Welcome to My World

Chapter 22

Dino and Caroline arrived home and all of their children ran to hug them, even wobbly little Marco. "Hi, my beautiful babies," Caroline said bending down to hug all of them. 

"Daddy!" Sofia ran and jumped into Dino's arm, "I missed you!" 

"I missed you too, Baby Girl," he kissed her cheek. 

Frank emerged behind the kids wearing an apron and holding a spoon, "Well, when you're all ready, I have dinner made for everyone."

The whole family ate dinner together and then Frank and Dino got all the kids put to bed while Caroline went to bed early. The two friends then retired to the den for a quick glass of Jack Daniels.

"I just wanna start by apologizing to you," Dino said as he poured. 

"You don't need to apologize to me. If you and Cara are fine, we're fine. I just didn't want you to screw up like I did with Nancy."

"I appreciate everything you've done for Cara while I was off being an ass."

"It wasn't a problem. How is Cara?"

"She's just got high blood pressure. So she just needs to take care of herself."

"How are you?"

"My wife's a saint. I've done the dumbest things and she still takes me back."

"You're lucky, Dino."

In March of 1972, Cara and Dino welcome their last child, another daughter. For everything that Frank had meant to them, they named their daughter after him, Francis Martin. She was then lovingly nicknamed Frannie.

Dino and Cara spent the rest of their years together. They watched their grandkids come into the world and watched some of their friends leave the world. The death of Sammy saddened them both greatly. When Dino grew sicker and sicker in 1995, Caroline knew their moments together were limited. On Christmas Eve, Cara, all of the children, grandchildren, and the Sinatra family gathered at their home. Dino was weak, but he laid in his bed and was happy to chat with everyone that stopped in his room. When everyone else had went home or gone to bed, many of the children were staying with their parents for the holidays, Frank helped Caroline clean up. "You oughta go be with Dino," Frank said quietly.

"I don't think he has much longer," Caroline whispered as her eyes filled with tears. 

Frank shook his head. 

Caroline went down to the den which was on the first floor and had been converted to Dino's room as he grew sicker. 

She stood in the doorway and he smiled at her, "Hey, Baby."

"Hey, you," she smiled at him, "Do you mind sharing your bed with me?"

"I never have minded," he whispered as she crawled into bed with him. He wrapped his arm around her and she nuzzled her head into his neck. 

Weakly and in a whisper, he sang the words to his song, "True Love"

I give to you and you give to me
True love true love
So on and on it will always be
True love true love
For you and I have a guardian angel
On high with nothing to do

But to give to you and to give to me
Love forever true
For you and I have a guardian angel
On high with nothing nothing to do
But to give to you and to give to me
Love forever true

"Dino, I love you."

"I love you too, Baby. Thank you for everything you've given me: our beautiful children, a happy life, and so much love."

"Thank you for welcoming me to your world in Vegas all those years ago. I've loved being a part of it."