Welcome to My World

Chapter 18

Time sped by and the Martin family continued to grow. 

Sofia was born in 1958. 

Adriana was born in 1959. 

Lucia was born in 1961.

Caterina was born in 1963. 

Now the year was 1966 and Dino and Cara had just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary. Cara had pretty much disappeared from the stage since all of their girls were so little and not to mention, she was pregnant again. 

Christmas was fast approaching, but Dino and Frank were playing for a few nights at the Sands in mid December. Since the girls didn't have school, they made a family road trip out of it, despite the fact that Caroline looked like she was ready to pop. 

That night Dino sang a new song that had quickly become one of Caroline's favorites. He introduced it by saying, "Now, I have a song for ya that I've borrowed from a wonderful performed because I think about my wonderful wife and our beautiful family when I hear it. I have four children. All girls and another one on the way. Yessir, you heard that right. The three things you hear most often around my house are, 'Hello, Goodbye, and I'm pregnant.'" 

Caroline laughed in the front row of the audience as she watched her four daughters in awe of their father on the stage. 

"Cara, come on up here!" he said as she began handing them the children and then walking around to climb the stairs herself. They all stood together on stage. Dino held Caterina in his arms while Sofia and Adriana clung to his pant legs and Lucia reached for her mother to pick her up. The audience oohed and ahhed at the adorable family, "Daddy's gonna sing a song now if you'll all be really good," he knelt down speaking to his oldest daughters." 

Dino then sang "Little Green Apples"

And I wake up in the mornin'
With my hair down in my eyes and she says "Hi"
And I stumble to the breakfast table
While the kids are goin' off to school...goodbye
And she reaches out 'n' takes my hand
And squeezes it 'n' says "How ya feelin', hon?"
And I look across at smilin' lips
That warm my heart and see my mornin' sunAnd if that's not lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose, no nursery rhyme
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And when my self is feelin' low
I think about her face aglow and ease my mindSometimes I call her up at home knowin' she's busy
And ask her if she could get away and meet me
And maybe we could grab a bite to eat
And she drops what she's doin' and she hurries down to meet me
And I'm always late
But she sits waitin' patiently and smiles when she first sees me
'Cause she's made that wayAnd if that ain't lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
And there's no such thing as make-believe
Puppy dogs, autumn leaves 'n' BB gunsGod didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis

Dino sang and the audience cheered loudly rising to their feet. Cara took the younger girls to the side of the stage leaving Adriana and Sofia with their father and Uncle Frank to close the show. They decided to sing "That's Amore" which Dino sang with the girls all the time. Frank picked up Sofia (who, while he wouldn't admit it, was certainly his favorite of the girls. They had become so close over the years.) Dino picked up Adriana. The girls did there father proud by singing along with the boys and staying right on key. 

At the end of the show, they all retired to the huge suite they were sharing. Sofia, the inquisitive child, simply could not calm down and had a million questions for Dino and Frank. 

"So they all come to see you?"

"Yep," Dino said, "But we're not special. We just have a special gift from God that we're allowed to share with people. Isn't that right, Uncle Frank?"

"Sure is. The audience comes to hang out with us like we're their pals."

"I wanna be pals with that many people someday!" Sofia exclaimed.

"Shhh," Dino said quieting her since Caterina and Lucia were asleep, "I would love if you had that many pals someday," he kissed her cheek, "Daddy's very proud of your and so is your Uncle Frank."

Sofia smiled, "I did good?" 

"Absolutely, kiddo," Frank smiled. 

After they talked to her for awhile longer, she finally fell asleep and Dino picker her up and plopped her down in the bed next to her sisters, Adriana and Lucia, and her mother who had fallen asleep. Caterina was asleep in a Pack 'N Play next to the bed. 

Frank's bed was adjoined in the next room and so he whispered, "Goodnight," and went to get some shut eye before they left in the morning. 

The next morning, they gathered their things and headed back to Los Angeles to celebrate Christmas. They drove out to Vegas because Caroline was entirely too far along to be flying. When they arrived home, they were all glad to finally get out of the car, arriving home on Christmas Eve. 

It was just moment later that the phone rang and Frank went to answer it. With tears in his eyes, he said, "Dino, it's your Dad."

Dino picked up the phone and spoke to his father burying his head in the wall. When he hung up the phone, he kissed Caroline and quickly said, "I gotta go."

"What's wrong?"

"Mamma, she's going to pass soon and I need to be there." 

"Oh my God, Dino," Caroline gasped. 

"I love you," he said through his tears. 

"I love you too. Frank, drive him please. He's in no state to do this."

They hurried away leaving Caroline sobbing on the stairs for once again she was grieving the loss of a mother.