I feel the gazes of the guests on me, and many seem pleased by the reference to the oath on my veil. Facing the Camorra members, all dressed in black and incredibly serious, I let out a small smile, realizing the irony. Several sinners, inside a basilica in the Vatican, a basilica that was built with the money of sinners, in an attempt to rid themselves of their sins.
My father offers my hand to Luca, who takes it, leaving a kiss on it before pulling the veil away from my face. I smile in his direction, and he looks at me lovingly. We look toward the cardinal, finally allowing him to begin the Mass.
“Chiara Mancini, do you accept Luca di Santis to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do!” After the words were out of my mouth, I felt Luca gently take my hand and place the diamond-studded ring on my finger, kissing it.
“Luca Di Santis accepts Chiara Mancini to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do!” his voice is loud and confident, making himself heard by everyone. I take the gold ring and place it on his finger, feeling his eyes on me. And in just a few seconds, my oath, our oath is sealed; we will be together until the painful end.
“By the power granted to me by the Catholic Church, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
As soon as the words come out of the cardinal’s mouth, Luca’s hands go up to my waist, pulling my body closer to his and touching his lips on mine. I am a married woman. I have married the one who I am sure is the love of my life. I can’thelp but smile between the kiss, taking my hand to his hair and feeling him pull me closer.
With his hands still on my waist, Luca looks at me softly. I hear the guests clapping, but I can only concentrate on my husband. My husband, it seems unreal that we are finally husband and wife. “Chiara Di Santis!” My name seems to come from his lips like music, and he seems happy to say his surname along with my name; his hand goes to my face, and I feel his wedding ring touch my skin. “I never thought it was possiblethat it would ever happen, but I love you, Chiara!” His voice is low; it sounds like he’s telling me a secret, and maybe he is. I look at him, trying to uncover any clue that tells me he’s lying.Am I dreaming? If I am, please, nobody wake me; let me dream for all eternity!
“You…” The words are stuck in my throat, and Luca smiles and caresses my cheek. Perfectly aware of the meaning of the words he said to me.
“I love you, Chiara Di Santis, completely and utterly!”
His words make the world stop around me; I look into his eyes, not meeting his cold, indifferent gaze. Instead, I see warmthandpassion, and never in a million years did I think those two words could make me so happy. I feel Luca’s hand entwined in mineand follow him out of the Basilica to be greeted by a rain of flowers and rice thrown at us. I look at Luca, smiling, happier than I ever felt, finally whole. Not being able to contain the smile that insists on coming from me when realizing that I am the cause of the heat that floods your face, knowing that I am one of the only people who bring this side of him. I never thought that my ambition would lead me to something like this, to love; looking at Luca now, at our hand in hand and the rings on our fingers, I think that fate played with us, making us believe that the only thing that would grow with our union would be our fortune and business. And here we are in love and married,making it seem like it was all fate, that Luca and I were destined for each other, even if our ambitions didn’t speak louder.
I get into the car with Luca’s help, seeing the guests’ cars following us, all with their headlights on, even though the sun is still high. “Is there a reason why the cars have their headlights on?”
Luca looks back, letting out a nasal laugh. “It’s a mafia tradition; it means a new member is among us! Your veil he…”
“It symbolizes my oath to the Camorra, to you as my husband and Capo!” Luca takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my wedding ring affectionately.
“Your oath to the Camorra…” the words come softly out of his mouth, and I know he’s happy with them. “The first woman to swear an oath, even if it’s not a blood oath.”
“I will bleed and burn for you, for the Camorra, for our future.” Luca’s hand comes up to my face, and he seals his lips to mine, looking deeply into my eyes. “You’ll never have to bleed or burn; I’ll do that for you!” the words come out of his mouth with a burning passion, and I know he’ll do it, but I also know I would do the same for him.
As the car drives through the gates of the Di Santis Villa, the sun is about to set. I see the soldiers and snipers surrounding the entire estate, and I wonder if it will be like this at our house. I don’t have time to ask Luca; he reaches out to help me get out of the car. I notice the gazes of the guests on me, and I give them a friendly smile, following Luca to the back of the mansion. I lose my breath and smile, seeing the tables spread out all over the garden with flowers and candles lit in the center, making the atmosphere beautiful and romantic. Small lights and flowers fill the room like a blanket of fireflies floating in the air; everything is perfect exactly as I imagined it. Waiters walk around serving champagne and cocktails to the guests.
All the guests look in our direction, watching Luca lead meto the center of the dance floor; I don’t leave his gaze for a single second. I feel his unshakeable confidence as he wraps his arms around my waist to start our first dance as a married couple, and I feel myself glide across the dance floor with his strong arms around my body. I can’t help but smile; his face is calm and loving, without showing much emotion, as expected of a man in his position.
I feel like a princess in one of those fairy tales my mother used to read to me as a child, the princess dancing with her true love, ignoring the world around her because nothing is more important than the two of us at that moment.
“You look beautiful and radiantly happy!”
I smile, feeling him twirl my body around the dance floor. “I’m radiantly happy, happier than I ever imagined!”
“You’ll be happier every day, I’m sure of it; you deserve nothing less than happiness, Chiara!”
“Bacio, bacio, bacio…” the guests shout as soon as our dance is over; Luca pulls me close to his body in one swift movement, kissing me. I feel myself smile in the middle of the kiss, and Luca seems to do the same before deepening it and holding his body even closer to mine.
I feel him hug me from behind and I put my head on his chest, feeling the security of having his arms around me. I smile while watching my parents dance in the middle of the dance floor, and I can see the love coursing through them. I think about how good and simple life was when they were together. I see the smiles on their faces, and I know that love isn’t always enough. I feel Luca’s hand squeeze mine, and I stretch my neck, looking in his direction; he points to the corner of the dance floor, and I see Bella in the middle of my two older brothers, dancing and smiling, looking happy and relaxed.
“She seems to like them; that’s good; we’re family now!” Luca’s voice is low, and I know he’s watching the three of them.
“When I was her age, I danced exactly like that with the two of them, relaxed and fun, knowing for sure that I’d be fine with them! I’m glad she feels comfortable with them because seeing them now, I think they’ve already adopted her as a borrowed little sister.”
I pull Luca to our brothers, seeing them smiling and dancing happily. Lorenzo is the first to look in my direction. He holds out his hand to me with a big smile on his face. I squeeze his hand in mine and smile as I feel him twirl my body around and I hear Bella’s laugh, making me smile. I look in Bella’s direction and see her dancing loosely and playfully with Vincenzo; Luca is standing with his arms crossed, trying to contain a smile as he watches them.
“She reminds me of you at her age!” I look in Lorenzo’s direction, and he’s watching my brother dance with my husband’s sister, who has a soft smile on his lips.
I nod, noticing the resemblance. “So you’ve adopted Bella?”
