Page 5 of His Two Hidden Masks

My mother nodded. She loved Leo, but she had not been thrilled when I told her I was having no bridesmaids and had chosen Leo as my Man of Honor.

“I will see you inside, Bella,” Auntie Aurora said. She nodded and leaned down to grasp my hand. “I want you to be happy, my beautiful girl.”

“I am happy, Auntie,” I said.

She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say more.

“Aurora,” my mother hissed, her eyes locking on my Aunt with a fierceness that told me she probably knew about the late-night card reading. “Of course, she is happy. That is the only truth that matters.”

“Maria, I am just checking in with my only niece,” Auntie Aurora fired back.

“You have two nieces,” my mother said. “One is buried in this church and the other is getting married to Roberto Bianco here today.”

At the mention of my sister, Sara, I broke out in another round of goosebumps. The memory of Sara was always present in our lives, but today was different. Today she was a ghost haunting my wedding day.

“I would never forget Sara,” Aurora said, glaring at my mother. “Never.” The sisters faced each other for a moment, saying nothing.

“All right, let’s walk,” Leo said, standing up to break the tension. He slipped his arm through mine. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the feeling that my dress had gotten even smaller in the last two minutes.

A series of hooked buttons were essentially sewn up the back. I was a little afraid Roberto would need to cut me out of this dress on our wedding night.

Leo opened the side door that led to the church. Just over the gate and across the campo, sunlight glinted on the sign of my family’s restaurant, Andiamo.

On the other side of the fountain, I could see into the ballroom on the second floor of my family’s hotel, the Mia Sorella. Servers in white coats were doing final preparation for the reception and dancing.

“I’m scared,” I whispered to Leo, leaning into his arm.

“Are you scared of the people in the church?” Leo asked, his voice low.

“I don’t know,” I said, softly. We were only a few steps behind my mother and Aunt.

“Just breathe,” Leo said. He leaned down as he spoke. “Remember our code word.”

“Fuck all this?”

“Yes, ‘fuck all this’ and we run away together.”

“Will David mind?” I managed a smile.

“No, he’d get over it. He loves you, and besides, if things fall apart with David and me, you can be my wing woman and we’ll spend our days lazing about the Mediterranean, making love to the most beautiful men in the world.”

“That sounds a little too amazing to me right now.”

“I know, right?” Leo paused. “I have great ideas.” He held open one of the double doors to the church and we stepped into the vestibule.

My family had all gathered for the procession around the baptismal fountain. The family crypt was just in front of it. I took a breath, noticing no goosebumps. Perhaps my feeling of dread was gone.

“Thank you, Leo,” my mother said, taking my hand she looked up at me. She was only five-foot-one, and with my heels, I towered over her at five-foot-five.

“Your veil, Bella.” She sighed, lifting a layer of white tule and pulling it over my head so it covered my face.

“Thank you, mama.”

“Remember,” she said, “marriage is not always an easy path. It’s a commitment. The vows you make will bind you together, body and soul.”

Leo glanced back his eyebrows raised as he overheard my mother’s less-than-inspirational walk-up speech.

“Thank you, Mama,” I said, wishing I could tell my mother the truth. Surrounded by all this beauty, and dizzy with fear, every breath filled my lungs only half-way.

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