La Famiglia Read online

  “I hear last night was uncomfortable?” the doctor asked.

  “She left the bed. She went downstairs by herself,” Giovanni said with evident disapproval.

  “I was fine. I got hungry and couldn’t sleep. The boys have been really active,” Mira reasoned.

  “Let’s check your pressure. Do a quick pelvic exam and decide if we need to do more?” the doctor advised.

  Mira nodded. She winked at her brooding husband as the doctor got out his equipment. And though her attention was focused on the condition of her pregnancy, she couldn’t help but wonder about the curious visit from Marietta.

  * B *

  “Morning!” Catalina sang.

  Marietta buried her face in her hands.

  “I said morning!” Catalina chirped.

  Marietta looked up at the perky Catalina who breezed into the room in a bright pink summer dress that was strapless. Her thick brown hair cascading about her shoulders made her even more beautiful. The spoiled princess sat at the table with a cup of cappuccino and tossed her bangs from her eyes. She stared at Marietta with an arched brow for a response.

  “What has you so happy?” Marietta asked.

  “Let me show you!” Catalina rose from her chair and walked down the table. She put the newspaper in front of Marietta. She tapped her magenta red nail on the article. The headline in Italian announced the successful fashion show for Mirabella’s company Fabiana’s. Marietta stared down at the image of the models posed in a store window. Each garment they wore was more stunning than the other.

  “That, my dear is me! I did this. See right there. My name is mentioned. As soon as the doctor finishes with the Donna I will deliver the good news,” Catalina said.

  “What good news?” Rosetta entered the room and paused.

  “None of your business,” Catalina answered.

  Marietta ignored them both. The article talked of Mirabella’s accomplishments. Her sister was fierce to have done so much at a young age. Marietta once had dreams of turning her furniture business into something grand and profitable. But she could never focus long enough to make those dreams a reality. And her management of funds was always off. She ended up owing too much money in taxes and went bankrupt.

  “Buongiorno,” Cecilia walked in with little Eve. Marietta’s gaze shifted from the article to the little girl. It was as if she were seeing people with a new perspective. The little brown toddler with blue eyes sucked on a red pacifier. She walked on bowed legs toward the table. The baby looked up at Marietta and blinked. She never liked kids. And kids never liked her. But if she were to have a little girl Marietta had to wonder if the child would be as beautiful as baby Eve.

  The baby must have been a mind reader. She snatched her hand free of Cecilia and walked over to Marietta. She stopped at her chair and raised her arms as if demanding to be picked up.

  “Look at Eve, she never goes to anybody,” Rosetta said, who had been at the table eating silently. Catalina glanced up. Everyone looked to Marietta expecting her to respond. Eve sucked her pacifier and waited. Marietta gave an awkward smile and reached to lift the kid. Eve was placed on her lap. She rested against her breast and sucked her pacifier in a way she’d seen the toddler do with Mira. Marietta stroked her arm. “She’s a special little girl,” said Marietta.

  “She likes you. That must mean you’re part of the family now,” Catalina chuckled. “Little Evie is a hard one to impress.”

  The other women agreed. Holding Eve in her arms felt natural. Being an auntie felt natural, she could really get into it. Marietta smiled. She needed to talk to Mirabella. Tell her everything. Her first attempt had been a disaster. Mira must think she’s nuts.

  Marietta needed to learn more about the family she never knew existed. Maybe see an image of her dead mother. But to do so meant she had to reveal the truth to Mira and she had no way of knowing what the truth would mean for all of them. Whatever she decided she must do so quick. Lorenzo would return soon, and she didn’t trust herself with him.

  Carmella, the servant girl, carried in a tray of food and a few men came in and sat at the table. Marietta was given a plate for Eve. The toddler spat out her pacifier and started to reach into the plate to grab the fruit she liked. Marietta laughed. She helped Eve and felt a little of the weight of sadness lift from her heart.

  * B *

  “How is she, Doctor?” Giovanni paced. The way he glared at the man and watched him closely had to have made the doctor nervous. Mira wished Giovanni would relax and trust the doctor to do his job.

  “Her pressure is still elevated,” Dr. Buhari said.

  “It is?” Mira gasped. “But I have been doing everything you said.”

  “No you haven’t! You got out of bed, Bella,” Giovanni pointed an accusatory finger at her. “You got out of bed after I explicitly told you not to.”

  “Oh stop saying that. You’re my husband not my jailor. I walked around a little bit. Not a lot.” She looked from Giovanni’s frustrated face to the doctor’s concerned one. Mira felt such guilt her voice cracked with emotion. “Is he right, Doctor? Am I the cause?”

  “I doubt a trip downstairs last night helped matters. But I have to tell you, we are going to have to take you in soon. After your last test results I had my concerns. We have to be cautious. I will call the ospedale and have them ready a room for you.”

  “My babies? Will I have to deliver them? It’s too soon.” Mira said.

  “We’ll make that decision later. Can you return to Palermo in the morning?” Dr. Buhari asked.

  “No. No, Giovanni, tell him. We aren’t ready. It’s too soon!” Mira exclaimed.

  “Bella, calm down, sweetheart.” He stepped to the doctor. “Should we take her in now? To be safe?”

  “No. No more excitement today. Tomorrow is fine. We will take it from there. Trust me we won’t take the babies unless absolutely necessary.” He patted her hand. “Now rest. I will see you in the morning.”

  “Grazie,” Mira said.

  Giovanni stepped in front of the doctor. “I think you should stay.”

  “Well I have to be back at the ospedale. I need to make arrangements for her.” Dr. Buhari said.

  “You can use a phone here to make those arrangements. Bella may need you. Stay.” Giovanni said.

  “Don Battaglia, I am sorry but I have to decline,” the doctor said.

  Giovanni smiled. “I insist.”

  Flabbergasted the man looked to Mira for help. What could she say? She wanted him to stay as well. She felt her husband’s nervousness and quietly agreed with him. Giovanni opened the door and Leo stepped inside. “Take the doctor to his room and make sure he has everything he needs.”

  The doctor looked again to Mira for help. She felt awful, but Giovanni could not be refused by either of them. The man nodded. He walked out.

  “Was that necessary, Giovanni?” Mira asked.

  “If it protects you and my sons then yes it was,” Giovanni replied. “Besides it’s not a prison. Many would like to spend the night here. They’ll make sure he’s accommodated.”

  “I agree. I have to be honest, I feel better now that you asked him to stay.” Mira moved her legs over the bed and placed her feet on the ground. She put her hand to her side. The babies were unnaturally still. It wasn’t surprising considering the fact that they kept her up all night. Mira reached for a pastry just as Giovanni returned to her side.

  “Sit back, Bella,” he ordered.

  She did as she was told. He stacked the pillows behind her to ensure she was comfortable.

  “I’m okay.” Mira tried to reassure him.

  “No stress today. None. Don’t talk about that company, or do anything with it. Do you understand?” Giovanni said in a stern voice.

  “I understand.” She nodded her head like a good girl. She munched on the cream filled pastry he passed her. Lately her hunger was like that of a truck driver. Who knew sitting on your ass made you crave food?

  “I had a meeting late
r today in Bagheria. I won’t be going. I have to deal with Lorenzo and Carlo.” He started toward the door.

  “Something wrong?” Mira asked with a mouthful.

  “Nothing to worry about. They’ve arrived a few minutes ago. Just got word.”

  * B *

  Marietta passed a crying Eve over to Cecilia. She may be her aunt but she knew nothing about how to settle a tantrum. She did suffer a pang of embarrassment over the much-needed rescue. When she checked her watch she found the morning had slipped away. The doctor’s visit had to have concluded.

  She intended to see Mira. And it dawned on her how to approach the subject with her sister. Something that Gemma said in her letter. A true test to prove they were sisters. She would show her the necklace. When she pushed back from the table Carlo and Lorenzo walked in. Marietta froze. They looked haggard and sleep deprived in their appearance. They wore the clothes they left in. Her man’s eyes were so heavy with exhaustion she wasn’t sure he was looking at her or through her. Lorenzo smiled. He had kept his promise and returned sooner than forty-eight hours.

  “Cara.” He walked toward her and grabbed her up into an embrace. She shoved him off. There was such a ruckus on the terrace with everyone’s excitement over their surprise return no one barely noticed her rejection of him.

  “I want to talk to you! Now!” she seethed. “Now!”

  “No. I have to see Giovanni. Give me an hour and meet me in our room.” He kissed her cheek and squeezed her ass. “In our bed,” he said. No matter how hard she tried to push out of his embrace he had a tight grip on her. He bit her cheek. “Be nice. I’ve missed you,” he said.

  When he released her she tried to slap him but he caught her wrist. He leaned in and his tone held a clear threat. “Don’t ever do that in front of the family. I said we’d talk later.”

  She snatched her arm away.

  “You asshole. I hate you.” She turned and stormed away. When she looked back he wasn’t even staring after her. He was busy hugging and laughing with the others. Blinded by her tears and hurt beyond her own comprehension she went to her room. Once inside she found her purse. She found her necklace.

  “Fuck you, Lorenzo. Fuck you,” she said. She fast walked out of her room. Just as she turned the corner she saw Giovanni descend the stairs. She stayed out of sight. When he was gone she raced up the stairs and hurried to Mira’s room.

  * B *

  Giovanni sought his cousin with his eyes. The wild tale he was told at four in the morning had left him reeling. Mottola had taken betrayal to a whole new level. The offenses were beyond any of Giovanni’s original understanding.

  Eve raced for her father crying for his attention. He picked her up and kissed her. The affection calmed her immediately. She grinned and leaned in to kiss him once more.

  “Gio!” Lorenzo walked over. “We have to talk. Now.”

  “I know.” He glanced to Carlo who ate, chewed, and swallowed in a hurried manner. He nodded for him to come as well. Carrying Eve in his arms, his bambina waved at Lorenzo from his over his shoulder.

  * B *

  Marietta pushed the door open. Mira glanced up when she walked in. Marietta closed the door behind her to ensure they would have privacy. “Hi there? I hear Lorenzo is back. You must be happy,” Mira said.

  Around Marietta’s neck she wore her necklace. Mira stared at her with a smile. There was no hint of recognition in her face. Maybe Marietta stood too far from the bed for Mira to see the charm. So she stepped closer.

  “Are you okay?” Marietta asked with genuine concern. “Do you feel okay for a visit?”

  “Oh I’m fine. Don’t let my grumpy husband fool you. I’m more than capable of having a conversation without going into labor,” she chuckled.

  Marietta sat on the edge of the bed. Mira blinked at her. She showed no reaction to the necklace Marietta wore. So Marietta touched it to draw her eyes to it. “Do you recognize this, Mira?”

  Mira sat forward. She squinted at the necklace and then looked up into Marietta’s face. “It’s beau—” Mira studied it again and looked up into Marietta’s eyes.

  At last Marietta saw the light of awareness in Mira’s eyes. She reached behind her neck and released the clasp to take the necklace off. She then handed it over to Mira. “It was given to me as a child, by a mother I never met. You have one like it don’t you?”

  Mira stared at the necklace. She turned it over. Marietta watched as Mira ran her finger over the insignia to the back of the clasp. “That right there is the stamp of the jeweler. His name was Del Stavio,” Marietta said.

  “What is this about?” Mira frowned.

  “Me and you. Our connection. One we’ve had since birth,” Marietta replied.

  “Is this some kind of joke?” Mira asked.

  “No. Or maybe it’s the biggest joke of our lives. Before I made this charm into a necklace it was a baby’s bracelet. I have a twin sister who has one identical to it.”

  “Okay I’ve heard enough. Stop,” Mira demanded.

  “Your husband has been lying to you from day one. So has mine. We’re sisters, and those bastards knew it and conspired together to keep us apart.”

  “That’s not possible. I don’t have a twin sister. Here take it!”

  “No! Look at it dammit. It is possible!” Marietta said. “Our mother dated a man named Marsuvio Mancini. He’s a Sicilian mobster who lived in Philadelphia. He didn’t want us. She separated us to keep us safe from him. I think. I know this sounds crazy but look at the necklace. We’re twins. Giovanni and Lorenzo have been trying to keep us apart because his father Tomosino Battaglia is the man who ordered the hit on our mother. His father killed our mother.”

  “Get out!” Mira said. She tossed the necklace back at Marietta. “Out of my damn room!” she shouted.

  Marietta flinched. “Haven’t you heard what I said to you?” she asked. “Yesterday when I was in Palermo with Catalina a woman who I knew since I was a little girl gave me this letter.” Marietta handed it over. “I didn’t believe it either at first. Until I read this letter. When I came to Italy I did so to find my father. I was always told my mother was a whore who slept with my adoptive father and left me on the doorstep. A lie. I knew that evil bastard who raised me wasn’t my blood. So Gemma told me a man named Capriccio was. Another lie. So many damn lies I can’t keep up. And all of them were told to keep you and I from knowing the truth.” She forced the letter on Mira. “Read it. Giovanni knows the truth. He sent me away with Lorenzo to keep the truth from you. That’s why we were gone for months. Read the damn letter!”

  Mira’s hands shook. Tears bordered her wide stretched eyes.

  She accepted the letter and opened it slowly.

  * B *

  “You two look and smell like shit!” Giovanni chuckled. He sat down and put Eve on his lap. For some reason she was very clingy. She refused to sit forward. Instead she turned and clung to his neck, resting her face on his shoulder.

  “We barely got out of Armenia with our lives,” Lorenzo said.

  Carlo sat down next. “It was pretty intense, Gio,” Carlo agreed.

  “So tell me about Varo. Is what you said true? He’s been buying my guns through the `Ndrangheta and Mottola?”

  “You need to bring Dominic back in. Santo too. No one is safe. The fool led us to his arsenal. I had to take off his head,” Lorenzo chuckled. “Then I walk out to a small army with nothing but guns facing us. Turns out it was Yeremian’s men. They were tracking us. Using us to bring them into Varo’s compound. While we were killing Varo the crazy bastards nearly wiped out all of his men. That’s why they had to put us on a plane. To get us out of there before the authorities discovered what we’d done. We haven’t slept.”

  “Or showered,” Carlo said.

  Giovanni rocked back in his chair. “And Santo? Did Varo name him?”

  “No,” Carlo said. “But do you really think he’s clean in this?”

  The news was a lot to digest. How many enemies w
ere in his midst now?

  The door flew open.

  Mira and Marietta arrived together. The men shot to their feet. Giovanni couldn’t stand fast enough. Mira charged straight at his desk.

  “The truth! I want the truth!” Mira seethed.

  Eve was startled. Giovanni could feel her tiny heart beat rapidly in her chest. He too was stunned beyond speech. Mira’s face was wet with tears. Her eyes stretched wide with horror and he was her sole focus. She slammed down jewelry on the desk. Her bracelet and another item that looked just like it. “Did you know this?” she asked pointing a finger at him. “Any of it!”

  “Carlo!” Giovanni said. Carlo reached for Eve who fought to stay with her father. He walked out of the room. Lorenzo grabbed Marietta who immediately started to shout and fight back for control or at the very least a voice in the confrontation. He picked her up by the waist and carried her out of the room. None of it mattered. Giovanni could only hear and focus on his wife. He walked around the desk aware of how dire the situation had become. The doctor had just told them only minutes ago she was to remain calm. “We’ll talk about what I knew later. First you have to go back to bed.”

  “Don’t touch me!” she screeched. She backed away from him. Her hand protectively covered her tummy. She kept the other one out to make sure he didn’t come closer. “You did this. I didn’t believe it. Not a word. Until I looked into your eyes. Until now. You did it!”

  Giovanni grabbed her wrist and she snatched back creating a tugging back and forth. “Let me go!”

  She touched her side as if she felt a pain. Panic and fear sliced like an ice spear through his gut and he had to summon all of his strength to not drag her ass back upstairs by force. What was more important the truth or her life?

  “How could you do this to me? To us! Sweet Jesus! How could it be true? Any of it? I don’t understand why you would hurt me like this.”

  He let her go. She backed away from him with both her hands to her mouth, and tears streaming. She stood there with eyes stretched wide and in visible pain. She couldn’t speak. He feared she wasn’t even breathing. What could he say? Another lie? Now? Her eyes warned him against it. It was her eyes that hurt him the most. So much pain and disbelief there it made him desperate.