I tell him."Stay."
He gives me a single head nod and stays.
Aurei steps up to the mic, and the music begins.The song is "To The Moon and Back" by Luke Bryan.The lyrics describe all the different things that a couple experiences throughout years together.Experiences that bond them.It is a complete love song.Aurei's eyes lock on mine, and I sway as he sings softly to me.The love we have sparks electric.His voice is so tender and his tone so pure.It echoes in my heart.I see Antonio put his arms around Gio, and he draws her to his chest.She lays her cheek against his heart, and they begin to sway to the melody.I look around and see a small sea of phone lights swaying with them.My eyes fill again when she lifts her head to look into his eyes.He whispers to her, and then they kiss.
When the song ends, Aurei steps around the mic as the DJ says."Angelo.We need to lighten the mood."
Aurei jumps down, and my eyes twinkle."That was good trickery, wasn't it?"
"You are the sweetest one!"He tells me as I melt into his arms.He whispers the Italian words in my hair, and I hold him tight.
Angelo makes a loud announcement when he gets up from the table."It's Thriller time!"
The crowd roars, and everyone starts to move.I frown."Thriller time?"
Aurei just grins as the dance floor fills again to maximum capacity.Antonio, with Gio, hugged up tight against him, asks Aurei."Is everything ok, Boss?I heard Augustus say Zita and Mia in the same sentence.That can't be good."
Gio mouths a quiet 'thank you' to me, and I wink at her.
Aurei tells him."Mia is spreading her usual negative shit."
"About Bee and the baby's daddy?"
"No."He intentionally doesn't look at me, and I know she's told them I'm a whore from Vegas.
"I'm sure I'm the flavor of the night, and I'm not vanilla."I roll my eyes, making them laugh.
Angelo appears through the parting crowd and puts his hand on Antonio and Aurei's shoulders."Give the fat boy a boost, would you?"
They push him onto the stage just as a squeaky door blasts us from the speakers, followed by heavy steps and wolf howls.My face splits into a grin."Thriller?Really?"
"Really!"Gio says."It's a family tradition!Do you know it?"
"Oh yes.I know it."
Aurei picks me up and deposits me back on the stage."He's going to need some help with the dancing part."
When I walk over, he gives me a high five, and we walk in place together, pretending we are strolling.Then when he sings, he sings all around me.The dance floor is packed with as many family members as it will hold, and everyone is doing their own version of zombie dancing.When it's time in the song to zombie dance, Angelo and I dance it together.It's a hit and miss for him, but no one has a better time than he does.When it's over, he gives me a big hug, and the DJ says."Siri.Don't walk off.You're up."
I give him a 'really?'look, but step up to the mic.When the song starts, I wonder who picked it for me, but the thought doesn't stay long as the music to "When I Grow Up" by the Pussycat Dolls takes over.My hair flip with "Sup" gives Aurei a warning of what's coming.He pumps his fist to the music.I take that as 'don't hold back,' so I dance the choreography.I am sexy, I did want to be famous, I do have groupies and I'm about to become a Star.
The familiar thing happens to the people on the dance floor who stayed after Thriller.At first, they look surprised or may be shocked, but then the perfection of my performance makes them begin to root for me, and they get into it too.Hands up, pumping and jumping, the dance floor comes alive as the beat takes hold.I end my performance, leaning off the stage again for Aurei to catch.He gives me a soft landing, and I give him a "Whew!That's tougher than I want to admit!"
He laughs."Let's give you a break then."
We begin to thread our way back to our table through the crowd and are halfway there when the DJ announces the next singer."Mia."
Aurei stops mid-stride, and his head jerks up.His hawk-eyes turn to the stage.
"What's wrong?"
"Mia doesn't participate."
"Oh.Well, apparently she's changed her mind.Maybe I inspired her."I giggle, still feeling exhilarated.
"Or maybe it's competition for attention," Aurei says, still frowning."She doesn't do anything without a reason behind it."
I give him a knowing smirk."That sounds familiar."
