“I do, too, even when they’re staring at my new boyfriend and me and wanting me to stand and give a speech about all the details they’re dying to know.”
“Is that what they want? Well, that’s easy enough.” He releases my hand, stands and taps his knife against a wineglass full of water. When the room falls quiet, he says, “Hi, everyone. I’m Wyatt, and you probably remember me from Jason and Carmen’s wedding, which is where I met the amazing, beautiful bridesmaid named Dee Giordino. She and I have kept in close touch since the wedding, and when I had a chance to apply for a job here in Miami, I jumped on it. My interview is tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed I get the job because Dee and I have decided to take the plunge and be together from now on.”
My family listens to him in stunned disbelief that they’re getting the scoop on us without having to dig for details. That never happens. My siblings, cousins and I have made a blood sport out of making them wonder what we’re doing.
“I know the word is out about my medical situation, but for those who haven’t heard, the gist is I had a heart transplant seventeen years ago when I was seventeen. By that time, I’d spent nine years battling cardiomyopathy, which came on suddenly when I was eight. After the transplant, I was truly reborn, and my health has been excellent ever since. I’m hoping it’ll stay that way for many years to come, but the fact of the matter is, I’ve already exceeded the average life expectancy for a heart transplant patient by six years. I’ve never had any kind of life-threatening issue or any sign of rejection.”
He looks down at me with his heart in his eyes. “I also know how much you all love Dee, and I certainly understand why. I love her, too. She’s convinced me to abandon all my rules about not getting romantically involved with anyone and go all-in with her. If you’re concerned about what she may be getting into with me, I promise you I’ll do everything I can to make her as happy as we both are today for as long as I possibly can. If the worst possible thing happens, I hope I can count on all of you to be there for her when I can’t be. And, ah, that’s all I wanted to say.”
Through my tears, I see Maria, Carmen, my aunts Vivian and Francesca, as well as Abuela and Nona tending to their tears.
Nona leads a round of applause for Wyatt. “Welcome to our family, Wyatt. You’re right—we love our Dee very much, and it’s obvious to us that you two share something special. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that today is all we have. I hope you and Dee will be very happy together, and you have our word that, should the time come, we’ll take very good care of her if you’re not able to.”
“Thank you, Nona,” I say softly. To Wyatt, I add, “I can’t believe you did that. You’re amazing.”
“They needed to know how I feel and that I’m going to make you happy.”
“That means everything to them.” I notice my brother Nico watching me with an odd look on his face. “What’s up, Nico?”
“Everyone’s so happy for you,” he says. “I want to be happy, but Jesus, Dee.” His gaze shifts to Wyatt, who’s talking to Nona and Abuela. “The guy is like a ticking time bomb.”
Thankfully, the seats between us are empty at the moment, so we can have this fight in relative privacy. “No, he isn’t. He’s in better health than you are.”
“Right now, maybe. Look, I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I think you’re crazy to take a chance like this.”
“Thanks for your input.”
“Dee, come on. What would you say to me if I was the one telling you I was getting involved with someone who had a looming expiration date?”
“I’d tell you to be thankful to have found someone to love and who loves you and to be grateful for every second you have with her. Look at what happened to Carmen when Tony went to work one day as a perfectly healthy twenty-four-year-old and never came home. Do you think she regrets the time she spent with him because of how it ended?”
“She doesn’t, but still… It’s different going into it, knowing it probably won’t last.”
“Let me tell you something, Nico. I spent years with the wrong man, and you know how I know that? Because I found the right one. I’ll take whatever time I can get with him and be thankful for every second of it. I appreciate your concern, but frankly, I don’t want to hear it.”
Maria approaches us. “Um, what are you guys fighting about?”
“Nico doesn’t approve of me being with Wyatt.”
“I never said that. I said I’m worried about you taking on something like this.” He softens his tone. “None of us want to see you hurt again, Dee.”
“And I appreciate that. I really do. I know what I’m getting myself into, and I feel very good about it. I just want you to be happy for me. Can you do that?”
“I’ll work on it.” He glances toward Wyatt, who’s laughing at something Uncle V is telling him. “He seems like a nice enough guy.”
“He’s a great guy. If he weren’t, I wouldn’t care the way I do.”
“You’ve said your piece,” Maria tells our brother. “Let it go now.”
Nico holds up his hands. “Don’t hate on me for caring.”
“No one is hating on you,” I say. “But I don’t want to talk about gloom and doom today. I’m happy. Oh, and Wyatt offered to take a look at Mommy’s port after this.”
“That’d be great,” Maria says. “I could use another opinion.”
“Uncle V wants to talk to me before I leave, and then we’ll head over there.”
“What’s up with Uncle V?” Maria asks.
“No clue.” We watch as Nico goes to talk to Sofia, who smiles like I’ve never seen her smile when he says something to her. “What’s up there?”
“I have no idea, but he’d better not be messing with her.”
We’ve all become protective of Sofia and her son. It was Nona’s idea to hire her to work at the restaurant, and she and Abuela have taken the young single mother under their formidable wings ever since.
“Let’s keep an eye on that,” I say to Maria. We love our brother, but because of the trail of broken hearts he’s left in his wake, we don’t always have faith in him to do the right thing when it comes to women. There’s no way we’ll let Sofia end up on that ignoble list.
When I see Uncle V heading toward the bar, I decide to follow him, hoping we can talk about whatever’s on his mind so I can get on with my day with Wyatt. “I’ll be back in a few,” I tell Wyatt.
“Take your time.”
While the rest of the family starts to leave, I take a seat at the bar.
Uncle V pours me ice water and tops it with a lemon. “Thanks for sticking around.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“I’ve been thinking. Well, Viv and I have been thinking, I should say.”
“What about?”
“Retirement.”
“Seriously?” If you’d asked me to bet on what he might want to tell me, that wouldn’t have made the top one hundred.