Dominic, an EMT from Michigan, travels to Italy to discover his heritage. But after visiting the small town where his great grandparents lived, he finds so much more. The historical treasures of Rome. The priceless artwork of Florence. And then on to Venice to explore the city billed as “Disneyland for Adults.”<br><br>But the city is battling a historic flood, altering his plans and setting him on a course he never could have imagined, a path that intersects with the lives of three others. Sandro, a handsome Italian actor, appears to be the man of his dreams. As they walk the flooded city, they meet the charming Maria and her energetic young son Massimo. A near tragedy soon binds their lives together forever as Venice tries to defend itself against encroaching waters.<br><br>Dominic vows to return to his lover in a few months. But February of 2020 proves to be a bad time for a reunion. Can these two men overcome a flood, a tragedy, and the perils of a pandemic to have a life together? Will their love survive until life someday returns to normal?

High Water Mark

As he prepared some pasta for himself, he watched the television for a weather forecast. He was dismayed to find that the prediction for the next day was more rain. “But it should be gradually tapering by noon,” the meteorologist said, “and while there will be flooding in some areas, the fact that we will be at low tide in the morning should spare some areas, at least for now.”


Well,thought Dominic, I’ll have to take what encouragement I can get.He managed to find an old American western movie to watch, laughing at the poorly dubbed Italian, and soon fell asleep.


When he woke up early the next morning, the downpour had reduced to a light rain. Picking up his dry umbrella, Dominic made his way out the door in search of a coffee shop. Walking back toward St. Mark’s Square, he soon found one. He ordered a latte and a pastry and took a seat near the window.


Chapter 16