Page 109 of Delivered in White

“It’s true. She makes my kid better. Lord knows his looks, that stupid hair, the gym, all that shit was getting the better of him.Oops. ’Scuze, me, Father.” He bows to the priest for his foul language, then shakes a finger at me. “He’s a peculiar one, that Trino. Always making his bed and washing the dishes right after he uses them. Cleaning the graniteoverandoveragain. Weird. Tightly wound like a stripped screw. Not anymore, though. Capri shook this guy loose. She even gets him to smile once in a while. Look, he’s got a freakin’ dimple. I completely forgot about it ’til she came around.”

I throw my hands up, saying ‘what the hell is going on,’ while exposing that dimple he’s talking about. Capri squeezes my arm tighter as she laughs.

“Is this our wedding or Stanzo’s comedy hour?” I say.

“Shh!”She slaps me, and I’m at a loss.

“Tristano,my boy.” He knocks the podium for my attention, our eyes locking. “Your mom is looking down on you withpride. Hear me? You grew up to be a fine businessman, and an even better husband. When I see her again,soon,she’ll tell me—” He chokes up. “She’ll tell me about how blessed she was to have such an incredible son.”

Fuck. Why does he have to—

“You two remind me of me and her,” his voice chokes further, and it hits me like a lightning bolt to the gut. “It’s all I ever wanted for you. Your mom made me better, Trist. And IknowCapri will make you better.”

His cough on the last word makes me twitch. And it doesn’t stop there. He turns away from the microphone and wheezes into the bloodstained cloth.

My insides are twisted into knots.

This is too painful to watch.

Pop holds up a finger. “Sorry. One more thing.” He looks up to the ceiling. “If you’re watching over us, angel,please, bless these two and guide them. Because I’m afraid I won’t be able to much longer.” He does the sign of the cross with tears in his eyes, and everyone follows.

The rest of this parade went by in a haze. Thoughts of my pops, Mom, and the future.Cipriana. Sliding that diamond on her finger hit me more than I could have ever imagined. I got the gold band tying me to her too.

Staring into those gorgeous big blues of hers, Pop’s wheezing words are on repeat in my mind. All he ever wanted, huh? Well, Pops, guess you were right again. That kiss after we saidI do… that’ll live on forever in this black heart of mine.

Chapter 32

Cipriana

Our wedding night wasincredible. I remember it like it was yesterday. Flipping through our album shows nothing but bright smiling faces, us kissing under a canopy, drunk dancing. God, he looked good that day. Six-foot-two sculpture of muscle in an Armani tux? Yes, please.

Oof.Then there’s this one picture that makes me side-eye Trino whenever we land on it.

I mean, really? There’s a batch of rice hitting me square in the face. I’m all scrunched and the photo’s all zoomed in.“Horrible.”

“Hilarious,” Trino cackles, rubbing my belly.

I’m showing now. And I’d be lying if I told you we didn’t just have hot kinky sex in the office. Being pregnant made it hotter, somehow. Call it a captive fantasy or something. I was tied up from wrists to ankles while he tortured me with his tongue. My heartrate is still through the roof from it. Even a meal and a half later.

The bantering and laughter carry on for a good few minutes, until we land on the saddest photo in the entire album – Trino and I crouching with our arms around his seated dad. He had sunglasses on because the DJ lights were hurting his eyes, but he still forced a pained smile.

The air sucks out of the room, and I can feel Trino choking up beside me.

I squeeze his big arm. “It’s okay, baby.”

His jaw is so tense. Kissing his cheek is like touching a rock. I’m rubbing his back to console him, but really, I’m doing everything in my power to choke back tears of my own. That speech at the church, the months of agony after.

Tough,toughtimes.

“I can’t believe it’s been six months since we lost him.” Trino’s lips tighten, his gaze tethered to that photo. “He was in pain there. You see it, don’t you?”

“He was happy for us,” I say. “That’s how you should remember it.”

Trino stands abruptly, turning his back to me. “All I hear is his cough. Like the rattle before death.”

A tear leaks out of my eye. “Trino.”

He grabs a rag and runs it down the island of our renovated kitchen in our new house. After the whole capo promotion, and the whole falling in love with me thing, he –ahem–we, decided it might be time for a change of pace. Not that his first home wasn’t beautiful, but I made this one less… serial killer-y. We’re still on the water in Jersey, but the interior colors are far from muted now. Our kitchen is all bright beige with matching granite. Some lively backsplashes. The living room has fun paintings and lavish modern décor.

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