Page 29 of Reign of Fate

Adriana looks like the prettiest princess in her soft, pink, frilly dress with puffy sleeves. Evangeline and I found a little tiara that wasn’t over the top and looks lovely with her hair up in a tight ballerina bun. She’s taking her role as flower girl seriously as she holds the basket of pink and cream rose petals in her hands.

Evangeline fusses around my dress and makes sure I’m looking my best as we stand behind the doors that open to the church. All our guests have arrived, including my parents. My brother comes to find me to give me a kiss good luck and hands me a lace handkerchief that belonged to my grandmother.

“Does Mom know you took this?” I ask him, wide-eyed. Mom keeps our grandmother’s keepsakes hidden away since her passing. There’s nothing of any great value, mainly sentimental attachments to the lively, happy woman who used to make us gnocchi on our birthdays. I’m still waiting for my mother to give me the cameo pin that Nonna Dina left me. Mom says she’s keeping it safe for me anytime I ask for it. I stopped asking after the umpteenth time. I believe it’s her way of staying connected to her mother, although I’d like to have a little bit of Nonna with me to remember her by.

“Shh! She won’t even miss it,” Leno says, then goes to find his seat next to our parents.

The music begins. Ivo’s waiting for me at the altar. The moment has arrived.

IVO

I stand with Raffaele by my side as I wait for my bride to come down the aisle. There’s no one else I would want to have next to me except my best friend. We’ve been through the best and worst of times together, and it’s only fitting that he’s here with me now.

The room is lined with our best soldiers standing as sentries in case there’s trouble. It’s already happened at several weddings, one being when Raffaele snuck into Valentina’s room at the church to deliver a message for Alessio Cassini. It was all meant as a friendly warning from Raffaele, but it caused a scene. Who would have thought it would be the beginning of a mutual alliance with the other Mafia families?

Unfortunately, at other nuptials, there have been shootings, some resulting in deaths. There used to be honor among the Mafia clans, where wives and children were off-limits, but that’s all changed, and the enemy takes great pleasure in causing the most pain by killing what you hold dear. Add to that the rising gangs and their attempts to encroach on our territories, and the violence has escalated. Hence, we have the church surrounded.

The heavy wooden doors open, and Evangeline walks down the aisle looking as lovely as ever. She spares a glance for me, but her eyes lock with her husband’s. Raffaele maintains his stoic expression, but I notice the merest hint of a smile, which he locks down quickly before anyone can see.

Adriana is literally skipping down the aisle with a basket in hand. She reaches in and strews the rose petals along the white runner lining the aisle. She stops to wave at Francesco and then again at Massimo. Massimo waves her forward, reminding her she still has a job to do. Adriana’s giggle echoes in the church.

Adriana comes to stand before me. I get down on my haunches, and she gives me a big hug. “Did I do good, Daddy?” she whispers.

“The best flower girl I’ve ever seen,” I tell her. Evangeline calls Adriana to stand with her, and as the music changes, we all turn to face the aisle.

Elisa begins walking toward me, carefully watching where she’s going, but then she raises her face, and her eyes meet mine. She’s nervous. I can see her fingers clutching her bouquet. A classic beauty; my beauty. She finally makes it to me and takes my extended hand, and I guide her to stand before Father Robert.

The priest asks, “Who gives this woman in marriage?”

Without hesitation, Elisa responds, “I give myself to Ivo Avante.” Her voice is soft but clear. I hear a grumble from the pew where Elisa’s family sits. I guarantee her father is fuming at being pushed aside from walking her down the aisle.

Father Robert keeps the ceremony short and sweet, as we discussed when Elisa and I came to ensure the date was available. Not that it would have been an issue, because I made a very generous donation to the church ensuring there would be no hiccups.

The priest blesses our wedding bands, and Raffaele places Elisa’s in my hand. I repeat the words, “I, Ivo Avante, take you, Elisa, for my wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. Take this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity.” I slide the ring onto her finger. Elisa takes the ring from Raffaele and says her vows, binding us together for eternity.

“You may now kiss the bride,” Father Robert says.

I’ve never been one for public displays of affection, but since the moment Elisa told me she was going to be mine in every sense of the word, I’ve had a hard time keeping my hands off her. I cup her face with my hands and lower my lips to hers, keeping our kiss light. I know that if I kiss her the way I want to, I won’t be able to stop.

Elisa’s eyes slowly flutter open. She was expecting more, and she’ll get it, but not in front of an audience. “Patience, regina mia,” I murmur in her ear. Elisa is mine now, totally and completely.

Adriana rushes over to us. “Daddy, are we a family now?”

“Yeah, baby girl, we’re a family.” I bend down and pick her up in my arms, then take Elisa’s hand. We walk as a family up the aisle, with Raffaele and Evangeline following close behind.

As we decided to keep the guests to a minimum, we chose to move along to the reception without stopping to receive congratulations after the ceremony. Elisa has done a fabulous job organizing the venue. Tasteful elegance are words I’d use to describe the room prepared for our luncheon.

Adriana clings to Elisa the entire time. Elisa holds Adriana’s hand as we attend to our guests at their table to thank them for coming. Raffaele asked that the capos fromIl Destino,La Famiglia, andNostra Casabe invited, and all have arrived.

Marco Moretti and his wife, Gloria, along with Reno and his wife, Anna, are sitting with Alessio and his wife, Josephine. When I recall the bitter war that seethed between these families, I never thought it possible that they would all be celebrating together.

“Mrs. Avante, you’re a beautiful bride,” Marco Moretti says, taking Elisa’s hand in his.

“Please, call me Elisa,” she replies. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Marco does the introductions around the table, and the ladies pull out a chair for Elisa to join them. Elisa sits and puts Adriana on her lap.

Raffaele and Evangeline are taking Adriana home with them, giving Elisa and me our first night alone. I love my daughter, but I’ve been waiting a long time to have Elisa all to myself, and since her confession, I’ve thought of nothing else but making her mine.

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