Family: Out of Business

Witnessed

The Town Hall

Claire's pov

Despite knowing my aunt was telling me more than asking me, I really didn't want to hang out with her fiance so I begged my aunt to let me stay with her and she reluctantly agreed as long as I promised to behave myself and keep my dress clean in the meantime. Once I stopped bugging her with endless questions, it only took about ten minutes for her to be done with everything and look amazing. My aunt's super pretty to begin with but she looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress.

"WOW!" I said when I saw her, my eyes practically bugging out of my head. "You look like a fashion model, Aunt Lexie."

"Really?" she asked, apprehensively. "I feel like a beached whale." She rubbed her big pregnancy belly and frowned, looking in the mirror.

"Yeah, you look incredible! Uncle Luciano is hardly gonna be able to talk during the ceremony cuz you look so good. He'll be speechless."

"Aww, thank you, baby," my aunt said tearing-up, giving me a side hug as we stood hip to hip looking in the mirror. "I'm so glad you're here with me. There's nobody else I would rather share this special day with. I love you, Claire."

"I love you too, Aunt Lexie," I replied, gently returning her hug so I wouldn't wrinkle her dress. "Don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup."

"I know, you're right," she said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "I just can't help it. I'm a little over-emotional right now."

"It'll be okay, Aunt Lexie," I said, patting her arm. "I'll be right by your side to help you, like a good maid of honor. Ok?"

"Okay, mia nipote (my niece)," she replied, straightening up, forcing a smile.

"Are you ready to get married now?" I asked happily.

She took a deep cleansing breath before answering, "Yes! Let's do this. I'm ready to get married!" she squealed with glee, taking my hands in hers as we danced out of the bathroom. "Oh wait, I just forgot one thing. Can you go on ahead, honey, and tell Luciano I'll be right there? This'll just take me a minute. Ok?"

"Okay, Aunt Lexie, I'll tell him." I slowly made my way upstairs once my aunt went back into the bathroom. I'm in no hurry to get up there and awkwardly chill with the Mayor and my new uncle. When I reached the top of the stairs, I had no idea which way to turn but then I heard voices to my left so I followed the hallway toward the people I heard talking.

"Hi, Uncle Luciano," I said shyly, upon seeing him and some short stubby old guy standing outside an open office door.

He frowned in my direction, waiting until Stubby went into his office before speaking to me.

"Where's your aunt?" he asked, stepping towards me as looked past me down the empty hallway.

"She's finishing getting ready. She said she'd be here in a minute."

Stepping even closer, he put his hand on my shoulder, taking one more glance behind me to check the hallway.

Seeing it was still empty, he bent to my eye level and quietly hissed in my ear, "When we are alone, I'd prefer you call me Mr. Nardello or sir. Anything else would be disrespectful. You may only address me as Uncle Luciano around your aunt and the rest of your family. Understand?"

My heart rate accelerated dramatically upon seeing up close how dark his eyes truly are and upon hearing the anger in his voice. I nodded in acknowledgement of his request, quickly lowering my head to avoid his penetrating gaze.

"When I ask you a question, signorina (young lady), you will answer me with your words, not just a nod of the head." He tilted my chin up, keeping a tight hold on me until I locked eyes with him. "Capiscimi (Understand me)?" he asked.

I instinctively started to nod but his warning stopped me so I squeaked out my timid reply instead,

"Si signore, ho capito (Yes sir, I understand)."

"That's a good girl," he said, patting my cheek firmly before standing up to greet my aunt whose heels we could hear clicking closer as she came into view. "Mio Dio, non sembri radiosa (My God, don't you look radiant)?" he gushed, quickly leaving my side to go to his soon to be bride.

"Did I interrupt something?" my aunt asked, seeing the odd look on my face.

"Niente affatto, amore mio (Not at all, my love). Stavo solo facendo i complimenti a mia nipote per il suo vestito e le dicevo quanto fosse carina stasera (I was just complimenting my niece on her dress and telling her how cute she looks tonight)."

I don't know exactly what my soon to be uncle just told my aunt but I'm ninety percent sure he was lying. I get the distinct impression he doesn't like me but I don't know why. What did I ever do to him? Did I do something to make him mad? I wondered. I mean we've barely even spoken two words to each other before tonight. Maybe he's just nervous about the wedding. I hear a lot of grown-ups get cold feet right before they get married, which is a funny way of saying they get scared. My aunt certainly seemed nervous while we were getting changed downstairs.

"How sweet," my aunt replied, taking hold of his hands and kissing him on the cheek.

Yep, he definitely lied to her about what he said to me. She looks so happy though and I don't want to say anything to ruin that. My aunt deserves to be happy. She's the nicest, sweetest person I know. Besides, she wouldn't marry a bad guy, she's way too smart to do that. He would never be able to fool her. Maybe he's just super strict and that's why he said those things to me. I'll hafta try my best to behave and be good around him, to keep him from getting upset and keep my aunt happy. I don't want her stressing out about anything, especially now, cuz it could hurt the baby, my little cousin.

So I plastered a smile on my face and kept my mouth shut as I stood beside my aunt in the Mayor's office and witnessed her get married to Luciano Agostino Nardello, my new uncle. I didn't have to force my smile for long as I was truly happy for my aunt. I know she loves Luciano like crazy and she's so excited to be having a baby with him. She was beaming with devotion while they exchanged rings and recited their vows to each other. We each had tears of joy in our eyes when the Mayor pronounced them husband and wife. I truly am happy for her.

After the ceremony, Aunt Lexie had me change back into my pajamas before driving me back to the mansion. Luciano wouldn't let her change out of her wedding dress though. I'm not sure why. It seemed kinda hard for her to drive home with it on. I mean she took her heels off and drove barefoot but still her dress was layered and poofy so it was all bunched up around her in the driver's seat, but she managed and never complained about it once. In fact, she had a huge smile on her face the entire drive home.

As we got closer to the mansion, she said, "Claire sweetie, I'm going to drop you off and then go with your uncle Luciano to spend the night at his place. Ok?"

I knew she wasn't asking my permission, she was simply telling me what was going to happen so I said, "Sure, Aunt Lexie." It is her wedding night afterall, so I would expect her to spend it with her husband doing married people stuff. I mean, despite the fact that my baby cousin inside her belly is pretty concrete evidence they've already been doing married people stuff for quite awhile now, it's still a tradition so I get it. "Thanks again for including me in the ceremony, Aunt Lexie," I said, as she parked the car when we arrived home.

"My pleasure, sweetie," she replied, hugging me as soon as we got out of the car. "Thank you so much for being the best maid of honor a woman could ask for." Kissing me on the cheek, she then wiped the lipstick stain off and said, "Ti amo, piccola ragazza (I love you, little girl). Be quiet on the way in so you don't wake your dad or uncle and go straight up to bed. It's very late. Capisci (Understand)?"

"Okay, Aunt Lexie, I will."

She patted me on the bottom before blowing me a kiss as she watched me use her key to unlock the door. I waved goodbye seeing Luciano open his car door for her as he helped her into the passenger seat and they sped off. I couldn't help thinking, maybe someday that'll be me in my wedding dress speeding off with Dante to our home to celebrate our wedding night.

The fantasy playing in my head was cut short, however, when I entered the mansion and heard, "Where the Hell have you been, piccola ragazza (little girl)?" in an angry low growl.