Page 100 of The Breaker
Aurelia laughed with her bridesmaids, and I talked to Rocco and the other guys. I was living on cloud nine, the love of my life and now my wife next to me, a baby whose spirit was so profound the pope could feel it through her flesh.
I was the luckiest man alive.
The conversations died down when my mother stood up and tapped her spoon against her champagne flute. She hit the spoon harder against the glass to get the attention of the people all the way in the back. She wore a sparkling black gown, and I knew she’d chosen the color to honor my brother, who couldn’t be there. Her hair was down in thick curls, and she wore more makeup than I’d ever seen her wear—butshe looked beautiful. “This is a really special honor for me, because not only am I the mother of the groom, but I already love the bride like my own daughter.”
There was a collective “Aww” from the crowd.
“Every mother fears that their daughter-in-law will take their son away, but it’s been the opposite with Aurelia. When they came to Taormina, she inserted herself in our lives like she was one of us. Offered to work at the restaurant to spend time with us, even though my son has made sure she never has to work a day in her life if she doesn’t want to. Never protested about coming in early or doing the dishes or having the smell of tomatoes in her hair for the rest of the day.”
Everyone chuckled, like they knew all too well what that was like, since most of them were in the service industry.
“It became very apparent to me that Aurelia would do anything for my son, and the moment she knew how important family was to him, she did everything to become a part of that world. She’s caring, thoughtful, and so kind. I really couldn’t ask for anyone better for my son.”
My arm moved over the back of Aurelia’s chair, and when I glanced at her, I saw the tears in her eyes. I moved my hand to her shoulder over her hair and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“And now ...” My mother took a deep breath as her eyes started to water. “My son ...” She stilled as she held the microphone in her hand, trying to keep herself composed for the eyes of so many. “I’ve watched you grow from a child to a boy, and then a boy to a man. You were a handful and drove me up the wall until I asked God why he’d given me a demon for a son.” Everyone laughed, even though she remained deadly serious. “But then you grew into the person you were meant to be. I could describe you with a million words, but the ones that ring the truest arehonest,decent,kind, andprotective. When your father passed, you became the head of the household, took the lead when I couldn’t carry on. You helped at the restaurant, respected me always, and told me every day that I was doing a good job when I felt like I wasn’t doingenough. Raising you is the hardest thing I’ve ever done ... but by far the most rewarding. I couldn’t be prouder to call you my son. To see the man before me so strong and true and brave, and I thank God every day that you were given to me. And I thank God that I’m still here, that I get to watch you embark on your own journey into fatherhood. I can already tell how ready you are for it.” She gave me a long, hard look, her eyes misty with all the emotions she couldn’t fit into a three-minute speech. “I love you so much, baby.”
Everyone erupted in applause.
I left my chair and rounded the table to walk to her in the space in front of our table, and I enveloped her in a big hug, holding her close as she squeezed me tight, a foot shorter than me in her heels. “I love you too, Ma.” I kissed her forehead.
“You’re the best son a mother could have asked for.” She pulled away, then cupped my cheek, looking at me like I truly was her whole world.
I knew that look now, because it was the way I looked at Aurelia’s stomach. The way I looked anytime I thought of the child I didn’t know.
When I felt someone behind me, I realized Aurelia had come over too, and she moved closer to my mother.
I hugged them both before I stepped back, letting them have their moment together. I watched them hold each other before my mother cupped Aurelia’s cheeks the way she’d cupped mine and said something quietly to her.
I headed back to the table so they could be together and then sat beside Rocco again.
Rocco immediately turned to me. “How the fuck am I supposed to follow that?”
I shrugged. “Not my problem.”
“It’s not like I can talk about work.”
“True.”
“Or how we even know each other.”
“Damn, you’re right,” I said as I clapped his shoulder. “Good luck with that.”
The applause had died away a long time ago, and my wife and mother were still talking to each other on the dance floor.Wife... it had a nice ring to it. Mrs. Constantine Cristina. Then I heard someone clap slowly, so slowly it sounded off-putting, like they were trying to smack their hands together as hard as they possibly could to make the sound pack a punch.
I surveyed the crowd as I looked for the source of the annoyance, realizing it was coming closer. My eyes flicked to the terrace that wasn’t under the awning, and then I noticed the men with automatic rifles who seemed to have come from nowhere.
My heart raced, and my eyes flew back to Aurelia first.
And that was when I saw him, moving between two tables, clapping louder and harder and slower, eyes locked on me like I was the target.
I felt Rocco stiffen beside me.
My mother and Aurelia broke apart, and Aurelia’s gasp was loud because she recognized him right away.
My mother didn’t ask questions, but she instinctively put Aurelia behind her and used her body as a shield.
The room went silent when he stopped clapping. He wore black jeans and boots and a gray T-shirt, and the corner of his head where his temple would be looked odd in appearance, like the side of his head had been shaved off.
