Authors: S.K. Lessly
Later that night, when the rest of the family left, Drake, Georgia, Max, Mason, Leo and I took over the patio with about four heaters surrounding us, along with a fire in front, keeping the space heated from the unseasonably cold breeze.
I was wrapped up with Angel, underneath a blanket with my eyes closed.
“It’s been a long year,” Angel said quietly.
In response, he received a few grunts and nods.
“I’m thankful for friends and family, though. I wouldn’t have been able to get through without you,” he added.
Agreed remarks and nods circled the patio again.
I raised my glass in the air. “Here’s to friends, family and a fantastic new year.”
Everyone’s glasses went in the air. Chants of “here-here” rang throughout the backyard into the night.
I looked up at the stars to say a silent prayer to my mom, whom I never met, to Pops Leonetti, who I never got the opportunity to get to know, and to our futures.
The friendships that bonded over adversity could only get stronger from here. I couldn’t wait to see what our futures held.
I gripped Angel’s arms tighter around me. He was my husband, lover, and best friend. I dreamed about this moment countless times, but I never thought it would come true.
Angel and I got married in our home city a few months ago. First, I told him that we should wait, in order to give his family time to grieve. I wanted him to be sure that he was marrying me because he wanted to, not because he was in the midst of one of the stages of grief. I wanted him to be truly ready. I didn’t want him feeling any pressure, and I told him repeatedly that I wasn’t going anywhere. I was his forever no matter what.
He told me that wasn’t good enough. He wanted to make it official and didn’t want to wait forever to make me his wife. So I told his ass that he needed to propose to me again. Fucking and proposing at the same time didn’t count. He did make up for it by proposing to me during one of our family Sunday dinners. Every woman in the room was in tears when he told me how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, how he loved me desperately, and how he was blessed that I was in his life and that I stayed by his side through some difficult shit.
It was beautiful and all in Italian….
Of course, I said yes to him and told him how much I loved him back, in the same language. After that, Angel took over, and made sure I had everything I wanted; the reception hall, food, type of cake I wanted and the Vera Wang wedding dress that I was salivating over when he took me to Italy.
Angel was Catholic, and his faith was important to him. I told him that I didn’t care if we got married in a catholic church. I wasn’t conforming and changing my religion, and I didn’t have to. We had to pay extra and go to additional classes, and I had to practically swear that our kids would be Catholic. I agreed for the sake of the Father marrying us, but I had my fingers crossed behind my back. That counts, right?
The wedding was beautiful, by far the most beautiful, most important day of my life. We were in all white, from me and him to our bridal party. We wanted to celebrate life since we’d been in darkness for so long after the Don’s passing. My dress was simple, but the ring he gave me… Whew! Let’s just say he gave me two; one to wear every day and another that I only wear on special occasions with him and Lincoln at my hip.
The days leading up to the wedding, I knew how heavy his heart was heavy. So was his family’s. However, Angel never showed it. He just showed the world that day how much he was in love with me.
I’d wanted to be with this man for so long, and now that I was here, in this moment, I wanted more.
I leaned to the right and brought my lips to his ear. “I want a baby.”
Angel kissed the tip of my nose lightly. “Yeah, me too.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon?” I asked, thinking about everything he’d been through over the last six months.
He shook his head. “Nah, I’ve been ready to start a family with you for a long time. For me, the sooner, the better.”
I brought my hand to the side of his face and kissed his lips. “I love you, baby.”
“Ti Amo un sacco, Mi amore. Ti Amo.”
The End
About the Author:
S K Lessly is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. She has a love of action movies, hanging with family and friends, reading her loads of smut from her favorite authors and writing a bit of smut herself. Her debut to the IR world came on November 14th will hopefully flood Amazon with many more of her works.
As a friend has coined, She is a “artist of the written word” and is truly looking forward to sharing her misunderstood imagination with those that love a good romance book to escape to.
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