I'm What?

Chapter 15

By the end of the week Ryanne, Lucy and my grandmother finished all the wedding plans. This making me all happy inside knowing everything is finished. "Only a week left?" Lucas asks shoving a fork full of salad into his mouth. The dinner tonight all prepared by a local chief from town; pastas, fish and salads line the table in colorful bowls. Multiple members from the business also gather, seeking their invitations for our rehearsal dinner tomorrow.

"When exactly is the date?" A member of the family asks.

"In exactly six days, we will be married," I answer picking up the empty dishes. Butterflies already fill my stomach as Lucas follows me into the kitchen; I feel his hot breath as he comes up from behind to help me clean  dishes. I can hear the 'quiet whispers' of our family members taking about their excitement for my upcoming nuptials. "Six days," is all Lucas says planting a solid kiss on my cheek and leaving me alone in the kitchen.

-

Later that night, us girls gathered on the outdoor deck slipping coffee and tea finalizing the final little details for the rehearsal dinner. "Remember to wear green," Diana comments circling an opinion in the plans. The tradition of wearing green at the rehearsal dinner to wish luck and good fortune for the bride and groom. The Italian traditional wedding of mine is something different; between the rehearsal dinner we have a strict order of fried dough, dancing the tarantella, and to cover Lucas' car grill with the flowers. "So traditional," I laughingly say going through a tourist magazine, I had picked up when I was in Rome.

The rehearsal dinner really isn't anything big to me; with it being held here in a tent over looking the fields upon fields of winery land. The dinner to be quite quiet and for my close family, even though a lot of our extended family is to show up. "Exactly when is everyone supposed to arrive on Friday?"

"Late afternoon or so," Diana answers switching the pages in her business plan. I give my tourist magazine a rest knowing that before to long I would not be able to classify myself as a tourist. "Well its getting late, I'll see you guys in the morning." I wish the ladies a best of sleep before retreating to my shared bedroom. Although Ryanne has been having fun with the whole wedding planning, I know deep in her mind she misses her own family. I feel bad for causing her to even having to come. In luck, at least I know I will be a married woman in the matters of six days.

"Sleep waking again, kiddo," my father laughs bumping into me in the hallway.

"Not exactly, just thoughts."

"Well, don't spend too much time in your head." My father says before making his own way to a bedroom. I follow the smells of alcohol and cigars into Giovanni's office; peaking through the half open door, I notice Lucas, Frank, Ricardo, Giovanni and a few other men I have never met before. "Catalina, get in here," I hear Giovanni order. I knew I was going to get caught. Sighing out, I enter the room in confidence; of course I am only in my overly big t-shirt and some sleep shorts. "Boys, this is my granddaughter Catalina Joy Caro- Valastro; she is going to be marrying Lucas in a few days," Giovanni introduces with much pride. 'The Boys' raise their glasses in a sign of respect before clinging them together for a cheer.

"Who are these people?" I whisper into the ear of my heavily intoxicated fiancée.

"People who work for us," Lucas slurs back.

"Have a drink, Catalina," Frank shoves a drink in my face; which I kindly reject. "Our dinner rehearsal is tomorrow and I really should be getting to bed," I tell the men quietly excusing myself from the affair. "Catalina, don't go please," Lucas interjects.

"C'mon, I should probably put you to bed too." I grab ahold of Lucas, helping him upstairs into his bedroom. I sit him on his bed which he insists that I should join him. I reject saying he would have to wait for the wedding night. "UGH! Catalina, I can't wait that long," Lucas whines trying to wrap his arms around my waist. I shove his needy arms off of me and exit his room. If he can't than it is his lost.