Holy Terror

The Photo Album

Nikki

I'd been trying to figure something to do to surprise Reyna for her twenty third birthday. I couldn't really figure something to do that would reflect how much I love her but when I woke up that morning I knew what I could do just to make Rey realize how much I love her. I just needed to help her make it through the day.

I roll over in bed expecting to roll into Rey, like I usually do. But I roll straight across the bed and onto Rey's side of the bed. I sit up in bed and flick on the lamp on her nightstand, I look around the room to find it empty.

"Reyna." I mumble as I rub sleep out of my eyes. "Where'd you go, baby?"

I move to the edge of the bed and stretch before walking out of the room. I walk passed a couple of windows and by the looks of everything it's still really early in the morning, it's still dark out but the stars are gone. I walk down the stairs and I head towards the living room.

The tv is broadcasting sports high lights and a lamp beside the couch is on. Reyna is sitting on the couch facing the couch. She usually only gets up in the earlier morning hours when she's depressed...

Then it hits me what day it is, Rey's birthday but it's also Ray's birthday. With my fiancée being a twin and with her twin dying Rey's birthday is a sad reminder. I remember last year and that nearly killed her, it must just get worse as time goes on. I'd honestly do anything to bring Ray back for Reyna.

I walk over to the couch and sit down beside Rey, she looks over to me with watery whiskey coloured eyes and she forces a smile. Sitting on her lap is an old photo album and it's open to a page with about six black and white pictures on it. I move closer to my fiancée and wrap my arm around her, Rey instantly scoots closer to me and I kiss her cheek.

"Happy birthday, baby." I whisper and kiss her cheek again. "Whatcha looking at?"

"Just some old pictures, my mom sent me this photo album a couple of weeks back and I haven't really had time to look at it." Rey explains quietly. "I didn't get far because this was the first thing I saw."

She points at the black and white picture in the furthest right corner of the page, I move a bit closer to the book so I can see the picture a bit better and that when I notice that it's not even a picture at all. It's a birth announcement from a newspaper, the picture is of two little newborn babies both wrapped in blankets and laying in the same crib and the babies are holding hands. The words beside the picture reads:

Raymond Vincent Giovanni Giuseppe Vecchio and Reyna Victoria Juno Grace Sophia Vecchio. Born August 29th, 1965 to Celine Vecchio and Piero Vecchio of Brooklyn, NY. Raymond and Reyna were welcomed by their eleven older brothers and sisters, as well are their four month old niece, Grace. They will be baptized in Saint Augustine Roman Catholic Church on October 17th, for the friends of the family wishing to attend.

"I haven't been able to turn the page yet." Rey admits and I look back up at her. "Ray and I were brought into this world a few minutes apart and I just don't understand why he had to be taken so soon. Ray wasn't even twenty two yet, he was twenty one years old. On what planet is that fair?"

"By no stretch of the imagination is that far." I promise her. "I wish he was still here because your birthday is hands down my favourite day of the year and your birthday always makes you sad." I explain and she looks at me.

"Why is my birthday your favourite day of the year?" She wonders and I smile.

"It's the day the love of my life was born." I tell her and my fiancée smiles, this time it isn't forced at all.

"I love you so much." Rey whispers and I kiss her lips.

"I love you." I promise her and turn my attention to the book. "Now I'm curious, I want to see what's in the rest of the book."

"Okay." Rey agrees are repositions the book so it's half on my lap and half on her's.

Reyna

Nikki and I spent hours flipping through the book because he would ask questions about my family members that he didn't recognize and that would lead me to telling stories. By the time that the late August sun filled our house we were only about half way through the book.

"Who's that guy?" Nikki asks and points to a picture.

It's a picture from the forties, it's a picture of my Uncle Gino in the streets of New York. He's wearing his signature Italian made suit and fedora. You see, Uncle Gino didn't have an "official job" and for a very long time no one knew what he did for a living but he always wore expensive clothes and gave us expensive gifts.. Until my mother let it slip on time that he was allied with the Italian Mafia, now I don't know what family or anything but I'm not doubting it.

"That's my Uncle Gino." I say. "He's still living in New York."

"Was he at Grace's wedding?" Nikki asks and I shake my head.

"He was in Italy on business but he says he's coming to our wedding." I explain and he nods.

"He looks like a gangster, like the real ones." He observes. "Like from the forties and from The Godfather."

"Yeah, that's what he is." I admit and his eyes grow.

"You're joking right?" Nikki wonders and I shake my head.

"He's in the Mafia." I explain. "I don't know which of the five families but he is."

"Are you sure it's a good idea for him to come to our wedding?" My fiancé wonders and I laugh.

"Our wedding isn't going to turn into a gang fight." I promise him.

"I don't know, I'm pretty sure that Southern California is the Mexican Mob territory." He defends and I roll my eyes.

"You're acting ridiculous." I tells him and he sighs.

"I know, I know." Nikki admits. "But it's one sixty year old mobster, right? That's not enough to start a fight."

"Maybe four, my cousins might be too." I explain. "None of us actually know what Joe, Junior, Frank, and Michael do for a living."

"Reyna!" He argues and I roll my eyes.

"Nik, they're my family." I remind him.

"And I've seen The Godfather, they're going to meet me and then I'm going to wake up next to a horse head rather than you." Nikki rants and I laugh.

"That's only if you cross them." I joke.

"Not helping, babe." Nikki mumbles and I laugh.

"It'll be fine." I promise him.