Giovanni Graziano saw his future bride for the first time, at a wedding of a high ranking mafia member. He didn't know if she was informed that she was in an arranged marriage to the future Don of the Graziano Crime Family. He assumed that she was blissfully unaware, judging by her excited demeanor to be at a big, Italian wedding. If she knew what was to come she would probably be irritable or fearful of the impending marriage
'No,' Giovanni shook his head from his spot on the other side of the reception, 'She doesn't know, but once she finds out she won't be so carefree. No, Giuliana won't be so happy.' Gio had seen the wives of other members of the mafia crack under the pressure of the lifestyle. They would slowly spiral into a depression and find happiness in designer clothes, or throwing massive parties, or redecorating their enormous homes over and over again.
He didn't know Giuliana Bellucci well, he actually had never spoken to her and this was his first time seeing her in person and not from a photograph. She was pretty in her bridesmaid dress, sitting in between her two older sisters. It was the wedding for her cousin Laura, her father had died when she was young and Salvatore Bellucci had welcomed his wife's sister as well as her two children into his home. Being under the protection of Salvatore Bellucci meant that you would want for nothing and be afforded all of the opportunities that money could buy.
But make no mistake, Salvatore Bellucci was a ruthless and cunning son of a bitch. He could smile in your face and all the while order a massive execution of rival mafia members. Gio never understand why his own father, Anthony Graziano, would be such good friends with him. But there was still so much he had to learn before he would become the Boss of the Graziano Family.
He silently observes Giuliana as she sits completely oblivious to the fact that someone is staring at her from across the room. 'Must be nice to be so untroubled, so unworried about life,' Gio thought as he spotted Salvatore crossing the room to greet Anthony, with his two sons in tow. "Hello my friend," Salvatore shared a hearty handshake with Anthony. His father returned the greeting, "Great wedding Sal," Anthony nodded towards the Don of the Bellucci Family. "Thank you, Laura has never given me any problems. I can't say the same for my own daughter." It was apparent that the middle Bellucci daughter, Monica, was wild and defiant but the two others were not well known outside of their immediate family. So apparent in fact that he didn't even need to say her name, her name was synonymous was trouble.
"Come on, you have great girls. How's my future daughter-in-law?" Anthony asked before sending a wink towards his oldest son. Salvatore let out a laugh before saying, "Giuliana is doing well in school, she's one of the top students in her class at St. Mary's. She's still quiet and polite, she's going to make a good mafia wife." Anthony nodded towards Gio.
"Does she know?" Gio asked, sneaking a glance towards Giuliana as she laughed at something her sister said. "No she will find out on her birthday this year," the mafia don replied. "She's turning sixteen on the first of May?" Gio made sure that he had the date correct for when he sent her a birthday gift. Salvatore nodded to affirm Gio's question and then continued, "We will all be meeting after she turns eighteen, so that you two will be able to meet, then we will schedule regular meetings leading up to the wedding." The wedding was to be a month after Giuliana turned twenty, by that time Giovanni would be twenty-seven. The age difference of seven years wasn't uncommon in the mafia, but at first it would be awkward.
Gio glanced at the two men standing behind Salvatore, Giuseppe and Marco Bellucci openly glared at their friend. The two brothers were against the inevitable marriage, they knew about Giovanni Graziano's reputation with women and they were not happy about it. The only reason they kept quiet was because they knew to respect their father/Boss and Don Graziano. They had spent hours upon hours pleading with the father to let their youngest sister out of this arrangement. They had even suggested replacing Giuliana with Monica. But Salvatore told them to mind their business, and that he was the Boss of the Bellucci Crime Family and the immediate family and what he did was not to be questioned.
"Joe, Marco," Anthony's brother Vincent nodded towards the stoic brothers standing behind their lookalike father. Vincent and Dante stood behind their brother and father ready to defend him if the Bellucci brothers decided to disrespect the future Don in anyway. Vincent had already been chosen as consigliere once Gio became the Boss, and Dante would be the underboss. Even though Vincent was the oldest Graziano brother he had no interest in becoming the Boss, he much rather be an advisor than the face of the Family.
Salvatore and Anthony observed the stare offs that their sons were engaged in and decided the conversation between the old friends had to come to an end. They were beginning to attract too much attention from fellow wedding guests.
Several months later at the immaculate home of Salvatore and Donatella Bellucci, the family celebrated the sixteenth birthday of the baby of the family. Giuliana Maria Bellucci sat next to her father at the dining room table as a three tier birthday cake was placed in front of her. The young brunette showed off her bright smile as the floral birthday cake was presented. The family sang Happy Birthday, but the two brothers scowled throughout the celebratory song, shooting daggers towards their father who acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Once the song was finished and everyone had a piece of the vanilla cake with strawberry filling, Salvatore turned towards his youngest daughter. He felt almost guilty for what was to come, even his wife was kept in the dark of his decision. "Giuliana, I have one more surprise for you," Salvatore stared into the dark brown innocent and imploring eyes of his youngest principessa.
"What is it?" She asked in her normal, even tone of voice. Giuliana was average height, average weight, with a pretty face that would become beautiful the older she got. However it was her quiet demeanor and personality that enhanced her beauty. It was the type of beauty that made her wife material, but at the mere age of sixteen would she be able to handle to the news that her husband had already been chosen for her?
Salvatore replayed various scenarios in his head of how he could tell his youngest child this life altering news, but he knew Giuliana was just like her mother, and wouldn't want him to beat around the bush or sugar coat it. Just come out with it. "Do you remember Anthony Graziano?" Salvatore asked. Giuliana nodded her head 'yes.' "He and I have both been having problems with the other mafia Families of New York and New Jersey. They have been trying to gang up against us. We have decided that the best way to ensure that our families remain prosperous is if there is a marriage between his son and you." He awaited the shocked and outraged reactions that were sure to ensue.
"This is insane!" Monica screeched knocking her chair back as she stood up. "She shouldn't have to marry someone that you have picked! She's going to be tied down before she has even decided if she even wants to be married!" Monica continued on as their mother tried to get her to sit back down.
"Papa when is she supposed to get married?" The oldest daughter Isabella spoke up as Monica returned to her seat with a huff. "A month after her twentieth birthday," he spoke as he eyed his daughter warily. "Anthony and I agreed that Giovanni and Giuliana would have two years to get to know each other before they wed."
"Giovanni?!" Monica gaped. The matriarch of the Bellucci family, Donatella, also stared at her husband in shock. Isabella watched her sister's face become even paler if that was even possible, Giovanni had a ruthless, cold, calculating, predatory behavior when it comes to handling mafia business. It had yet to be seen if he handled his personal life with the same attitude. "Oh Salvatore," Donatella shook her head in disbelief, "What have you done? Why didn't you tell me?"
Salvatore sighed, he hated disappointing his wife and causing her pain but it was a necessary part of his life. "This is for the best Donatella, this will ensure protection for the family and our future. The other families won't dare to-"
"No!" Giuliana said louder than she has ever spoken before. "No! I'm not going to do it, you can't make me! My life isn't up to you to decide," she stood up feeling suddenly enraged.
"Principessa calm down," her father watched her with his usual mask of indifference, but inside he was in complete shock. She had never gotten upset, she was always so calm and reliable in her temperament.
"Leave me alone!" Giuliana shouted before racing out of the dining room and running up the massive staircase and onto the second floor of the Bellucci Mansion before promptly slamming her door shut. The rest of the family remained in stunned silence, the sons not at all surprised by the news but they were shocked by their sister's reaction to it. Monica, for the first time in her life, was actually speechless. While Donatella and Isabella sat there, almost in mourning. Salvatore cleared his throat before placing his cloth napkin on the table and standing up, "I've got work to do, I'll be in my office." He walked out of the dining room and towards his home office where he could report back to Anthony Graziano that the bride was now informed of the impending wedding. Giuseppe and Marco walked out, probably to aid their father with whatever work he wanted them to do.
The next day Giovanni and his two brothers were summoned to his father's mansion in Long Island. "What is it?" Giovanni sighed sitting down in front of his father's wooden desk in his home office.
"Giuliana was made aware of the marriage last night," Anthony said looking at his middle son.
"And?" Gio was getting more annoyed by the second, he had so many other places where he would rather be, mostly in bed considering it was seven in the morning and he had not gotten to bed till four.
"She's locked herself in her bedroom and refuses to come out. She will not talk to anyone, she will not eat, and she is adamant that she will not be marrying you." Anthony shrugged before continuing, "Salvatore is hopeful that she will warm up to the idea within the next four years."
Dante barked out a laugh, "Four years? That's a hell of a long time to warm up to an idea!" Dante was almost rolling around on the ground. Vincent tried to suppress his own smirk that was fighting it's way across his face, especially when he saw the scowl on Gio's face.
"What's the matter with her?" Gio asked almost incredulously.
"What do you mean? She made it pretty clear that she would rather die than spend one minute married to you. She would starve herself to death in her room before she even entertained the possibility of marrying you!" Dante continued on cackling, all the while ignoring the disapproving looks from his father and the glares being shot at him from Giovanni.
"She's in shock, she just found out last night and you have already known for two years," Anthony reasoned. "Giuliana is only sixteen and according to her father she's a sensitive girl. By the way did you ever send your gift to her?"
"Fuck," Gio muttered remembering the diamond earrings that were still at his house. He had meant to have it wrapped and sent to the Bellucci Mansion, he had his assistant pick it out at Tiffany's in Manhattan.
"This keeps getting better and better!" Dante grinned. "Well you can't give it to her now!"
"Of course he can," Anthony argued. "Make sure she receives the gift before noon. Now onto business."