19| Weddings

Chapter 19

Alessio

Two calls, and one scheduled visit, with the addition of some heavy paperwork, made Alice and me homeowners in three short weeks. The slight look through the window was not enough for us to see the magnitude of how great the house truly was. The master bedroom was big enough that Aria could ride her new bike around it.

And Aria's room was what she described as straight out of a Disney movie-whatever that means. The home was still empty, much to my dismay, due to what Alice called small changes that needed to be made. Small changes like painting most of the bedrooms and ordering custom furniture handcrafted from certain crafters overseas that she stated were geniuses.

A supposedly quick move turned us into having to wait an extra week, which meant staying in her mother's home with boxes upon boxes surrounding us as we slept every night. A small bump in the road until I can't find my suit that has been packed.

Alice sits on the bed, with an iPad and notepad in her lap, checking off things one by one for the move.

"So tomorrow morning at six. The mover guys are coming in to take all the boxes out of the house. Then the delivery men will be there at nine to drop off the furniture, and hopefully, by tomorrow night or morning, we'll be all settled in," Alice says with a smile.

I let out a breath. "I'm glad. I think I would go crazy if you asked me what color I wanted one more time." I've picked out or had a say in every single color or design of the home, and frankly, I am sick of staring at couches, pictures, beds, and whatever else goes into a house. I appreciate the gesture of giving me a choice. But, so many are very overwhelming.

I wish she were more like Aria, only asking for my card information on things she wanted, not my opinion. She lightly pushes my shoulder, "so how does it feel? Us shacking up together again with Charlie and now Aria?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Shacking up? I would hardly call us shacking up."

She holds up her ring. "Well, we are unmarried."

I kiss her ring. "Engaged...soon to be married," I correct her. "We were planning a wedding, and then someone wanted to buy a house in the middle of the night."

"Yeah, you are right," she trails on. Before our last-minute decision to buy a house, she was elated, going dress shopping and picking out photographers. I bet if we didn't get a place, we would be walking down the aisle sooner rather than later. She moves closer to me, staring me in the eyes, her body only a breath away from me.

"I'm going to suggest something that will piss off my mom to no end," she adds.

I cock my eyebrow. "Okay, and what would that be?"

I can't imagine anything else that will piss her off. Her mom almost had a heart attack when we said we were moving out-especially in our six-bedroom home she called a hovel. She told her multi-million dollar heiress of a daughter needed to live somewhere with at least ten bedrooms and a slew of housekeepers. And after some convincing, Alice and her mother decided that the home was just fine and a better security system must be installed, something I agreed with.

If Alice, a 5'3 woman with no background in crime, could break in, some person who has even a small amount of criminal background could break in with no problem. She clears her throat, "we've done a lot of stuff out of order."

"I know. A lot was going on. Things that sidetracked us left and right. Like taking in a twelve-year-old."

She nods her head, "like taking in a twelve-year-old," she agrees. "Which, by the way, we need to adopt soon before we can enroll her in school legally, I found out."

"Oh, just send me the paperwork, and I'll sign," I say without a single thought. Aria is going to become my daughter. I can't imagine her anywhere else, but with Alice and I in a home together.

"Yeah, and um...I wanted to get the paperwork in as soon as possible because the process is quite long with adoption, especially with our circumstances. So," she bites her lip and releases it.

"So?"

"We kinda need to get married."

"We're already doing that."

She sucks in her breath. There's something I'm missing. "I mean like um...now."

"What? Now?"

Three knocks on our door. "Did he say yes?" Aria yells from the other side.

"Still trying to explain," Alice shouts back. She gets up from the bed, leaving me dumbfounded and confused. Alice goes into her closet and takes out a white dress. "So, the courthouse closes in an hour." She takes off her clothes, replacing them with the dress. "So, I know this isn't traditional, but like...do you wanna get married tonight?"

"I-"

"Say yes!" Aria says on the other side. I look to Alice, who can barely stay still with anticipation.

"Alice, don't you want a wedding?"

"Yes, like it's every girl's dream too. But, after the year, we had Alessio. I don't care where or how we get married, you know? Also...I sorta don't have friends, and I'm not quite fond of my cousins being my maids of honor."

I let out a snort, "well, I think Melissa would love to be your maid of honor."

"Melissa is on the payroll. What would my family say?" She looks at me with doe eyes. "So...can we, you know, get married?"

"Okay, let's get married then and adopt Aria."

Alice lets out a squeal. "Okay, put on your suit, and let's go, husband." I put on the most groom-like suit I had, a black suit that I wore two days before that sat at the top of the hamper. I was planning on actually getting a tux for the wedding, not some random suit, but it's good enough.

When I got to suit the on, we left not five minutes later with Aria in the backseat and Alice in the passenger, both girls bouncing for joy. "So, we just go to the courthouse, and they marry us?" I ask.

"Yeah, and I think it's perfect."

"See, I thought you would want the story-perfect wedding," I say as I come to a stop in front of the courthouse. Alice doesn't let me open the door for her, gunning for the courthouse. I try to open Aria's door, but she rushes out behind Alice.

"Come on!" Alice says, halfway to the door. "You wanna marry me, right?"

I look to Alice and then to Aria. Yes, I want to marry you now more than ever. I rush up the stairs, two steps at a time to Alice and Aria.

As it would seem, getting married is not at all hard. It includes a line, a few signatures, and two forms of I.D that Alice has already taken from my and her file cabinet. "Now, all you two need is a witness," the woman says on the other side of the glass window.

Alice points to Aria, whose too busy on her phone. The excitement left her body as soon as we started signing paperwork that she claimed was too much. "There she is," Alice smiles.

"The witness has to be at least sixteen, ma'am," Alice grumbles under her breath.

She looks at me. "Okay, so Mom, definitely won't do it, and Melissa is out of town right now, damn. And I don't have any family that would answer at this time of night, and I'm doubtful that any of my so-called friends would come. And I really wanna get married to you, right now," she grumbles.

I run a hand through my hair. Leo is in Italy, or at least not in New York, and Tara is in Sweden.

"I may have someone who can help," I say.

"Really?"

I send Damien a text and an address, not ten minutes later, he shows, not alone, of course but with Odella, and both of them dressed for a wedding. They both are sporting smiles, and Odella has a bouquet in her hands.

"How could you get married without me?" Damien says as he approaches us, with a tone so loud that it makes everyone turn towards him.

"Damien! Odella," Aria yelps with a smile. She rushes towards them and hugs them. "You're here for the wedding?"

"Yeah, and guess what. I'm going to be the best man too," Damien adds. Best man, my ass. I just need a signature and him to be quiet in the corner of the room.

"No, you're gonna be a witness, nothing more," I retort.

Alice turns her attention to me. "Why shouldn't he? Isn't he one of your best friends?" She turns her attention to Odella. "And Odella is here. She can be one of my bridesmaids."

I grit my teeth. If Alice wants this manchild with trigger fingers to be in our wedding sure, whatever she wants. "Fine, but I want your complete silence when we walk into this." Damien smiles and signs his name along with Odella as the witnesses. If we ever decide to have a traditional wedding, there will be an explicit sign that says Damien is not allowed and will be shot on site if seen.

"You can go right in," the attendee says, prompting us five to go in, ignoring the others who were probably there earlier. Alice either gave the attendee a big check or made an appointment. I'm gonna go with both options.

Damien rushes to Odella's side, who is a few strides behind Alice, Aria and I. "See, Odella. When we finally get married, we should do something like this," he says.

"My parents would never approve," she whispers back.

"Of me or a courthouse wedding," he says with a smirk.

"The courthouse of course," her walking stops as soon as the words come out. Alice lets out a small laugh, while Aria only smirks. Damien has caught her once again in a trap of words.

"So...would that mean what I think it means Odella because the answer is yes. I will forgive you for forgetting the ring because I love you so much," Damien says with a coy smile. I only shake my head and walk ahead of them to the small room in which stands only a judge before us.

He's a small man, wearing a black robe behind a podium. He smiles at us with a book of what I can assume vows in front of him. "I can assume the woman in white with a smile on her face is the bride. And you, sir are the groom."

I straighten my jacket, "yes," I say with a cough. "I am."

"Great, you two are a fine couple. Well, let us begin. Everyone please take your seats." Odella, Aria and Damien take their seats on the brown wooden benches, and stares up at us.

"You ready?" Alice whispers.

"I am, more than you know."

"No backing out," she says.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

The judge stands before us. "We are gathered here in the presence of these witnesses, to join Alice Edwards and Alessio Russo together in matrimony. The contract of marriage is a most solemn one, and one not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and seriously and with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities. If anyone can show just cause why this couple should not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

No one speaks, good.

"Please join hands," he says which we do almost instantly.

He issues for us to repeat the word as he says, the words of us procaiming our love that could survive all. It will survive, whether rich, poor, sick or healthy. Alice, you and I are gonna last a lifetime.

"Do you two have rings?" We raise of hands. "Well, seems like you two skipped ahead," he says making Alice laugh.

"When he gave me this thing, I made a promise to never take this thing off."

The judge laughs, "well then. I'll just skip over that part." He turns his attention to me. "Alessio, will you take Alice to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," I say without hesitation.

He turns to Alice, the back of my neck sweats. "Alice, will you take Alesiso to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Alice smiles one of dazzling smiles, instiniling the security of her love, "hell yeah I do," she says. "Alessio, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life. Well...other than Aria that is."

"Alessio and Alice, you have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made. It is with these in mind that I pronounce you husband and wife. You have kissed a thousand times, maybe more. But today the feeling is new. No longer simply partners and best friends, you have become husband and wife and can now seal the agreement with a kiss. Today, your kiss is a promise. Now, with the power vested in me by the state of New You. Alessio, you may kiss your bride."

And I do, I kiss Alice with all the love, she's given me. I pour it right back into her with one kiss, followed by another then another.

Because Alice Edwards has become mine, and I have become hers.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

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This story is like a rollercoaster, first we're up then we go down then we go back up. LOL, so we know what's coming next.

Heartbreak...but for now. Let's enjoy the wedding.

I hope you guys have a super, amazing, splendid, awesome day, night, evening, and afternoon.

Bye~