One month later
Dario
- Anxious?
I was just finishing fixing my tie when Saul appeared in the room, he was still wearing his sling to support the arm that had been hit by the gunshot, the shot had not hit any danger spots, Saul is doing well and recovering quickly.
- Yes, I'm looking forward to marrying the woman of my life. Soon you will be the lucky one in the family!
I couldn't miss the opportunity to make fun of him, since Lydia is driving my brother crazy in so many different ways. Saul is paying for his sins with her; while she is sweet and gentle, the woman is an untameable beast.
- Very funny, Dario, I'm dying to laugh at your little joke.
- Don't make that face, Saul, after all, it's all your fault. Nobody told me to make a blood pact with someone who at the time had no idea what it was and who hates what we are, but at least there is one advantage, Lydia likes the children and Cecilia, that's really very good!
Saul just gave a weak smile and walked over to me, even with a little difficulty he gave me a hug, something he had never done before.
- Brother, I know I've always teased you and talked a lot of shit but I love you, even if it sounds very gay! I hope you will be happy with Cecilia, she is a special woman and I feel that this time you are making the right choice. Your gift awaits you in Italy, I'm sure you will like it very much, I'm sorry that Mom and Mariana are not here but I'm glad you will be able to see the ceremony by video conference!
Cecilia and I preferred to get married here in Brazil, my father for a change did not take well to the idea that the Don of the Albertini family was marrying a widow, a former private whore of mine and a half-breed. I didn't need his or anyone else's damn approval for this and by Cecilia's choice we decided to get married here, where we know we are loved and there is no room for any bad feelings about our union.
- If you don't let me go I'll think you're really gay!
I joked, noticing the smile on his face, in the past this kind of joke bothered him a lot, because during his adolescence there were several speculations in relation to his sexuality so our wonderful father made his initiation happen in a whorehouse where Saul would have to have sex with several prostitutes to prove his masculinity, old Albertini did not admit that his youngest son was a slacker or homosexual so he submitted Saul to this initiation.
Saul was a virgin, which made the whole situation terrifying for him. After that, my brother came back different, he distanced himself from Mariana and Lidia, he took little girlfriends from school to an abandoned house in the back of the Albertini mansion and started to be violent with everyone around. His initiation was really traumatizing, he changed the minds of the mob members and pleased my father but he also stopped being what he was.
- I won't delay him any longer, Lydia is waiting for me. I have to thank Cecilia, I know that my little star only agreed to go in with me at her request!
Saul is in love with Lydia of that I have no doubt, but I'm not so sure about Lydia, the two live on a war footing but when she saw my wounded brother she didn't show indifference, however, as soon as she realized that Saul was better she went back to arguing about the pact and the wedding clearly showing that she didn't want to be united to a bandit.
- Saul, I am no one to give you advice, but I will give it to you anyway, get your future wife, I had to live a marriage without love and any kind of feelings to understand that this is not the way!
My brother just shook his head in agreement and walked out the door with a desolate look on his face. He is rightly suffering, I hope he can win Lydia and be happy with her.
Looking at my past and reflecting on all that I have done, I think that I may have made many mistakes, but my biggest mistake was to have bought Cecilia, even in those circumstances. My mistakes changed me and made me realize that I needed to change, it was and is difficult but I believe I am on the right path.
I finished putting on my suit and headed towards the garden of the Bernardino mansion, it would be there that we would receive the blessing from the priest and that we would be married in the civil ceremony, making our union official before men. I listened to the noises coming from the back of the mansion where there was a beautiful garden, Lidia played with the children who soon became attached to her, Saul admired his future wife as he did years ago when she was just a child who idolized him now the focus of adoration is Lidia, Luana caressed her six month old belly receiving a smile from her husband, as Caetano had no family we decided to bury him here to avoid suspicion on us about his death. In spite of everything he had done against her, Luana asked that he have a dignified burial even though he didn't deserve it.
I stood next to my brother-in-law, Luana and the priest while I waited for my Cecilia, she decided to enter alone once again showing that she wanted as in the beginning of everything to demonstrate that with her everything would be different.
I was anxiously waiting to finally have my Cecilia with me forever, so that she could take her rightful place in my heart before God and the world.
Cecilia
I was anxious to finally be marrying Dario, despite everything that happened between us I understand that nothing was by chance, everything we went through had a reason. We became strong, mature, and ready to really love without fear. I looked at my white dress adorned with a beautiful veil tied in my hair, a pearl necklace that belonged to my mother, along with pearl earrings that also belonged to her, I wanted to record every moment of this beautiful day in my mind and heart.
We continued to be good friends despite Dario's jealousy, I believe that between me and him there was never anything more than a beautiful friendship.
I close my eyes containing the anxiety of the moment, I feel dizzy when I open them again but I believe that I am just anxious about the wedding, it can only be this. I take a deep breath as I walk out towards the garden, I am so happy because I am finally next to my first love, and just knowing that we will be together for the rest of our lives makes me feel like the happiest woman in the world.
When I arrive at the garden entrance I see all the people I love and who are part of my life waiting for me, there was no more beautiful scene to engrave in my memory. As I walked up to the altar I saw the smiles of those I love to see me, it really was the most beautiful moment of my entire life but nothing prepared me to see Dario there at the altar waiting for me I could see how happy and emotional he was.
Despite everything I've been through all the struggles I've had to overcome and obstacles I've had to face, I feel that I can finally be happy without fear of the past or what might happen in the future because I'm a strong woman who knew how to survive all the misfortunes of life. When I arrived at the altar, Dario held my hand affectionately, smiling like a child, he was just as happy or even happier.
- My brothers and sisters we are gathered here today to celebrate the power of love and what it can do in our lives, the transforming effect of love is lasting and perfect, nothing can change what love once changed. Dario and Cecilia, the challenges are many, but if love and God are the links between your relationship nothing can tear your union apart. Do you, Dario Albertini, take Cecilia Bernardino to be your lawful wedded wife to love and respect for your entire life until death do you part?
Dario looked at me deeply as if there was only him and me with no one around, there were only two souls that loved each other very much and that in spite of everything were together.
- I accept!
- Cecilia Bernardino, do you take Dario Albertini to be your lawful wedded husband to love and respect for all your life until death do you part?
At that moment a movie of our beginning until here passed in my mind, many could say that our love had no future and that someone like me should never have so much love for a man like Dario Albertini but before you meet the monster, you meet the man full of pain and trauma that just like me survived the environment that could easily kill him.
My fallen angel made a mistake with me and repented for what he did changing completely not only to get me back but also because he saw that following the path of the past would not bring him happiness, today there was no doubt that our love overcame all obstacles and was strengthened in the face of adversity so there was no other answer to the priest's question.
- Yes, I accept!
- By the power given to me by the Holy and Beloved Church, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!
Dario came up to me and touched my face gently and then kissed my mouth sweetly while we listened to the celebration of the guests in the background. As we finished the kiss, I hugged my husband and received a gentle kiss on his neck. I approached his ear and said what I had been waiting so long to say at the end of this beautiful ceremony.
- I love you!
- I love you forever, my Cecilia!
We walked to a part of the mansion's garden where lunch would be served to our guests, there was a table filled with all kinds of Brazilian and Italian food, we chatted excitedly while receiving greetings and congratulations from our loved ones.
Our children were sitting on their father's lap while my husband talked by video call with my mother and sister-in-law showing the party and the grandchildren who were waving to grandma and aunt, they accompanied the wedding by video but we had talked before, they are wonderful women and were very gentle and polite to me, I know that my father-in-law did not like the idea of having me as daughter-in-law but I was not paying attention because it would not be his disapproval that would prevent my marriage to his son.
I was served a delicious lunch, soon after eating I felt a burning in my stomach accompanied by an urge to vomit, I managed to run away from the guests mentally thanked for having chosen a light dress to marry otherwise it would be difficult to run with a puffy dress, when I finished vomiting all my breakfast and what I just had lunch near the bush I noticed that Dario was beside me supporting me.
- Cecilia, is everything okay?
- More or less, I still feel nauseous but I think it is not just anxiety, earlier I felt dizzy and now the vomiting and nausea. Could it be...? But it can't be or can it?
I started to remember all the times I had sex with Dario, including many, all of them were unprotected, and I wasn't taking any medication, along with the fact that my period wasn't up to date, I thought it was because I was anxious about the wedding that needed to be quick, because Dario should be back by now, but no, how could I not have thought of this before? But of course, I am pregnant!
- What could it be? What's going on, my lady, do you want me to call a doctor?
- Our family will have a new member, he is still small but I know he will bring us much joy. My angel, I am expecting your child!
I put my hands on my belly feeling as I did the first time I found out I was pregnant with Melina, an immense happiness. Dario reached down to my belly and kissed my belly under the dress, he was crying with excitement at knowing that I was pregnant.
- You make me the happiest man in the world, Cecilia, I love you so much!
- You are the love of my life, Dario Albertini!
Our child is the fruit of our love, of our new beginning and I know that he or she is the perfect result of the love Dario and I feel for each other. A beautiful and living proof that love always wins!