Sorry wasn't enough. Amy knew the truth now. She swallowed and shook her head. "Why did you?" She didn’t care that they were on the steps of the palace. "I guess your sister was more important in theend."
"My father was the only person who ever looked after me." Suzie was led to a jeep, where she'd be presumably taken into a prison. She called out again. "But I don't even know her. If you help me get out of here, I'll tell everything Iknow."
Lucio stepped forward before she could form an answer and said, "Don't answer Amy. Let our police handlethis."
Now that she’d spoken her mind, what happened to Suzie didn't matter. What mattered was that she and Lucio were together and no one had stopped their wedding. Not the anarchists, not her supposed best friend, and not her sister. From now on, she'd spend every second healing or focused on Lucio. She told him, "Let's go inside,Lucio."
He pushed her in and she felt confidence growing in her bones. They had a chance for happily-ever-afternow.
22
Amy held stillin the bridal chamber at the church. She tried not to move as she stared at herself in the mirror one more time. With the tiara on her head, she seemed a princess, but the diamonds didn't matter. Soon, she'd see Lucio again and she couldn'twait.
Evie rushed back inside and sounded breathless. "The Queen of England ishere!"
She'd been expected. Amy could hardly think beyond finally seeing the man she loved again. For three days, they’d been separated due to the wedding festivities and it had been torture. She turned toward her sister, but Queen Anna said, "Yes. Her husband is next to her, and we have many other foreign royals. I sat your parents at the reception closest to the English royals as Icould."
Amy tried to sound genial but she just wanted the formalities over. She turned toward the group. "I’d like to meet her at thereception."
"Naturally." Anna hugged her carefully. Soon, they'd all be one family. "You will grow weary of meeting every single one of your guests but you mustn’t let on. The music has started. Are you ready,Amy?"
"Yes." Amy turned and picked up her bouquet of pink peonies. She smiled at her sister who opened the door. "Evie, it's time foryou."
Anna waited until Evie left and reiterated the protocol, "In a moment, King Leopoldo and I will go and then it's your turn to officially join ourfamily."
During this formal ceremony, she followed the royal couple. Her arms trembled. "I'm just glad I can walk to Lucio withoutlimping."
The past few months had been intense physical therapy, but today everything would be worthit.
"He's waiting for you." Anna walked toward the door. The king immediately offered her his arm and the musicchanged.
Her father came in, his hair freshly touched up to hide his grays, and offered his arm. This time her parents had more of a role too, and she was glad her family was here. She took his arm. "Father, are youready?"
He led her to take the first steps out of the bridal chamber. In the hall people snapped their picture as if it wasn’t a foyer in a church. Her father ignored the chaos and gawking at all the royals. He acted like the two of them were among equals as he said, "I'm happy you're so happy now, Amy. Your mother and I both feared we made a mistake pushing you for thisunion."
"I love Lucio and he loves me." Amy stayed close, aware of how to smile at the cameras. Her life was forever changed, for thebetter.
They walked down the aisle in step as they’d practiced, but when they turned she focused on Lucio. He stood at the altar, waiting with a proud expression, and his tall frame took her breath away. Her father said, "We've seen that these past fewmonths."
She hardly heard his words and couldn’t respond. They closed in on Lucio and that smile of his was magnetic. Once they reached the altar, her father held out his hand and shook Lucio’s. "Lucio, take care of mygirl."
"Absolutely, sir," Luciosaid.
Her father joined her mother to stand to the right, waiting for the priest to speak. Amy stared at Lucio and her heart grew in herchest.
He took her hand. "You lookradiant."
The priest cleared his throat. "Lucio Arthur Louis Philip, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, so long as you both shalllive?"
"I will." Lucio's answer wasfirm.
Amy whispered next to him, "The past three days without you washard."
The priest reached for the bible, so Lucio leaned closer. "Now you'll spend the rest of your life holding myhand."
"That’s so much better." Amy scooted closer though the huge formal dress that went down the aisle and the flowers in her hand made moving too muchdifficult.
The priest then said to her, "Amy Elizabeth Fields, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, so long as you both shalllive?"
