The sun was setting over the Lower East Side port. The Church of San Giovanni, lavishly restored by direct order of Salvatore Moretti, was adorned with white flowers and golden ribbons. Outside, the streets were blocked off by armed men in black suits. No outsiders were allowed near.
The mass was solemn. Giovanni, dressed in a dark gray suit, cut an imposing figure—young and feared. Elena, wearing a veil hand-embroidered in Naples, walked down the aisle on the arm of Don Cataldo Sabino. She did not smile, but neither did she show fear.
An hour later, at the Moretti villa, the real celebration began.
Scene: The Banquet
A vast garden with white silk tents. Long tables, crystal chandeliers, Italian wine, fresh seafood, and violin music. Guests danced, feasted, and laughed under the sun. But between the toasts and embraces, business never stopped.
Key Congratulations:
Donato Greco (caporegime, longtime ally):"Your father would be proud, Giovanni. Now you are a man... but remember, men fall too—especially when they forget their brothers."
Giuseppe Rinaldi (trusted capo):"Thank you for protecting my blood. The Rinaldi will stand with you—straight to hell if need be."
Don Cataldo Sabino (father-in-law and new ally):"You've taken my daughter. I expect you to guard her better than your gambling halls. If not... well, you know how we Neapolitans respond."
Franco Moretti (Giovanni's uncle, head of the port men):"Today, everyone toasts. Tomorrow we'll see who's still standing when the bullets fly."
Notable Guests:
Delegates from the Greco and Rinaldi families, and emissaries from Brooklyn.
A representative from Chicago, silently observing, weighing whether the Moretti deserve a seat at the national table.
A priest who blesses the couple… but discreetly receives envelopes in the sacristy.
Symbolic Details
The Petition Line:Just like in The Godfather, there is a quiet line of guests requesting favors from Giovanni, now the new operational boss.One man seeks justice for his daughter, assaulted by a police officer.Another pleads for work for his son at the docks.Giovanni listens, nods, and in some cases, responds with a single gesture: "It will be done."
A Tense Toast:Salvatore Greco, eyeing Elena sidelong, raises his glass:"To the young who don't forget that not all the old are dead."A comment Giovanni ignores... for now.
Elena, the Observer:Though distant at first, she watches closely the respect her husband commands. Seeing how men bow before him and call him Don Giovanni, she realizes something:This man, though young, already rules more than her father ever did.