Page 101 of A Seed Of Peril

“I’m glad he has you, Lilith.”

“And he's glad he hasyou, too.”

“I hope so,” she said, a subtle pang of sadness in her voice.

Steering away from the road of somber memories we were headed on, I said, “I don’t think I've ever been so nervous.”

“Not even with Vincenzo?”

“Well… Okay, yeah, maybe.” We laughed. “But at least I know what to expect this time around.”

I waited patiently for Bianca to catch on, stifling my laugh at the wide-eyed look she gave me, cracking a smile when she gasped.

“Ten weeks,” I revealed before she could ask. “And no, Dominic doesn’t know.”

Cupping her hands over her mouth, Bianca squealed, resisting the urge to jump up and down.

“Congratulations!” She placed her hand on my belly. “Oh, Lilith, honey. Oh, my goodness.”

I laughed.

“How are you feeling?” Her expression changed to one of immediate concern. “You’re not nauseous, are you? Dizzy? Do you need anything?”

I turned us so we were facing each other, and I grasped her hands, controlling my laughter.

“All I need today is you and everyone else that's here with us. And no, this baby isn't kicking my butt like Vincenzo did.”

We let go of each other's hands and hugged.

She rubbed her hand up and down my back. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

A voice sounded from the doorway—my flower girl.

“Mom, when can we eat that cake?”

Bianca and I burst out laughing, pulling away from each other in the process.

I looked around the room, reality really beginning to set in now. Today, I was officially becoming Mrs. Rosini. The wife of a mafia boss. Co-owner of an empire. Oh. My. God.

“I can’t believe I'm about to do this,” I breathed, shaking my hands like something was on them.

Once again putting her hand on my shoulder, Bianca asked Katrina to shut the door and had her and Vincenzo enter further into the room. Bianca held her grandson as she gathered us in a circle.

“I just want to say a short prayer, if that’s alright.”

I nodded. I wasn’t much into organized religion, but I did believe in God and respected anyone else’s beliefs.

We all closed our eyes and bowed our heads.

“Lord, we ask that you bless Lilith and Dominic on this day, and please help ward off anything that could disrupt this ceremony. Shower us with your love, protection, peace, and happiness. We thank you. Lord, for today. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

“Amen,” Katrina and I said in unison.

We opened our eyes.

“Lilith, I’m so proud to call you my daughter. Thank you for sticking by him.” Bianca and I hugged again. After we separated, she remembered something, like a lightbulb went off. “We need to find you something old and something new and something borrowed and something blue!” She scanned the room, going over and picking up the scarlet chiffon shawl she planned to wear with her dress. With Katrina’s assistance, they draped it around my shoulders.

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