River Rules Page 22

  He looked down at his note cards and began to read in a stentorian tone.

  “Gaia, the earth mother in Greek mythology, gave Hera, the queen of the gods, some precious apple trees which were tended by the Daughters of the Evening and guarded by a fierce dragon. The apples from these trees were golden and tasted like honey. They also had magical powers—they could heal, they grew back as they were eaten and if someone threw one of these apples, it always hit the target like a bull’s-eye and then came, boom, right back into the thrower’s hand. And, believe it or not, a golden apple stolen from Hera’s garden caused the Trojan War.”

  The sun started to set in the west as the moon became visible in the east. Peter stopped to take it all in. “Hey, the Harvest Moon, right on cue.” People in the crowd stood to see it, creating an audible roar of appreciation.

  “Settle down, people. Now, in Norse mythology, apples represent eternal youth, while in Celtic mythology, apples can give immortality and are the fruit of the gods. I just want to make a point that might exonerate the apple from being blamed for tempting Eve. Turns out it may never even have been an apple. Go back to the book of Genesis. In the Bible, it is written that God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of one tree that grew in the Garden of Eden. Well, get this: there were no apple trees in the Near East. So, lay off the apple—it was innocent.”

  Marriage is considered one of life’s sacred gifts, although I have to say it didn’t work out for quite a few of us here today. But you, Lori and Marti, you are perfect together. Let’s cherish this moment as we celebrate our brides on this glorious occasion of the Harvest Moon, the Blood Moon and a lunar eclipse. If that isn’t the universe blessing us than I don’t know what is. Here’s a beautiful poem by William Butler Yeats that’s perfect for tonight. It’s called Song of the Wandering Aengus.

  I will find out where she has gone

  And kiss her lips and take her hands;

  And walk among the dappled grass,

  And pluck till time and times are done

  The silver apples of the moon,

  The golden apples of the sun.

  Peter looked around the crowd, some wiping tears, and smiled proudly.

  “If there is anyone who dares, anyone who could possibly object to this wonderful union, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

  Brutus barked loudly, sparking a huge roar of laughter. Peter put his finger up to his lips.

  “Lori and Marti, you’re on.”

  Lori took Marti’s hand and kissed it. “I am so in love with you. Although I draw the line at camping, I promise to go to Fenway to watch the Red Sox without complaining even though I’d much rather be playing eighteen. I love your adventurous spirit and your unbelievable good nature. You are my everything.” Marti held Lori’s hand over her head like a prize fighter.

  “Lori,” she said. “I’m going to keep this short and sassy, just like you. Here we are, in front of our friends and families—finally it’s our time. You are my dream woman. I never thought I would find you, but I’m the luckiest woman in the world. I love you with all of my heart.”

  Peter had to quiet the shouts of approval from the crowd. “Do you take each other in this union of marriage? To continue being best friends and partners for life, for richer and poorer, in health and in sickness? To honor, cherish and love for the rest of your days?”

  Marti and Lori kissed each other and yelled, “We do.”

  “I thought so. Now we come to the rings. The wedding ring’s shape is round, just like an apple. There is no beginning or end, just like the earth and just like your love. Our brides’ rings are engraved with a beautiful line from The Song of Solomon: I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”

  Lori barely waited for Peter to cue her before saying, “Marti, I give you this ring as a symbol of my enduring love. With this ring, I give you all that I am and cherish all that you are.”

  Marti whisked away tears before speaking. “Lori, I give you this ring as a symbol of my enduring love. With this ring, I give you all that I am and cherish all that you are.”

  Peter threw his arms wide open before bellowing, “Friends, by the power invested in me by the Universal Church, my cup runneth over to pronounce Lori and Marti, wife and wife.”

  Everyone rose to their feet, cheering loudly as the brides kissed. And kissed. The festivities began promptly, with champagne toasts and fireworks. After feasting on Carmen’s delicious menu, the band cranked up the volume. Somehow, the first dance included Peter, who energetically clapped and two-stepped. The dancing continued non-stop until the band put down their instruments and asked everyone to step out for the Blood-Red Moon and eclipse.

  Peter took a breather outside the tent and happily grabbed the ice-cold Sam Adams that a smiling John Tomassi tossed him. Tomassi looked ten years younger and pleasantly buzzed as he cha-chaed in place.

  “Reverend Twinkletoes, the one and only.”

  Just then Carmen, walked up to Peter and handed him a Fiori Orchards t-shirt. Tomassi did his best Groucho Marx eyebrow wiggle and poked Peter in the ribs.

  “Later,” he growled to Peter before stopping for a second. “Carmen.”

  “John.” She took in his undulating eyebrow and shook her head, somehow managing to make her own sweatiness look dewily chic.

  “On the house, Pete,” Carmen said, stepping back from the soggy embrace Peter offered.

  “Carm,” he yelled, stripping his shirt off and shimmying. “Can you dig it?’

  Carmen covered her face and screamed. “My eyes.”

  “You know you got to have this.” He pulled the T-shirt on over his head. “Better? Dance with me, Hot Stuff.” Peter grabbed her hand and maneuvered over to the dance floor.

  “Wait, I gotta make sure the clean-up’s OK.” But she swayed to a Motown medley, keeping an amused distance from Peter’s gyrations.

  When Superfreak came on, Jade pulled Ian onto the dance floor and engaged him a in a barely disguised grind. At first, he resisted but then threw out all the stops, hips swiveling to the beat.

  Andre yelled approvingly. “Way to get your Brahmin on.”

  Ian gave him his special prayer and grinned ear to ear.

  CHAPTER 58

  AFTER THE EVENING’S THEATRICS, PETER FOUND Carmen, utterly exhausted, leaning against the bar. He offered her his hand, and, after a brief hesitation, she let him lead her towards the bonfire. They sat down on a log in front of the flickering flames near the s’mores station. Peter grabbed a stick and expertly toasted a s’more.

  “For you, Carm. You pulled off a helluva night.”

  “You, too.” She slowly pulled off the most charred bits of marshmallow and savored them. “Mmm. you burned these just right.”

  “I aim to please. I know how you like ’em.” Peter helped himself to some of the gooey chocolate she was ignoring. “Good stuff. These never get old.”

  “No, but we did.” She watched the fire, sinking into a melancholy silence, her-half-eaten s’more drooping off the long stick.

  “Yeah, we did. So what? Tell me what’s on your mind. I can take it. Is it my stench?” He took the stick from her and rested in on the ground.

  “No, you smell like you. Just let me sit and you be quiet.” To his surprise, Carmen leaned against him and sighed. “I’m so tired.”

  “Lean on me. Hey, can I sing you the song?”

  “No.”

  Peter didn’t move even though his right arm was trapped in an awkward position. “Carm?”

  “I wanna say something. I’m angry at you for spoiling other men for me. I’m done. They’re just not you. There, I said it, for all the good it does.”

  Peter cautiously put his arms around her. “Carm, my young friends tell me you have to ask permission now to touch a woman.”

  Carmen sat us straight and looked at him. “You asking?”

  “Yeah, I’m asking.”

  Carmen chuckled and arranged his right arm so her head fit into the space between
his shoulder and elbow. “Don’t get too cocky.”

  “The new me would never brag about my amazing anatomy.” She snorted, and Peter felt carried away by waves of tenderness and nostalgia. He inhaled her aroma and rested his head on top of hers. “Not like the old me.”

  “Shhh.”

  “Right, I promise not to speak.” Every ember in the fire glowed brighter as he held her.

  “Thank God.”

  Peter couldn’t resist kissing her neck softly. “I’m a dumb guy—you know it’s true. But I’m here for you. Just tell me what’s going on.”

  “You’re not ready for this.” She disengaged and looked carefully at his face.

  “Try me.”

  “OK. I think we missed it. We missed our shot. And it sucks.” She shifted uncomfortably. “God, I’m too old to sit on this log. My ass is killing me.”

  Peter patted his lap. “I’m pretty comfortable.”

  Carmen exaggerated her double-take. “We haven’t been this close in years. Now you want me to sit on you?”

  “Well, for starters. Why not?”

  “Uh, because everything.”

  “Look—here we are four years later, and I’m still me, and you’re still you. I’m going grey and you’re just getting more beautiful. How is that fair?”

  Carmen shook her head. “Pete—”

  “We got caught up in a tragedy. Life gave us a sucker punch, and you broke my heart. You know it. But you did what you felt was right under terrible circumstances. You made it very clear you were better off without me.”

  Carmen’s shoulders heaved suddenly as she buried her face in her hands. Peter hesitated. “Are you saying I was wrong not to push harder? You threatened to get a restraining order when all I wanted to do was see you, talk to you.”

  Carmen wiped away mascara-tinged tears with the bottom of her lace blouse. “Do you have a tissue?”

  Peter shook his head no. Using the sides of his hands, he gently whisked away some tears rolling down her cheeks. “My fingers are too rough for your pretty face.”

  “You never recover from losing a child. Children shouldn’t die before their parents. She was old enough to know better; we raised her to know better but look what happened. It still makes me sick to my stomach. I’ll never know if she slipped, or someone pushed her, or she jumped.”

  Peter kissed her forehead. “Don’t do this to yourself. Some stuff is just unknowable. But you found a way to carry on. You built the orchard up into the most successful operation in the area. You’re raising your grandson, you’re there for everyone.”

  “Yeah, but not for you or me. I blamed you for making me so happy that I took my eye off the ball. So stupid, when I look back. Did you hear me? I blamed you.” Her eyes blazed angrily.

  “I know, believe me—I know.”

  “The orchard was running on all cylinders. And when my mother died, you were my rock. We were great together. But, I got selfish, and everything centered on you and me. I saw the warning signs, you saw them, too. Becky couldn’t handle herself. But I thought, “Oh, she’s making her choices, and I may not like them, but they’re hers to make. She’ll straighten out.’ Thing is, she didn’t have enough time left, and I didn’t know.” Carmen choked back a sob.

  “No one could know. Stop beating yourself up.” He reached for her, but she shook him off.

  “Wait, let me finish. And when you got stuck in all the freaking Zenergy trouble—I wanted to kill you. You drive me crazy.”

  “Just a minute. Give me a chance to say something.”

  “No, you don’t get a minute, and you don’t get a chance. Listen to me. What happened with Sherry and the water just destroys me. And out of respect for this beautiful wedding, I’m not even mentioning the bitch I’d like to slaughter.” Carmen grabbed his hands and looked at them like she had never seen hands before.

  “That goes double for me.” He stopped and watched her, surprised. “I guess you heard from Vic. But don’t tell Tomassi what I said.”

  “As if. But you, Vic said you’re in jeopardy. You get caught up in things that are too big, fights you can’t possibly win because they don’t fight fair. Why do you do this?”

  “I—”

  “As for you and me,” Carmen interrupted, squeezing his hands, “we started to talk a little after seeing each other in Vic’s office, yeah, but about nothing important.”

  “Hey, those were your rules.”

  “Murder and evil don’t get to win, you hear me? I’ve got enough guilt to last till the end of time. I am so sorry, Pete.” Shaking with emotion, she collapsed into his embrace.

  “Carm, you were wrong to put all this on yourself.” He spoke softly and tried to soothe her like the trembling puppies he rescued. “Why couldn’t you let me carry some of the load, us together? I’m an ox, give me the burden. I’m a beast.”

  “You certainly are.” She poked a finger into his belly and sniffed. “Or at least you used to be. You’re too skinny—I’ve never seen you like this.”

  “That’s a new one. Maybe you can fatten me up.” He puffed up his cheeks, and Carmen chuckled huskily.

  “Maybe.”

  “What? Well at least this beast isn’t a total caveman.” He traced her rosebud mouth with his calloused index finger. “May I?”

  “No – me first, and I don’t have to ask.” She kissed him hungrily until he broke away.

  “Are you putting the moves on me, Carmen Fiori?”

  “If you don’t know, things are worse than I thought.”

  “Hey, ladies should always come first and often. Even cavemen know that.” He held her close, their deep kisses dissolving the years.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Carmen asked. She tilted her head in the direction of her house, not too far from where they sat.

  “That I should have brought Viagra with me? Yup.”

  “We’ll make do,” she said, her hand lightly acknowledging the bulge of his hard-on. Starting to get up, she clutched suddenly at her back. “Oh, my God. Ouch, ouch.”

  Peter struggled to rise from the log to come to her aid and yelped in pain. “I can’t move. Goddammit, I’m stuck.” Bent over at a forty-five-degree angle, he had to support himself by putting his hands on his thighs. He look at her ruefully, and they both burst into gales of laughter that escalated to shrieks and shouts.

  “I just peed myself.” Carmen clamped her legs together but couldn’t stop giggling.

  Peter, still bent at the waist, held out his hand. “I have that effect on women. Come on, Hot Stuff. Help me.”

  “You big idiot, help me. And forget the Viagra. We need a bucket of Advil.”

  He grimaced as he shuffled towards her. “Maybe a wheelchair.”

  CHAPTER 59

  PETER AND CARMEN LEANED ON EACH OTHER AS THEY made slow progress back to Carmen’s place. Carmen, her spasms almost gone, ran a hot shower for Peter in the guest room bathroom. When he got out, he saw she had laid out an old pair of faded Patriots sweatpants he recognized as his own.

  “No shirt for you, handsome,” Carmen said, waiting for his entrance as she reclined on the bed in pair of cotton pajamas. Gesturing to her attire, she smiled. “Very sexy, I know.”

  He lay down gingerly and reached for her. Carmen ran her fingers through his chest hairs as she slowly melted into him, kissing his shoulder.

  “You always are.” Peter held her on his bare chest. “Can’t wait for tomorrow,” he said, dozing off in seconds.

  “It’s already tomorrow,” she whispered.

  Peter woke up first and made a bee line for the bathroom. He brewed a pot of coffee and munched on a crisp apple. With Jimmy still at Aldo’s, they had the house to themselves. He brought Carmen a steaming mug of coffee but couldn’t bring himself to wake her. He watched her breathe, grateful beyond belief to have this moment.

  “Pete? Is that you or am I dreaming?”

  “The one and only. Here.” He handed her the mug, grinning broadly. He sat quietly
as she blew ripples onto the hot brew and took small sips.

  “Don’t go anywhere.” Carmen turned on a light jazz station before making her way to the bathroom.

  Peter wandered around her bedroom, noting the changes from four years ago. He looked at a framed picture of Aldo, Carmen, Becky, and Jimmy. It seemed like ancient history. Suddenly, Carmen’s arms encircled his waist.

  “Hey, I know you.” Peter scooped her up carefully and placed her gently on the bed. “Nice outfit.” Carmen had ditched the sleepwear and slipped into a silky short negligee. Their mouths met, and his hands caressed her breasts and buttocks. “Not asking, OK?”

  “Me neither.”

  They took their time at first, but Carmen made him jump when she ducked down and licked his shaft.

  He groaned and drew her back up to his mouth. “Rain check. It’s all you, baby.”

  Kissing his way down her body, Peter teased her nipples before settling in between her thighs. She held onto his shoulders and came hard as he tongued her.

  Peter rolled over and pulled Carmen on top of him. “You sexy beautiful woman, get over here.” As he filled her completely, their bodies knew what to do, the terrain already mapped.

  “Oh, Pete.” Carmen arched her back and threw back her head.

  Her breasts bounced as she rode him, coming over and over. Finally, Peter couldn’t hold back, gripping her hips and exalting until he slackened.

  They tumbled onto their sides, all tangled legs and arms, neither one able to summon a coherent word.

  “Wow.” Peter hugged her close. “Where you been?”

  “Mmmm.” Carmen curled into him and kissed his chest. “Missing you.”

  CHAPTER 60

  PETER LAY BACK ON THE COUCH, TRYING TO FIND A late ballgame to watch on TV. When the doorbell rang, he looked around in annoyance. At 11 P.M., no one should be on his doorstep. Jeff had just left after going over the menu for the week. Carmen had gone to Bermuda for a short trip she’d booked months ago with friends. The bell rang again and again. Brutus barked and charged at the door. Peter put down his beer and got up slowly, looking cautiously through the side glass panels.