Chapter 10 - THE NEW LEDGER
Six months later.
The summer sun was shining brightly over St. Aurelia’s Cathedral.
The glass in the side chapels had been completely replaced, the painted angels on the ceiling restored, and the heavy brass chandelier rehung above a center aisle lined with soft yellow ribbons and fresh white hydrangeas.
At the back of the church, standing beside the marble statue of St. Jude, sat Valeria Moretti. She was dressed in dark navy silk, her hands folded in her lap, watching the front of the church with a quiet, measuring expression.
Beside her sat Barnaby, Amara’s fat orange tabby cat, sitting comfortably in a leather travel basket, purring loudly.
The organ roared into life, playing a soft, joyous melody.
At the front altar stood Daniel Moretti.
He wore a dark blue tuxedo that matched the ribbon on the hydrangeas. His dark hair was brushed back, his posture straight, his eyes fixed entirely on the rear doors of the cathedral.
The heavy bronze doors opened.
Amara Hale walked down the center aisle.
She was not wearing a size-zero diamond gown. She was wearing an elegant, tea-length ivory silk dress designed specifically for her curves, draped softly over her shoulders, with a delicate lace trim that caught the afternoon sunlight.
And, as she reached the middle of the aisle, she slid both hands into two subtle, beautifully tailored pockets built into the sides of her skirt.
The small crowd—consisting of Daniel’s closest friends, Amara’s three laughing brothers from South Boston, and a few selected city archivists—erupted into warm, soft laughter.
Daniel smiled—a bright, brilliant smile that filled the entire cathedral.
He stepped down off the altar platform, walking down the aisle to meet her halfway.
He took her hand, pulling her close, ignoring the priest standing behind them with his leather book.
"You look breathtaking," Daniel whispered, his thumb stroking her palm.
"I have two spare keychains in these pockets," Amara whispered back, her dark eyes shining with tears and laughter. "Just in case anyone tries to interrupt us today."
"Nobody is interrupting us today, Mrs. Moretti," Daniel said softly.
May you like
He didn't wait for the priest to finish the invocation. He leaned down, wrapped his broad arms around her waist, and kissed his bride right in the middle of the aisle, while the sun streamed through the stained-glass angels, painting the marble floor in shades of deep blue, gold, and victory.
THE END
