by Bethany-Kris
The company won the bid. I sat in on it. Give your COO a raise. He deserves it. Thank him with something worth his while, Dante. Also, try to give him a little more leeway for this sort of thing. He’s proved he can handle it.
Giovanni has the family and business handled. You didn’t think I would let that go unmanned, did you? Thank your brother. When it is his time to take a break, you will allow him to have it and do so with a smile.
Lucian will be out tomorrow, probably around the evening. He will be at the Christmas party, and his kids will have him home.
Once again, thank your brother for that, too.
Oh, and me. You can thank me—and your wife—for this time away. You needed it, but we won’t always be able to hand it to you, Dante. You have to learn to do it for yourself.
Merry Christmas, son, and never underestimate the power of this Santa.
Ho, ho, ho.
Dante laughed as he folded the letter back up. He swore he could hear his father’s smugness coming through each and every word he had written.
Catrina stroked his cheek. “Good news?”
“Very good, Cat.”
“Ti amo, bello.”
Dante pulled his wife down to his lap, tipped her back, and kissed her. “Ti amo, mia cara bella.”
December 20th
Catrina put the finishing touch on Catherine’s hair with a red bow that matched her red and white dress. Catherine tipped her head back to stare up at her mother with a toothy smile that made Catrina’s heart melt.
It was like looking into a younger mirror when she stared at Catherine. They shared the same delicate features and smile. Even the way her daughter cocked her eyebrow when someone said something she didn’t like was just the same as Catrina.
Those greens eyes and that dark hair was all Dante, though.
“Do I look pretty, Ma?” Catherine asked.
Catrina kissed the tip of her girl’s nose. “The most pretty, Catherine.”
“I look like you. We match.”
Well, mostly.
Catrina’s dress was a tighter fit, and sexier. Adult to Catherine’s sweet child dress. They were the same satin, though, and the same red with white accents. Even the red kitten heels Catherine wore were similar to her mother’s sky-high Prada stilettos.
“We do,” Catrina said.
Catherine preened.
“Let’s go show Daddy, huh?”
She helped her daughter down from the large bed. They had used one of the many guest bedrooms in the Marcello mansion to ready for the Christmas party, while Dante and Michel had opted to use her husband’s old bedroom.
The kids had practically crawled up their father’s legs the second he walked into the mansion. They didn’t let go of him for a couple of hours after, either.
Catrina had planned for that, though. She made sure they got there in lots of time for the kids to reunite with them after their five days away, plus prep for the guests that would be soon arriving to party.
She reminded herself once again to thank her sisters-in-law for pulling extra weight with the whole party thing. She should have been here to help decorate more, and set up.
Kim and Jordyn got it, though.
Everyone needed a moment to breathe.
Catherine held tight to her mother’s hand as they headed down the long hallway to where Dante was readying himself and Michel. Sweet as could be, Catherine skipped along at Catrina’s side with a wide smile.
Every step her daughter took made her dress swing back and forth with a swishing sound. Catherine put a little extra bounce in her step just to make it that much louder.
Catrina couldn’t help but laugh.
“I was a good girl for Grandmamma and Grandpapa,” Catherine told her mother.
Outside the bedroom door, Catrina brushed a stray curl off her daughter’s shoulder. “I knew you would be.”
Catrina knocked twice on the bedroom door, and waited for her husband to call her inside.
“It’s open.”
Inside, Catrina found Dante was finishing with Michel by showing him how to knot his tie properly in the mirror.
“And then we pull it just like this,” Dante said.
Catrina smiled.
Michel, too, matched his father in a black suit with a matching red vest and tie. The two looked as handsome as could be.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Dante patted Michel on the very top of his head. “You got it, son.”
“Looks at me, Daddy!”
Catherine did a little twirl. Dante’s laughter lit up the room as he came to bend down in front of Catherine. He flipped out the skirt of her dress, and made sure the buckles on her shoes were snapped well. Then, he straightened her bow a bit.
“My pretty bambina,” he told her.
Catherine preened all over again.
She liked her compliments, as far as that went.
“You have to make sure you don’t get dirty, right?” Dante asked.
“I don’t like dirt, Daddy.”
Catrina snorted.
Dante nodded. “I know, Catherine.”
“Michel, why don’t you take your sister down to see Grandmamma and Grandpapa?” Catrina asked.
“Sure, Ma.”
Michel snagged his sister’s outstretched hand before the two darted from the room. That left Catrina and Dante all alone.
Dante stood, and allowed Catrina to check him over. She went over his suit with her hands, brushing away invisible lint that didn’t exist. She pretended to check his red tie and matching napkin, but those were perfectly knotted and folded as well.
Nothing new.
“You look beautiful,” Dante murmured.
Catrina smiled. “Oh?”
“The most beautiful.”
She laughed. “I am not like Catherine, bello. Compliments don’t do much for me, you know.”
“I still like to tell you.”
“I still like it when you do, too.”
Dante grinned a sexy sight. “I know. Do you want to do a little twirl for me, too? Let me see what those heels do for your legs?”
“You know exactly what they do for my legs, and better yet, what they do when they’re wrapped around your head.”
“Damn, donna.”
Catrina flashed her teeth and winked. “Save that for later. After all, you have a while before you have to worry about anything other than making me happy, and entertaining our kids.”
“True.”
“I expect breakfast in bed tomorrow,” Catrina told him.
Dante nodded. “Done.”
“And you can help me out of this dress later.”
“The heels stay on, though.”
“Of course.”
• • •
“Papa.”
Antony smiled wide as he approached Dante and Catrina. “Son. Don’t you look … happy.”
“That’s as good of a word as any,” Dante replied.
The Christmas party was in full swing. All the guests had arrived with no problems. The first course of food had been served. Bubbly champagne and red wine was being passed around. Santa had come for all the little ones in the mansion.
Lucian had finally made his appearance to surprise his wife and kids. Although, Catrina didn’t know where Jordyn and Lucian had disappeared to for the moment.
Cecelia was fully enjoying herself, proud of the way the girls handled the party, and didn’t have a bad word to say about anything.
Catrina counted all of that as a battle won for herself.
And her sisters-in-law.
“Where is Catherine and Michel?” Antony asked.
“Likely trying to get a second go at Santa,” Catrina replied.
Dante chuckled. “They were convinced he wouldn’t recognize who they were a second time around what with all the kids.”
“You tried that once, too,” Antony said.
“Really?”
Antony nodded. “Didn’t realize I was the one in the s
uit, though. You were about three, or so.”
“Classic Dante,” Catrina said.
Her husband patted her on the ass, although not in an obvious fashion.
“Your mother would like a dance,” Antony told Dante.
Catrina’s husband looked to her.
She shrugged.
“I guess I’ll take Antony, then.”
Antony, in his Santa hat and with a wide smile, offered his arm. “It’s not a second pick, Catrina. Who do you think taught that husband of yours to dance?”
“My mother,” Dante said over his shoulder.
“And me, thank you,” Antony replied.
“Yes, thank you,” Catrina said. “For everything, Antony.”
The Marcellos were a lot of things …
The very best family was right at the top of the list.
Antony’s smile softened. “Someone wanted the best Christmas for everyone this year, Catrina. I was only giving her what she wanted.”
Catrina didn’t ask who her father-in-law meant. She didn’t need to.
He clearly meant his own wife.
Antony was every single reason why his sons loved their wives the way they did.
Entirely. Wholly. Fully.
Unwavering. Always.
The kind of love that scared people. The kind of love that never failed.
So yeah, for that, Catrina would forever be grateful.
Giovanni & Kim
December 10th
“Are you listening to me?”
Kim rolled her eyes upward at her husband’s question. “Of course I’m listening to you, Giovanni.”
“Really, because I asked you the same question three times. You didn’t answer.”
Under her breath, Kim cursed at having been caught. Across the room, her six-year-old son, Andino, watched the National Geographic Channel.
“Bad word,” Andino said.
He didn’t even turn around.
Little tattletale.
“Sorry, Gio,” Kim grumbled.
“You’re a little distracted.”
Yep.
Not news.
“What was the question?”
“Did you pick up the stuff from the post office—Andino’s gifts we ordered online?”
“Yes,” Kim said. “I managed to do that.”
“Is it the party stuff?”
“Pardon?”
“The party, Tesoro. Ma’s party. Is that what’s got you in a whole different world today, or what?”
“Basically,” Kim admitted. “I have to handle the decorations. Jordyn’s got guests, invitations, and all that junk. Catrina took over the catering, minus the stuff we decided to cook ourselves. But the decorating—”
“It’s a lot,” Gio interjected.
Kim nodded to herself.
A whole lot.
She had several rooms within the Marcello mansion to decorate. They were not small rooms, either. Adding onto that little issue, Cecelia had ways she did things. Kim’s mother-in-law preferred for everything to be as real as possible.
So sure, while they had decorations to use, a lot was going to need to be purchased, made, or brought in. It was not a simple task.
And Kim had …
Oh, ten fucking days to get it done!
“Bad word,” Andino said again, still not turning away from the television.
“Did I say all that out loud?” Kim asked.
Gio’s chuckles echoed through the phone. “Yeah, you did.”
“Great.”
Kim massaged at her temples, and willed the oncoming headache away. She knew it wouldn’t do her any good. The damn thing was going to be her constant companion and unwanted best friend until she figured all this shit out.
“Kim, you’re freaking out over nothing,” Gio assured.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“Okay, so you get your ass home and come handle these tasks for me, Gio.”
“Can’t.”
“Because you don’t want to,” she grumbled.
“No, because I don’t have time, Tesoro.”
Kim checked her attitude. She knew that her husband was telling the truth. And besides, if Gio could help her, he would. He was great that way. Unfortunately, Gio had a whole bunch of his own shit he needed to handle.
A brother in lockup. Another brother—also his boss—that just seemed to be having a bad month. Business for his famiglia and as Dante’s consigliere. Christmas for them, and making sure his parents had a good holiday, too.
Their son …
Speaking of Andino.
“I want the whales, Ma,” Andino said, finally looking over his shoulder at her. “See, those kinds, Ma. I want them for Christmas.”
Kim eyed the damn documentary playing on the television. Unsurprisingly, killer whales slipped through the water alongside a large boat that was filming them. It was Andino’s new thing—killer whales, that was. At some point, he had watched or read something at school, came home, and was obsessed.
“Can I put it on my list, Ma?” Andino asked.
Kim pursed her lips, unsure how to explain to their child that, no, a whale could not be brought into their house. Andino wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He was too smart for his own good, and would ask a million and one questions that would absolutely make sense, but still left Kim telling him no.
“Well, we’ll think about it,” Kim told him.
Andino scowled, but went back to the program.
“What’s that?” Gio asked.
“He’s going on about the whales again.”
“Ah.”
“He’s going to be so disappointed when he doesn’t get a fucking whale for Christmas,” she said too low for their son to hear.
Gio sighed. “I’m looking for something to satisfy him.”
Sure, but nothing short of a goddamn whale—a real, live killer whale—was going to satisfy Andino’s wants. This obsession of their son’s had been ongoing for four months now. The longest of any of his obsessions. Once, it was trains. Then, matchbox cars. Real cars. Some crazy cartoon show Kim hated. Shoes.
Now, whales.
At least, she thought, Andino was an easy child.
She loved him for that.
He had always been her easy, happy boy.
“How is the judge and Lucian thing going?” Kim asked.
Gio had been working for a good month to try and get his brother released early from jail for Christmas. So far, they had been getting nowhere. Gio hadn’t even talked about what he was doing because he didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.
Kim knew, though.
She didn’t mind keeping the secret.
“Still hitting a wall,” Gio said heavily.
“Sorry, Gio.”
“It’s all right. But hey, Dad’s got a friend … we might be able to work something there.”
“Oh?”
“No promises,” Gio said.
Kim smiled.
Gio would get it done.
He always did.
“And on this whole decoration thing …”
“What about it?” Kim asked.
“In Queens, there’s a tree farm that comes in every year to do the whole … live trees, garland, wreaths and whatnot.”
“Okay.”
“Give them a call. They’ll deliver whatever you want as far as real stuff. Also, we should get a tree for the house.”
Kim eyed the bare corner where their Christmas tree always sat in the large living room. “It is looking kind of lonely in the corner.”
“You gotta put Andino’s gifts somewhere, right?”
“Cute, smartass.”
“Call them, Tesoro. Almost half of your decorating issues will be done, and Ma will be satisfied because it’ll be real.”
God, she loved her husband.
“Thanks,” she said.
Kim swore she could feel Gio’s smile when he said, “It’s what I do, babe.”
He did a whole hell of a lot, really. No one ever really pointed it out, or thanked Gio properly, but her husband stepped up when it came to his family. He took care of everybody, without question. He got shit done for them.
“I wonder if I could hire someone to decorate the rest,” Kim said.
Gio laughed darkly. “Kim, don’t get too many bright ideas like that. You know how Ma is; you have to do the majority on your own.”
“Burst my bubble why don’t you.”
“I’m not Willy Wonka.”
Kim snorted. “And you don’t sugarcoat shit.”
“Nope.”
“Bad word,” Andino said again from his spot in front of the television.
Kim shook her head. “Okay, Gio, you really need to have a talk with that kid about being a tattletale.”
“Put it on the list, Kim. Put it on the list.”
Their lists just kept growing …
December 13th
Giovanni Marcello typically liked when Christmas rolled around. It was the only time of the year when everyone settled a bit, relaxed, and had some fun. He was always up for fun.
This year, however, was proving to be very different.
He balanced the cell phone between his shoulder and ear as he unlocked the front door to his Amityville home. Before he even picked up his father’s call, he knew Antony was about to shove something else into his lap.
It had been one thing after another this year.
“Get to the point, Papa,” Gio said.
Antony grumbled a warning under his breath and a quick, “Should have just waited until the morning to call you.”
“That would have been appreciated.”
It was closing in on eleven at night. Gio had been from one end of New York City to the other from morning until evening. Life did not seem to want to slow down for him at the moment, and he really needed a few spare minutes to breathe.
Or to spend loving his wife.
To talk to his son.
Something.
Stepping inside his house, the first thing he noticed was that the lights were off and the place was quiet. Gio cursed internally, knowing Kim had likely run around like a chicken with her head cut off all day between Andino and planning that goddamn Christmas party.
He had meant to get home earlier and help her with their son—Andino wasn’t always a handful, but he certainly liked attention—but shit came up. Something was always fucking coming up lately.
