Mrs. Mirella Carusi is a woman in her fifties, always elegant and impeccable in both the way she dresses and the way she speaks.
Her long black hair, streaked here and there with gray, is the mark of a natural beauty she makes no attempt to hide with cosmetic procedures or hair dye.
I met her on the night of the Winter Interschool Festival, at that club owned by my family.
While I was waiting for Natalie to show up, I immediately noticed Mirella sitting alone at the bar and took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with her and kill some time.
It was a casual conversation that ended with her giving me her number so we could go out together one evening.
And here we are, walking hand in hand along the Mario Cuomo Bridge, surrounded by a thick blanket of fog.
But only after having dinner at an elegant restaurant in the small, peaceful village of Nyack, an hour's drive from the chaos of Manhattan.
It's freezing tonight — far colder than usual.
