flew by, as Alessa prepared for her final exams and went through the motions of planning her wedding with Hannah. She didn’t care who, how, where, or when. So it was easy to let Remo’s mother have her way. By early August, Hannah had completed the guest list. It covered everyone, starting from some of their close friends to casual acquaintances, and rose to one hundred people.
The night before Hannah was due to go to the printer for invitations, she called Alessa to finalize the list.
“Hi, Alessa, this is Hannah,” she said. “I’m going to the printer tomorrow for the invitations. I’ll need the addresses of your mom, your brother, and your sisters. Do you have any other relatives we should be inviting?”
Alessa sighed heavily. She had known this topic of conversation would eventually come up again. “Actually, Hannah,” she said, trying not to sound tense, “I’m only inviting my sister, Rosabella. I can give you her address.”
Hannah, who had been waiting for this very moment, jumped at the opportunity. “Are you saying you’re not inviting your mother, Alessa?”
Alessa’s patience was wearing thin. “Yes, Hannah, that’s right,” she said crisply. “I don’t speak to my mother. I’ve only talked to her once in the last four and a half years, and it wasn’t very pleasant.”
Hannah was like a dog with a bone. “Alessa,” she said in a voice reeking of disapproval, “no matter what happened between the two of you, she is still your mother. I couldn’t imagine getting married without my mother being there at my wedding. What exactly happened between the two of you?”
The frustration was clear in Alessa’s voice as she tried to close the subject. “It’s a long, complicated story. For now, let’s leave it alone.”
Hannah was furious at being blown off in this manner. “Alessa,” she said in a harsh tone, “you’re about to marry my son. I have a right to know what’s going on. It’s unacceptable that you’re being this disrespectful to your mother. Is this how you’ll try to persuade Remo to treat me after you’re married?”
Ding! Ding! Ding! Hannah had pushed Alessa’s buttons, and now there was no stopping the flood that had been dammed for a long time.
“Hannah,” she said, throwing caution to the wind, “if you need to know, I was sexually abused when I was seven years old by my uncle who lived with us. When I told my mother about it, she didn’t believe me. She allowed it to happen repeatedly in her house. I finally ran away from home when I was seventeen years old. I went back a couple of months ago when my father died and found my mother to be the same heathen she had been when I left. There! Is that reason enough by your standards to justify not inviting her?”
Hannah was shocked. “Alessa, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I should have been told about all of this before. I need to go now.”
Even before Alessa hung up the phone, she knew that Hannah would call Remo and tell him in no uncertain terms he was out of his mind for marrying her. Maybe he was making a mistake, Alessa told herself. She wasn’t exactly an innocent blushing bride. She would not worry about Hannah anymore, though. She knew Remo would make his own decisions, and she would let the chips fall where they may.
Alessa called Ebby to tell her what had happened between her and Hannah. Ebby merely reinforced her impression. First, there was no way Alessa could change her future mother-in-law’s opinion of her, and second, while Remo loved his mother, he would make his own decisions.
Once their phone conversation ended, Ebby sat down at her kitchen table, wondering what made people like Hannah presume they could judge others.
Meanwhile, Alessa went back to studying. Lucy was still over at a friend’s house when Remo came home a few hours later. He walked over to Alessa and wrapped her in a warm, lingering embrace, and he felt the tension in her body. He wasn’t sure if she was so tightly wound up from her upcoming exams or if it had something to do with her earlier conversation with his mother.
“How was your day?” he asked.
Alessa looked at him knowingly. “Well, aside from studying for exams, I talked to your mom. I can tell from that look on your face that you did, too.”
Remo kissed her neck. “Mm-hmm. So I see,” he murmured. “I understand you told her about your uncle and your mother?”
Becoming aroused as he continued to kiss her neck, she said, “Mm-hmm. I don’t think I won her over.”
Remembering that Lucy would be away for at least another couple of hours, Remo slid his strong, smooth hand under her shirt. Instantly excited, Alessa pulled his shirt off. She kissed his chest as they melted into each other. Remo paused long enough to make her want him more than the air she breathed. She reached out and grasped him, clinging tight, her eyes begging him to love her.
After a moment, Alessa murmured, “Well, I guess I don’t need to ask you what you said to your mother.”
He nibbled on her earlobe. “Nope,” he whispered. “There’s nothing she can say that would make me change my mind about you.”
She ran her hand over his muscular abdomen. “You’re the hottest man on earth. God, you turn me on!”
“You ain’t so bad yourself,” he quipped.
After they made love, they dressed and talked about their day. Hand in hand, they walked over to the kitchen counter to prepare dinner together. Alessa was content that no further words needed to be exchanged about Hannah. Remo had handled it, and his mother knew his mind was made up. As Alessa was cleaning dishes at the sink, Remo walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“You’re awfully sexy the way you wash dishes!”
Alessa laughed and went on with her chore.
“I love you, Alessa,” Remo said. “I’ve never loved anyone in my life the way I love you.”
Alessa turned to face him. They had said “I love you” to one another, but there was something pure and sincere in his voice this time.
“You okay?” she asked him.
“I’m better than okay,” he replied, then bent down and kissed her gently.
“I love you, too, Remo. I’m a very lucky girl.”
Remo turned the burners off on the stove, and Alessa abandoned the dishes in the sink. They held each other close, as they headed to their bedroom again.
