Amo 23, Greta 18

To the Future Mrs. Vitiello

Greta crumpled up the card and tossed the unopened box toward her aunt. "You can donate whatever garbage is in that box to the girls at the Sugar Trapp."

Gemma stared at her niece in confusion. "Don't you want to see what's inside it?"

Greta's shake of her head came without hesitation, "It's from Nina. Whatever is in there is not something I would ever wear. I know that for a fact."

The women at the bridal shower all giggled, while Aria, her future mother-in-law, nodded her head in understanding.

"That she-devil never has learned to stop interfering." Amo's Aunt Gianna sounded like she couldn't stand the woman, and Greta was hopeful that perhaps she would fit in better with her future family than she first expected.

The last two years had gone by way too fast. Amo had not come to see her at all since their engagement party, the most she heard from him was when he sent her gifts on her birthdays and holidays, which were appreciated. The jewelry was expensive and not out of the ordinary for a guy to send in their circles, even if it was a bit much for Greta's taste. To say the least, Amo didn't know anything about his bride to be.

"Oh, before I forget, Amo told me to give you this one," Aria said, handing what looked like a stack of papers with a bow tied around it to Greta. At first Greta was confused about the odd gift. But as she unwrapped the bow and stared at the fresh print she felt her heart stop as she read a letter welcoming her to Julliard.

"How? What?" The words fell incoherently from her lips. She thought Nevio had been the only one who knew she applied. Even while filling out the application, she never expected to actually attend. It was a long shot and even if she did get in she didn't think she would be allowed to go. She was old enough to know the reality of their world. Made men chose what their wives could do and those options rarely, if ever, included anything outside of the home and charity work. However, the receipt she received showing her tuition had been paid in full listed the payee as A. Vitiello, he wouldn't have paid it unless he was saying she could attend.

"Is this real?" Greta asked, looking at her future mother-in-law with tears in her eyes. She didn't want to get too excited, but inside she was bursting.

"Yes sweetheart, it is." Aria gave her a kind smile.

"But how did he know? No one knew I even auditioned except for Nevio."

"You mean you and Nevio's little day trip to New York a few months ago?" Serafina chimed in. "Oh, we all knew." She went on, "Nevio came to us to tell us how much you wanted to audition, but you wanted to get in on your own terms. There was no way you could walk into Famiglia territory without someone noticing. While your father was reluctant for just the two of you to go, we called the Vitiello's to let them know so they could have their men look out for you while you were there. Amo arranged the whole thing. We all knew sweetheart, but we wanted to let you have this without outside help."

"I can't believe this." Greta stared at the paper.

"We all knew you could get in on your own, and we wanted you to prove it to yourself." Her Aunt Kiara said with a warm smile. Her Aunt Gemma wrapped her arms around Greta's shoulders. Surrounded by friends and family, Greta's heart was full. She wished her Aunt Dinarah could have come but she knew the tension it caused the family when she was around so Adamo came without her. She would miss her family sorely when she moved away, but as she looked from her now family to her new one she felt welcomed. Amo's mother and Aunts had done their best to make her feel at home. Greta decided being in New York and marrying Amo wouldn't be so bad after all. It seemed to her that he was trying to be kind to her and even if it was a marriage of convenience she knew she could find warmth in her mother-in-law and for that she was thankful. This life-changing gift touched her so much, she could practically feel her heart melting and all the worries she had were washing away with it. She was almost excited for her wedding next week. She made a mental note to thank Amo profusely when she saw him.

None of the other gifts she received came even close to making her feel the way Amo's did. As she and her family went back to their hotel after the shower, she was almost too scared to fall asleep for fear of waking up and having it all be a dream. She gets to go to Julliard! Her life-long dream of being a real ballerina is finally going to come true! She wanted to kiss Amo for making this happen.

The next day, she twirled around her room as she got ready for lunch with the Vitiello's. They were to be welcomed into the family mansion as Famiglia tradition goes. She hadn't seen him in two years and she wanted to look elegant and womanly, and maybe a little bit sexy... She had found a lovely light pink dress with a sheer top with beading along the waistline and a chiffon skirt that stopped just above the knee. She saw it in Vegas and made sure to buy it right away. She wasn't a little girl anymore and wanted to make sure Amo knew it. As she was pulling her hair up, Nevio came in. "I hate ties. Why do we have to go to this fancy lunch anyway? You're getting married in five days, not today. I shouldn't have to wear a suit until then," He kept fiddling with the knot of his tie and pulling it away from his neck.

"Oh, stop it, Nevio. You'll be okay. This is Famiglia tradition. And I need to thank Amo for Juilliard," When she turned to face her brother she instantly noticed his disapproving look. "What? Do I have something on my face?" she turned to look in the mirror and Nevio walked to her side and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You look great. But don't tell me you're falling for him over a glorified scholarship. Even with Julliard, you can't possibly be happy here. You don't know him well enough to be in love. You haven't even seen the guy in two years!" He was barely holding back his quiet rage. He never was one to accept change.

"I'm not in love with Amo! I just appreciate what he did for me. And I am looking forward to marrying him and living in New York. He's going to treat me very well, I could definitely do worse and you know it!" She stopped for a moment, in thought. Did she love Amo? It was too soon to say. She definitely liked him, but could she ever love him? She hoped so but she didn't even know him.

"You can't do this. You can't leave Vegas, and you can't leave the Camorra. When I am Capo I will do everything I can to get you back, I promise. You can't be traded fo-"

"Enough Nevio! I am happy about this! When are you going to stop being so selfish and just leave me alone? I want to be here. I was nervous at first, but Amo is a good guy, and he's trying so hard to help me be comfortable. Why do you have such a hard time seeing that? I know you've been trying to get me to call this off since the beginning. I know you aren't happy about me leaving. But I will be okay. I can handle myself. If you're going to keep up with your nasty comments and opinions, then don't bother coming to the wedding."

Nevio's voice dropped an octave, "News flash Greta, he isn't a good guy. He's called the Sandman for a reason."

She stormed out of her room, not bothering to give a second glance at her twin, standing by her vanity as close to losing it as he could get. She hated it when they fought, but she was sick and tired of all the negativity. So what if she didn't love Amo? She could be happy regardless.

She didn't so much as make eye contact with Nevio again until they pulled up to the Vitiello mansion. 'So this is where my wedding will be?' she thought as they pulled up in front of a huge mansion with a beautiful garden in the front. A white wedding arch was already set up, adorned with roses and baby's breath twisting around it like a dance. She could picture herself standing there with Amo, hand-in-hand in front of everyone they knew, her dress billowing in a soft breeze as they shared their first kiss as man and wife. Her heart sped up at the thought and she got butterflies in her stomach. Five days. That's all the time she had left as a Falcone.

They walked up to the front door of the mansion and Amo himself opened the door to welcome them inside. His hair fell over his forehead making him look boyish. Greta felt butterflies when she saw him. Two years really was a long time. It was a feeling she had never experienced with Amo before. That's when she remembered her acceptance letter, her childhood crush, him kissing her bloody toes.. This weird feeling tugged at her insides that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen him for two years that she felt giddy and a little irritated because he was her fiancé after all.

"Are you ready Greta?" He asked as he offered her his hand. She felt nervous as she took it and crossed the threshold into her new life. She didn't trust her words to come out clearly so she remained silent as they all walked inside and were greeted by the rest of the Vitiello's. For some reason, Greta's head was cloudy with the thought of his lips on hers; she wanted nothing more than his soft kiss. Remembering how Amo teased her about being so young made Greta feel embarrassed and self conscious in a way she had never felt. 'What is going on with me?' she thought to herself. She was a Falcone after all, they never felt embarrassed or doubtful.

"Are you okay?" Amo asked with a strange look on his face.

"I'm fine, why?" Greta said, shaking the scandalous thoughts out of her mind.

"I asked if you wanted something to drink and you didn't answer." He said looking at her as if she was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out.

"Do you mind getting me some water? I think I need to sit for a moment." Greta released his hand that she was still holding.

"Of course. I'll be right back." Amo leaned forward, and for just a moment, Greta hoped he would kiss her. He paused, leaned back, and stood up. Disappointment filled her heart as she watched him walk away. 'I'm so stupid. Of course he wouldn't kiss me. He's just trying to do his duty and treat me well. He can't really love me. I mean, apparently he cares for me, but love? Impossible.'

"Why does he not have to wear a tie but I have to?" her twin scoffed from behind her. She jumped as he spoke, not realizing he was there. "What? Are you still mad at me? Come on Greta, I'm just trying to protect you."

Greta had so much on her mind, she didn't know what to say back, so she stayed silent. She should have apologized to her twin but for once in her life Greta felt out of control. It was as if she was watching her life unfold from outside her body, like some nightmare, screaming at herself on the inside to do something, say something but all she did was sit there as if her mind and even her heart were at war.

Greta had spent most days leading up to the wedding at the Vitiello's Mansion. She barely saw Amo as it was, and hadn't even had a chance to thank him for Julliard. She was always being rushed from one thing to the next. Between brunches and formal dinners she felt overwhelmed and exhausted. Ironically the day before her wedding was the calmest she had felt in a long time. It was raining. It almost never rained in Vegas, it was a desert afterall, but the few times it did she loved it.

It was the day before her wedding and, as it goes, last minute preparations were put in place. Her dress had been delivered to the mansion the day before and was scheduled for one last fitting to make sure it was as perfect as needed. It was early in the morning, she sat in the backseat of the black SUV with her mother next to her. The men had other business to attend to later and couldn't concern themselves with matters of last minute dress alterations.

When they arrived they were greeted by Aria. She gave Serafina and Greta a hug and rushed them inside so they could get out of the pouring rain.

"The seamstress just called, it seems she is stuck in traffic. I tell you every time it rains in New York it's like the driving gets worse." Aria led them toward the parlor. "I have some coffee and scones in the kitchen if you would like some."

"I actually would love some coffee," Serafina said, following Aria towards the kitchen.

"Would you like anything sweetheart?" Aria asked Greta.

"I am fine, thank you." Greta gave a smile before the two walked away. She could hear them talking about her, but she ignored it.

As Greta walked over to the love seat by the window, she sighed. She felt so many emotions these last few days, she didn't know how much longer she could handle the pressure. Sometimes she wished she could fast forward to the future to get the unknown out of the way. She wanted desperately to prepare herself for a civil yet loveless marriage. She was terrified of the feelings that were clawing at her heart every time she saw her groom-to-be. It seemed that the more she tried to force those feelings down, the stronger they became.

"Oh, sorry." a voice said. Greta turned around and saw Amo. His hair was wet and he was in jeans and a black t-shirt. "I didn't realize you were here already or else I wouldn't have-'' he stumbled over his words, she had never seen him like this, so unguarded. "I just got out of the shower, so that's why my hair-" he fumbled again "You look different."

"Well you've probably never seen me so dressed down." Greta fidgeted with her shirt. She only had jeans and a dark green sweater on. Her hair was down and held her natural waves, instead of pinned up or curled. She suddenly felt very self conscious about her lack of make-up. "Sorry, I was supposed to just be getting last minute fixes done, but the seamstress is caught in traffic. I wouldn't normally wear this-"

Amo cut her off. "You look beautiful Greta." He gave her a smile before he turned and walked away. This was the first time she had been completely alone with him in what felt like forever and it felt different. They had totally just had a moment and she wanted to hold onto it.

"Amo!" She called after him, he turned to look at her. "Thank you," he looked puzzled for a moment but she quickly added, "for Julliard!"

A grin tugged at the corner of his lips, "Anything for you la mia sposa."

Just then Aria and her mother came back into the room with the seamstress and she was pushed off to fix her dress.

She could barely sleep that night as so many thoughts played in her mind. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever get the fairytale ending she dreamed of when she saw him as a little girl. She kept replaying him calling her his bride over and over again. She felt heartbroken over losing her brother over something she had no choice in, but she found herself wanting this marriage more than anything. This would be her last night as a Falcone. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand that read 2:34 a.m., she hoped she wouldn't have dark circles under her eyes during the ceremony. Just as she calmed her brain down enough to rest, she heard a soft knock on the door. Feeling slightly annoyed, she got up to open it. "Hey, I can't sleep. Can we talk?" Her annoyance vanished at the sight of her brother. Opening the door wider, she motioned for him to come in. As they sat on the bed Greta felt sleepiness overcome her.

"What now, Nevio?" She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I have a plan to stop this once and for all. I know you asked me to stop scheming, but please just hear me out. I can arrange for your hairstylist to not show up in the morning, you can ask that I drive you somewhere to get your hair done and we can run away from here. We can lay low for a few months until it's safe to go home. Please just think about it."

While one part of Greta longed to stay with her family, another part knew she had a duty and she had to marry Amo. She would miss her brother something awful; it made her sick to her stomach at the very thought that he wouldn't be one room over from hers after tonight. He wouldn't drive her to ballet lessons, or pick her up from school, or have quiet midnight talks when she couldn't sleep. A part of her would always belong in Vegas, to Nevio, he was literally her other half. Despite the part of her that was reluctant to leave her brother, the love she had for Amo anchored her to New York, and with that she knew she would always be his too.

"No, I can't. I'm too tired to fight right now. I think I'm falling in love with Amo, and I'm genuinely happy we're getting married. I love you more than anything Nevio, and I want you in my life, even when I'm in New York."

"You love him?" Nevio scoffed, it was as if he didn't hear her at all, he got up and left leaving her alone in the dark.

* * *

"I'm going to miss you so much, Greta! I love you," Serafina hugged her daughter tightly, and Greta could tell she was holding back tears. Her mother never cried; she wasn't the emotional type.

"Stop Mom, or I'll cry too and ruin my makeup," Greta laughed as she tilted her head up and fanned her eyes. She was half an hour away from becoming a Vitiello. Nerves were high as guests had started to arrive. Greta was ready; her hair fell on her shoulders in polished curls, her nails had been filed to perfection and painted a soft pink, and her beautiful gown was billowing around her like a princess before a coronation. It was pure white, but the underskirt was the palest touch of pink that only showed when she walked. The off-the-shoulder long lace sleeves showed beautifully on her tanned skin and the beaded bodice showed off her curves. The only thing that was missing was the veil. She was just about to ask her mother to get it when Marcella came into the room.

"You have a visitor," she whispered in Greta's ear. "Come with me." Marcella took her arm and led her to the door. "Sit here with your back against the wall. No peeking!" She helped Greta sit on the floor, which was a difficult task with so much fabric. "Thank you, Cella. What's going on?" Greta was very confused. "You'll see! Remember, no peeking!" And with that, Marcella walked out the door and vanished around the corner. Greta sat alone in silence for a minute before she heard a soft "Hey," followed by the view of a hand that pushed a small slice of cake through the open door. The cake didn't surprise her; the voice that came with it however….

"Amo! You can't see me before the wedding, it's bad luck!"

"Screw bad luck. Besides, I'm not looking at you. I just thought we could eat some cake and have a moment alone before we have to be around tons of people for hours. I figured you might like that."

"You're right. Thank you." Greta took the cake and sampled a small bite.

"Are you nervous?" Amo asked after an awkward silence passed, taking an obligatory bite of the dessert. Amo had never had much of a sweet tooth, but he knew this was something his bride wouldn't want to do alone.

"Yes, but I'm also excited." Greta's words came easier than she would have expected. Was it her revelation that Amo had already captured her heart? Despite knowing that he might not ever return her feelings, Greta didn't care. Amo was good to her, he would protect her, and give her a good life. That was all that mattered.

"I knew it would mean the world to you. I'm not gonna lie, I've been looking forward to this wedding for a while now." Amo lightly tapped his fingers on the ground, motioning for Greta to place her free hand in his. "And I wanted to tell you; I kept up my end of the bargain. I haven't slept with anyone since we made that deal. Hell, I haven't even kissed anyone." Despite the fact that his words should have made her feel proud, instead, all she could feel were her cheeks heating. She knew he hadn't been with anyone of course. Even the girls of the mafia world had their ways of knowing things, but to have him admit it was very impressive. "And what's most surprising is that I haven't even wanted to. You're all I've thought about since I saw you dancing at Julliard." His words were emphasized with his fingers tightening around hers. Greta's partially eaten cake laid in her lap as she found herself at a loss for words.

"I've tried to get you out of my mind, but I just couldn't. That day Greta-" He stopped as if fumbling for his words. A mafia man stumbling over words was almost never heard of. "That day was the day I fell in love with you, Greta. And I know you don't love me yet, but that's okay. I just hope that one day you will." This time it was her hand tightening around his as tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"Amo, I didn't know you felt that way. I love you too!" The tears kept coming but they were anything but sad, this was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She didn't spare a single thought for her ruined eye make-up.

"Wait, you do? I know this marriage is to bring peace and security Greta, but even if it wasn't, I would risk a fucking war for you. Damn, Greta I don't think you realize how much I would do for you."

Amo lifted their joined hands and she felt his lips skim the back of her hand. "Twinkle toes, I would capture your lips right now if I didn't think you'd throw a fuss about bad luck." Amo's growl warmed her heart. Greta felt like a princess who just got her prince, and at that moment, she knew all her dreams were coming true, and she couldn't wait to have her happily ever after.