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I shook my head. “I want to be present. Call him and put him on speakerphone.” I didn’t want Danilo to blackmail Samuel.
Danilo looked reluctant, but he dialed Samuel’s number.
“Yes?” Samuel asked in a clipped voice.
“Evening, Samuel. I’m here with my mother and Emma, and we want to discuss the wedding with you.”
“All right,” Samuel said slowly. I could hear the rustling of papers in the background. He was probably busy. “What is it?”
“I would like to walk down the last part of the aisle with the help of a walker,” I said quickly before Danilo or Mom could talk for me. “And I wanted to make sure you are aware of my plans.”
“Is that possible?” Samuel asked with a hint of surprise.
“I can’t walk without support,” I said. “I’m very slow and would need a walker, like I said.”
“It could very well take five minutes. People would have to wait a long time,” Mom butted in. “We understand if you don’t want that.”
Silence. Anger and frustration swelled in me. Mom always worried so much about what other people thought, but she rarely stopped to think what I wanted.
“They can wait for the bride on her wedding day. I don’t see a problem. We can cut short the congratulations afterward. They are a drag anyway,” Samuel said as if it wasn’t a big deal, when it meant the world to me.
I bit my lip to stifle a smile at Mom’s stunned expression.
“That’s it?” Samuel asked after a moment, sounding as if he was already busy with something else.
His curt manner didn’t even bother me today. I was just happy that his reaction showed Mom that my wishes were relevant.
It was only three days until the wedding. Giorgia sat in the first row of the church to time me. I was grateful that she took the time to help me. In the beginning, Mom had been there as well, but her presence had been more discouraging than anything else. Now that Danilo was married to Sofia, I spent every day with Mom, and it made me anxious.
“You did it. Faster than last time.”
I nodded and smiled proudly as I sank down on the wheelchair. “I’m getting used to the dress.” I was grateful for what my body had done today. I had ditched the leg braces very early on in our practice and only used a walker.
“Maybe Danilo could even lead you a few steps, then you wouldn’t have to use the walker?”
“I don’t think that would work. He’d have to support most of my weight.”
Giorgia stepped to my left side and held out her arm. “Let’s try it.”
I held on to it and pulled myself into a standing position. My body ached. I wouldn’t be able to practice much more today, but I channeled all of my remaining power so we could practice a few more times without the walker. Danilo was much stronger than Giorgia, so the chances were high that he could steady me even more.
Giorgia spent the night with us. Her brother had work to do, and her mother lived most of the year in Italy, having abandoned Giorgia with her brother and his wife.
“Are you excited?” Giorgia asked as we settled on my bed after dinner to watch a movie.
“Nervous,” I admitted.
Giorgia tilted her head. “Because he’s an ice prince?”
I shrugged. “Because I hardly know him, and I still don’t believe that Danilo didn’t force Samuel in some way. It doesn’t make sense to establish a second bond between our families. It doesn’t accomplish anything.”
“Maybe you should just leave it be. Even if there was some deal between your brother and Samuel, that doesn’t mean your marriage can’t be real. I mean, it could be worse. He’s hot at least. The bachelors Mom suggested so far are at least twice my age, divorced or widowed, and live in Italy. I don’t want to move, and I don’t want to settle. Mom wants someone who can finance her luxurious lifestyle, and apparently, only old fools are willing to do that for me.”
I huffed. “You are beautiful inside and out. She’s not looking in the right places. Your curves are spectacular.”
Giorgia jiggled her boobs. “Mom says men only like jiggle in certain places.”
I burst out laughing. “Your jiggle is very impressive. Maybe we can find you a match at my wedding.”