After hanging up with Erin, I return to the kitchen only to find it empty, but I do notice a note on the counter in Lucy’s handwriting. ‘Come outside, Mommy’ it says.
Making my way to the sliding glass door that leads out to the deck, I gasp and place my hands to my chest at the sight before me.
Luke is down on one knee holding a ring box in his hand and standing next to him Lucy is holding a sign that says, ‘Mommy, will you marry my Daddy?’ The song ‘Marry Me’ is playing softly in the background.
I can’t contain myself as Luke stands up and takes hold of her hand and the two of them walk towards me. Looking at my beautiful little girl who has the biggest smile on her face I have ever seen and then looking up into the eyes of the man who has owned my heart for as long as I can remember, I feel the tears building up again. As hard as I try to push them back, they slowly start to fall down my face.
“Shayne Grace Andrews, I love you so much, baby. I have had this ring with me for seven years waiting and hoping that one day I would be as lucky to have you in my life again and to be able to put it on your finger where it belongs. Tesoro bella, will you be my wife and let me take care of you and love you beyond forever?”
I can’t speak. I just shake my head ‘yes’. He takes the ring out of the box and then bends down and he and Lucy both place the ring on my finger. It slides on perfectly. It’s the most beautiful ring I have ever seen, a princess cut, light pink diamond with small diamonds all around the entire band. Lucy speaks first, bringing me out of my daze.
“Mommy, don’t cry. You’re supposed to be happy!”
“Oh, Lucy! I am happy, and these tears are happy tears, baby. I love you both so much. Luciano Schavone, I can’t wait to be your wife.”
Luke reaches out and wipes the tears away from my face. The three of us stand there with our arms around each other and our heads together as I breathe in the beauty that is all around me. I never would have imagined this day would ever come.
For the rest of the day, neither Luke nor Lucy let me do much of anything at all. Luke has called his family and told them I said yes. Apparently they all knew he was going to ask me to marry him. Even Adam already knew when I called to tell him because Luke had talked to him about it a few days ago. Now that we have called everyone to tell them the news, we decide to go out for dinner just the three of us. I know the perfect place as I am craving Mangiare’s pizza.
Pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant, we are all laughing as we listen to Lucy jamming and trying to sing to some Italian song on the new iPod that Antonio got her for her birthday. As we get out of the car and start to walk into the restaurant, I realize I have to use the bathroom. After making sure with Lucy that she does not need to go too, I excuse myself just as the hostess is telling us that our table will be outside.
“Go ahead and I will meet you two out there in a couple of minutes,” I tell them.
I relieve myself and wash my hands. Just as I am walking out of the bathroom, I feel my phone buzz in my purse. I reach into it and pull out my phone, never seeing the person standing in the doorway until he has a gun pointed directly into my stomach. Dropping my phone, I look up into the eyes of none other than Ben Menetti.
************
“Don’t say a fucking word or my brother will put a bullet through Luke’s head, you stupid bitch. Now, you’re going to turn around and walk out the front door with me like nothing is wrong. Don’t play me for a damn fool or I will have him killed, do you understand me?”
Nodding my head yes, I turn around and do as he says. My brain is scanning the room for anyone to look at us and notice something is wrong, but everyone is engaged in their own conversations and is paying no attention to us. As soon as we get outside he brings the gun back out and points it into my back, steering me to a black Escalade. The back door opens as we approach and I am lifted inside. Before I even have the chance to sit down, everything goes completely black.
I wake up with a throbbing headache. I collect my bearings and look around, realizing what has happened. I have no idea how long I have been out because the room I am in is completely black. I lift my head off the pillow and slowly ease my way to sitting up. What the hell is he going to do with me? Lucy and Luke have to be panicking. Laying my head back against the headboard, I close my eyes and think of my daughter and what she must be feeling right now. I do the only thing I can think of; I get off of the bed and use my hands to guide me around the room until I find the door. Of course it is locked.
Shaking the door handle, I start to scream.
“You fucking son of a bitch! Let me out of here.”