A Bottle of Rouge and Sunrises Not Sunsets

“A glass of merlot to share with the one I love and sunrises not sunsets.” he said to me that day.

“What? Why not sunsets?” I asked.

“...Because Grandma always taught me this, many things end with sunsets but there is some kind of great magic in the beauty of a sunrise.”

I arched an eyebrow, “Oh yeah? Is that what you say to every woman you first speak to?”

He laughed a very handsome laugh, “No, I will only say this once to the woman who will be my future wife.”

For once I was speechless, so I think I gave him a weird smile and busied myself with cleaning the other outdoor tables on the patio.

'Well jeez this guy...' he was a bit too magical for my taste. Hah my taste...what was that anymore? I was definitely no expert in relationships. Eight years in the last one, I was only too happy to take a break. With a heavy sigh I finished cleaning the tables outside Grandma's little Italia Eatery and walked back inside. Grandma had made it so artful in here with her grape vines, red roses and exquisite dining lounge; it must be just like a real bistro in Italy I was certain. Oh and Grandma? Well she wasn't my grandma but she wouldn't allow me to call her anything else. So Grandma it was.

“Hey Grandma?”

“Yes Bella?” she called from the kitchen.

“Do you know who that guy is that keeps showing up here?”

Grandma smiled mischievously.

“Wait do you know him?” I asked shocked.

Grandma smiled some more as she kneaded the dough for her specialty bread. “He is my grandson, do you like him?”

“Wait, what?” she had caught me off guard.

“He's been bugging me for a few weeks and your just telling me now!” I pouted.

Grandma chuckled, “Sorry Bella, I was going to introduce you both but I thought it better to let things run their course.”

“Things run their course...” I muttered, “is he a good guy?”

“Yes very sweetheart, he's been living with me for few years.” a cloud of darkness momentarily covered Grandma's face.

“Grandma I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong?!”

“Ah no Bella,” she forced a smile, “his parents passed away in bad car accident back home, my son and wife, he is their child.”

“I'm so sorry!” I hugged her gently.

Recovering quickly she said, “Don't worry for me Bella, I be okay! Now back to work but I telling you, he is good boy. Ah I must go wash my hands.” Grandma said distractedly.

“Can I help you with the bread?”

“Ah thank you Bella, I'm going to get the sauce ready for our dinner guests.”

“Okay.”

I thought over what she said. Jeez so he was an Italian boy, well that would explain him well enough. Shortly after I was finished with the dough and placed the first batch into the oven, I walked back out to the counter to see some guests eagerly waiting to be seated.

“Sorry! Right this way guys!”

“Is the old lady making that bread tonight?” the father of the family of three asked excitedly.

“She sure is! First batch is already in the oven!”

I looked out the front window to see if 'he' was still there, seems he had left. Oh well, I'm sure he'd be there tomorrow.

“What can I get you guys? Our special today is Fiorentina Steak.”

“Miss I want Grandma's pizza!” their little girl answered first.

“Sure thing little miss!” I laughed.

After I took their orders, the rest of Italia's Eatery filled up quickly inside and out and away we all went serving everyone like family until about nightfall.

I headed home exhausted, another busy day but my heart felt full. I smiled and passed out on the couch till morning. The next day at start of shift I couldn't help myself and went straight to the patio to clean tables, there were a few people out here but he wasn't, I tried to not be disappointed. I was suddenly distracted then by the red roses that grew lavishly out of the flower baskets surrounding the patio. I stopped to smell them, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't even grow roses like grandma's at home. She really was an amazing woman.

“Beautiful.” said a guy's voice.

“Oh hey.” I spun in his direction surprised. It was him! “What did you say?”

He grinned, “I said the roses are beautiful no?”

Jeez even his teeth were super white.

“Ah ha-ha, yes, yes they are.” okay this is awkward. Yep, definitely awkward, I'm so not ready for this! Well ready for what anyways? Its not like he was asking me out, damn it, we were just talking about the roses! Moron. “Would you like a table?” I asked.

“Will you join me?”

There it was...that was the invite wasn't it?

“U-umm well, I can't right now, I'm working.”

“Course, right, sorry. Can I get just a glass of merlot for now?”

“Yes of course, anything else?” I asked him.

“No that's good for now.”

“Oh okay.” I turned around and walked back into the Eatery super nervous.

Well that was a little awkward. I grabbed a nice glass and our best merlot from Bright Cellars and returned a little too quickly, pouring him a glass.

“May I ask your name?”

I could feel my cheeks flush. “Its Anna.”

“Anna. I like it. Anna you are beautiful like those roses, sorry, you are more beautiful than them.”

He even had the accent. Was I already sucked in? Probably.

I was a terrible flirt. “T-thank you, I think the roses are also beautiful.”

Really! Is that really what I just said!? Moron.

He let out a little laugh.

“What's yours?” I asked.

“Mine what?” he asked.

“What's your name?” oh this was going great, stupid, stupid.

“It's Luca.”

“Nice to meet you Luca.” yep, just melted a thousand degrees inside.

“Miss can I get a refill over here?”

Oh no I completely forgot about the customers.

“Wait,” he grabbed my retreating hand gently. “Will you watch the sunrise with me tomorrow and share a glass of merlot?

“Wha-? Umm that's really early I...”

“Miss--!”

“I have to go to the other customers!” I pleaded.

“Then say yes Anna.”

I bit my lip hesitating. “Oh alright yes!” I laughed.

The smile he gave me made my knees shake.

“Here if you don't mind, write down your address on this paper. I'll pick you up at your place around 4am.”

I groaned. “But its so early.”

“Trust me.” he said.

Could anyone say no to that smile?

“MISS!”

“Okay! Alright 4am! I have to go!” I shook my head laughing at my ridiculous self and hurried away. Apologizing head over heels to my waiting customers.

My alarm went off like a horrible banshee at 3:30am the next morning, I nearly fell out of bed.

“Ugh..mmm...nghh...so tired!” I showered and got ready quickly.

Wine so early in the morning, well I'd take a sip I guess. He was at the door waiting when I opened it at 4am.

“Have you been waiting there long?” I asked worriedly.

My heart was suddenly pounding when he showed me that smile again...and oh my god he smelled amazing, he even looked like a prince out of a fairytale. I put on the only cute outfit I really owned and we headed out.

“So where are we going to watch the sunrise?” I asked.

I was really curious. We were in Windsor near downtown, there wasn't much to see here.

“Its a surprise.” he smiled.

And I was even more surprised when I seen him pull into a parking garage right downtown. Honestly for a minute I was kind of scared...oh my god he's a crazy person! He must have felt my unease because he gently took my one hand and intertwined his fingers with mine.

“Trust me this will be worth it, I'm not a crazy person if that's what your thinking.”

I laughed still a little nervous, “For sure?”

“Yes for sure.” he laughed.

He drove to the very top and reversed the jeep so that the back was facing the Detroit River and also the edge of the parking garage.

“Wait here a minute.” he smiled after he helped me outside.

He walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk. I was seriously kind of nervous. Isn't this what the bad guys did? Anna! Stupid!

“Okay come here.”

I hesitated, well its been nice knowing you world, remember me--

My fear was extremely short lived however when I met him at the back of the car. He had laid a blanket down at the back of the the jeep, there was cheese and crackers and a bottle of merlot opened and ready next to two wine glasses.

“Wow.” I felt a little stupid for thinking the worst but can you blame me?

“Come sit with me and look at this view.”

I was even more shocked by that. There was a very clear view of the Detroit River through all the buildings but a thick morning fog was settling down around us and everything else.

“Oh no its getting foggy!”

He poured us a glass of merlot each and thereafter put a strong arm around me...it felt nice, warm.

“Its okay, just watch.”

“Hmm okay.” I sipped on the glass of wine and ate some cheese and crackers.

Delicious. It was all delicious.

“You see back home in Italy, in my city the sunrise begins like this, and along the ocean's surface as a thick fog settles just before dawn, you can see the whales breaking the surface gently.”

“Whales?”

“Yes.” he laughed.

“Well there are no whales here.” I laughed.

He was silent and looking forward with a big smile on his face.

“Wh-” nevermind.

Let's see what he's talking about. Beautiful oranges, pinks and purples gleamed on the horizon before us. As the fog seemed to shy away from the glowing sky, it settled over the river, covering the large boats, you could barely recognize them as boats and the steam coming up from them looked like...the water shooting out from the backs of whales! I stood up in shock nearly spilling my wine.

“This is amazing!” it took my breath away.

“See whales, I told you.” he smiled as he tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. He had left the back of the jeep and was very close to me. So close.

My cheeks felt hot.

“Mm, whales...how beautiful.”

“You are beautiful Anna. Will you go out with me and be my wife one day?”

I didn't even have the strength to answer but my knees suddenly gave out. He caught me with a widespread grin on his face.

“Is that a yes?” he had completely closed the distance between us.

I was putty in his arms. I nodded the best I could.

He kissed me then passionately and I fell madly in love with this man from that day forward. And well they say that the rest is history or something like that. Eventually covid passed and we eloped to Italy. We found our own rock to sit on there and watch the real whales on the sunrise along with a glass or merlot each because its all about the sunrises and not the sunsets someone once told me.

FIN