You're a falling star, you're the get away car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
"Family gatherings should be made illegal," Daisy muttered as she slipped through the massive hallway of the church. She tried to remain as small as possible, hoping her parents and various other family members would not notice her as she tried to escape into the bridal dressing room.
No such luck.
"Oh Daisy dear where do you think your running off to? I have someone I want you to meet," her mother cooed behind her.
Daisy tried to measure how fast she could sprint away from her mother but there was no way she could even make it a foot in her heels. So slowly, she turned around, her face masked in a grin-and-bare-it expression. She watched warily as her mother weaved through the crowd pulling a puppy eyed man behind her.
"Daisy dear I want you to meet Harrison Vincent of the New York Vincent's," her mother breathlessly introduced the man.
"What a shame," Daisy pouted in mock sadness, "I had so hoped to meet the Harrison Vincent of the Chicago Vincent's. Drat, can nothing go right today?"
The look of pure horror on Emmaline Roberts face was well worth being stuck in a room filled with relatives and strangers. Quickly, her mother turned to Harrison desperately trying to patch up the damage.
"Well," she tittered with a smile, "that's our little Daisy she always was a tease. You should meet her sister Alice, she is the one getting married today, she is just a peach! Of course with her looks and background Clarence and I had hope she would have done a little better with finding a suitable husband but—"
"Mother," Daisy admonished in disgust, "how can you say that?"
"Well Daisy dear it's true. Your father did a little looking into the Gandor family. They are very shady people. I am only raising my concerns for Alice's well being as any good mother should."
By now Harrison Vincent of the New York Vincent's was subtly trying to ease his way out of Emmaline's grip, his puppy dog eyes turning a little more desperate. But of course anyone caught in her mother's vice grip did not leave until her mother said so.
"Luck is a wonderful man and not mention very well off. I cannot possible see how Alice could do any better."
"Oh please," her mother rolled her eyes, "If you had seen some of the men we had lined up for Alice you would know that she could do quite a lot better than this nobody."
"Funny I do not remember hearing any objections from you and Daddy when the two announced their engagement," Daisy's eyes narrowed. Her mother was the type of woman that could turn a saint into a raving serial killer.
"Well of course we did not object. At the party he appeared to be a man from a fine background and was obviously very wealthy."
"I don't get it then. He is wealthy and very successful. What could you possibly object to?"
"He is wealthy with Mafia money, Daisy!" Her mother whispered leaning closer to Daisy, "Honestly, I don't understand how neither of you picked up on it before. Alice could be in serious danger."
Crap
Her family was not supposed to find out about the lucrative but illegal business of the Gandor family. Leave it to her parents to do a background check on their daughter's fiancée. Daisy peered around the room hoping to see some form of escape but already her mother was reeling her back into the conversation.
"I just hope that in a couple years from now we will not be forced to drag the Hudson River for your sister's body. Mafia men tend to do that you know, throw people that they are unpleased with into the river."
"You know Mother I highly doubt that the Gandors are Mafia material," Daisy sighed, trying to loosen the suspicion of her soon to be brother in law, "I mean, to be quite honest, he looks like a business manager. Which is kind of funny because he is a business manager!"
"Oh don't be so naïve, dear," her mother rolled her eyes as if Daisy had just asked if President Roosevelt would be walking in the marathon tomorrow morning, "those men and their family have mob written all over them. I mean look at the menu for the wedding reception tonight. It's all Italian food!"
"So you're saying that everyone who is Italian is in the mob?"
"No. Of course not. That would be silly."
"Well good because—"
"I highly doubt they let Italian women into the Mafia."
"I need a drink."
And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.
Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
Cause you can see it when I look at you.
Alice gazed calmly into the mirror, carefully inspecting the figure standing before her. Nervously, she smoothed down the nonexistent wrinkles on the front of her gown. Did women always feel this way before their wedding?
Excited but ready to puke at the same time.
She looked back at the emerald eyes staring out from the mirror. Slowly, she followed the line of her neck down to the white of her dress. The white silk delicately clung to her curves and the glossy material fell down her over legs and left a modest train behind her. It was perfectly simple with only her pearls and lightly layered lace veil. She felt…beautiful.
Even when Luck told a hundred times that she was the most gorgeous girl in New York, she felt self-conscious. Her face was a little too round to be delicate and her shoulders were a tad hunched but, somehow, at that moment in that dress, she didn't notice the little details that usually made her shirk from the mirror.
"Alice?" Kate called, poking her head through the door, "Everything all right?"
"Yes," she answered distractedly, still peering into the mirror.
Kate stepped into the room, the light green taffeta of her bridesmaid dress swishing elegantly along with her. She comfortingly, placed her hands on Alice's shoulders and gave them a squeeze of encouragement.
"Are you nervous?" She asked staring into the mirror.
"I feel close to chucking up butterflies," Alice muttered.
"Yeah that sounds about right. I remember my bridesmaids had to practically drab me out of the bathroom because I was holding onto the toilet like it was the Holy Bible," Kate let out a smile, "I must say, though, you are handling this much better than I did."
"Why?" Alice looked over at her curiously, "you weren't having second thoughts were you?"
"Oh gosh no," Kate shook her head, making her curls dance, "I always knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with Keith. I just don't like standing up in a crowd and being the center of attention is all."
"Of course," Alice smirked, "what was I thinking."
"Is the bride ready?" Emmaline cooed, tumbling through the doorway, "Everyone is in their places."
Kate expertly knotted and fluffed the bow wrapped around Alice's waist and patted down a few stray hairs before giving her a nod of approval.
Silently, Alice followed her mother and Kate out of the room and up to the arched doors of the church.
Alice felt light headed and weak when she felt the gust of wind as the heavy wood doors were pushed open to reveal the countless friends and relatives in attendance. Her heart pounded in time with the steady music being caressed out of the organ. Frantically, her eyes darted about the large room for Luck. It did not take long for her eyes to settle on him standing proudly by the alter, dressed handsomely in a black tux. There was no denying that Luck Gandor was a handsome man with his light amber hair and smoldering gold eyes. He stood confidently by his brothers who each wore similar tuxedos but no matter how much the bothers may have been alike neither of them could have hoped to match the enchanted smile of the youngest Gandor. She felt her knees grow weak as his eyes stared longingly over at her.
"You ready, darling?" Her father smiled down at her, weaving his am through hers. She could only nod as they began their cumbersome walk down the tiled aisle.
The feelings of anxiety were soon replaced by impatience as they continued slowly to the end of the church. By the time they were at Aunt Esther's seat in the fifth row Alice was about ready to dash the final feet to Luck's arms. But she continued steadily on until she was at Luck's side. He gave her a wink before turning his sharp eyes to the priest who droned on in monotone.
"Dearly beloved…"
Alice could barely concentrate on the words, somehow, too distracted by Luck's fingers gently tracing circles in her palm.
"Do you Luck Guido Gandor take her to be…"
"I do," he smirked, his gaze continuing to be fixated on her.
"And do you Alice Henrietta Roberts take him to be…"
"I do," she blushed in perfect bliss.
"Then you may now kiss the bride."
Without hesitation Luck swept her up into his arms and gently kissed her as whistles and applause echoed off the vaulted ceilings.
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything
I am soooooo sorry to keep you all waiting for this chapter but I barely had time to eat or sleep much less write in these past couple of weeks.
Well I really hope you like it and think it was worth waiting a lifetime for.
Once again my apologies!
The song is called Everything by Michael Buble