Aella

LVII

Though it was hard to sleep last night, I finally did fall asleep, and what felt like hours later, my alarm rang. I roll over, hit the button on my phone to stop it, and take a deep breath.

Today is my wedding day.

Aella is at home getting ready, my father and their men with her; while my mother, Mari, my three month old niece, Alessia, and I are at the cottage on the winery's property, where the wedding is.

Seeing Papa for the first time in a few months was such a different experience than it was living with him. He treated me as a grown woman, like his adult daughter, not a child.

Mari suddenly bursts through my door. "Soon to be Mrs. Ricci", but she stops, smirks at me, and then jumps onto my bed.

"Mari, please", I laugh.

"Oh stop", her head hits the pillow next to mine.

Laying here, staring at the ceiling with Mari, brings back so many memories of growing up with her, my sister and best friend. We would lay in one of our beds and tell each other stories, or memories, or things we wanted when we grew up. We would be there for hours, laughing until we peed ourselves.

"Are you ready for this, Little Sister?" Mari grabs my hand from my stomach, giving it a squeeze.

I turn to her with a huge smile on my face. "I have never wanted anything more."

"Good", she starts to sit up. "It's time to get you ready. You walk down the aisle in three hours."

Mari gifted me a white silk short nightgown to sleep in and get ready in, so all I do is throw on the robe she brought me. On the back, Mrs. Ricci is displayed in that typical cursive font every girl my age gets, but my little girl dreams are getting fulfilled.

Mari and I head down the hallway outside of my suite to Mama's room. Inside, her and Alessia are playing on the bed. Mama wears a pink robe that matches mine and Mari's.

We spend a bit of time playing with the baby while we wait for our photographer to arrive to journal our whole day. Alessia looks just like Mari and I when we were little, but she has Angelo's nose and green eyes.

Arriving soon after, the photographer tells us to act as though she's not there, and we get to getting ready.

We start with Mama and Mari. I help them both with their hair, and Mama brought in a couple makeup artists to do us up perfectly.

The three of us share champagne, a fruit board, and some pastries while talking as we've always done. Around us, the photographer snaps photos every few seconds.

When 11 o'clock comes around, we start on my hair and makeup. The stylists perfect my makeup better than I have ever seen before; and Mama creates the perfect curls in my hair to complete my look. 

I'm scheduled to walk down the aisle at 12 sharp, so we have about fifteen minutes to get me into my dress and downstairs to meet my father at the door to the garden, where our guests are starting to sit. 

In the corner of my bridal suite, my dress lays perfectly over a cloth mannequin, just waiting for me to step into. Mari goes over and carefully unzips the back, and Mama helps her lift it over the mannequin. I start to undo my robe, and they both help me into the beautiful lace gown. 

I stand in front of the tri fold mirror, my eyes closed until they finish adjusting the dress on my body.

"On three", I can hear the joy in Mari's voice. Then her and Mama start to count.

The millisecond they finish, I open my eyes. I'm blown away by the transformation of myself, I immediately start to tear up. Mari is then right there with a tissue. She blots at my face, "No crying. You're going to mess everything up."

"I know, I know", I giggle, sniffing back my tears. 

A knock on the door spooks me, but when Papa appears, all of my worries about the day wash away. 

"Penny", he gleams. "You look beautiful."

I walk over to him, and he takes me in a hug. "Thank you, Papa!"

When he releases me, he looks over to Mama and Mari. "You two are also gorgeous, of course. But you must get downstairs. Aella is getting antsy."

"That makes two of us", I laugh. 

Mari goes to pick up Alessia from her play area, and Mama and Mari head downstairs, but not before each placing a kiss on my cheek, and Mari hands me my beautiful bouquet. 

Papa stands next to me, then holds his arm out. "Ready, Penny?" I nod as I take a huge breath. 

As Papa opens the door, the violin starts to play from the first floor. We walk down these amazing spiral stairs that lead right out the door to the garden. 

Reaching the bottom, I stare down at the floor, knowing that the second I see Aella, I'll break into tears. 

It's when we reach the doorway, and I feel my audience all stand that I finally look up at my dream of a wedding. 

An arch made of white flowers and big green leaves stands at the altar, and underneath it is Aella. Her hair perfectly done back, she wears a white jumpsuit that resembles my dress. The pants are just white, but the top above the waist is made of lace, and it has long sleeves like mine. 

I was right, seeing her stand there, I start to tear up again. Sunlight shines down on her at the altar, and it's a sight I hope to engrain in my brain for the rest of my life. 

Papa and I walk slowly up the aisle, passing all of these people I probably haven't seen in years, or people Aella wanted from her time in the family. The women all have huge smiles on their faces, and the men stand with their hands clasped in front of them, no smiles to be seen. I spot Ace and Sofia a few rows back from the front. He does smile at me, and it makes warm inside. 

Once Papa and I reach just a few feet away, Aella takes a couple steps and meets us with her hand out for me. 

But just as my hand touches hers, the whole world goes silent. The sun glows around us, and a beautiful breeze throws my few loose strands of hair back. 

"You look stunning, Topolina".