sure they couldn't eat another bite, a tiramisu with a candle in it was served to Susan. The restaurant staff sang while presenting it to her.

Susan blew out the candle, and someone from the staff took a picture of them all around her before the dessert was served. Everyone had a bite of the tiramisu, though they ended up taking most of it home.

"Are you happy?" Greg asked after dinner during the drive home.

"Very much so," Susan told him. "I feel incredibly blessed this evening. Thank you so much."

"You are very welcome," Greg told her.

"Yeah, you are, Mom," Matt said. "We've wanted to do this for you like forever."

"Yeah, we have," Zack said.

"I'm glad you decided to come home so you could be here," Susan said.

"Yeah. I killed two birds with one stone since the Homecoming Dance at the high school was last night. Kelly was so excited when I told her I could come. She really misses me when I'm away at school," Zack said.

"Yeah, that's the problem with having a girlfriend who's so much younger than you," Matt said.

"Kelly isn't that much younger than me," Zack said.

"How much younger is she?" Ashley asked.

"Only ten months; it only makes a difference because she's a year behind me in school," Zack said.

"Do you know if she's begun applying to colleges for next year?" Susan asked.

"Yup. She's applying to Cal Poly, for their Graphic Design program. She's good with art and she wants to do something with that. I think she'll probably get in. Her grades are really good," Zack said.