Mafia Marriage

XII (Revised)

The Granada Hotel's ballroom had been transformed into a gorgeous reception area, complete with a white dance floor that had been specially installed for the wedding. There were large center pieces of white flowers in tall vases in the center of every circular table, and elegant white candles in the middle of the rectangular tables. The bride and groom were seated at a table with their bridesmaids and groomsmen sitting on either side of them.

"Do you like it?" Giulia leaned in to ask her husband after they made a moment to themselves, all night guests had been coming up to congratulate them. "It looks nice," Gio nodded. He had observed that everything had been planned, down to the last detail. The napkins had been monogrammed with intertwining G's and the menu had been planned with special considerations for those with allergies. "Everyone will be talking about this for years," he added. He was a bit shocked that everything was so coordinated, he had been to plenty of weddings and none of them had been like this.

As they were talking, a guest began the traditional Italian chant of "Bacio, Bacio." Soon the entire ballroom began to chant it until Gio and Giulia kissed, this would be called out over and over throughout the night. The ballroom was so loud, between the talking and the music, that the guests could only hear another person if they spoke right in each others ears.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Isabella asked her sister from the seat next to hers. "Yeah," Giulia nodded, "I'm not worried about it." "Really?" Monica leaned over, "I thought you would be super nervous." Giulia shook her head, "It's going to happen, so what's the point of being nervous? Besides it's not like I'm married to some old fat guy, at least Papa picked out someone attractive."

"I can't believe you're actually married," Monica said sadly, "I mean you aren't going to be down the hall from us anymore." "Yeah it's going to be strange at first, but you'll be fine," Giuliana shrugged. "Where is Giovanni's house anyway?" Isabella questioned. "I don't know, I've never been to it. Giovanni said that we're going to go home tomorrow." "Go home? That sounds so weird," Monica frowned. Ever since Monica could remember she and Giuliana had been super close and now Giuliana would be out of the house and onto a life with her husband. A melancholy mood fell upon the sisters, but Giuliana just shook it off, "Stop being so sad, this is my wedding it's supposed to be fun! Go dance!"

"Bacio, Bacio!" The guests began to cheer again as the couple kissed for must have been the twentieth time. "Are you ready to go?" Gio asked as the night wore on and it was nearing eleven o'clock. "Yeah," Giulia said. Gio stood up and helped his new wife stand up, her wedding dress had gotten harder to move around in, he then told Vincent to tell the band leader that they would be leaving. The families came over to say their goodbyes, and the guests threw flower petals at the newlyweds as they left the ballroom and headed towards the penthouse suite where they would stay the night.

"How are you feeling?" Gio questioned, wondering if the twenty year old girl was willing to go through with the wedding night.

"I'm fine," Giulia looked up at him with a timid smile.

"Are you sure? We don't have to do anything if you're not comfortable with it."

"No I want to!" Giulia turned red in embarrassment, "I didn't mean it like that, I...umm...just mean that I'm not nervous." She mentally slapped herself, 'Could this be anymore awkward?'

Giovanni fought to hide the smile that was threatening to make its way across his face, "Alright, whatever you say." The rest of the elevator ride up to the top floor was quiet. Once they arrived at the penthouse, Giovanni led his new bride towards the bedroom.

"The bathroom is through the door on the left," Giovanni said as he pulled out his cell phone and began typing away on it. "Okay, I'll try to hurry," she replied.