Chapter Three

Five days earlier...

Watching her baby cousin, the bride, being walked down the aisle by her uncle, Eduardo Kings, Camilla smiled widely, her cheeks turning pink and tears in her eyes.

"She looks so beautiful." She whispered to herself, though audible enough to those close to her. She was unable to take her eyes off her cousin whom she was older than, with eight years.

She hated coming to Italy, where both her father and mother's family resided, and wouldn't have come to the wedding if it wasn't that she was really close to the bride.

She hated the aspect of her aunties and uncles who never let the opportunity to taunt her about being single slide whenever she came visiting. But just for the sake of her cousin, Esmeralda, she was willing to tolerate them all, at least just for a few more hours and then she would be on the next flight back to Los Angeles.

"Of course she would look beautiful, especially in that dress. It's so unique." Alessia, Camilla's mom, responded grinning widely as she stood beside her.

"Thank you for the compliment, Mamma." Camilla replied, knowing that her mother was indirectly praising her work on the dress since she had designed it herself as a gift for her cousin.

"Oh yes, it's so beautiful, Camilla darling. I just can't wait for your turn to get married. I can already imagine how exquisite and elegant your own wedding dress will be." Her uncle's wife, Riza said, her tone sarcastic and full of fake emotion.

"Oh you might have to wait for a long time Riza, you never can tell, we might as well be six feet under the grave by that time." Carlos said, in his thick Italian voice that was filled with sarcasm too as he and Riza, his wife chuckled quietly, causing some people around them to look their way, curious as to what was making them laugh.

Camilla chuckled softly. She knew what the two of them were doing, they wanted her to feel bad for not being married at the age of twenty nine despite her being a very successful clothing-designer. However, she had come prepared for their attacks and was ready to give them a tongue lashing if need be.

"Oh no Uncle Carlos, you see, I also would love to get married soon, but you see I have to be careful with the man I choose to do that with. You know, so I don't end up being a single mother who lives with her parents like both your daughters." Camilla answered, trying not to let any amusement seep into her voice or the smirk on her face which she tried hard to keep under control.

'That would keep them shut.' She thought to herself as they instantly went quiet at the remark she made, both surprised and slightly hurt by it.

While Camilla smirked inwardly, proud of her wit which came with full force as neither of them couldn't find an adequate response, her mother, Alessia, wasn't pleased with her daughter's response and nudged her slightly in the arm.

"Camilla." She called quietly, in a bid to caution her from further antagonizing her in-laws but she didn't listen and instead continued smiling proudly, as she glanced at her mother's disapproving expression.

"Sorry Mamma, didn't mean to say anything wrong." She mumbled but not a single hint of regret could be heard in her voice as she then turned to look ahead.

The rest of the ceremony passed uneventfully and now it was time for the bride to throw her bouquet at the group of single ladies that were all gathered behind her waiting to catch it.

Camilla sighed quietly as she stared blankly ahead, already getting bored with everything going on. Then her grandma came to meet her where she was seated and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Surprised by the sudden contact, she instinctively flinched at it and quickly turned around, "Oh, Nonna (Grandma), you scared me." She muttered with her right hand placed over her chest causing the older woman to frown slightly before speaking,"It's a public place, Vecchia donna(Old woman), who's going to harm you?" She asked, and Camilla rolled her eyes upon hearing her Grandmother call her the nickname she had given to her some years ago because she had a small stature and looked very much younger than her age.

"I'm not scared Nonna(Grandma), you just caught me unaware, that's it. And don't you think it's time you changed my nickname already?" She complained, earning another frown from the older woman.

"No, I won't stop calling you that and just because you don't look it doesn't mean you're not getting old." She scolded while looking at her granddaughter sternly.

"Oh Nonna(Grandma), not this again. We've talked about this countless times and I thought we were over it already." She groaned, annoyed, knowing where her grandmother was heading with the conversation and wanting to end it before it started.

"Yes, but the last time we talked about it you were younger and now you're almost thirty!...I want to see my great-grandchildren before I go back to the earth." The elderly woman explained with a slight pout.

"Nonna!(Grandma!) What happened to your eighteen great-grandchildren?" Camilla exclaimed in disbelief, chuckling in the middle of her sentence.

"Okay. I'll rephrase my words. I want to see your children before I go back to the earth." She repeated patiently, looking at her grandchild with pleading eyes, making Camilla roll her eyes in frustration.

"Nonna(Grandma), I told you already I'm not ready for a relationship yet. I just want to grow my business and when the time comes I'll definitely get married and have a lot of great grandchildren for you." She assured and smiled at the elderly woman who had an unbelieving look on her face.

"E quando sarebbe?(And when would that be?)" The older woman questioned, now switching to Italian as she folded her arms in front of her.

"Soon Nonna(Grandma), soon." She replied, simply hoping that the conversation would change but sadly it didn't as her grandmother continued.

"Soon?...Soon when?...When is soon? Is it until when you're in your fifties?... Who's going to marry you by then?" The woman rambled on, making Camilla sigh in annoyance.

"There are a lot of men out there who want to marry me and even if I'm fifty or sixty I'll still get the man that is most suitable for me. So stop worrying." Camilla replied with a shrug causing the older woman's eye to widen in surprise at what her granddaughter said.

"Mamma Mia!(Oh my goodness!) Fifty or sixty?!" She exclaimed in shock and disbelief, making the blonde haired girl chuckle lightly.

"Nonna(Grandma), I didn't exactly say I'll get married around either of those ages, I was just citing an example." Camilla explained, earning a glare from her grandmother.

"I've had enough already. Now, get up." The woman ordered, much to Camilla's confusion but she obeyed her anyways and immediately the older woman grabbed her hand and started walking her away from her seat.

"Ohhh Nonna(Grandma), I'm not interested in meeting another guy." She groaned but was surprised when her grandmother instead led her to where the group of single ladies stood waiting for the bouquet to be thrown by the bride.

"Nonna(Grandma) what are you doing?" She protested trying to free her hand away from hers but the old woman's grip was too tight for her.

"You have to get married this year." Her grandmother replied firmly as she let go of her hand.

"How would this make me get married this year? I don't even believe in-" She trailed off when a bouquet of flowers suddenly landed in her hands and immediately the entire hall went dead silent.

"-this." She ended the sentence, staring at the bouquet in her hand.