by Sienna Mynx
“I’m pregnant,” she announced.
A few gasps and a scream of joy from Minnie. The family cheered and the men immediately came forth to congratulate Giovanni as the women came to do the same for Mirabella. The two were separated during the celebration. She glanced to Giovanni and he was looking at her. He mouthed the words ‘ti amo’ to her. And she believed him. She uttered the same.
Carlo boarded the plane with Marietta under the cover of night. The private jet did have a room to the back. She was able to lay down back there. The men kept the door closed. She didn’t care. She found a phone. She tried to use it. There was dead silence on the other end of the line.
When the plane touched down she heard the men talking. They were loud. Was something wrong? Did Lorenzo find out what was happening and get to her? Was he boarding the plane with guns, ready to save her? She waited.
The door opened. Carlo stood there. Marietta frowned.
“How do you feel?”
“Where are we? Sicily? Rome? Mirabella said...”
“The Donna isn’t in charge anymore.”
“What does that mean? Huh? Tell me!”
“Giovanni sends his love. He wants his niece or nephew to be born without issue.”
“Giovanni? He... where are we, Carlo?”
“We’re in Greece. The plane is refueling and the men are leaving. It’s you and me from this point on.”
“I was supposed to go to Rome, Carlo. That was the plan. Me and Minnie. Please. Please take me. Or, wait, take me to Sicily. Just drop me off. Let me and Lorenzo fend for ourselves.”
“I can’t do that, sweetheart.”
“Why did Giovanni send you? Huh? I’ll tell you why, because none of them respect you. They make you do things like this? To a pregnant woman. To a woman that loves you.”
Carlo smirked but didn’t respond.
Marietta wiped her tears. “Where are you taking me?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Where?”
“You should have trusted me. Lorenzo should have trusted me. It’s out of my hands. Here is your breakfast and your medicine. He tossed a bag to the bed, an orange rolled out of it.”
“Carlo, don’t do this. Call Lorenzo. Tell him where we are. He’s your best friend. If you ever cared about me, for me, you’ll help me. At least tell me where we are going! Please!”
She saw him pause on the last of her statement. Could she reach him? She remembered how heartless she was after Shae broke his heart. She saw the scar to the side of his head where she nearly killed him. And she knew of Lorenzo’s crimes against him. She also knew that Carlo was given the jobs that no one else could stomach to do. That is why they called him the Butcher.
“Please.”
“We’re going to Tunisia,” he said.
“Africa?” she frowned.
“There’s a hospital that can help you and the baby.”
“Why Africa?” she asked.
“That’s all I can tell you. For now,” Carlo said. “Giovanni wants his little cousin born and healthy.”
“And me?”
Carlo closed the door.
“Carlo! Why Africa?”
Her heart sank.
***
Carlo reached into his pocket. He pulled out the note that Minnie had written down the number to call Lorenzo in Spain. The staff had given it to Mirabella. She had given it to Dominic. And Dominic had given the note to Giovanni, who had eventually passed it over to Carlo. And the boss had done so with clear instructions.
The airplane was empty. He had no one to take them into Africa but the pilot. Carlo sat down in the chair. He could hear Marietta crying and pleading with him. Her torment and misery hurt him deeply. But he’d lived through far deeper pain. Recently his loss of Shae had taught him how to accept pain. And then he lost Adara, and learned to no longer trust his emotions. Marietta saw him weak enough to fall for the ‘I love you’ line. Unfortunately for them, it was too late.
The pilot announced ten more minutes before they were ready for take off. Carlo picked up the phone. He stared out the window and saw the plane being refueled. The line was cut to the back cabin. But there was a working phone up front for him. He dialed Spain and wished he had a cigarillo or some weed to smoke. The phone answered on the third ring.
“Lorenzo,” he said.
The person didn’t question him. They asked that he hold on in Spanish. He waited.
“Who is this?” Lorenzo asked.
“Been a long time, brother,” Carlo said.
Lorenzo remained silent.
“You know if I’m calling what this means.”
“Don’t you lay a fucking hand on her, Carlo. Not a fucking hand on her or my child! Do you hear me?” Lorenzo shouted in the phone.
Carlo smiled.
“Do yoooooooou!” Lorenzo demanded.
“Would you like to say goodbye?”
“Where’s Giovanni? Tell him to face me like a man! I shot him. Not her! She’s innocent, Carlo.”
“Our women are never innocent. Are they?”
“Carlo!” Lorenzo yelled. “Let her go! Let her go on my life, brother, I’ll go to Giovanni. I will. On my knees I’ll go to him, please! I was there for you, Carlo. When not even your own mother showed you mercy, I was there. At the prison, bringing you money and things. Making sure you were okay. When no one else was!”
“And you killed Carmine!” Carlo seethed.
“It’s my fucking wife, you pyscho! Deal with me, but leave her out of it! Let her go! She can’t...” Lorenzo began to pant. “I have news. I killed Armando! You hear me? I have Mancini on lockdown. It’s mine now. And I’m with our Armenian friends. They are willing to work a more lucrative deal with Giovanni. Fuck, Carlo, you wanted to get out of the life. I can send you back to America. Marietta will find Shae for you. Fuck it, I’ll find her, drag her ass back to Italy and give her to you! Just please, man, let my wife and my kid go.”
“It’s too late.” Carlo ended the call to Lorenzo’s shouting voice. He yawned and stretched. It would be a long flight and he needed some sleep. He dropped the seat back and reclined into relaxation with the foot rest lifting his feet. Soon he was drifting on the terrified sounds of Marietta crying and begging to be released behind a locked door.
The doctor finished his examination. Mirabella lay in her bed, listening to him speak to Giovanni as if she weren’t in the room. One minute she was dancing around with Giovanni and celebrating with the family and the next she was here? What happened? Did she faint, collapse? The men agreed on her doctor’s visit being moved up, and Giovanni was warned about her elevated pressure. She lay there in shock. Her children were ushered inside. Before she could utter a word, they were on the bed and crawling to her. Giovanni watched her and the kids with a smile. She wanted to scream at him. But she couldn’t. She didn’t dare.
“Mama? You fell down?” Eve asked as if seeking an explanation.
“I know, Eve. Mama tripped over her feet. I’m all better.”
Gino snuggled her lap, and his brother Gianni fought to push him away. She managed to pull all three of them close. She prayed hard for her children, and Marietta.
Giovanni opened the door and spoke to someone in the hall.
“Send for Cecilia,” he said.
Mirabella squeezed her sons to her breast. “Mommy has some news to tell you.”
“That you’re pregnant?” Eve asked.
She glanced up to Giovanni, who stood there with a smile to his face. Mirabella looked to Eve first. The boys were too busy resting their heads on her breast. “Yes, it’s what I said at breakfast. Do you understand what it means?”
Eve shook her head no.
“I’m going to have another baby.”
“Why?” Eve’s nose wrinkled in disgust.
Giovanni chuckled. “Because she loves Papa. And she is going to give me another little firefly like you.”
“Me too?” Gino asked. “I have baby too?”
&nb
sp; “You too!” Giovanni reached for him and tossed him in the air. Eve stood on the bed. She looked distressed. On the verge of tears.
“I don’t want another baby. Not another one! We don’t need it. I love you, Papa. I’m here! I’m right here.”
“Eve,” Mirabella reached for her daughter.
“No! No, Mommy! I don’t want another. We have the twins. Why another? Send it back.”
Giovanni put Gino down. He reached for Eve, who tried to escape him. He captured her in his arms. Eve cried against his shoulder. He stared at Mirabella, who said nothing. She was emotionally exhausted. He then heaved Eve up on his arm to look at her. “Mama could have a million babies, but it doesn’t change anything. Not how I feel for you. Ever. Do you understand me, Lucciola?”
“No,” she cried.
He tickled her side, but it didn’t work. Eve collapsed against him crying. He walked out of the room into the one next to theirs with her. Mirabella could see him with Eve in the other room. He put her down on her feet and then stooped to her level. Eventually he went to his knees as he listened to Eve cry and explain her fears. Mirabella could barely understand her daughter’s words through her broken sobs, but Giovanni seemed attentive. It was then it dawned on her. The bigger understanding. He was not the monster everyone believed him to be. He was the man who pretended to be the monster. That’s why the Calderone children lived. That’s why in her heart of hearts, she knows her sister and her unborn child would survive this.
Eve went to her father and hugged his neck. He rubbed her back, and held her until she was ready to let go. And to Mirabella’s relief, her daughter smiled. She ran back in the room.
“Mama! Mama!”
“What is it, baby?” Mirabella asked while holding both of her boys.
“Tomorrow Papa is taking me to Costiera Amalfitana to see the boats. The twins can’t come. Just us. And I can fly my kite. He said it. Didn’t you, Papa?”
Giovanni nodded.
“That’s going to be so much fun baby.”
“I’m so excited. I’m going to find Nico to tell him.” She ran for the door and collided with Cecilia. Eve pushed past her legs and bolted out into the hall.
“Donna? Are you okay?” Cecilia asked.
“I’m okay. It’s really nothing.” Cecilia nodded and came over to the bed. Gino stood and reached for her. Cecilia kissed him and then put him down to take a sleeping Gianni from Mirabella’s arms. She watched as her nanny walked out with the children.
“How do you feel, Bella?”
“I’m okay. This is my fault. I haven’t eaten, barely took my vitamins, I’ve been just going on adrenaline. My body is telling me to pull back.”
“I’m stressing you. I’m sorry Bella. I owe you an apology.”
“Gio...”
“I do. You were right. I never told you how to protect yourself or the children if something happened to me. I never warned you of the danger. I guess my arrogance didn’t let me believe I’d be taken down so soon.”
“Soon? You say that like you expect to die that way.”
“No Bella.”
“Stop Gio. Stop giving me hard lessons and then trying to soften your blows. I don’t need the mixed messages.” She sat up and reached for his hand. “The woman you married, the one who believed in the fairytale... she’s gone.”
Giovanni shook his head.
“She had to go Gio. It had to happen for us both. I don’t want to know what you did to Marietta or Lorenzo. I don’t need an explanation. Not anymore.”
“I don’t want you to hate me, to fear me,” he said but couldn’t look in her eyes.
Mirabella smiled. “I can experience, fear, concern, disappointment, even anger toward you and never hate you Gio. I learned that so long ago. I learned that when Eve was born. I learned it when we had our boys. I learned it when the whole world was on your shoulder and they almost took you from me. Ironically Marietta taught me this. You are the center of my universe. I’m your Black Donna—Donna Nera, and nothing will ever come between us.”
She embraced him and he kissed her face and neck. He kissed her everywhere above her shoulders. She smiled through her tears.
“I have something to tell you,” her voice broke with emotion.
Giovanni drew back. “We can talk after you rest.”
“It’s my time to talk.” She sniffed. “Look into the drawer.”
The breath in her lungs caught. She reclined into her pillow and watched her husband. He reached into the dresser and removed the journal. He glanced to Mirabella for an explanation.
“I went into the forbidden room. Your mothers room upstairs. That is her journal.”
“Did you have a reason? To go in there?”
Mirabella nodded.
“Open it Gio.”
“No. My mother is off limits Bella.”
“Open it, please trust me. I wouldn’t have gone in there and got this diary if it weren’t important.”
Giovanni sighed. He opened the journal and a picture fell out to his lap. He picked it up and stared at it.
“Do you know her?”
He glanced to Mirabella. “This isn’t my mother.”
“Does she look like her?”
Giovanni studied the image. “A little.”
“Rocco told me the story of who she is. Told me where to find that diary. I read Eve’s words about this young woman. I want you too. I think it’s best your mother explain her history.”
“I don’t have time for this, I’ll read it later.”
Mirabella grabbed his arm. “If you are going to kill Lorenzo for his crimes against this family then you need to know what your mother tried so hard to protect you from. Read the damn diary Gio. I had to wake up and accept the truth so do you. No more secrets, not between us and not in our family. You demand the truth, then you damn well need to be able to hear it.”
Giovanni glanced to the diary in his hand. He nodded. He got up and went to the chair in the room. He sat in it. He set the picture aside and he opened the pages Mirabella had marked.
She reclined and waited. Her husband would need her when he was done.
Chapter Forty-Five
The Final Act
Sorrento, Italy
Consciousness was hard to hold on to. Rocco struggled to do so, but found sleep to be the only remedy for his pain. That had been his state for close to twenty-four hours. Giovanni had no idea things had deteriorated with the old man so fast. In fact, when he was told Rocco was ill, he considered it a fixable problem. It wasn’t.
“What can be done?” Giovanni asked the doctor.
“Nothing at this point. I’m afraid his blood pressure is dropping. We had to put him on a ventilator an hour ago. We called your home and informed his wife.”
“Zia? She knows.”
“Yes. She was told. I believe she knew before she left yesterday evening,” the doctor said. Giovanni found that tidbit most troubling. If Zia knew that Rocco was on his last breath, why not ring the alarm? And why did she leave him alone? Giovanni stepped to the bedside. He stared down at the old man. There were few vows he made to his father on his death bed. But there was one he kept. It was his father’s last wish and warning. Never trust Rocco. Never to trust a brother who envies you. The relationship between Rocco and Tomosino had been a big mystery to Lorenzo and Giovanni from kids to adults.
“How long does he have?”
“A few hours, maybe a little more. His vitals aren’t strong, and organ failure will come swiftly. At his age, the best we can do is keep him comfortable.”
“All of this from a fall?” Giovanni frowned.
“We spoke to him. He’s been feeling poorly for quite some time. He sounded as if he expected this day. We tried to reach his doctor in Florence. We were told he hadn’t been back in to see him in over three years.”
Giovanni sighed. “Can you wake him?”
“Wake him?”
“Bring him out of this state. Can you?”
“He’ll deteriorate faster and he’ll do it in pain. I wouldn’t suggest...”
“Didn’t ask you for a suggestion. I asked if it can be done. Can we wake him?”
“Sì, Don Battaglia. We can bring him out of sedation.”
“Do it,” Giovanni went over to the phone. He called the post where his man gathered. Daniel answered. “Get a car and bring the family. Tell my wife that the children should come. Rocco is... he’s dying.”
Giovanni hung up the phone. He glanced back to the bedside. He frowned. There was no way in hell Lorenzo was his brother. No way in hell.
Spain has over a 1000 miles of Mediterranean coastline. She had learned much about the region during her vacations with her father when she was a little girl. They’d arrived in the country three days ago. The weather was moderate in temperature, and the sky cloudy. Catalina recognized many of the towns on sight. All except for this one. From the moment the boat docked at pier, to the travel distance along an abandoned beach, she saw nothing familiar. The drive through the seaside hamlet was also uneventful. Stores were closed, and very few people could be seen on bikes or walking the cobblestone streets. It’s as if they knew who they were, and the entire world had shut them out.
The pleasant weather worked fine for them. The villa they were brought too had no air conditioning and a drinking well on the property. The windows were left open to keep the place cool in the day and even cooler at night.
The first night after they arrived Armando visited her dreams. At least she thought it was a dream. It was one of those astral dreams where she was out of her body observing it all. She lay in the bed tossing and turning, and opened her eyes. Armando sat on the windowsill. The shutters were cast open, and she could see the starry night behind him. He stared out the window, and then looked to her. He smiled. No one spoke in the dream. They didn’t have too. He came to her as if he’d never left her side and made love to her until she stopped crying. And when it was over and she was most happiest the dream ended. She woke to her window being open, and the night air chilling the room. She woke alone.
