15

Jonathan glanced at his mother and was overwhelmed. Not only looked she stunningly beautiful in that gorgeous dress, she also beamed with gleeful anticipation and joy, like a little girl right before handing out the presents at Christmas.

"Jonathan, that tuxedo becomes you, I must say," Angela said proudly, then spotted something which almost took her breath away. She pulled one of his hands toward herself, shoved the sleeve back, asking with watery eyes, "Are these your grandfather's cuff-links?"

"Yes, Mom," Jonathan answered with a smile.

"I gave them to Tony."

"And he gave them to me. He wanted me to wear them on our way down the aisle. Like this, your father would be with you, he said."

"Oh my God," Angela whispered.

"Don't start to cry, Dear" Mona threw in, although she herself had to fight back the tears as well. She pictured her late husband giving their daughter away to Tony; it would've been one of the most happiest days of his life, probably only topped by his own wedding and the day his princess was born. She managed to keep her emotions down with a joke, like in so many situations before. "We don't want you saying 'I do' with your mascara all smeared."

Angela closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her legs felt like concrete. What was lying ahead of her was so overwhelming that it almost paralyzed her. She had waited so long for this moment, and now that it was finally there it seemed as if it was too big for her to handle it.

"Mom?"

Mona had already joined the little congregation inside, Jonathan and Angela were the only two people left in the vestibule. The Wedding March had been intonated to announce the bride, but she remained glued to the ground like a statue.

"Huh?"

Jonathan held out his left arm. "Shall we?"

Angela took a deep breath, then linked arms with her son and cast him a grateful smile.

"I'm so glad to have you at my side, Jonathan. I couldn't do this without you."

"Mom, relax! You're supposed to be enjoying this!"

"Right!"

The Wedding March was played from the beginning once again.

"Come on, we mustn't waste more time. We've all waited long enough for this." Jonathan gave his mother an encouraging wink.

"You're right. Let's go."

Holding on to her son, Angela walked down the aisle of the little historical church they had chosen. It was the Chapel of the Holy Spirit close to Fairfield, a beautiful building with an appealing, unique interior. A memorable place and not too big, for it was to be a rather small congregation; only people very close to the bridal pair had been invited, all of them members of their extraordinary family. Angela's eyes fell on Tony first, who was standing next to Father Marconi, his long-term spiritual confidant from Brooklyn. Although the Catholic priest had already retired some years ago, he had been more than willing to officiate the wedding, for he had been with Tony through most parts of his life - the happy as well as the sad parts; mainly the sad parts, because that had been the ones Tony had needed his support and advice the most.

The groom was obviously very nervous. He had Sam at his side who looked wonderful in her stylish woman tuxedo suit. Then Angela spied Lynnie who had the biggest smile on her face Angela had ever seen. Mona, in a figure-accentuating dress with a low neckline – as usual – was sitting in the front row. Other than family there were Wendy and Isabelle, Angela's two closest friends, with their respective spouses. Mrs. Rossini could be heard sobbing and blowing her nose. She had not only babysat Samantha when she had been little, she had practically raised Tony after his mother had passed away. She belonged to Tony like Mona belonged to Angela. Then there was Al, whom Tony had always seen as a younger brother, although he actually was Mrs. R's uncle. And last but not least, Brooklyn was furthermore represented by Philly and Tiny, Tony's long-term buddies from high school.

Angela's and Tony's eyes locked the moment Jonathan and she had stepped through the stony arch into the church aisle. Tony gasped for air when he saw Angela. She had never looked more beautiful in his eyes. She wore a rather simple wedding dress, more like an evening gown. It was an elegant satin gown which accentuated her slim bodyline. It had a slit in the front, not too high but high enough to show off Angela's long legs. But the most dramatic part was the back, for most of it was not there; that was something Tony wouldn't find out until she stood right beside him. She looked like a Hollywood movie star with her hair up, diamond earrings sparkling at her earlobes, and a few curly tendrils cascading onto her shoulders - magnificent, flawless, beguiling...simply breath-taking. But what struck him most was that underneath all that bombshell glamor he could spy shy and insecure teenage Ingrid, the pretty girl with long blond hair and braces, who had given him his first kiss; inexperienced yet teasing. The way she was walking toward him in her wedding dress, she was simply a girl beaming at the boy she had a crush on. How he loved the complexity of her personality; that was what made her so special. She was strong and weak at the same time, she could be glamorous but also unpretentious and earthy, she was business woman as well as housewife and mother. In one word: she was perfect!

When mother and son had reached the designated spot in front of the altar, Father Marconi asked with a smile, "Who presents this woman to be married to this man?"

"I do," Jonathan answered, "on behalf of all that have gathered here, and of all those not able to be with us today."

Now Mona could be heard sobbing. Her heart was so full of sorrow and regret because her late husband had missed so much not only of their life together, but of Angela's life as well, and she'd give everything away she owned just to have him near right now.

Jonathan placed Angela's hand in Tony's and smiled. Then he took his seat between his grandmother, whom he handed a handkerchief, and his girlfriend, with whom he exchanged a loving look. Alex had been left with Emily's best friend who had a son the same age. He would sleep over, so Emily and Jonathan were free to enjoy the evening until late.

"Friends and Family of Angela and Tony, welcome and thank you for being here on this important day," Father Marconi started the ceremony. "We are gathered here together to celebrate the very special love between Angela and Tony by joining them in marriage. This is an opportunity for us to share not only the joy of the bridal pair, but also to reaffirm and appreciate the love and the friendship we experience in our own lives. All of us need and desire to love and to be loved."

After these opening words, he addressed the bridal pair directly.

"Angela and Tony, your marriage today is the public and legal joining of your souls that have already been united as one in your hearts for a long time. Today, promises become permanent and friends become family. However, this day is not about the words spoken or the rings exchanged, nor is it about grand pronouncements and recessional marches. This day, the day of your wedding, is about love. All you have to do is simply love one another, and that love shows through in everything you do for one another, how you treat each other in good times and bad. And all who are here today, including myself, can tell that you have been through bad times." He gave Tony a sympathetic look. "We have all been witnesses of your long and sometimes stony path to true love."

"You can say that again!" Mona couldn't prevent herself from shouting. It brought her a stern look by Father Marconi, so she whispered a rueful excuse and tried to hide behind Jonathan.

"Love isn't just a word, it's an action," the priest continued with his sermon. "Love isn't something you say, it's something you do. And there are many different kinds of love. There is romantic love, the love of parents and children, of brothers and sisters and family, and love among friends."

This time Mona managed to keep her mouth shut, although she would've loved to complete that list with 'and the love for your housekeeper', but she hadn't come here to ruin this wedding. So she remained quiet, but a look into Sam's eyes told her that she had been thinking exactly the same. They both grinned at each other, then continued listening to Father Marconi's thoughtful words.

"Not only do Angela and Tony love one another romantically – and they do, you can see it in every look, every touch, every moment they're together – they also love one another as friends. As a matter of fact, they have done so for a long time. In fact, they had become best friends before they fell in love. Their friendship has turned into romance, and the love and enjoyment of each other as best friends will sustain them through this marriage."

Tony and Angela looked at each other. Tony was still holding Angela's hand, although he wasn't actually supposed to. He just didn't want to let her go. Never ever did he want to let her go. He had done so once, but he had learned from his mistake. And as if Father Marconi could read his mind, he got on to what he had called a 'stony path' earlier.

"Life hasn't always been good to Angela and Tony. There had been a time their lives seemed to be drifting apart, but their friendship has stood the test of this difficult time. And it was their profound friendship which brought them back together. It let them learn to love again. So, hold on to that friendship," he told them, "nurture it, for it is the foundation of your love." He smiled at both of them.

"And now, before the bridal pair will exchange their vows, the groom wants to say something."

Father Marconi gave Tony an encouraging nod.

Tony inhaled deeply. He hadn't told Angela that he was planning to say a few personal words. It was something he felt needed to be spoken out loud, something he wished for her to hear from him, and he wanted to do it in front of their entire family and friends, as well as Father Marconi. Having all these people as witnesses of his words made them an official proclamation, irrevocalbe as if he carved them in stone - like he had carved 'Anthony & Ingrid' in Kissing Rock at summer camp back then, wanting it to remain there forever. Tony took both of Angela's hands in his and squeezed them tenderly. They stood opposite now, gazing into each others eyes. Tony could see that she didn't know what to expect from him. Her eyes were full of surprise and bewilderment. Tony's mouth was dry all of a sudden; these were supposed to be the most important words he'd ever speak to her.

"Angela, my Love," they were connected so closely at that moment that he had the feeling Angela was looking right into his soul, "this is the happiest day of my life. Before I met you, my life had reached the bottom, and I was in the strong belief that I already had my share of happiness. I had lost my beloved late wife and had resigned myself to watching my daughter grow up and making her happy."

Tony threw Sam a short but intense look and could see that her eyes were filling with tears.

"After I had moved into your house, I found a friend in you like I never had before. I had never been closer to a person, and never had a person let me come closer. From day one, you opened your heart and included me and my daughter into your life. You saw a man in me no one else had ever seen, not even myself. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for you. I owed you so much, and...then I let you down. That is something I will never forgive myself, although you had the greatness to forgive me. You considered yourself to be my friend at a time I didn't deserve your friendship, and you acted as such when I came to you in my deepest distress. For a second time, you saved one of my daughters. Never before had compassion been bestowed on me so unconditionally and unselfishly."

Angela had a quick look at Lynnie, who hung on her father's every word. 'How could I not save this adorable girl?' went through Angela's mind. She smiled at her maid of honor, but Lynnie was too moved to be able to answer that smile.

Tony's emotions finally got the better of him. He needed a short moment to get them back under control, because there was one more thing he wanted to make clear.

"Later on, after I had reorganized my life, so to say, you gave me a second chance, although once again I wasn't on my own. I came back with the little girl you had saved from a life in a wheelchair, and once again you opened your heart to both of us. You're simply amazing, Angela! You're wonderful! You're like no other! I love you, and I don't know what I did to deserve to be taken notice of by someone like you, but I thank the Lord that he made you see something in me you find worth loving."

Although Tony had come to an end, Angela couldn't help but stare at him. He was still holding her hands, stroking them gently. He had caught her completely off guard with laying his soul at her feet like this. Never before had she been spoken to in a manner which revealed so much adoration and appreciation. Time seemed to be frozen, and her thoughts were spinning in her head. She had never believed that there might be a man one day who was so utterly devoted to her. Only when Father Marconi coughed slightly to call his presence and the cause for it back to their minds, did Tony and Angela pull back and turned to face him again.

"Sorry," Tony excused Angela and himself a little embarrassed, "go on."

"Thank you!" The priest raised one eyebrow, like he had used to do hearing some of Tony's confessions, then he went on with the ceremony. "May we have the rings, please." He had a look at Jonathan, whom he believed to be the ring bearer. The more puzzled he was when Samantha made a step forward and pulled the little velvet box with the wedding bands out of the inside pocket of her tuxedo jacket.

"Here they are, Father," she said.

"A woman as ring bearer and best man! Very well..." Why was he even surprised? Tony Micelli had astonished him more than once. But instead of further contemplating about this peculiar role allocation, he initiated the wedding's pivotal moment: the exchange of the rings.

"The ring is an ancient symbol, so perfect and simple. It has no beginning and has no end. It is a circle, for love that is given comes back round again. Your rings are precious because you wear them with love; they symbolize your commitment in marriage."

Father Marconi turned to Tony, and after he had pledged that he was willing to take Angela as his wedded wife, to love and to cherish her until death should part them, the minister told him, "Anthony, take this ring and place it upon Angela's finger, and as you do, repeat after me."

Tony spoke the words he had been prompted with so much emotion in his voice, that everybody listening held his breath. "Angela, as a sign from my heart that I desire to live with you from this day forward, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love."

He placed the ring upon Angela's delicate finger and wasn't surprised at all that her hand was cold, for it always was when she was nervous. Tony took her now beringed hand and squeezed it gently, warming it with his. This would be his goal from now on: protecting her, making her feel good, shielding her from life's ordeals.

If Angela had been overwhelmed by the situation, she wouldn't have had enough time to contemplate, because Father Marconi now asked her to do her part.

"Angela, are you willing to take Anthony as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

After a short intake of breath, which seemed like an eternity to the anticipating bundle of nerves standing in front of her, she answered in a strong, affirmative voice, "Oh yes, I do!" Then, with a soothing shudder running down her spine, she took Tony's right hand and slipped the ring on its designated spot with the same loving words he had spoken a few moments ago.

After the rings had been placed where they belonged, and where both of them had wanted them to be for so long, Angela and Tony stared at their hands, almost unable to believe what they were seeing. It was Father Marconi again who pulled them out of their reverie when he said the closing words of the ceremony.

"And now, by the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder."

It seemed as if everyone attending held his breath upon hearing the words 'husband and wife'. It sounded almost surreal, and Tony and Angela weren't the only ones asking themselves if this was really happening or if it was just a dream they would wake from at dawn. Mona told Jonathan to pinch her arm for reassurance. Angela's eyes tried to capture Tony's, but he only stared at the priest who had been part of his spiritual life for as long as he could remember. He waited for some kind of hint that they had made it, that they were through, that nothing and no one would ever be able to separate them again - that he was really and truly married to Angela now. From his demeanor and intense stare Father Marconi could tell how tense Tony was, and for a short moment he was tempted to let him dangle for a little while longer, avenging on him for all the practical jokes he had played on him as a teenager, but then he changed his mind and released the groom from his uncertainty.

"Tony," he said to him with a grin, "you may kiss the bride now." And to himself he thought, 'What's the matter with you? I never had to tell you before!'

Still in awe and a little confused Tony leaned in and placed a demure kiss on Angela's lips, and before she even realized that they were kissing, he already pulled back. But she wasn't the only one who was disappointed.

"Hey, Micelli, can't you remember how we kiss our brides back in Brooklyn?" Philly shouted from where he was sitting.

Although not really appropriate to be shouted through a sanctuary, Philly's question had at least woken up Tony. He chuckled, grinned, and mumbling "You bet!" into Angela's ear, he embraced her tightly and engaged her in a kiss so Brooklyn-ish that it made the jaws of some of the attendees drop to the floor. Not Mona's, of course (she inwardly rejoiced), and neither did that of the Brooklyn buddies (Tiny whistled with his fingers, Philly nodded appreciatively, shouting "That's more like it!" this time, and Al chimed in, "Yoh, Tony!"), but Mrs. Rossini crossed herself. She wasn't prudish or anything, but to her mind this kiss was far too hot to be shared in church, even for a Brooklyn guy. Wendy and Isabelle looked at each other in amazement, then grinned sheepishly. Wendy hissed, "Still waters really do run deep! I didn't even know Angela could kiss like that!"' Sam and Jonathan were also surprised to see 'their parents' kiss so passionately. They had gotten used to seeing them as lovers in the past years, but actually observing them consummate their love so wildly was new.

But it was Lynnie who stared at them the most. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and she just couldn't take them off of them. The longer they kissed, and it was a long, deep kiss indeed, the more fascinated she became. Never had she seen a somewhat mature couple kissing like this - so unrestrained and intensely, with so much physicality going on between them. On TV maybe, but never for real. That her father was kissing Angela so passionately, obviously not caring about being observed by a dozen pair of eyes to top it, amazed her. On the one hand, it made her feel awkward - no teenager wanted to picture his parent as a human being with physical needs, on the other, it also warmed her heart because she could see how much they loved each other. It had never been like this between him and her mother. What he had with Angela was very special, and Lynnie loved him even more for having sacrificed a life together with the woman he loved just to make her, an unborn baby at the time, grow up in a family with both parents. He had traded in his own happiness for hers. Lynnie was thankful that Angela and he had worked around all the difficult issues in their relationship up to this very happy ending. What she witnessed today washed away the sense of guilt she had been feeling for all those years, like a tidal wave washed away the footprints in the sand.

Father Marconi gave another slight cough. When he had said 'You may kiss the bride' he had expected some kind of passionate kiss. He had officiated a lot of Italian weddings in his life; he knew Italians were hot-blooded and passionate people, but never before had a newlywed couple kissed like this in front of him. Italians were Catholics after all, and they knew how to behave in church. And Tony was an Italian Catholic with good manners, although it had taken quite a few Hail Marys and Lord's Prayers to make him obey the rules when he had been a youngster. But Father Marconi was an elderly man who knew every ordeal Tony had to fight in his life, so the kindness of old age let him overlook the little transgression. He simply took pleasure in the obvious happiness of the couple he had just joined in matrimony. So he gave them another short moment to indulge in their intimacy. When Tony and Angela finally pulled apart, their lips swollen and their breaths shallow, he introduced the newlyweds.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Family and Friends, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Micelli!"

These words broke the dam, and the atmosphere changed instantly from tense calm into boisterous joy. The attendees started clapping their hands, this time Isabelle whistled with her fingers, which brought her an admiring look by Al. Angela burst out into a happy giggle, and Tony just stood beside her grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Mona was the first to engage the bridal pair in a bear hug. "Well done, you two!" she told them. "I am very, very happy for you!"

"Thank you, Mother."

"I was afraid I wouldn't live long enough to see this miracle happen; the two of you being married. And hey, Tone," she elbowed him in the side, "I'd call that a wedding kiss! Angela, I didn't even know that my little mousy wallflower was such a hot kisser!"

"Ey-oh, Mona!" Tony admonished her. "Angela can kiss alright!"

"Yeah, it's quite obvious that you like the way she kisses."

"Can we stop discussing my kissing skills, please!" Angela demanded.

"Oh, don't be so touchy, Angela!"

Mona rolled her eyes, then turned around to make way for the other attendees. One after the other joined Tony and Angela and congratulated them on their marriage. The words 'finally' and 'eventually' just as 'it was about time' were uttered repeatedly. Tony received a few appreciative slaps on the back by the men for his Hollywood-style kiss, and Angela got complimented by the women on her becoming wedding dress.

After the well-wishing parade was through, everyone hopped in a car for the short ride to the place the reception was supposed to take place. It could hardly be called a reception, it was rather a festive dinner among family and friends, and that was exactly what Tony and Angela had wanted it to be. This wedding wasn't about flamboyant ceremonies or extraordinary wedding presents, it was about their relationship and what their future was going to be. They had wanted it plain and simple in the first place, and that was what they got, and it turned out to be a perfect day for everyone.

Although they had planned to go without all the usual traditional stuff like throwing the bouquet or lengthy speeches by the best man - er, woman - and maid of honor, there was one very traditional part of almost every wedding Tony wasn't willing to skip, and that was the wedding dance. He had always loved to dance with Angela. It had been one of their first intimacies. At a time when he hadn't been allowed to think of her in a romantic way yet, dancing had been an opportunity to hold her close, to feel her warmth, and to flirt. And they had always been a well-attuned pair, like a long-married couple that had danced millions of times. On the dancefloor, they had been in-sync from the very beginning. Whether they had danced in their PJ's and slippers or in an elegant attire, it hadn't mattered, they could've challenged Fred & Ginger any time. The real Fred & Ginger, not that obnoxious couple at the Ferguson wedding.

Tony was a romantic guy, so he had secretly planned a romantic surprise for their wedding dance. Until now they had celebrated in a secluded room of an exclusive hotel, with delicious food and wonderful wine. They had chatted about the good old times, Mona had shared some of what she thought were the funniest anecdotes of Tony & Angela - not all of them being evaluated equally by the newlyweds. And Mrs. Rossini had tried to bring out a toast, but nobody had understood her words for they had been overlayered by her incesssant sobbing. The entire bridal party simply enjoyed the joyful atmosphere, the mood of blissful happiness, and - most of all - their being together. They were a bunch of people, closely connected through friendship and love. A wedding was a private occasion you wanted to celebrate with family and friends, not with strangers, and Tony had enjoyed their intimate togetherness, but for his surprise they needed to leave their cocoon.

"Sweetheart, let's go for a short walk," Tony suddenly said, holding his hand out to Angela, "I wanna show you something."

"A walk? Where to?"

"There's a hip club downstairs. I hear the band is very good. I wanna dance with you."

"Are you serious? The two of us like this? In a tuxedo and a wedding dress? Dancing among juvenile partygoers?" Angela pointed out, "I don't know."

"The audience is quite mixed, I've checked it out. And it's dark in there. Nobody will notice. Please, Honey, I wanna dance with my bride," he said with the same puppy eyes Angela had never been able to resist. "Just one dance!"

Since Angela had always loved to dance in Tony's arms, in the end, persuading her wasn't too difficult. She took his hand, stood up, and smiled at him.

"Alright. One dance."

Tony gave himself a mental high-five, held Angela's hand and dragged her along to the fancy club downstairs. The rest of the bridal party followed in single file. The closer they approached the entrance, the louder the music became. Angela liked what she heard; not exactly classical wedding dance music, but the full sound of soul and soft rock. The singer had a wonderful voice. She was singing 'You Made Me Feel like A Natural Woman' by Aretha Franklin, and Angela had to smile. Tony made her feel that way, it was as if the singer sang especially for them.

She squeezed Tony's hand. "Great song," she whispered into his ear.

"Yeah. Definitely."

As soon as they entered the club, Tony tried to catch the band leader's eye, who gave him an imperceptible nod in return from behind the piano, all of this unnoticed by Angela. They threaded their way through the people standing around, sipping at cocktails and chatting, quite a few of them were dancing. The club was crowded, and some people ogled at them. They were all well-dressed in that club, but a man in a tux with a woman in tow in a white elegant gown, which obviously was a wedding dress, most certainly aroused attention. Angela wasn't sure whether it had been the right decision to have let Tony take her here; she hated being ogled. But it was too late now. They had reached the dancefloor and Tony swirled her around, then embraced her tightly. The Aretha Franklin song was coming to an end and the singer left the stage and made her way through all the dancers, obviously wanting to sing from down there.

The next song was intonated. The first notes sounded familiar to Angela, although she couldn't really tell which one it was. But it was kind of slow, had soul and a nice rhythm - a good song for a wedding dance, Angela decided. Her wedding dance with Michael had been a Viennese waltz. Not because they both had liked the music so much, but because it had been a tradition for society weddings like theirs. They had been so concentrated on not stepping on each other's feet and cutting a fine figure for all the people watching and smiling at them, that they hadn't been able to enjoy it in any way. This would be much more romantic, and although the people on the dancefloor were watching her now too - they had even cleared a bit of space for them right in the center - she didn't mind. This would be about Tony and her; he would hold her close, he would look into her eyes, he would move her around the dancefloor, and she would follow his lead, like they had so many times before, and like they would go on doing to eternity from this day forward.

Just when Angela had laid her head on Tony's shoulder, the singer suddenly came standing right beside them and handed Tony the microphone. And before Angela could even clear her head about what was going on, the song's title came to her mind - and Tony started singing.

You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you

It was an old Frankie Valli song, one she had always liked.

You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much

With this last line, he embraced her a little closer, and Angela forgot everything and everyone around her. Only Tony and she seemed to be existing, nothing else mattered at this particular moment.

At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you

That was the song's name: 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You'. It had been one of Frankie Valli's greatest hits in the 1960s. He and the Four Seasons had sung wonderful love songs, and that Tony was singing this song to her while softly rocking her on the dancefloor was the best wedding dance she could imagine. Then he let her go, pulled away and took a step backward. Keeping her right hand in his left, he scrutinized her from head to toe, smiled and continued singing.

Pardon the way that I stare
There's nothing else to compare
The sight of you leaves me weak
There are no words left to speak
So if you feel like I feel
Please let me know that it's real
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you

Until then, the musical accompaniment had been rather low-keyed, with only the lead guitar, bass and percussion enhancing Tony's warm singing voice. But now that the instrumental part of the song started, all band members joined it: the piano as well as the saxophone and clarinet player. Tony pulled Angela close again, entangled her and swirled her about the dancefloor until she almost got dizzy. For the chorus, the band's singer sang along and supported Tony with her strong, well-trained voice, but Angela only heard Tony, and his singing touched her heartstrings.

I love you baby and if it's quite all right
I need you baby to warm the lonely nights
I love you baby, trust in me when I say
Oh pretty baby, don't bring me down I pray
Oh pretty baby, now that I've found you stay
And let me love you baby, let me love you

For the rest of the song Tony gave the microphone back, because for the rest of the song he wanted to enjoy dancing with his 'baby'. He embraced her tightly, so tightly that you couldn't get a leaf in there. Not exactly the dancing position he had learned when he had attended Mrs. Cantucci's dance classes at the age of 16 back in Brooklyn. 'Your position is too close again, Mr. Micelli,' he still heard her say, 'this is a class in social partner dance, not wrestling,' she had kept admonishing him. 'Yeah, but Micelli is up to tongue-wrestling with his girl afterwards,' Bobby Governale had used to comment with a smirk on his face, only to be kicked in the shin for it by Tony at the next opportunity. Not that he wasn't up for tongue-wrestling tonight, too - later, when the festivities would be over and the two of them alone - but right now he just wanted to have Angela as close as possible, swinging through their wedding dance with her to the wonderful music of The Four Seasons. They danced cheek to cheek, losing themselves in their embrace. They hovered about the dancefloor, being watched in awe by countless pair of eyes. Not only where these two people moving as one, the love between them was palpable for everyone in the club.

After the last note had faded away, Tony and Angela pulled apart; but only a tiny bit, just to be able to gaze at each other.

"Thank you, Tony. That was wonderful," Angela whispered breathlessly, still amazed about what he had told her with singing this song.

"I hoped you'd like it," Tony answered with a wide grin, pleased that he had been able to impress her. He wanted to go on and tell her that he had meant every single word he had sang, but the people around them had started to clap their hands, because Tony's singing hadn't only been romantic and sweet, but also very good.

"Mr. Tony Micelli, Ladies and Gentlemen, and his lovely bride Angela," the singer now said over the microphone. "If you ask me, this song must've been written for moments like these. And here's another one for all of you who've come here with someone you love..."

With this, the drummer knocked his drumsticks together, counted to four, and the band started playing 'Get here' by Oleta Adams.

Tony nodded at the band shortly, then started dragging Angela out of the club. On his way out, he winked at Mona, who grinned back mischievously. She and the rest of the bridal party would spend the rest of the evening right there at the club, enjoying the great music, having a drink or two, putting it all on Angela's credit card, of course. But Mona was quite sure she wouldn't mind, for she was about to have some fun as well.

Tony had booked a special place for them for their wedding night - another surprise for Angela. This place was much too fancy and exclusive for them. Luxury wasn't anything they needed at the moment. Their love was so genuine and primal, all they needed was a romantic, quiet spot. A place where they would be alone, far away from everyone and everything which offered distraction from what was essential, and that was the two of them.

Only the two of them.

Author's note:
If you want to get an idea what Tony's singing may have sounded like, go to YouTube, search for "can't take my eyes off you frankie valli and the four seasons" and enjoy.