by Sienna Mynx
“When? Last night? Why didn’t you wake me?” Marietta asked.
“We were busy,” Armando smiled. “Weren’t we, Catalina? Shall I tell her how the night ended?”
Catalina wiped her tears. Marietta took a step back in disgust. She looked at the robe Catalina wore, and then to Armando. He saw the dawn of understanding descend upon her face. Catalina turned and left. Marietta went after her.
The two women had plenty to discuss. Armando plucked a fork and walked over to the stove. He tasted his sister’s cooking for the first time. He smiled. Bionca’s cooking never came close. He was going to enjoy his new family.
****
“Wait? Wait a damn minute!” Marietta grabbed her arm and yanked it hard. “You gonna make me run after you five months pregnant?”
“I don’t want to do this right now,” Catalina said.
“Well that’s too damn bad!” she shoved her toward an open door. Catalina went inside a room with a sofa and television. She avoided looking at Marietta as if it would hide her shame. She wasn’t able to summon excuses. Not this time. Not with all that she’d done and been through.
“Why did you come here? Of all places, why here?” Marietta demanded.
“The same reason you did. Okay? Because I had nowhere else to go,” Catalina said.
“That is a lie and you know it. Mirabella would never put you out of the family. Never”
“I know that. But how could I face her? How could I tell her... tell her that I...”
“That you what? You didn’t cause Giovanni’s shooting.”
“Just let it go!” Catalina shouted.
“I will not. And Domi? What about him?”
“He called off the wedding, Marietta. He told me we are done. He meant it. We’re done.”
“Because?”
Catalina threw her hands up. “Because Rosetta set me up! She was working with Armando all along.”
“Set you up? That makes no sense.”
“She and Armando plotted to have Domi come to the hotel in Paris and see me with him. My Domi! He thought I cheated on him. I didn’t. And when I tried to explain the truth to him, he wouldn’t listen. And Giovanni? Armando sent pictures to him of us. Giovanni told me I was dead to him. A zoccoletta! And now he might die. There is no family to go back to.”
“Then why come here? If Armando did this, why screw him as a reward?”
“Why not?” Catalina shouted back. “It was okay for me to screw him to save Lorenzo? Right? This is all your fault! All your fault and his.”
“You can't trust him, Catalina.”
“Trust him?” Catalina laughed through her tears. “I don’t trust him. I want him to trust me. Let me in on all of his secrets. And when the time is right...”
“That’s a stupid plan, girl!”
“I don’t care anymore. At least with Armando I know where I am, and what I am. I’m not the princess anymore. I’m not special. I’m a whore, and this is what a whore does.”
“No! No! No! No! No! You stupid girl!” Marietta went to her and grabbed her hands. “NO!” Marietta drew her into her arms and hugged her. “I’m so sorry. You're right. You are right. This is my fault. I pushed you into this. And look at us now. Forgive me, Catalina.”
They cried together. Marietta let her go first. “Listen to me. You are going home. Do you hear me? Mirabella won’t turn you away. And she needs you now. Giovanni’s hurt. He might not recover. You have to be there for her.”
“I can’t. I can’t face her.”
“She won’t care that you slept with Armando. She won’t give a shit that you lied and fought with Giovanni.”
“She’ll care if I’m a murderer!” Catalina blurted.
Marietta couldn’t speak. All logic and reason congealed in her throat. She blinked at Catalina in surprise. “Murder?”
“I did something terrible. She has to know it by now. I killed Rosetta.”
Marietta’s hands dropped away. She stepped back. The silence between them became as unscalable as all of their other problems.
“You did it?”
“I killed the bitch!” Catalina said. “And I’m not sorry. It felt good to push her lying ass off the cliff!”
“Catalina are you fucking insane?”
“I did it. And they know it. I left her right there for them to find her. I can’t go back now. Even Zia would curse me. It’s over. When Domi finds out I’m here... well he’ll have to deal with it.”
“So that is what this is really about? Getting back at Domi? You here to rub his nose in this affair with Armando?”
“We aren’t married. I’m a free single woman. It’s my pussy I can give it to whomever I please.”
“That won’t work, sweetie. Forcing men to go to war over you will never work. Look at what happened to Mirabella when she got caught between Kei and Giovanni. Look at what it cost her. Her sanity, Catalina! It will destroy all of you. I may not agree with Armando but he is my brother. You are going to get him killed.”
“Don’t confuse me with Mirabella. She made a mistake. From this point on I’m not making any. And who cares if your brother is shot? Huh? Mine is shot and dying! Who cares! I won’t go home and face Mirabella. Confess my sins. To hell with it. She doesn’t need me. She’s a saint compared to me and you!”
“Oh please, spare me the saint bullshit!”
“Why? It’s the truth. You think I’m the only fallen dove here? What about you? What about the games you play with Carlo behind Lorenzo’s back!”
“That’s a lie,” Marietta gasped.
“I’m not stupid. I see the way Carlo looks at you when he thinks no one is looking. I saw that fight between you and Shae. I know the games you play, Marietta. They’re no different than mine. How is Mirabella like either of us?”
Marietta remained shocked into silence.
“I’m here to avenge Giovanni. I’m close to Armando now. I can figure out his weakness and...”
Marietta put a hand to her brow. “Armando is toying with you. Can’t you see that?”
“He knows my motives, and he doesn’t care. He thinks he can win this game.”
“It’s not a game, girl. He’s dangerous. More dangerous than Lorenzo and Giovanni because he has nothing to lose. You do! He’s using you.”
“We’re using each other. Enough about my mistakes let’s talk about yours. What I can’t figure out is why are you here? Where’s Lorenzo?”
Marietta sat down in the chair. She felt as if boulders rested upon her shoulders now. She put her hand to her belly and tried to steady her breathing. She knew her blood pressure was up. She could feel it in her inability to focus and the trembling in her fingers and the tingling in her palms. After a few moments of silent tears, she heard Catalina’s approach. Catalina then knelt down before her.
“Marietta?” she asked.
“It’s never going to be okay. Never again. We were so close. I had my sister. I had a family. I was so close. And now...” She looked to Catalina. “What have we done?”
“Where’s Lorenzo?” Catalina asked.
“He was shot.”
“By who?”
“Giovanni. The night Giovanni was shot, Lorenzo was too.”
“Wait. Who shot who again?”
Marietta tried to find the words, but nothing escaped her mouth.
“Lorenzo shot Giovanni? Armando shot Giovanni? Giovanni shot Lorenzo? Who did it?” Catalina demanded.
“Armando had nothing to do with it. Lorenzo and Giovanni shot each other. I guess.”
“Make another guess because that makes no sense!”
“Why doesn’t it? Giovanni found out the truth. You told me a hundred times that Giovanni would kill Lorenzo. He tried, and then... they both got hurt. I was there.”
Catalina stood, she clenched her fists. Marietta didn’t like the black layered rage that darkened her blue eyes. “You need to tell me what happened to my brother. Now.”
“I told you.”
“The whole story. Tell me now!”
“Giovanni agreed to meet with Lorenzo to discuss the tapes. We both knew there were repercussions for Lorenzo. We knew this would end bad if Giovanni didn’t stop it. Lorenzo and Giovanni needed to work it out. But it went wrong. It got out of hand. And Lorenzo was shot first, and he shot back in self defense. Both of them could have died. Both of them are alive. That’s the miracle.”
“Lorenzo tried to kill Giovanni?” Catalina stood.
Marietta pressed her lips together and blinked away tears.
“Defense,” she said in a shaky voice. “Defense! He wanted a truce. To make Giovanni see he was not the enemy. He wanted to get his forgiveness.”
“Where is he? The devil!”
“Recovering.”
“Here? Under Armando’s protection?”
“So?”
Catalina smiled. “It makes sense.”
“What does?”
“All of it. Lorenzo is working for Armando.”
“He isn’t!”
“Lorenzo shot Giovanni for Armando, and you two came here thinking that he’d die. So you could go back and Lorenzo could take over the family!”
“No. Yes. No, you are twisting things. Keep Armando out of it.”
“But he’s in it. He’s... he’s helping you? You’ve turned on the family. Oh my God. We both have. We’re here. And the family knows. They do. They’ll blame me for this too! They’ll think I tried to kill Giovanni.”
“You already said you felt guilt!”
“Guilty because I’m stupid. Not because I actually tried to do it. But now! We are all now to blame.”
“No! Lorenzo and Armando aren’t working together. Lorenzo had no idea I called Armando.”
“You called him? Why?”
“Because I knew Giovanni would kill him. I knew Giovanni would never forgive him. Lorenzo is blind when it comes to his loyalty to Giovanni. He really believes they are brothers. I called Mirabella and told her what Lorenzo was planning. She called Armando and had him come for us, but Armando got there too late. That is why Giovanni is alive. Armando didn’t kill him after the shooting, he just helped me and Lorenzo escape. He’s not the bad guy in this.”
“I know. Lorenzo is!”
“You are so dense! I’m trying to tell you the truth!”
“Bullshit! You’re lying through your teeth. Do you think I can’t tell? I can tell!”
Marietta sighed. “You can still go home...”
“Not now! Not ever! Don’t you see, you fucking moron! Lorenzo chose a side when he came here. I chose a side. That’s how it is. A boss was shot from within his own family. The consequences of that can’t be changed by Mirabella. We are at war. All of the family is against us now. That is how it is done. What is done can’t be undone. Ever.”
“Not for Mirabella. Maybe for your warped up Mafia rules, but not for her. She’s the one that has the power, right? Right? With Giovanni shot, she has to make the family decisions. She would never close the door on us.”
Catalina shook her head sadly. “If she doesn’t pick a side now, then she never really loved my brother. She is as wicked as you!”
“Fuck you!” Marietta bit back.
Catalina sneered with clenched teeth. “Everything has changed. Lorenzo shot Giovanni. He’s a fucking dead man. Your baby is dead, you are dead. We are all DEAD!”
Marietta slapped Catalina so hard her hand stung. Catalina’s head jerk was severe. Her face slowly turned and instead of retaliation Catalina looked to the door behind Marietta. Catalina’s eyes were so watery she looked as if she’d explode with rage
“Snap out of it. Now! We need each other.”
“I don’t need you!” Catalina shoved her aside and went for the door.
“Catalina please!” Marietta wailed. “Please! I need you! Please! This baby is your blood, and my baby is innocent. Lorenzo needs you to help us.”
“There is no defense for Lorenzo’s crimes. If he was a real man he’d have answered for them instead of hiding behind the two of us!”
“He is a man!”
“He’s nothing!” Catalina spat. “He’s a miserabili pezzo di merda!”
“You have no idea what he’s done and sacrificed for this family over the years. This isn’t his fault! All his life he’s been second, maybe even third best. It’s not his fault. It’s mine. He was going to...”
Catalina turned from the door. She looked to Marietta with fresh tears falling. Marietta shook her head and wiped at her own.
“Finish it!” Catalina demanded. “He was going to what? Kill Giovanni but Armando stopped him?”
“Giovanni shot him first. He had no choice but to defend himself.”
“That's the way it works! Giovanni was justified. Lorenzo had Patri killed. You may not understand this, Mirabella sure as hell doesn’t, but they live by a code. Lorenzo should have laid down and died by the code before he shot Giovanni. For him to do this means he lives for nothing now. He is a nothing. Not for you, and not for that baby.”
“He has me and our child to live for, Catalina. To hell with that Mafia bullshit. He has a family now. He had to fight back! For us!”
Catalina paced away with her hands in her hair. Marietta wanted to tell her the truth. But she knew that would rip Catalina away from her, just as it would her sister. Lorenzo and Armando were the only two who knew the truth. “Things were crazy. I was... outside with Carlo when Armando arrived. He found us and attacked Carlo. Lorenzo came out with Giovanni bleeding. Armando took us away. We left Giovanni and Carlo behind.”
“So, one minute you are telling me Armando is using me and can’t be trusted, and the next you tell me he is Lorenzo and Giovanni’s savior? Which is it?” Catalina demanded.
“You can’t trust him, Catalina.”
“Pick a fucking side, Marietta!”
“Stop yelling at me. You need to get away from him. Being with him sends a message. You know that. It’s not too late for you and Domi.”
“It is too late. After last night... I made sure it’s too late.” Catalina said. “Domi and I were never supposed to be. Giovanni warned us both. It’s too damn late. And trust me. I can’t go back to the family and see Domi marry another woman. Have bambini with another woman. I can’t do it because I’ll kill the puttana and the bastard seed she carries.”
“You sound crazy,” Marietta said.
“I am. It’s finally happened. I’m crazy like you.”
Marietta tried to grab Catalina’s arms, but she shrugged off her touch.
“Armando will never let me leave. It's how this works. I don’t care what happens to you and Lorenzo. Like I said. We’re all dead now.”
“Agh,” Marietta winced.
Catalina stepped back.
“Help me,” Marietta groaned.
“Is it the baby?”
“I need to see a doctor. This morning, there was spotting when I wiped. A little.”
“Blood?”
“Yes, damn it! That’s what spotting is! But it wiped away. I think I need to see someone. My child is innocent. And my child needs Lorenzo. We won’t survive without him. Please help me. I don’t want to lose my baby.”
Catalina looked torn. Marietta hated lying, pretending the baby was in jeopardy. But she’d do anything, turn on anyone to protect her family. Marietta bent over for added affect. Catalina finally reached for her.
“Ow! It’s the baby!” Marietta said and started to cry. Just then Armando stuck his head inside. Marietta looked up and didn’t believe the coincidence. She went to her knees and faked weakness. Catalina held her and kept her from making a bad fall, but it was Armando who saved the day. He swept his sister up in his arms and carried her over to the sofa.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“She’s not feeling well. Can we get her to a doctor? Today?” Catalina answered.
“No! I can’t leave. Just have someone come here to see me, and then...” Marietta groaned again.
“I’ll take you both. Let me make some calls.” Armando said before he touched her belly with concern. Marietta frowned at him. He smiled. “My nephew is going to be okay,” he assured her.
“I don’t want to leave Lorenzo! He’s not strong enough yet. I don’t trust these men or you!”
“Are you serious? If Armando wanted him dead, he would be dead.” Catalina said. “We’d all be dead by now.”
“Would you please stop talking about death,” Marietta groaned and rolled her eyes.
Armando glanced to Catalina. Marietta didn’t like the look that they shared. Was she crazy for thinking it, or was there something between them? No. It couldn’t be. She groaned again to return the attention to her.
“I’ll get a car brought around. We’ll go to the doctors at the hospital.” He got up from his knees and stalked out.
“I’ll take you to your room. You can get dressed.” Marietta stopped her before Catalina was able to make her stand.
“No. I don’t want Lorenzo to know you are here.”
“Why? The bastard deserves to know everything,” Catalina said.
“Not yet. He’s recovering. He’s weak with fever from an infection. He won’t understand all of this, and it may make his health worse. One crisis at a time. Focus on my baby. Helping me...”
“I don’t care...”
“Catalina! We have all made mistakes. All of us! Even Mirabella. But I keep telling you that my baby is innocent. You blow up what’s left in my world by letting Lorenzo know you are with Armando because of me, and the stress alone could hurt my child. Do you understand?”
The fiery light of rage in Catalina’s blue eyes dimmed. She lowered her gaze to Marietta’s stomach. She gave a slow nod of agreement.
“I’m fine. I’ll put on some clothes and we’ll leave.”
Catalina was hesitant, but she let her go. Marietta returned to her room without looking back. Inside the room Marietta found her wounded husband asleep. The medication would have him lucid most of the day. She walked stiffly to the bed and sat down. She was in no physical pain, but her heart hurt. They were all in deeper trouble than she could have foreseen—especially her husband if he was going to take on this lie. Having Patri’s death blamed on him was one thing. But accepting the lie of killing Giovanni would destroy him. If she didn’t find a way to prevent it.
