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ALLY
“Mom, stop fussing,” I said indulgently.
I loved the fussing, to be honest. Just like I loved everything about today. I twitched the gauze curtain aside and gazed out at the front yard of my parents’ farm. Our wedding guests were seated on white foldout chairs on either side of a long red carpet. At the end of it was a floral arch where my soon-to-be husband and son were standing. There was an elm in the way, so I couldn’t see them, which irritated me. Such an asshole move on the tree’s part. “Is it time to go yet?”
Zara giggled softly. “You’re a bit early, but it looks like everyone is ready. You wanna do this?”
“Yep!”
“Okay then.” She stepped forward and gave me a hug, and I squeezed her hard.
Moving aside, she made room for my mom, who did that thing she always did when she was agitated or excited: a rapid-fire stream of English and Italian. She loved me, she was so proud, she loved Gabe, she loved Jesse, she loved everyone, she was so excited.
Laughing, I grabbed her shoulders and kissed her cheeks. “I love you too, Mama. See you soon.”
Dad pulled her away before she could get too clingy and out of control and pressed a kiss to her forehead before hustling her toward the door. Zara helped, linking her arm through Mom’s and practically dragging her out. I watched as they walked down the veranda steps. The processional music started when they stepped onto the red carpet. I was pretty sure Mom was crying.
“Okay, Dad. Let’s do this. Oh, wait. I nearly forgot.” I stepped over to the bureau, ran my eyes over the paper on top, then folded it carefully and slid it into my pocket. I’d had a pocket sewn into my wedding dress for just this purpose. One last look in the mirror. Yep, boobs looked good but not too in-your-face showy. The curly updo framed my face beautifully, and was pinned in such a way that Gabe would be able to let it downvery easily…later. The ivory silk cinched at my waist, then fell to the floor in a soft A-line. It had all turned out exactly how I’d wanted it to.
“You ready,tesorrucia?”
“Si, Papa. Andiamo.” My heart was beating like a jackrabbit’s when I looped my arm through my dad’s and he walked me through the living room and out the front door. This was it. Everyone turned to look at me, but as I stepped down from the veranda, onto the red carpet, I only had eyes for Gabe. I felt my legs go a bit wobbly and leaned on my dad for support. My soon-to-be husband looked incredibly handsome.
I kept my eyes on him as we walked up the aisle and couldn’t control the shaking of my hands when my dad handed me over. Gabe gave my fingers a reassuring squeeze and I felt a little calmer. Jesse was looking very solemn, standing next to his dad in a dark suit and tie, his hair carefully brushed and actually staying in place for once. He grinned when I sent him a cheeky wink.
The officiant, a slim, dark-haired woman in a forest green dress, invited Zara to step up and read the love poem we’d selected. I barely paid attention, to be honest, because I was mesmerized by the look in Gabe’s eyes.
“And now to the vows. Do you, Gabriele Alexander Walker, take Allegra to be your lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forth, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”
He drew a shuddering breath, squeezed my hands tighter and said, “I sure do.”
“Allegra Gui—”
“Wait.” The officiant looked at me in surprise. I hadn’t told anyone about this. “I have another promise to make to someone else first.” There was murmuring among the guests, but Gabe just waited patiently, a small smile on his lips. Maybe he’d already guessed. “Jesse, this promise is to you.” Gabe let go of my hands and put his arm around Jesse’s shoulder, guiding him forward, closer to me. I bent down so that he and I were at eye level. “Firstly, I want to say that I am so happy that I get this chance to be your mom. You are the best kid, so funny, so smart, you smash me at Roblox, and your pizza dough is nearly better than mine.”
He giggled, making everyone smile. Then his grin faded, and he looked at me with serious blue eyes, so like his father’s that it made my heart squeeze almost to bursting.
“Jesse, I promise to always carry an industrial rolling pin in my car, because I’ll always have your back. I promise to always cook with you, laugh with you, watch movies with you. I promise to love you with every breath in my body, for my whole life. You are a gift to me that I never expected, and I will always love you for that.”
There were a few sniffles from the crowd, thenZiaBettina blew her nose very loudly and I heard my mom shush her.
This next part was what I had thought about and planned for such a long time, and it was so important that I get it exactly right. “Because being your mom is so important to me, I thought it would be a good idea for me to give you a little present to start our life as a family together.” I reached into my pocket, withdrew the single legal-size page and unfolded it, handing it to Jesse.
He stared at it for a long moment before looking at Gabe in confusion. “What is it?”
Leaning over his shoulder, Gabe read it, then, his voice thick, said, “It’s a change of name application already signed by Sandra, bud. It means you can be Jesse Walker.”
Jesse was so still and kept his head bent over the paper for so long that I started thinking I’d upset him, that I’d made a mistake. “It means we all get to have the same last name and be a real family. I mean, if you want that.”
“Jesse…Walker…” he mumbled to himself, trying it on for size. He finally looked up at me and nodded, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Then he threw his arms around my neck.
I buried my face in his hair, hugging him back. “I love you, kiddo.”
“Love you, too.” He pulled away, taking up his position again next to Gabe, swiping at his eyes.
“Seriously, Allegra, just when I think I couldn’t love you more.”
I grinned, bouncing on my toes in excitement. Although there’d been that brief moment of fear when I thought I’d gone too far and upset Jesse, the whole thing had gone exactly how I’d planned.
