Francesca Agliata

Prayers and Wishes Francesca Agliata

Angelo Spinelli is thirty-eight years old when he decides to document his life in a journal. Angelo, who has Down syndrome, pens monthly entries about what he feels are significant events in his life that include details about his job as a busboy, his vocational program, his family, and his friends. Angelo eventually becomes love-struck by his new neighbor, Olivia Landis, who he describes as a bird with a broken wing. When Angelo enters her life, Olivia feels whole again. After their friendship evolves into a love affair, Angelo's family finds out and do not believe he is capable of consenting to the relationship. While Olivia becomes entangled in a serious legal dilemma, a psychologist evaluates Angelo's decision-making capabilities. As their future hangs in the balance, Olivia makes a shocking announcement with the potential to change everything. In this touching novella, a man with Down syndrome documents his life in a journal as he falls in love and fights for his happily-ever-after.