The Mariani clan along with Nessa and Mimi were their usual boisterous selves at Lia and Dominic’s housewarming.  Gabriele and Giulia catered the event, and as usual, the food was plentiful.  Because they had a very large great room, they were able to set up an additional table to accommodate all the attendees.

The house was filled with a cacophony of talking, laughing, arguing and utensils scraping against dinnerware.  Dominic looked around at the family that had welcomed him as one of their own and couldn’t help but smile.  He’d fallen in love with the most beautiful woman in the world and gaining the love and respect of her family, now HIS family, was the icing on the cake.  They’d also warmly embraced Nessa and for that he would forever be grateful.  Although he hoped that someday he and Nessa would be able to make amends with their parents, he was proud that he would officially become part of this close knit group.  He was also thrilled that he and Lia would be adding a new member in five short months.

“Hey! Can I have everyone’s attention for a few minutes”, he called out, trying to make his voice carry over the din of the noisy crowd.  No one appeared to hear him so he tried again, to no avail.  Having no luck with more polite means he decided to use a time honored UK method.  “OI! Shut yer traps!”  The room quickly grew silent.

“Dominic! Mente la bocca! (mind your mouth)  Giulia chided.

“Sorry, mamma”,  Dominic said, properly chastened.  “I just wanted to get everyone’s attention”.

“Well, alright. You’re forgiven this time.  But know this, mio figlio (my son), you are not to big to get a wooden spoon to your backside”.

“Yes, Mamma”,  Dominic said as Lia, Gio, Nessa and Mimi snickered under their breaths.  “Now, go ahead and say your piece”.

“Oh-Okay.  Well first, Lia and I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate us finding our home. We love all of you and we’re thrilled to share this milestone in our lives with you”.  He looked over at Lia and they grinned at one another.  “In fact, there are a couple of other milestones we’re happy to invite you to share in as well.  The first being our marriage.  Lia and I have decided to be married next month, right here at the house and we expect you all to be here”.

A blending of cheers and congratulations filled Dom’s ears and he couldn’t help but smile.

“But why so quickly Dominic?”  Gabriele said with a twinkle in his eye. Lia and Dominic glared at Giulia who promptly began picking at invisible lint on her blouse.  That woman was a blabbermouth.

“Well, that’s our other bit of news”,  Lia chimed in, “We’re having a baby!”

More cheers rang out as the couple was bombarded with hugs and kisses from the family.  When Giulia walked up to Dominic for his hug, he wrapped her in his arms and bent down to her ear.  “You owe me a lemon cake, Mamma”.

“It’s a girl?” she whispered. Then she turned to the crowd and shouted “E UNA RAGAZZA!” (It’s a girl)

Cheers once again erupted the crowd.  Because Nessa hadn’t been around the family long enough to pick up more than the basic italian phrases, she leaned over to Mimi and asked, “What’d she say?”

Mimi chuckled. “She said ‘it’s a girl’.  Nessa, now that you’re part of the family, we’re gonna have to get you up to speed on your italian”.

“Y-you...see me as part of the family?”

Everyone in close proximity looked at her like she’d gone crazy.  “Of course you’re part of the family”,  Gio said, making a face and pointing his thumb at Nessa and said  “THIS girl”.

Mimi smacked him on the back of the head.  

“I didn’t know that you guys felt that way about me”, Nessa said softly.  “I thought you just saw me as Dominic’s baby sister”.

“Mmm-hmm, and because Dom’s our brother, that makes you OUR baby sister”,  said Giuseppi.

Nessa was speechless.  This family was so amazing.  They embraced her as their own despite her family’s despicably bigoted behavior.  Of course she was aware that they knew she didn’t feel the way her parent’s did, but she didn’t know if she could welcome someone who was raised by bigots into her family.  They barely knew her and now they considered her one of them.  She found herself overcome with emotion.

As tears spilled from her eyes, Nessa said, “Excuse me for a moment”, and hurried towards her room.  

She was in her bathroom dabbing the tears from her eyes when Lia walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed her on her cheek.

“Are these happy tears or sad tears?”

“I’ve never known any group of people as nice as you and your family”, Nessa said, smiling through her tears. “You’ve all accepted me without so much as a backward glance.  My family would NEVER do that.  They always said that we should respect all other people, but obviously they don’t practice what they preach.  But your family...they don’t preach it, they live it.  I’m just so grateful that you all think so highly of me as to allow me into your family”.

“We don’t just think highly of you honey...we love you”,  Lia said smiling.  “I don’t know if you know this, but you’re very loveable.  Despite your parents’ terrible ideologies, they did something right because you and Dominic are warm and sweet and loyal.  You are two of the most extraordinary people I’ve ever met and I feel blessed to call you family”.

“What happened?  Who made my Nessa cry?”  The two women turned to see Giulia walking through the bedroom towards them.  When she entered the bathroom, she tapped Lia on her hip, urging her to step aside.

“Why are you crying, bella?  Tell me who was being mean so I can get my wooden spoon and crack some skulls”.

“Mamma, no one was being mean.  Nessa just didn’t realize that we loved her as much as we do.”

“What??”  Giulia exclaimed. She smacked Nessa on her backside. Hard.  “How could you doubt how we feel about you?  You were family the moment you sat down to the table at that awful family dinner.  You became my daughter on that day”.

Nessa felt a rush of emotion and grabbed the older woman into a tight hug.  Giulia pulled back, held Nessa’s face in her hands and smiled.  “Piccola mia (my baby)” she said as she began kissing her new daughter all over her face.

“Yup”,  Lia said chucking.  “You are DEFINITELY a Mariani now”

********************************************

One Month Later

Lia stood in front of the full length mirror in her and Dom’s bedroom and stared at her reflection.  She was in the wedding dress that she’d picked the Saturday after the housewarming party.  It had been the third dress she’d tried on and it was perfect.  It was a white strapless, floor length empire waist gown.  The bodice was pleated satin with silver and white beading at the bust and waist lines.  The length of the dress was a soft, chiffon sheath that camouflaged her now very visible baby bump.

Her hair was pulled into a messy chignon with a gardenia tucked into it on the left side.  Her ears were adorned by antique diamond earrings that she borrowed from her mother and a sapphire and diamond pendant necklace that she received as a gift from Uncle Paolo and Aunt Anetta hung around her neck.  She had the “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” covered.  She wore a pair of comfortable flat sandals on her feet.  No way she was going to be in her own backyard in heels.

Her mother walked in the room and gasped as she viewed her daughter in her wedding dress. “Mia bambina e cosi bella”, (my baby girl is so beautiful) Giulia said in a hushed tone.

“Thank you Mamma”,  Lia turned to take her mother in.  She was wearing a cream and champagne two toned,ruched satin dress that complimented her figure without being too form fitting. The dress was low cut, but still modest. The dress was sexy and the champagne colored, modestly heeled sandals added to the effect. “Mamma, you look HOT!”

“Thank you, bella”, Giulia said as she took her daughter in, marvelling at how beautiful she looked.  Her baby was marrying the man she loved and would be giving birth to her first child in a few months.  She could still remember her birth mother handing the newborn to her and asking her to name the baby.  She was such a sweet little thing.  Now here she was, an adult about to embark on a new journey, she was very proud of her daughter.  

“Are you ready to get married?” Giulia asked as she straightened the pendant at Lia’s neck.  

“So ready, Mamma.  I’m so excited I want to skip all of the pomp and circumstance and just run down there and marry that man!”

Giulia laughed at Lia’s impatience.  “Your papa would ring your little neck if you deprived him of the honor of walking you down the aisle”.

“She’s absolutely right, principessa.  I’m losing mia bambina to another man, the least you can do is let me have the privilege of presenting you to him”.  Gabriele felt his throat constrict at the thought of giving his daughter away and cleared his throat.

Sensing her father’s discomfort at becoming emotional, Lia changed the subject.  “Have you gotten an eyeful of your wife, papa?  Doesn’t she look hot in that dress”.

“Si, lei sembra bellisima in quel vestito. Lei guardare ancora piu bella con esso riuniti attorno alle sue caviglie”, (Yes, she looks beautiful in that dress.  She’ll look even more beautiful with it pooled around her ankles) Gabriele said, levelling a heated look at his wife.

“PAPA! EWW”,  Lia shouted.  “Now I need bleach for my ears and brain!”

“Oh grow up”, he chuckled.

Mimi entered the room to tell them that Father Vincenzo and all the guests had arrived.  She looked stunning in her knee length one-shoulder, pleated chiffon dress with an illusion neckline.  It was lemon colored and complimented her dark brown skin perfectly.  

“Mimi, you look fabulous in that dress”, Giulia gushed.

“Thank you, Mamma”, Mimi said smiling. “You look smoking hot yourself.  Doesn’t your wife look good, Papa?”

“Don’t ask him that! You’ll get an R-rated answer.  He was in here talking dirty to Mamma a few minutes ago.  Right in front of me!  I don’t think I’ll ever be the same”.

“Yuuuuck”, Mimi said while making a face and shaking her head.

Tira and Nessa entered the room just as Giulia was going to respond with a sarcastic remark.

“Lia!”, Nessa gasped.  “You look gorgeous!  Dominic is going to shit!!”

“Nessa!”  The whole room exclaimed.

“What?  He is.  He is going to shit”.

“Where’s my spoon?  I will smack those legs missy!”

“Alright, alright everybody.  It’s time to get Lia hitched.  Let’s go”.

****************************************

The yard was beautiful.  Tira had outdone herself, especially considering she’d only had a few weeks to pull everything together.  From the beautiful arched trellis they were to be married under; festooned with lilies and white roses, huge tent that Lia was surprised fit into the space of the backyard, to the ornate guest chairs arranged artfully on either side of the aisle she was about to walk down.  She couldn’t have imagined a lovelier setting to marry the man of her dreams.

The wedding was a small affair.  There weren’t more than 75 people in attendance, all family and close friends.  Dominic had even sent an email to his parents and his brother telling them about the baby and inviting them to the wedding.  He’d received no response.  He’d tried and it hurt to be rebuffed, once again, but he wasn’t going to let it dampen the happiness he felt on the best day of his life.

Lia watched her niece, Giuseppi’s 7 year old daughter Angelina, decorating the white runner leading to the “altar” with red rose petals.  She was quite entertaining; tossing the roses up in the air like confetti.  The guests were laughing while her mother, April and Giulia were trying to draw her attention in order to tell her to stop, but as long as Angelina had a responsive audience there was no stopping her.

Gianni’s boys Michael and Daniel were next.  They were acting as co-ring bearers.  The boys actually worked out an arrangement in which both of them shared the responsibility equally.  Daniel carried the ring down the aisle and Michael would hold it during the rest of the ceremony.

Mike and Mimi followed the boys.  They looked fantastic with Mike in his grey tuxedo with grey silk trim and Mimi in her yellow dress.  She hooked her hand in the crook of his arm as they proceeded down the aisle.  When Mimi walked past Giovanni, she smiled gently at him and quickly stroked his cheek. He grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles before she was too far away.  Both Gabriele’s and Giulia’s eyed widened to saucers, then they looked at each other as if trying to confirm that they’d seen what they just saw .  In the months since the family found out they were seeing each other, they only outward sign of affection they’d display was Gio putting his arm around Mimi’s shoulder or waist.  It looked like the couple’s relationship had moved well past lust into...love?  Her father leaned in to her and said, “Mi devi 10 dollari”. (You owe me ten dollars).  She looked at her father and laughed.

Once the maid of honor and the best man had taken their places at the altar, Lia and Gabriele made their way down the aisle.  She looked at Dominic looking so handsome in his grey tuxedo and wanted to run to him, dragging her father behind her.  She hadn’t realized that her thoughts caused her to walk a little faster.  The change didn’t go unnoticed as audience members began to chuckle and Uncle Paolo exclaimed “Slow down, bella, he’s not going anywhere!”

The crowd burst into laughter at that.  Lia giggled, her face growing hot.  Aunt Anetta turned and pinched her husband’s neck causing him to yelp.

When Lia finally reached her destination, she locked eyes with her soon to be husband and they exchanged smiles.  Father Vincenzo began the ceremony, thanking those for coming to celebrate Lia and Dominic’s union.  When he asked “Who gives the bride in marriage?”  Gabriele managed to choke out, “Her mamma and I do”.  Lia turned to look at her father who had tears shining in his eyes.  “Oh Papa”, she said as she grabbed him and laid her head on his chest, tears rolling down her face.  Gabriele kissed Lia’s forehead and then turned to Dominic and embraced him, the two men clapping each other on their backs before Gabriele placed Lia’s hand to the hand of the man he regarded as a son.

For Lia, the vow ceremony was a bit of a blur.  She knew when to respond to the priest’s questions, but for the most part, she couldn’t take her eyes off of Dom.  In fact, when it was time for the exchanging of rings, Mimi had to nudge her to get her attention.  After the pledges of faith, fidelity and forever and the exchange of wedding bands, Father Vincenzo pronounced them husband and wife and granted Dominic permission to kiss his bride.

“Finally!” He said, smiling. Dominic leaned down and captured Lia’s lips in a gentle kiss.  He bent down further, cupped her belly and placed a kiss on her bump.

Their guests whooped and clapped their hands happily as the couple made their way back into the house.  When they were alone in the house, Dom gave Lia the passionate kiss he wouldn’t give her in front of a priest and all the eyes watching.

“I am very much looking forward to making love to you, Mrs. MacCleod”.

“Well, I don’t know if my husband will be okay with that, sir”.

“I have it under very good authority, that he wouldn’t mind in the slightest”.

“Oh really?  Who knew I was married to such a freak!”

Dominic laughed and pulled her into an embrace.  “Are you happy?” he asked.

“Baby, I’m happier than any one person has a right to be”.

**************************************************

The guests had all filtered into the big tent for the reception festivities.  The crowd was enjoying the music provided by the DJ when Tira signaled for him to cut the music.  She took to the mic to announce the newlyweds.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you. Mr. and Mrs. Dominic MacCleod!”

Lia and Dominic entered the tent as “Like a Star” by Corinne Bailey Rae began to play.  They walked to the middle of the dance floor and commenced their first dance as husband and wife.

Dom looked down at Lia and kissed her forehead.  He rested his chin on the top of her head.  For the rest of his life he would love this woman.

After their first dance, it was time for their dance with the parents.  Since Dom’s mother wasn’t in attendance he danced with Giulia.  Actually, he wouldn’t have had it any other way.  In the short time he’d known her, she’d become more of a mother to him than his own.

The foursome took to the floor and made like they were going to begin dancing to a slow song when the intro to “Uptown Funk” began to play.  Everyone watching hooted and hollered as the two pairs began dancing to the Bruno Mars hit.  Gabriele had surprised Lia when he agreed to this and she was further surprised when he began to dance.  He was good!

He gave her an amused look and said, “che cos’e quello sguardo”? (What’s that look)

“Scossa!” (Shock) She said laughing.

About halfway through the song, Giulia invited everyone to the floor and it was a full-fledged party after that.  

After the buffet dinner and a good amount of merriment was made, it was time for the best man’s toast, the bouquet toss and garter toss and cake cutting.  Mike stood up from his seat on the dais.

“I’ll keep this short because, you know, cake.  I’ve known Dom for 8 years and I can honestly say that I’ve never seen him happier, and that’s all due to the lovely woman sitting next to him.  He’d always said that he was a confirmed, unrepentant bachelor, and that tiny spitfire changed that within a week.  He was smiling more, whistling...it was actually quite sickening.  It took FOREVER for them to admit what everyone else could see as clear as day, but once they stopped being punks, they were all in.  And seeing them now, happy and in love and with a baby on the way...it’s beautiful.  It makes a man want that for himself.  Not me, though...some other guy.  In all seriousness though, Dom and Lia, I wish you all the happiness you can stand plus a little more. You deserve it.  I love you both”.

After the applause died down, it was time for the bouquet and garter toss.  All the single women gathered on the dance floor as they waited patiently for Lia to throw the bouquet.  She pretended to toss the bunch of flowers then turned and walked towards Mimi, handed her the bouquet and kissed her on the cheek.  Mimi looked over at the table where Gio sat.  His eyes were on her and he was smiling that secret smile that could both piss her off and gave her butterflies.

Next up was Dominic.  After running his hand seductively up his wife’s leg and receiving a death stare from his father-in-law, he pulled the garter off of her leg.  All the single men lined up behind him as he made to toss the garter.  Then just as Lia had done, he turned and handed the garter to Gio.  Dominic then grabbed him by the back of the neck and pressed his forehead against Gio’s and said “Don’t let her get away, mate”.

“I don’t intend to”, Gio replied.

**********************************************

Lia watched Mike as his eyes followed Nessa as she moved about the tent. She also noticed the shy way Nessa looked at him.  She moved to sit closer to him.

“Don’t even entertain the thought, Mike.  Dominic will rip your intestines out and feed them to you”.

“I know, Li.  She’s just so pretty and sweet”.

“And you want to corrupt her”.

“No...I want...nevermind”.

“You want what?”  Lia asked.

“I want some of what she is to rub off on me.  When I look at her and she smiles I want to make sure that smile stays there.  How can I feel that way?  I’ve only seen her a handful of times”.

“Sometimes you just know.  But I suggest you bide your time, because it will take a LONG time for Dom to accept you wanting to date his sister.  If he ever does.  I’ll try to soften him up to the idea, but I make no guarantees”.  Lia then grabbed him by his lapel.  “Know this, Michael, IF you get Dominic’s blessing and IF Nessa agrees to date you, if you hurt my sister-in-law you will have more than just my husband to contend with.  She’s a part of my family and we don’t take kindly to heartbreaking rascals”.

“Rascals? What are you, 60?”

“Take this seriously!” Lia said, jerking on his lapels.

“I am! I am!  If I get the chance to be with her, I won’t ever hurt her.  I promise”.

“Good man.  Now, go dance with her, but keep at least a foot of space between you”.

“Wouldn’t that just be us dancing by ourselves?”

“Mike, please don’t make me smack you”.

“Alright, Alright.  You’re mean!”

Just as Mike left Dominic sat down next to Lia.  “What was that about?” he asked.

“Oh nothing.  Mike just wanted some relationship advice”.

“Mike??  Mike doesn’t do relationships”.

“Well, maybe he wants to turn over a new leaf”.

“Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it. But enough about Mike, how are you feeling?”

“A little tired, and your daughter has been karate kicking me in the ribs for the last half hour”.

Dominic leaned over and addressed Lia’s womb.  “Hey little girl, settle down in there or I’ll be forced to place you on punishment the moment you’re born”.

“Yeah...I’m sure that worked”,  Lia said sarcastically.  “You’re going to be wrapped around her little finger.  I’m going to be the one administering punishments”.

“Very true”, he said as Lia yawned and rested her head on his shoulder.  “Okay, you’re too tired now.  I’ll tell Tira to wind the party down and then we’re gonna get you to bed”.

“You take such good care of me”.

“Now and forever, sweetheart” he said as he took her hand and led her out of the tent.  “Now and forever.