Laying a Foundation: Bonus volume: Includes series prequel, The Groundbreaking (The Love Under Construction Series) (78 page)

Nikki woke on Christmas morning to the sound of squealing and laughing. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and realized she was alone in the big bed. It took her a few minutes to go to the bathroom and get her robe on and, in that small amount of time, the squealing and laughing had gotten even louder.

She managed to get herself down the stairs of the big house to find wrapping paper everywhere and the little kids running wild. Little T had on some god-awful superhero outfit and was shooting a toy gun at Ella Jane, who was bouncing around in princess attire. Everyone was laughing and talking and barely noticed her until Tony looked up and yelled above the din, “Good morning, beautiful!”

“Hey, morning, Mom!” somebody shouted, and someone else yelled, “Hey, sleepyhead!”

Nikki couldn’t believe her eyes. “Where did all these gifts come from?” she asked Tony as he helped her onto the sofa.

He just laughed. “Why, Santa, of course! What’s wrong with you?”

“Seriously,” she whispered into his ear. “Where did you get them all?”

“You won’t believe it, but my mother did all of this,” he whispered back. Then she noticed the tree; it was huge and covered in beautiful blue, lavender, and silver ornaments. “I think she did a good job, huh?”

“No, she did a great job! Where is she, by the way?”

He nodded toward the other room. “In the kitchen fixing everybody breakfast. That’s her thing; she does this every year.”

When Raffaella announced that the food was ready, everyone went into the kitchen, got a plate, and served themselves. Tony got Nikki a plate and filled it, then made her sit at the dining table to eat. Ella Jane wanted to sit beside her, and Little T worried at Tony until the big man let the little boy sit on his lap to eat his breakfast.

Nikki looked around the dining area. So much love. So much joy. All things she thought she’d never have. She looked at Tony, sitting patiently with Little T on his lap, trying to eat while the littlest family member asked questions and generally worried the snot out of him. She smiled. Her family; this was it, this was her life, her wonderful new life.

“Oh, Mom, we’ve got to get busy getting you ready!” Annabeth told Nikki abruptly.

“Annabeth, nothing fancy, please? Just dress me and point me in the right direction.”

“Oh, no you don’t! We’re going to do your hair and nails, and I’ll help with your makeup,” Annabeth told her firmly. “You’re going to look beautiful.”

“Too late,” Tony grinned, eating the last bite of his breakfast while Little T tried to snatch it. “She’s already beautiful. You can’t improve on perfection.”

“How sweet!” Nikki gave him a peck on the cheek. “But really, more than makeup and all that stuff, I need a nap and a shower.”

Katie busied herself at the sink and she ordered, “Then get on upstairs and nap. We’ll be up in awhile.”
Katie looks different,
Nikki thought,
but I’m not sure how.

Tony helped her upstairs and, before she could get to sleep, Little T was there at her bedside. “Can I see you buwwet hoe now?”

“Yes, baby, come here.” Nikki pulled up her pajama top to just under her left breast and untaped the dressing. “See, you can’t really tell anything about it because they had to cut me open, so there’s lots of stitches.”

“Why dey cut you open?” There was a look of horror on his tiny face.

“To take out the bullet,” Nikki told him and took his hand to reassure him that she was okay.

“Did it huwt you, Neenee?”

Nikki frowned. “Still hurts, baby.”

“Oh, I sowwy. You and you boo-boo need a nap.” He kissed her cheek, then trotted out of the room and down the stairs. Nikki couldn’t help but laugh.

“Before you drift off, I’ve got something for you.” Tony pulled a folded envelope out of his back pocket.

“My Christmas gift?”

“Christmas, wedding, you name it. I think you’ll like it.”

Nikki opened the envelope and took out the papers inside it. It took her a few seconds to understand what she was seeing. There was a date, April 24, and a bunch of other numbers, and then it hit her: Rome. Tony was taking her to Italy! “Oh my god!” she shrieked as much as her throat and lungs would allow. “We’re going to Italy? We’re going to Italy!” she yelled, hugging him and ignoring the pain in her chest.

“I thought April would be good. By then you should be back to one hundred percent. I didn’t want to take you when you didn’t feel well. We’ll have a real honeymoon then!” Tony held her tight.

“Am I going to get to meet some of your relatives?”

“Sure! We’re going to be staying near Vic’s Nonna Moretti for a week, then Rome for a week, then on to my Cabrizzi relatives’ home. I thought you’d like to sightsee in Rome, then actually do some Italian everyday life with them for a few weeks.”

“I can’t wait! Oh, this is so exciting! Thank you, honey!” Then her face fell. “I didn’t get you anything.”

“Yes you did – your smiling face. It’s been awhile since we’ve had much to smile about, and I think it’s time we did a lot of it, don’t you?”

“This will be a day of nothing but smiles, sweetheart. I’m marrying the man of my dreams today,” Nikki grinned, snuggling down in the bed. “Now let me take a nap so I feel like getting married!”

Vic stood at the top of the stairs, waiting. Everyone was waiting. All of the Walters brothers had gotten there in plenty of time with their wives in tow. Raffaella stood with Vic, and Annabeth came out the bedroom door. “Wait ’til you see. She’s so beautiful!”

The bedroom door opened, and Katie held Nikki’s hand until Nikki could get hold of the stair rail. Vic’s heart nearly stopped. The gown Annabeth had brought to her was a pale blue satin, corseted in the back with hourglass straps and a sweetheart neckline. The skirt was pleated and fell from underneath the bustier-type bodice, and it dropped at a graceful angle in all directions. Nikki had fought and won; her hair was down, looking like it usually did except for the tiny blue and silver flowers Katie had pinned in it. Her nails were pale pink and her toenails matched in the peep-toe pumps the girls had bought. She had an enormous but very delicate woven silver neckpiece around her elegant neck, and the silver dangles that matched it glittered as she descended the stairs. The only thing that looked unusual about her was her lipstick; it was a deep, dark red, and her face looked like it was illuminated from within.

Vic swallowed hard.
Oh my god. I’m taking her down the stairs and into that room to marry my cousin.
He wondered if anyone could hear his heart breaking as she came toward him.
How do I come back from this?

Raffaella was wearing a darker dress of the same shade, and when Nikki had joined them, she murmured, “My daughter, you are a vision. My son is a very lucky man.”

“Oh, thank you, Mamma!” the younger woman whispered and kissed Raffaella on the cheek.

Vic held out his arm. “Ready?” She couldn’t help thinking how breathtaking he looked in his black suit, black shirt, and black tie.

She beamed up at him. “One hundred and fifty percent!”

When the door to the great room opened, Tony took one look at Nikki and his knees went weak, his heart soaring right out of his chest. Even with a sling around her neck and her arm sticking out of it, she was still the most breathtakingly stunning thing he’d ever seen. And he wasn’t deaf to the collective gasps around him; everyone was surprised to see her looking the way she did at that moment. They were used to a plain, utilitarian Nikki; this woman was anything but plain and utilitarian. Her hair was spun gold and she radiated a light that was all her own.

Nikki glided into the room on Vic’s arm, with Raffaella at her elbow on the side of her injury, helping to keep her steady. They walked right up to Tony, who stood at the big French doors, Clayton and Annabeth at his side. She was glad Annabeth hadn’t ordered her a bouquet, because it was taking every ounce of strength she had, with Vic’s help, to make it to Tony, and she couldn’t have held Vic’s hand and a bouquet too with one good arm.

When she got within six feet of him, Tony could see the strain on her face, even though she was trying hard to mask it. When Vic handed her off, instead of taking her hand, Tony put an arm around Nikki’s waist. “Sweetie, you okay?” he whispered to her.

She gave him a weak smile. “I am now. But I’m really tired.”

“This will only take a few minutes,” he assured her and turned to the official who would perform the ceremony. Nikki looked up to a pleasant surprise – it was Judge Thornton! No wonder he’d said he hoped to see her again.

The judge beamed. “Well, hello there, Neenee!” he whispered to her. “I’m getting to do all kinds of happy things for your family these days, huh?”

“You sure are! And we appreciate it too,” Nikki whispered back.

Everyone settled in for the usual opening comments of the ceremony, and then the judge asked if anyone had any objection to their union. No one said anything, but it took everything Vic had to keep his mouth shut.
I walked her in here and gave her away,
he thought, a burning ache setting up in his chest.
What I’d give to be the one standing there with her. Do I say something? Should I tell her? Tell them all?
And just like that, the moment was gone and the judge went on with the ceremony, leaving Vic sitting beside Raffaella, his heart broken in two.

The judge droned on, had them repeat the usual, and then announced, “Tony and Nikki have written their own vows, and they’d like to share them with you now. Tony, you first.”

Tony started to reach into his jacket pocket, but took a look at Nikki’s face and then turned to the room. “You all know how difficult the last two weeks have been for us. I’m far more concerned about Nikki’s wellbeing than our vows. So we’ll keep them to read to each other later and move on with the ceremony, if that’s okay with everyone.” He looked down at Nikki, who smiled and nodded. “Your honor?” he turned, questioning.

“Under the circumstances, I think that’s more than appropriate,” Judge Thornton agreed. They exchanged rings, and the judge made the usual pronouncements, then said, “Please kiss each other as a sign of your commitment to your new life together.” Tony grinned, then leaned down and placed a soft, warm kiss on Nikki’s lips, and she felt herself falling into him while the room exploded in applause. When they parted, he looked down into her face and whispered, “We made it!”

“Yes we did! I knew we would – I had complete faith in you.” She gave him a dreamy smile, her face glowing.

Then Judge Thornton said the magic words: “And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Luigi Walters. May their life together be long and happy!”

“I wish she felt better. I’d sure like to have a dance with her right now,” Tony told Vic, sipping on a scotch and soda. Vic was silent. The emotional pain he felt was so excruciating that he wasn’t sure he could even make a sound. “You okay, cuz?”

“I think I’ll go. Please tell the bride congratulations for me, would you?” Vic set his glass down on the table nearest him and headed for the door.

Tony followed, then stepped in front of him and stopped him with a hand on the doorknob. “Vic, you okay?” Vic didn’t answer. Tony took a deep breath and said, “Vic, I know.”