She looked around the room, surprised to see all of her family and friends. Everyone was smiling and dressed to the nines in black-tie attire. She took a shaky step forward and looked around the ballroom. It had been transformed. The room was as beautiful as it was before it was trashed, and there wasn't a dead body or a spec of blood to be found. Tammy was blown away.
“H-how did you do this?”
“Girl, you know there ain't nothing this family can't pull off,” Victoria quipped.
When music began to play, Tammy looked over at the bandstand. Natasha was standing in front of the microphone while Gianni sat at a piano.
“Oh my God,” Tammy gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
Tears began to well. She looked around the room at her loving family with blurred vision. What they’d done for her had touched her soul. It would've been perfect if…
“May I have this dance?”
Tammy turned toward the sound of her husband’s voice. Luca was standing tall and beautiful like the Adonis that he was. One glimpse of him in a custom-tailored tuxedo that was unable to conceal his muscular form was making Tammy go weak in the knees.
“Luca,” she sobbed, shedding tears of happiness at the sight of him.
He approached with a smile and Tammy threw herself into his arms. He held her tight and whispered, “Surprise,” in her ear.
“Oh, my God, Luca. I love you so much.”
“I know. Come. Dance with me.”
He led her to the dance floor and placed his hand on the small of her bare back. The same bolt of electricity that she felt every time he touched her jolted her senses. Tammy placed her head against Luca’s chest and held tight as they swayed to the sound of Natasha’s sweet voice.
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared…
Beauty and the beast
For however long it took for Natasha to belt out her soulful version of Beauty and the Beast, Tammy felt as if she and Luca were the only ones in the room. She was consumed by everything Luca. His touch, his scent, and even the sound of his beating heart put her in a state of euphoria. At that very moment, Tammy couldn't imagine that she could ever be any happier.
Tammy clung to Luca, not realizing that the music had stopped until someone tapped her on the back. She stepped back, instantly feeling a sense of loss from their severed connection. Luca turned her around by the shoulders and pulled her against his hard body. Victoria, Tracy, and Natasha were standing in front of her with cheesy grins.
“Tasha, you have such a beautiful voice,” Tammy gushed.
“Thank you,” Natasha responded in a bashful tone.
It always amazed Tammy how shy Natasha could be at times. She was tough, gorgeous, and extremely talented. When she was on stage, there was absolutely nothing shy about Natasha.
“Come on, baby girl. This dance belongs to us,” Victoria declared, grabbing Tammy by the hand, pulling her away from Luca.
When the music for Sister Sledge’s We Are Family began to play, Amy, Mia, and Emily danced their way to the dance floor. The ladies formed an impenetrable dance circle around Tammy. She giggled and blew Luca a kiss. Accepting the fact that he was outnumbered, Luca laughed and abandoned the dance floor to go hang out with the menfolk.
EPILOGUE
Tracy smiled as she watched Tammy and Luca make out on the dance floor. They’d been married five months, yet they still behaved as if they were on their honeymoon. Tracy rubbed her gigantic belly in total envy of how fit Tammy looked in her form-fitting, red evening gown. Thankfully, her friend had created a beautiful maternity gown just for her.
“How are you feeling, bella?” Francis asked, placing his hand on her belly.
“For the hundredth time, Francis. I feel fine.”
“Donna, you're nearly due. We should have stayed in,” Francis argued.
“You are getting on my nerves,” Tracy mumbled under her breath.
“I’m sorry, cara,” Francis responded remorsefully.
Tracy instantly felt guilt. Over the past couple of weeks, she’d been absolutely merciless. “No, Francis. I’m sorry. You’ve been so sweet, and I’m a total bitch.”
“No worries, bella. It’s the hormones.”
“Fucking hormones,” Tracy scoffed
“Soon you’ll be the nice woman I fell in love with again,” Francis said with a playful smirk.
“Let’s hope.”
“I’m going to get a drink, donna.”
“I’m sure you need it,” Tracy chuckled.
Francis smiled and stood. He leaned in, kissed her forehead, and asked, “Anything?”
“No, honey. I’m okay.”
When Francis walked away, Tracy returned her attention to the dance floor, but the song had finished, and Tammy and Luca were headed back to the table. Jack had also returned. He sat next to Tracy and squeezed her shoulder.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I feel fine. I’m just glad to be out of the house.”
“You're driving him crazy, aren't you?”
“Bat shit crazy,” Tracy confirmed.
“I see,” Jack chuckled. “Well, don't you worry. He can take it.”
Tracy noticed that everyone, except for Francis and Victoria, had made it back to the table.
“Where’s Vic?”
When her question went unanswered, she turned to Jack. He was glaring across the table. Tracy followed his line of sight and smiled. He was shooting visual darts at Angel Medina. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of Emily, and he’d been sticking to her like glue the entire evening. But judging from the smile on her face, Emily didn't seem to mind.
“Jack?” Tracy whispered, nudging his arm.
“Huh? Yes?” he startled, returning his attention to her.
“Why are you looking at them like that?”
“Every time I turn around he’s sniffing around my baby sister,” grumbled.
“Umm…in case you haven't noticed, Emily is not a baby. And what do you have against Angel? The man saved our lives.”
“I don't have anything against the man. As a matter of fact, I think he’s all right, just not for my sister.”
Tammy shook her head. Jack was a typical big brother—no one would ever be good enough for their sisters.
“Jack, leave that girl alone. Emily is a sharp woman. You don't have to worry about her. Now, where is your wife?”
“You know Victoria. She’s somewhere doing her thing.” Jack turned to Tracy and brandished a mischievous smile. “You guys gonna name that baby Jack?’
“Jack, we’re having a girl.”
“Well, Jackie then,” he stressed as if it was the other obvious choice.
Tracy was laughing at the silly grin on Jack’s face when Francis sat down. She placed her hand on his and leaned in to kiss his lips. He quickly met her halfway because even that small amount of movement was too much for her overly protective man.
“What did I do the deserve that?” Francis asked.
“You made me love you, baby.”
“Testing, one, two, three,” boomed through the speakers. It was Victoria on the microphone. “I would like to thank each and every one of you for attending The Delilah Rose Benefit for Sickle Cell Anemia. And I’d especially like to thank the wonderful men that agreed to participate in this year’s bachelor auction. Ladies, we have a special treat for you tonight. So get out those checkbooks. This year your bachelors are…Barry Sneed, Nathaniel Crane, Ronald Walters, and Alejandro Medina.
“Wait! What?!” Angel exclaimed. He began to choke on whatever it was he was drinking. Victoria’s announcement had clearly taken him by surprise.
Tracy covered her mouth in an attempt to swallow her laughter, but the others, hav
ing been previous victims of Victoria’s, didn't even bother. The entire table erupted into laughter.
THE END
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