Something to Talk About (44 page)

“Because I’m so
very
happy.
I’m married to the most wonderful man in the world, I’m having the most marvelous honeymoon imaginable and we had the best wedding I’ve ever been to. Both of them,” she said happily.

Adam gave her a lingering kiss before. “Yeah
,
they were both very special. Your aunts really went all out for us,” he said.

Alicia could only agree as she remembered the lengths
that
Marguerite, Graciela and
Gigi
gone to so their formal wedding would be a beautiful celebration. They’d picked out her wedding dress and the bridesmaids dresses with Leah’s help and consent and the end result had frightened Alicia into hiccups. The wedding dress had huge poufy Gibson girl sleeves and a bus
tl
e, as well as a fourteen-foot train. The entire thing was constructed of Chantilly lace and satin and weighed about a ton. The bridesmaid’s dresses were also satin with huge puffed sleeves and rows of ruffles in a shade of iridescent orange that was in blindingly bad taste. Alicia was truly horrified by the spectacle, but her aunts were so anxious to make her wedding memorable she didn’t have the heart to protest. Or the resources to back her up, as Marielle, Leah and Roxy seemed to think there was nothing amiss about the dresses.

Reminding
herself
over and over that she and Adam were already man and wife and this was just a formality to assuage her aunts, Alicia went along with the program, albeit with a heavy heart. When the moment came for her to don her dress in the room of St. Cecelia, the church she’d attended since she was a
child
, she almost went into shock when the aunts stepped forward with a sleek, simple and utterly lovely dress devoid of ruffles, lace, giant
sleeves or anything else objectio
nable.

It was an elegant, bias cut confection, sleeveless with a deep back that had crossed straps. It was a softly blushed shade of white called candlelight and there was an exquisitely sheer veil held with gardenias to grace Alicia’s beautiful and very relieved face.

Gigi
crowed, “We got you,
mija
!
Those other costumes, they were to pay you back for thinking you could elope.
Surprise!”

Alicia collapsed in laughter as she beheld the real bridesmaid’s dresses, which were simple and elegant in a sophisticated champagne color. Her attendants carried fantastic bouquets in buttery shades of yellow and gold that complemented Alicia’s cluster of gardenias and white and yellow roses. Everything about the wedding was perfect; it was a wedding out of a fairy tale.

She smiled up at Adam and asked him what his favorite part of the wedding was.

“Besides the pleasure of seeing how lovely you looked?”
He kissed her softly before replying. “Everything was wonderful, baby, I loved our wedding. But I have to say; the reception was my favorite part. I never had so much fun in my life, Allie.”

Marielle had arranged
to have their reception at Com
erica Park and it was the perfect venue for the event. There was lots of music, thanks both to Bump Williams and his band and the outstanding DJ who alternated to provide a tune-filled background.
There was an abundance of food;
both Cuban and southern cooking graced the tables. There were amusements for the children and dancing for the adults and the atmosphere was pure love and happiness.

Alicia had to agree with Adam, although for a different reason. She was thrilled that Adam had made his peace with his father and had accepted John fully as a brother. John was, in fact, one of Adam’s groomsmen. But Adam had come to an understanding with his father the night of his first wedding to Alicia. She reminded him of that fact.

“Adam, I think it’s so wonderful that you and your dad have come to an understanding. It’s really none of my business, but it makes me very happy that the two of you are closer than ever. I just think it’s important for you to have reconnected with him.”

Adam corrected her. “It is your business. Anything that affects me is your business. You’re my wife, Allie, not some disinterested bystander. But you’re right, I’m also very happy that Pop and I were able to work it out.”

After the elopement in
Idlewild
, Adam and his father had gone over to the site where the vacation house was being constructed and walked around. Adam showed his father the plans for the house and the guest cottages and they talked about the project for a few minutes. Finally Adam had dropped all pretenses and looked his father in the eye.

“Pop, I can’t judge you. I’m not the one to say anything about your life and how you lived it. The fact is, you gave me life and I have no cause to regret a single day of it
.
I was pretty harsh on you and I regret that. No matter what you did or why, one thing is never going to change. You’ll always be my father. And you’ve always been a good one, Pop, the best
.
”

Big Benny was crying openly, not bothering to disguise the tears that were rolling down his face. “Adam, you had every right to say what you said. I was wrong to cheat on your mother. I
was wrong to keep John a secret all these years. I was wrong on so many counts ...” His words stopped as Adam help up his hand.

“No more regrets, Pop. What’s done is done. It’s a new day now and we’ve all had a new start. Let’s go back to the party and enjoy this new beginning, okay?”

Now it was Alicia’s turn to ask Adam why he was smiling.
“Because this has been
the best year of my entire life
bar none.
I started the year horny and hateful because I was so in love with you I couldn’t stand it, I find out I have a whole bunch more family including a new brother, I gave away pa
rt of a vital organ and most im
por
tantl
y, I was lucky enough to win your heart and take you for my bride. I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now, Allie. ”

“I feel the same way, Adam, although I’m willing to try on the happiness thing. Let’s go inside and see what we can do to be even happier,” she said seductively.

By way of an answer Adam picked her up and carried her into their airy, candlelit bedroom. “You’ve got yourself a deal, baby.”