United with the Family, Cherie Benjamin [read after .TXT] 📗

tippy toes and gave Nazario a kiss on the cheek.  "Thank you." She said quickly, and took off into the house.

Nazario smiled and held his hand up to his cheek, enjoying the feeling of his daughter’s expression of love and gratitude.  This was the first time he actually felt remorse that Rosa and he had not been able to have more children, because he truly would have loved to have had a little girl.

Rosa looked at her husband and could tell by his expression that he was feeling much the same way she was.  "She may not be blood, but she is our little girl now."

Nazario wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.  "I know. I love you, Rosa; thank you for giving me such a great life."  Leaning down, he captured her soft lips and in that kiss expressed all the love he had for this woman.

Ara came into the den to find all the girls in her wedding party standing around with glasses of champagne.  "ARA!" They all yelled and ran toward her and encompassed her in a huge group hug.

"Hi, I am so happy you all are here."  Ara cried.

"We are, too."  Katrina said as she picked up another glass and handed to Ara.  "A toast before we get started. Ara and Kane, may you be as happy as you are today for the rest of your life."

"HERE, HERE!"  All the girls roared as they lifted their glasses.

After another round of champagne, lunch was served, and, before long, it was time to start getting ready for the wedding.   Rosa had arranged for hairdressers, makeup artists, nail artists, and professional photographers for the day. The large day room that Rosa used was set up for the festivities.  Ara had selected a stunning cornflower blue one-shoulder gown for the girls. The top was satin with a braided belt around the empire waistline, while the bottom was flowing chiffon.

Ara had purchased each of the girls a sapphire necklace and earrings set as a thank you gift.

When Ara asked what Kane wanted to get the guys, his response was an expensive liquor.  So they purchased each groomsman a very expensive bottle of Jameson Rarest Vintage Whiskey and an engraved platinum flask with a leather case.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with the laughter and fun as the girls prepared for the wedding ceremony.   Kane had sent over several more gifts as the day progressed. An iPod filled with love songs that reminded him of Ara, five dozen roses with a note that said “A dozen for each child we may have”, a diamond rope necklace, and, lastly, her wedding bouquet.  It was a large cascading bouquet of white roses with diamond stem inserts and white lilies. Ara had also sent several gifts to Kane, one being the collection of photos that Brook had taken. She gave strict orders that he was to open the gift in private.  A little while after sending that gift over, Nazario knocked on the door with a message for Ara from Kane. Ara’s phone had been taken from her to prevent her from sending Kane messages all day, so Kane had sent it to Nazario’s phone to pass along. He had sent the message as an attachment, with orders that Ara and Ara alone was to open it.  As Ara took Nazario’s phone and opened the attachment, she smiled brightly. "Thank you, my pet; these will be proudly displayed in our playroom for our eyes only.  Love you."

Ara had decided to wear her hair up for the wedding ceremony, but would take it down when she changed into her Donna dress.  Rosa had made the arrangements for Ara’s gown, Kane’s suit, and everything needed for the ceremony exchanging the powers of the families, locked in a private room at the reception site with a guard standing watch.  Slipping on a pair of white lace panties, matching bra, garters, and white stockings, she was ready to put on her wedding gown. It was white, all lace, off the shoulder gown that hugged her body with a train.

"Ara, you are truly exquisite."  Rosa said, wiping a tear away with a handkerchief.  "Your dress is new, your garter is blue, and I would like to offer you something borrowed and old."  She presented a case to Ara, which, upon opening, revealed a stunning diamond hairpin. "This was my grandmother’s; she allowed my mother to wear it on her wedding day, but gave to me, her granddaughter, on my wedding day.  I offer it to you today to wear, and, when you have a daughter, it will become hers on her wedding day."

Tears welled up in her eyes, Ara accepted the hairpin with shaky hands.  "I would be honored to wear it."

Rosa placed the pin at the top of the veil, stepped back, and took in the full view of Ara.  She was the most beautiful bride she had ever seen and she knew that even her hard as nails son would be brought to tears when his eyes beheld her for the first time.  There was a knock at the door, Nazario, his mother, and father were there. "It's time to go, ladies."

Each of the girls gave Ara a hug and were out the door and into the cars that would take them to the church.  Kane Sr. came over to Ara and hugged her. "My grandson is one lucky motherfucker and if he ever gives you one once of grief, you tell me and I will whip his ass."

Ara giggled and kissed Kane Sr. on the cheek.  "Thank you, Kane."

"Oh, no, none of that shit.  I am Grandfather, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Grandfather."  Ara said, smiling brightly.

"And I am Grandmother."  Clara said, giving Ara a hug also.

"Okay, Grandmother."

They left the room, and with the assistance of Clara and Rosa with the veil and the skirt of her gown, Ara was carefully placed in the car and they were off to the church.  Nazario had made sure that security at the church was tight, but the reception hall would be even more intense.

Kane had arrived at the church twenty minutes before Ara was set to arrive.  He was nervously pacing in the groom’s room where he and Uriel were to wait until time for the ceremony to start.  He couldn't believe that, in less than thirty minutes, he would be bound to Ara in every way forever. Last night, he and the groomsmen hung out at his apartment, drinking whiskey, smoking cigars, and talking about their women.  Earlier in the evening, when they were alone, Uriel had told him that he and Katrina had gotten married two weeks before. Kane was shocked that Katrina hadn’t wanted a huge wedding, but Uriel assured him that their wedding was perfect for them.  Kane gave him his blessing on the union, and warned him that, if he ever heard that he did anything wrong by Katrina, he would have to answer to him. But he always told Uriel that he wanted him as his Capo to also make sure that, god forbid, he did anything to hurt Ara, Uriel would make him pay dearly.  Checking his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time, he turned to make sure that Uriel had the wedding bands. Ara and he had gone to Valdo's to pick out their wedding bands. Ara's was a platinum band surrounded with diamonds and his was a platinum band with black diamonds in the center.

They had them engraved with their initials and the date.  The door to the room opened up, and in walked his father and grandfather.

"Uriel, step outside for a moment please."

"Yes, Sir."  Uriel said, leaving quickly.  When the Don of the family tells you do something, you better fucking do it without question and hesitation.

After Uriel left, Nazario turned to Kane.  "How are you doing, son?"

Kane swallowed hard.  "I have killed people without one moment of being nervous, but, here I am about to marry my soul-mate, and I’m nervous as fucking hell."

Kane Sr. and Nazario both chuckled, knowing that they were just like him on their own wedding days.  "Kane, what is there to be nervous about?" Kane Sr. asked.

"What if she decides in the next ten minutes that I am not worth it and tells me to fuck off?  What if I am a horrible husband? Shit, what if when we have kids, I say fuck in front of them all the time, so their first fucking word is FUCK?"

"Kane, calm down."  Nazario said, as he tried not to laugh out loud.  "I just saw Ara and she is excited about walking down the aisle to you.  I can assure you it will all be fine. Are you going to screw up? Hell yes, just remember learn from your mistakes, and those little blue boxes work wonders.  And I am sorry Kane, but your mother and I kept something from you all these years. I think you should know now."

Kane’s mind then went all over the place. What had his parents kept from him?

"Kane, son, your first word was fuck." Nazario laughed loudly, as did Kane Sr.

"Dad, that is not funny."  Kane whined.

"Okay, seriously, the reason we came in here was to tell you that we are so proud and happy for you, Kane.  Ara is your other half and we are sure that you will have a lifetime full of joy and happiness. I love you, son."

"Love you, too, Dad, and you, too, Grandfather."

Uriel knocked on the door, because it was time for the wedding to begin.  "Come in." Kane called out.

"Excuse me, but it's time."  Uriel said.

"Shit, I need to get to Ara.  See you in a few minutes." Nazario said, rushing out the door, with Kane Sr. close behind.

Kane and Uriel walked out of the small room to the front of the church, which was packed with guests.  Kane glanced around, and saw many of his friends, family, but also some associates from rival families.  He had hoped he could have avoided inviting them, but this was customary, and the family was steeped in tradition.  The string quartet began playing Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and the doors at the back of church opened up.  First down the aisle were Elizabeth and Ted, then Becky and Henderson, next were Janetta and Ben, then Kate and Iezekiel, then Brooklyn and Erik, who was grinning so big, next out was Katrina, and, as she walked out the doors were closed.

When Katrina got to the front of the church, the string quartet changed their song to Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from "Sleeping Beauty", then the doors opened and there in the doorway stood a goddess in white.  Gasping a deep breath, Kane's eyes filled with tears; she hadn't run, she was here, she was walking toward him, and she was going to be his for the rest of their lives.

Ara was so nervous that she would trip and fall down the aisle.  Her hands shook and her heart was racing. Rosa laid her hand on her arm and whispered in her ear.  "You will be fine. Just breathe."

"Ara, remember what I told you this morning?"  Nazario asked.

"Yes."  She whispered.

The doors opened up, and, with Nazario on her left side and Rosa on her right, she began the procession to her heart’s true desire.  Ara held her head high and saw that the church was packed. The entire congregation were on their feet so she could not see Kane. As she neared the altar, at the front of the church, Ara saw Zachary and Claudia smiling brightly, but with tears in their eyes.  She faced forward again, and then she saw him, she saw Kane standing proud waiting for her. They made it to him and the minister began the service.

"We have been invited here today to witness and celebrate the uniting in marriage of Arabella Marie and Kane Anthony Ian.  They are taking the first step of their new beginning; their