Page 90 of Till Death Do Us Part

She smiled, and I almost expected the sun to start shining. “I’m so happy, Y.”

“Me too.”

“Are you really, Y?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Isabella popped up behind Lo. “We have something to cheer you up. Follow me. And Lo, bring your beauty case.”

We all went upstairs and into what we always called the church room. It had low beams and a stained-glass window. Mamma’s simple wedding dress was placed in the center of the room, hanging from one of those dress forms. All my sister’s gowns were around it, displayed the same way. Mine was there too. She’d seen all our dresses before she died. She helped us design them.

I walked over to it and ran my hand along the material. Lace and satin. It was a classic ballgown with a beaded bodice. Back then, it seemed to fit me. I wasn’t so sure anymore. It seemed too young, for some reason. Like the girl it belonged to was naïve to the world and how cruel it could be. It seemed innocent.

“Try it on,” Isabella said, coming to stand behind me.

“No.” I let the dress go with a sigh.

“Come on, Y,” Isabella nudged me. “Let's see if you're the same size, or if it's going to need alterations.”

“Yeah, and who knows when we'll see you in it,” Alina said. “You don’t seem ready to marry Jack yet.”

All my sisters looked at me, like they didn't know what was going to happen. Like they might miss seeing me in it. They probably would. I didn't plan on marrying Jack, and I refused to turn my back on Felice. I loved him, even if I was uncertain of his motives. And I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life without him.

“Okay.”

Lo did my makeup and hair while we talked about Mamma and their weddings. After Lo was done, Isabella helped me into the gown while Alina set the veil in my hair. Talia stood back and took a picture.

“Damn, Y,” Lo said. “You're too perfect.”

I turned to look at myself in the full-length mirror and accidentally hit the vanity. A deepthunkfollowed by the sound of glass shattering made us freeze.

“Shit,” Alina said, stepping away from the shattered handheld mirror.

“That's really bad luck,” Talia said. “That paired with the rain…”

“Good thing you're not getting married today.” Lo glanced at the window. Heavy droplets were sliding against the windowpane, coagulating as more rain fell.

“I thought rain was supposed to be good luck?” Isabella straightened the veil.

“Maybe rain,” Talia said, looking in the same direction as Lo. “But this is storm weather.”

“Let's show Babbo.” Isabella pointed my shoulders in the direction of the stairs. “He wanted to see.”

“He knew we were doing this?” I asked.

“He suggested it.”

I wasn't sure why, but that threw me. It just didn't seem like him to initiate something like a dress-up session. I took my time coming down the stairs, even though I was barefoot, my sisters all around me. Isabella walked ahead of me. Lo walked next to me and sanghere comes the bride. Alina and Talia made sure the train and the floor-length veil didn’t get messed up.

“Who’s that?” Lo asked before I could.

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” I said.

Babbo stood at the end of the steps. A burly man with a shaved head stood next to him. I couldn’t figure out the look on Babbo’s face. Pissed? Worried? I took a deep breath but caught an unfamiliar scent in the air. Blood.

“Roma,” Babbo said when I made it down the stairs. His white down shirt had a red blossom on it. It was sticking to his skin. “This is Mr. Crawford. He works for the Maggios.”

“Alfonso and Jack?”

My father nodded. “It seems we will have another wedding today.”

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