To top off the outfit, she has a wide pearland crystal (fake, but good fake) headband that looks like a crownit’s that pretty. Of course, she has fancy shoes with crystals atthe toes and really high heels, which she needs since she’s tinyand her man is tall.
Got to go. My ride is here. I’ll finishtelling you everything when I get home.
Gio and Nat are wearing almost the sameoutfit I am: jeans, boots, and a sweater. My sweater is turtleneck,Gio’s is vee-neck, and he has a bright white tee under it, andNat’s is a thick fisherman sweater that’s slightly off theshoulder. She’s such a knockout, she could wear a plastic garbagebag and look great.
“That it?” Gio asks, nodding at my garmentbag and small rolling luggage.
“Yep.”
“You have to be the only woman I know whotravels light.” There’s wonder in his voice, and since I know hisfamily, I’m not surprised.
“Hey.” Nat smacks his arm. “I don’t have muchmore than that.”
“Much being the operative word in thatsentence,” he says, laughing.
She grins at him, and I swear you can feeltheir love. They’re intense ALL THE TIME.
“Where’s Boo?” Nat asks.
“Staying with his bestie, Sheena, a beaglepoodle mix.” Gio makes a face. “She’s cute. Curly hair with beaglemarkings.” He shakes his head like he doesn’t believe that’s cute.“She and her parents live three houses down, and we do this foreach other when we’re gone for a few days.”
“Cool.” Nat looks at Gio. “Let’s go.” Sheturns to me. “I can’t wait to get to the Fairmont. We spent ourfirst few days together there.”
I grin. “Memorable.”
“Ah, yeah.” She smiles wide.
Gio picks up my garment bag and grabs therolling luggage, then walks to the front door. “I’ll wait in thecar if you’re going to do a detailed recap.”
Nat chuckles and shakes her head. “He wantsyou to think he’s embarrassed. Don’t believe him.”
These two are entertaining. “Onward.” I waveat Nat to proceed me. “We have a wedding to get to.”
***
The church is small and quiet, and the priestis nearly as old as God. But he has sharp eyes, and he recognizesthe Don immediately. Not that Don Alessandro could sneak inanywhere if he wanted to, although I doubt he wants to – he’s not ashy guy. He has four huge, tough-looking men following him into thesanctuary. They take up position standing at the back, their handsclasped in front of them. Sofia doesn’t seem to notice them, whichshe wouldn’t. She grew up with them around her all the time. Shelooks like a fairy standing next to her imposing father, who isgazing down at her with undisguised love.
Nat’s snapping photos with her phone, and Iwant one of Sofia and her dad looking at her that way.
The Don juts out his elbow, and Sofia loopsher left hand through to rest it on his forearm. In her right handis a small, delicate bouquet of pink anemone surrounded by whitebaby’s breath. As they make their way down the aisle there’s nomusic, which is kind of nice. The hush is reverent and private, andit’s as if we’re let in on a secret – these people crazy love eachother and we’re the lucky ones to witness their union. When Sofiaand her father are about halfway to where Matteo is, who’s lookingsuper gorgeous in a dark blue suit, crisp white shirt, and pink tie– you have to love him for matching the flowers – beaming at hisbride, Gio and Nat move in to flank the priest. As she shifts outinto the aisle, Nat hands off her phone to Amy, who seems preparedto become the official photographer.
One photo Sofia will frame and keep foreveris a sweet, special moment in time Amy somehow caught. Sofia islooking up at her dad as he takes her hand from his arm and kissesthe back of it, with, amazingly, tears in his eyes. When I hand thephone back to Amy for her to carry on, I see tears streaming downher cheeks. The emotion in the room sparkles with love, warmth, andcaring.
Matteo moves forward, and the Don – to hiscredit, with grace – places Sofia’s hand in Matteo’s, and she handsoff her bouquet to Nat.
The priest does his thing, gratefully forabout fifteen minutes, Matteo and Sofia exchange rings, say “I do,”and then Sofia goes up on tiptoe, throws her arms around his neck,and he laughs before laying a long kiss on her smiling lips.
The cavalcade heads to the restaurant, whichis empty. Gio laughs as we pull up and says, “Apparently, it wasn’tenough for us to have the private back room to ourselves.”
Nat asks, somewhat rhetorically, “Are yousurprised?”
“Nope,” he answers, still laughing.
The four bodyguards take seats, one to atable, spread out in the front room, while we make our way to thestark white unadorned back room. A long double-wide table, dottedwith vases holding pink anemone surrounded by white baby’s breath,is laid with bright white linen. Over the linen is thick whitebutcher paper, on which sits plain white porcelain plates,wineglasses, water glasses, and heavy cutlery. Even if the aromasfrom the kitchen weren’t wafting into the restaurant, from theold-school look of the place, I know this restaurant is all aboutthe food, and I’m in for a treat. The real deal. Italian cookinglike mynonna’snonnaused to make.
We start with a few bottles ofRebuliProsecco Cartizze, and because we’re a small group, everyonegets to stand up and make a toast. When it’s Matteo’s father’s turn– the saddest-looking man I’ve ever seen trying to be happy – hehesitates in English, and the Don tells him in Italian to speakItalian. WhichSignoreParisi does, and what he says islovely. He praises Matteo’s choice in marrying Sofia, and tellsMatteo he’s the best kind of son a man can have. Sofia tears up,and Matteo puts his arm around her slender shoulders and gives heran encouraging squeeze.
Only two people at the table don’t speakItalian, Amy and Nat. Amy doesn’t seem to mind, and is probablyused to it given all the time she’s spent in the Di Caro home. Somekey words might have sunk in, but Amy seems to be going with theflow.
