Secrets & Lies

Chapter Thirty-Seven

They rode down the elevator in silence and exited to the photographers who seemed confused by their disheveled appearance but with head held high Alex walked straight through their line without pausing. When they reached the four parents they stopped. Alex looked at Gia by his side and spoke first.

"We have decided that we will not be getting married today."

"Oh thank God." Maggie sighed in relief.

"What do you mean?" Astrid asked alarmed.

"We feel that this is a big mistake and we would just like to invite the guests to have a nice dinner. I will be returning home with my parents in the morning." Gia explained further. Alex nodded his agreement.

"Why this sudden change of heart?" Lars asked not sure what had happened.

"We just feel that this isn't the right time for us to be getting married and that we have our futures to think of." Gia said.

"I'm sorry about everything we have put you through." Alex said looking at his parents.

"It will be alright son." Lars said reaching out to his son.

The six of them entered into the ballroom and walked to the front, "Excuse all of the interruptions but for now we would like you all to join us in the Palm Court for a nice dinner as there will be no wedding ceremony." Lars explained motioning to the adjoining room. The guests began muttering among themselves as they began walking toward the now open doors of the Palm Court where the tables had been beautifully set to Astrid's specifications. The guests were impressed by the centerpieces and the beautiful ice blue and silver color scheme. Gia stayed with her parents in the Louis XVI room until every one of the guests had left them.

"I think you did the right thing." Maggie said holding her daughter around the waist.

"Are you sure?" Gia asked looking into her eyes.

"We will deal with all of it when we return home." Maggie responded giving her daughter a little smile.

"What about Oxford?" Tony asked.

"I don't think I want to go back to London right now. I think I would rather just come home with my family and start all over again." Gia said smiling at her father.

"Thank you Jesus!" Maggie said looking up to the heavens and making a sign of the cross.

"I'll go make the travel arrangements. The sooner we can leave here the better." Tony said walking down the white runner toward the door pulling out his phone as he walked away.

"I'm going to get Nick, stay with your father." Maggie said to Gia as she walked into the reception room to locate her son. Gia stepped away from the door not wanting to see the confused guests that should be celebrating her marriage to Alex. More accurately she didn't want the guests who were mostly Alex's family friends looking at her and judging her because of what she had done with cancelling the wedding. She did get a quick peek of Alex standing to one side talking calmly with his friend Johann.

"Okay principessa we are scheduled on a flight that will leave in six hours. We need to gather Nonna, Nick and your mother, plus let the others know they will need to make their own travel arrangements as soon as possible." He said nodding to Gia to check her understanding.

"Daddy, I can't go in there. I don't want them all staring at me, judging me by what happened." Gia said nervously ready to begin crying.

"Don't worry about a thing I'll make sure you don't have to. Take my key to my room and stay in there until I return with the rest of the family." Tony said before kissing his daughter on the forehead.

"Grazie Daddy." Gia said taking the key and giving him a big hug before heading toward the elevator and back upstairs to her parent's room.