Chances Are... Stories of Hope Alicia's Chance by Andrea Lena DiMaggio

Previously...

“I was wondering if your daughter is home?” The man looked at Alicia in puzzlement.

“Well, hello; Nice to meet you. I’m Cap…I’m David…David Martino. I live with my son, Danny.”

“Oh…Danny? I haven’t met him yet,” Alicia said, unconsciously stressing the pronoun.

“He’s in his room. Let me get him. Danny?” The man smiled and continued.

“There’s a young lady at the door; she’s our neighbor from across the street.” He nodded at Alicia and smiled again.

“We’ve only just moved from Italy last month; I was stationed there…Air Force. Ah, here he is.” Mr. Martino looked relieved as a boy approached the door. He looked surprised and his face reddened.

“HI…” Alicia put out her hand and the boy shook it gently. “I’m Alicia, your neighbor. Your Dad tells me your name is Danny?”

“Ah….Dante, actually, after the poet? My mom loved poetry.” The boy looked almost wistful, and he put his head down slightly, avoiding eye contact.

“Poetry…that’s nice. Is your mom home?” Alicia already knew, but she was so upset that kindness took a back seat to her disappointment. The boy looked shocked, but answered.

“No…My Mom died two years ago…cancer.” He bit his lip and tears came to eyes. Alicia stared into the face of sadness and felt ashamed. She closed her mouth and her own tears seemed to match the boys as she shook her head slightly.

“I…I’m so sorry,” she said, almost feeling as bad for her meanness as for the boy’s loss.

“Well, these things happen,” Mr. Martino said from behind the boy, causing an almost indiscernible wince from the boy’s shoulders.

“Still, it must be hard. My dad walked out on us when I was a baby. I’ve never had a father. You must be proud of your son.” Alicia said and immediately realized what she just did. Another wince; the boy before her wasn’t at all like what she expected. Had she not heard the name Danny or met Dana the day before, she would have sworn that the boy before her was just another girl wearing her brother’s sweats.

“Danny is my pride and joy. He’s a great young man.” At the word ‘man’ Danny pursed his lips slightly and his eyes began to fill with tears. Alicia looked around as she thought before speaking up.

“I’ve got to get going; just a walk down to the 7-11, maybe you can walk with me, Danny?” She said, and she purposefully allowed her voice to trail off slightly at the mention of the boy…the boy’s name.

“Sounds like a good plan. I’m glad there’s someone in the neighborhood Danny’s age. Sure nice to meet you, Miss.?”

“Capulano…Alicia…and my mom’s name is Julia.” Before the boy had a chance to speak, Alicia grabbed his arm and pulled him along down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

“I’m sorry. I should have said something the other day. Dad was out, and it was my only time all week.”

“So who are you,” Alicia snapped, sloughing off the boy’s excuse with a glare.

“It’s Dana…Dad….doesn’t understand.” The boy persona disappeared instantly and the girl she had met grabbed her arm, squeezing her.

“You mean…he won’t understand.” Dana stopped walking and squeezed Alicia’s arm harder. She turned and looked back down the block before looking back at Alicia. She began to shake slightly and the tears began to flow.

“He thinks…that Mom….indulged me. He won’t listen and he just…” She began to choke up.

“A phase? A feeling? How about ‘you’re just confused,’” Alicia said with a quiver to her laugh.

“Why, honey. You’re such a handsome boy.” She said it, imitating her mother’s pleading, as if she was standing there, wringing her hands.

“I didn’t raise my boy to be a sissy.” Dana choked back a sob. They walked around the corner and Alicia led her over to a bench under a bus stop. Sitting her down, she tried to smile. But her own disappointment and pain got in the way, which was actually a good thing, since she understood her new friend completely.

“He…took an early retirement…I think because of me.” She shook her head.

“Because you’re a girl?”

“Because he thinks there’s something wrong with me. At least that’s what he said; that he talked with the base shrink, and that he recommended I get…help. All the help I need is right down there,” she said, pointing in the direction of her house.

“My mother cries when she thinks about it, but it’s gotten better. I think she’s coming around, if I could only get her to listen to someone who knows….” At the word knows, she looked at Dana and an impish grin crossed her face.

“I’ve got an idea, okay?” Dana looked up and half-smiled before wiping her face with her sleeve.

“Anything is better than this.” She pointed to her body in a broad gesture.

“Does your father go out…do you have any….you know…Dana time? Like the other day?”

“Yeah…he’s working part-time as a consultant at Picatinny Arsenal, he goes in at ten or so and comes home at five…a couple of days. Tomorrow, in fact…he’s got a trip to upstate New York.” Her face brightened just a bit.

“Okay…we’ve got off the next two days ‘cause of the teacher’s conference. And my mom works from home on Fridays. How would you like to meet Alan and his mom?” She smiled impishly once again.

“I don’t understand. Why would meeting me make a difference?” She shook her head until Alicia finished.

“Not you, silly. YOU!”

That Friday...

“Hi, can I help you?” Julia stood at the door way and greeted the young lady. She was dressed in a hip length jersey dress in olive and black stripes with a black leather jacket over black leggings with ballet slippers. The girl’s hair was black and she wore multiple gemstones as studs in her ears. Almost Goth-lite.

“Hi. I’m Dana? Dana Martino. My Dad and I just moved in across the street last month. I was wondering if Alan is home? I wanted to ask him about the term paper due next month and I didn’t have his number.” She really didn’t have to play anything up. The assignment was real, and so was the girl in front of Ms. Capulano.

“Oh, yes. I think he’s in his room.” She stepped away from the door and yelled, “Alan? You have a friend here… Dana?”

A moment later, a familiar figure walked down the hallway. Perhaps too familiar, as evidenced by the look on Julia’s face.

“Hi….I’m so glad you came. You met Mom, huh? She’s terrific.” The girl hurried over to her mother and gave her a hug; Julia patted her on the back awkwardly taking note of her clothing. But for a slight difference in height, the two girls were near twins with identical outfits.

“Why don’t you stay for lunch; that way Mom can get to know you a bit.” Alicia resisted the urge to wink at her co-conspirator.

“I…must say, you’re….” Julia searched for the word to accurately describe Dana, but there was no use; as much as she tried, she settled on ‘sweet.’ She turned back and looked at Alan…Alicia…it was so confusing, but she knew in her heart that he child wasn’t confused at all.

“Ms. Capulano, may I ask a question?” She gently touched Julia’s arm and the woman thought to pull back, but the girl’s face was so sweet.

“I’ve got a problem, and I can’t talk to my Dad about it. Alicia says that you understand more than anybody about this, and I figured why not get some advice from another woman.” Alicia listened to her friend speak and bit her tongue slightly to stifle a giggle.

“Since my Mom died, he’s been awfully lonely; maybe even a lot lonely, and I don’t know what to do. He’s a really nice guy, and I hate to see him all alone. But I don’t want to do something stupid…like matchmaker or set something up. He just needs to…you know…”

Julia nodded her head and smiled, but she really didn’t know.

“Maybe we can have them both over; you know, like ‘welcome to the neighborhood?’”

“I don’t know, Alan…oh…” She shook her head once.

“Listen…how about you invite them for pizza…less formal…no threats at all?” Alicia nodded her head and Dana smiled at Julia.

“Please?” Her eyes seemed to deepen, almost like a puppy in one of those paintings.

“Would…Next Saturday be okay?”

“Saturday would be perfect.”

“Honey…I think her Dad needs to meet my son…at least for the first time?” Alicia nodded reluctantly; she felt bad about manipulating her mother, but something had to reach both parents, and the girls were almost desperate at that point.

The following Saturday...

“Hi, I’m Dave… Martino. It’s awfully nice of you to invite us.” Julia held out her hand and Dave shook it softly.

“Julia…Capulano….nice to meet you. The kids are down the hall. Pizza should be here any minute.”

“You’ve very kind; may I offer to pay?” Dave tilted his head, a bit fearful for a rejection.

“Oh….that’s okay, ‘maybe next time?” She shuddered ever so slightly?

“Next time?” He thought.

“Next time?” She thought.

They were interrupted a moment later by the doorbell. Julia handed the delivery boy some cash and Dave took the Pizza and a bag and placed them on the dining room table with a nod from Julia.

“Kids, dinner’s here.” Julia called down the hallway before getting a bottle of wine and a bottle of pomegranate blueberry juice out of the fridge. As she was sitting down, two figures walked into the dining room. They wore matching dark blue denim mini-skirts over black tights and ankle length boots. Each wore a red jersey top under a black leather jacket. Both tops had writing on them; Dana’s read ‘Hi, Dad’, and Alicia’s read ‘Hi, Mom.’

“I’m sorry,” both parents turned to each other as their words almost harmonized. They turned and looked at the two girls sitting at the table; both girls were smiling.

“I have to apologize for my son,” they said, this time Julia’s words sounding like an odd echo.

“I’m sorry.” Alicia said; the nervous tension of anticipation broke and she began to cry. Dana put her hand on the girl’s shoulder and rubbed it softly. As she spoke, both parents gazed at the two, their attention shifting back and forth.

“I….Is Dana a boy?” Julia asked softly, but her attention was on her own child.

“She…he…” Her voice trailed off when she realized just what Alicia had meant to say in the surprise they saw before them. She reached over and tapped Dave’s arm. He was staring at Dana; maybe seeing her for the first time.

He looked at Alicia and tilted his head, almost as a question.

“Mr. Martino…Captain, Sir? I’m …I’m sorry we tricked you…but …oh I am so sorry.” Alicia put her head down on her arms on the table and wept.

“Dad? You see what I’ve been trying to say? Ms. Capulano? What Alicia has been trying to say? This was our last chance to reach you. We need you two to know who we are. And we…I know you love me, Dad…but I need you to love ME…the me I am, you know? And she needs you to love her for who she is…trust us…we know?”

“I am so sorry, Danny…I should have listened.

“And I should have listened to you….” Julia struggled to say the name; as if letting go of ‘Alan’ was like finally letting go of another.

"Alicia."

A bit later...on the front steps

“We did it. We did it.” Alicia could hardly contain her glee, even if she was crying at the same time. She pulled Dana closer and hugged her. Their lips touched and they kissed. A moment later, the two pulled back and stared, tears in their eyes as they shook their heads no. Dana touched Alicia’s cheek softly and smiled.

“Sisters?”

Alicia nodded as she pulled her best friend ever into a warm sisterly embrace.

"Sisters!"

Sometime later....Perona Farms, Andover, New Jersey

"Dave...can you get me my camera? It's on the table over there." Julia waved as the group of women gathered.

A tall girl stood in the middle of the reception hall, standing even a bit taller due to the three inch heels of her white ankle boots. A moment later, several girls dove for the bouquet as it bounced off the low light fixture, landing in the arms of a seven year old girl who grinned sheepishly. The bride received a hug and kiss from the groom before turning and walking toward her maid of honor.

"I tried to angle it so you'd get it, Dana." Alicia said; the newly wed Mrs. Kenneth Angelo Narcise then hugged her sister. She pulled back and half smiled, her eyes filled with tears.

"No worries, Sis!" She smiled back as she lifted her left hand and the left hand of the woman standing next to her, pointing to identical rings.

"Got it covered!"

Next: Melina's Tale