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"She may be an expert on being a don's wife, but she is not an expert on you, Carlotta. And this is your wedding."
"That's why you're here, to be the expert on me," Carlotta says.
It's disturbing that Signora De Luca and even her daughter have had more input on the wedding plans than the bride-to-be, but I don't say anything. I can tell my little sister is overwhelmed by the prospect of becoming the don's wife.
She doesn't find him even remotely sexy. She told me so and I had to bite my tongue to keep back my astonishment. "He's nearly twice my age and you've seen how cold his eyes are."
I don't tell her how a simple look from those dark eyes warms up my insides faster than a shot of whiskey.
"Well, I'm glad you're excited about the food," I say now.
Only I realize later that it's not choosing the food for the wedding menu that excites my sister.
She's happy to leave the final choices for each course up to the rest of us, but Carlotta peppers the caterer with questions abouthoweach dish is prepared and she's transfixed when we are taken on a tour of the kitchens.
I see cooking as a means to an end, a way to avoid my father. He wouldn't step foot in the kitchen. However, Carlottaenjoysour time learning how to prepare our family's signature dishes from Zia Lora. I mean, I don't dislike cooking, but given a choice between doing it and listening to a lecture on ancient history, I'll go for the lecture every time.
Carlotta is busy trying to guess the ingredients of a soup she's been invited to taste by one of the sous chefs when Signora De Luca touches my arm.
I turn to face her.
"Carlotta is very lucky to have you as her older sister. I worried she would struggle with the wedding plans without a mother to help, but you stepped in and are doing a wonderful job."
I feel my face heat at the compliment. "Zia Lora would be doing more if the plans were not so rushed."
"When Severu makes up his mind about something, there's no changing it," his sister, Giulia, says, with a look toward Carlotta that could be construed as worried.
She has the most adorable three year old son, Neri. She's brought him with her when she could, but right now he's at the De Luca's taking a nap.
"Carlotta is young." There is something in the don's mother's voice and she's looking at my sister with an identical expression to her daughter's. "Beautiful, but young."
"She is smart and she's good with people. She'll learn what she needs to," I say loyally, though in my heart I agree with Signora De Luca. I hate that my sister is being pressured into marrying at such a young age.
"Let us hope that she does not lose herself in the process."
Surprised by the older woman's sentiments, I admit, "If it were my choice, she wouldn't have been pushed into marriage at nineteen."
"I was eighteen when I married Enzo."
I cannot tell from Aria De Luca's tone if she thinks that was a good, or a bad, thing.
"Do you wish you had been older?" As soon as I ask the question, I wish I could take it back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that. It's much too personal."
"We are becoming friends, are we not, Catalina?"
Are we? We've known each other less than two weeks, but I like Aria De Luca very much. And her daughter, Giulia. They are both very easy to be around and neither lords their position over others.
Huh. The don's mother and Iarebecoming friends. I smile.
Aria returns my smile. "In answer to your question. I had many good years with Enzo. We were never in love, but we grew to love each other. We respected each other. He was good to me."
"That's not actually an answer to my question." Which is another thing I probably shouldn't say, but it is something Iwouldsay to a friend.
"No, it isn't, is it? I'm so used to being circumspect. Yes." She expels a breath like a sigh. "I wish I had been older. I spent the first few years of my marriage feeling like a fraud, terrified of doing or saying the wrong thing. I believe I would have been more confident and less afraid if I had been older when I got married."
Giulia doesn't look like this is news to her. Maybe that's why she was allowed to attend university before marrying the underboss in Las Vegas.
"I'm glad you will be there to help Carlotta navigate her life as a don's wife," I say to Aria.
