by Sienna Mynx
The woman smiled graciously at her. Marietta returned her attention to her daughter who she was spoon feeding pureed carrots. Lorenza gave her a big smile after every serving.
“Forgive me signora but you have a visitor.”
Marietta looked up. When she arrived, she met the doctors of this place who were paid by Giovanni to keep her locked up. One of them informed her that arrangements would be made for her to be sent to America. Was it time for her to leave? Was Giovanni stupid enough to believe that putting her on the plane would be the end of it?
She picked up a napkin and wiped her daughter’s mouth. She then lifted her baby girl from the baby chair in her room and kissed her face. “We’re leaving Lola. I promised you we would not be here for long.”
Marietta nodded to the young woman sent to collect her. She was led from her room to the open courtyard. She carried Lorenza in her arms and her baby girl always became jovial when she was near flowers. She could see her little head turn back and forth to see all the colors. Marietta smiled. Her smile soon faded when she saw her visitor.
It was an official from the Carabinieri.
She paused.
“Signora Marietta Battaglia. At last we meet.”
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Générale di corpo d'armata, my name is Geovani Altoviti. I am here to help.”
Marietta rocked her daughter in her arms. She frowned at first. But after staring into the eyes of the Générale for a moment a smile began to form on the man’s lips that drew one from her own.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I know many things, and with your help I can get you the justice you deserve. May we speak?”
She glanced up to the window. She saw the officials that were under Giovanni’s payroll. The Générale glanced up. “Ah, yes, I’m aware. I won’t stay long. You must leave this place. You must leave their control. If you do, I promise signora, there will be no reason to fear Giovanni Battaglia ever again.”
Marietta nodded. “I am glad you came Générale. Please. Tell me, how you can help me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The Return
Three Weeks Later — Sorrento, Italy
“THIS PLACE IS SO BEAUTIFUL,” Jilly said. She was giddy with excitement. The courts had all but sealed the deal. When they returned to America there would be one final hearing in family court and then the adoption will be official. Jilly had blossomed under the special treatment and loving care Shae offered her. Gone was the dark eyeliner she wore, and piercings. Her hair was now curly in its natural state without all the highlights. She didn’t cut her clothes up to reveal her navel or to make the hemlines shorter on her skirts. She looked like a girl of twelve and she was soon to be fourteen.
“It is beautiful,” Shae agreed.
They were dining in a very nice cliffside hotel in Sorrento. Their breakfast was delivered to their room and they ate on the terrace. From the white linen table where they were seated they could see the ocean and sail boats. The Battaglias had spared no expense.
A highchair was brought inside for Jewel. Her daughter kept reaching for Jilly’s food while sucking her pacifier. Jewel hadn’t transitioned to table food. Shae had a suspicion that Jilly gave her tiny morsels to enjoy when she wasn’t looking.
“Can I give her some of my eggs?” Jilly asked. “A little tiny bit?”
“You can try to see if she will taste it.”
Jilly took out Jewels pacifier. Her baby girl smacked her lips and hit her hands on the top of the feeding tray of the chair. Shae and Jilly both laughed. Jilly then put a small piece of egg into Jewels mouth. Jewel frowned and spit it up immediately. There went Shae’s theory that he daughter had sampled solids before. Both she and Jilly shared a laugh.
“Aww, she doesn’t like it,” said Jilly.
“Not yet, but maybe soon,” Shae said.
There was a knock at the door. Shae tossed her napkin to her plate and pushed back her chair. “You finish breakfast.” Shae said as she checked the time on her watch. It was time for her first visit. The attorneys said from this point on she would be met with a personal escort that would help arrange the meeting with Arielle and Carlo.
The nerves in her hands and belly tingled once she approached the door. Her heart raced too. She stopped to look at her reflection in the mirror. She’d lost a few pounds and her makeup was near perfection. However, she didn’t look as sexy and vibrant as Carlo would remember her. She had changed.
“Hello?” Shae said as she answered the door.
A woman in a dark pantsuit with her hair smoothed back into a tight bun greeted her. She wore a pressed white-collar shirt with cuffs that flipped over the at the wrist. Her makeup was natural and so was her beauty, but she didn’t smile to make the greeting pleasant. In fact, she looked as serious and dangerous as the two men accompanying her. Tall men in dark suits that were equal to Carlo’s stature with dark sunglasses that covered their eyes.
“You are Signorina Shannon Dennis. No?”
“Yes, I am her.”
“Who is it, Ms. Shae?” Jilly asked. Her daughter had picked up Jewel and came off the terrace to meet their visitor.
The woman gaze switched to the children. It was the first time she smiled. “I’m Candase Tornelli. I’m an employee of Don Giovanni. And you must be Signorina Jilly. Welcome to Italy.”
“Thank you,” Jilly said with a bright smile.
The woman took a step forward. Her focus narrowed to the baby. It made Shae so uneasy she walked over to Jilly and took her daughter into her arms. “Are you here to take us to the Battaglias so we can meet Arielle and Carlo?”
The woman remained transfixed on Jewel. Her baby girl put her pacifier back in her mouth and watched the stranger. Candase Tornelli gaze finally lifted to Shae before she answered.
“There has been a change in plans.”
“What change?”
“The Battaglias. We have suffered a great tragedy. A personal family tragedy.”
“Oh? The death of Adara, his wife?”
Signora Tornelli head cocked to the side. “No. Another tragedy. There was a fire and the oldest daughter Eve was hurt. It’s quite tragic but I’m not at liberty to speak anymore on the matter. The good news, if there is any to share at all, is that Carlo remains here. However, he has refused to let anyone on his land. We have not been in contact with him in the past weeks, since the death of his wife. He hasn’t even held his son or inquired about his health.” The woman took another step forward. “Is she Carlo’s daughter?”
“Yes!” Jilly spoke up. “Her name is Jewel. I named her.”
“Jilly, be quiet,” Shae said.
The woman smiled. “I can see him in her. He will be pleased to see you both.”
“Is that what Giovanni Battaglia hopes? That if Carlo sees me and his child everything will change between them.”
“My boss has other priorities right now. My Donna is concerned about this reunion and insists it happens no matter her personal losses. It is not to further any selfish purpose. This is the respect that Carlo is owed. I’m going to have to ask you to come with me. But please, finish your breakfast and we will wait downstairs for you.” The woman turned on her heel to leave.
“Wait.”
The lady paused. She glanced back over her shoulder.
“I think I should see him alone. First.”
“Oh, we agree. For your safety, you will be escorted there. But the meeting, Ms. Dennis, is yours and Carlos to have. I will introduce you to someone who can watch the children while you meet with him.”
“It’s okay, Ms. Shae. I will protect Jewel. I can take care of us.”
Shannon nodded. The woman smirked. “What a brave girl you are.” Candase gave Jilly a wink and turned and left. Shae let go the deep breath she held. Again, her doubts surfaced. Was she doing the right thing, or would her return cause him nothing but more pain?
“You ha
ve to change.”
“What? Why?”
“And I need to do your makeup.” Jilly went to their luggage.
“I look fine.”
“You saw that woman. She was fierce! You need to be just as bad ass—ah I mean more pretty when you see him. Right?”
Shae smiled. “I don’t think it will matter.”
“It will! Let’s hurry. I’m so excited.” Jilly grinned.
THE DRIVE WAS SHORT. The woman who escorted them didn’t share any information on their intended destination. Behind her sat Shae, with Jilly and her baby girl. They didn’t ask any questions. Jilly seem to understand and respect the silence Shae commanded of her. All the while Shae scrambled to pull together all that she had learned. A fire? The Battaglias had moved back to Naples and Carlo stayed behind? What did it all mean?
When they arrived at a villa and parked before it Shae didn’t recall the place. Nothing about it looked familiar.
“What do we do?” Jilly whispered.
“You keep your eye on Jewel.”
“I won’t let anyone touch her.” Jilly said. Jewel looked up at Jilly and then up at her mother. Shae smiled at her daughter. She couldn’t wait for Carlo to meet her.
They were escorted from the car to the door of the villa, and greeted by a very pretty woman with auburn hair. She looked tired only around the eyes but had a pleasant smile.
“I’ve been waiting,” she said.
Shae entered first but kept her hand on Jilly to make sure she stayed close. They followed the woman to where she would receive them. They sat together on a sofa and stared at the lady as she paced. She and their escort spoke in Italian. The woman with the auburn hair kept giving Shae distrustful looks. The two women came to an agreement and Shae’s escort left.
“Salve, I’m Arielle. I’m a friend of the Battaglias. I spoke to you on the phone.”
“We finally meet,” Shae said.
“Adara was my daughter.” The woman’s polite smile was gone. She glared at Shae as if she expected an apology. Shae wasn’t certain for what. Adara had married Carlo. She had given him the son he always wanted. From Shae’s perspective Adara had the charmed life until her death.
“She told me about you and Carlo. About the relationship you shared. I know everything.”
“I’m at a disadvantage because I know nothing.”
“Oh, you know who Adara is, who she was.” Arielle insisted.
“I didn’t know her. I’m sorry she’s dead. I’m only here because you called me and the Battaglias invited me to come.”
“Have you spoken to Carlo? Since she died?”
“No,” Shae said.
“He hasn’t called you? Not once!”
“No.”
Jewel began to play with Shae’s bracelet and the tinkle of the bangles drew Arielle’s attention to the child. “Her name?”
“Her name is Jewel Carlotta,” Shae said.
“She’s precious,” Arielle admitted. “She looks like... baby Carmine.”
“Who?” Jilly asked.
Shae shook her head no to Jilly.
Arielle took a seat and decided to answer Jilly’s question. “I have Carlo’s son. His name is Carmine. We call him Baby Carmine. He’s sleeping now.”
“Oh?” Jilly looked at Jewel. “Then that means they are brother and sister?”
“Yes, it does mean that,” Arielle said.
“Jewel will love him. A neighbor back home has a baby and Jewel just smiles every time I take her over there. You hear that Jewel? You have a brother.”
“And Carlo? How is he?” Shae asked.
“I don’t know. He hasn’t come to see his boy since the funeral. No one has seen him or spoken to him. When you see him today I want you to let him know that Carmine is fine with me. That I will take care of him. It’s what I do,” Arielle wiped away her tears. “I take care of the children.”
Shae frowned. “Are there more children?”
Arielle didn’t answer. Shae shifted Jewel on her lap and her daughter reached for Jilly. Shae handed the baby over to Jilly.
“You can leave them with me. While you see Carlo. It’s best and safest this way. Things are tense for the Camorra now.”
“I don’t want to stay here,” Jilly objected. “We can go with you, Ms. Shae.”
“No. She’s right Jilly. That’s the plan, for me to see Carlo alone. And then I’ll come back and introduce you and Jewel to him.”
Arielle gave a bitter chuckle. “Is that what you think? That one look at you and he’ll want to be the man you rejected in America?” Arielle clucked her tongue and crossed her arms. “Good luck!” she muttered.
“Excuse me?” Shae said.
“He loved my Adara! This is wrong. He needs time to grieve her, not toss her memory aside as if she never mattered.”
“That’s it! We’re leaving.” Shae got up. “C’mon, Jilly!”
“No! Wait. Wait. No. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I’m just—it’s been really hard.”
Shae glared at the woman and tried to keep her anger in check. She knew Jilly was watching her. “I don’t know what it must be like to lose a child,” Shae began. “It must be hard on you. And trust me I have no delusions around some perfect reunion for me and Carlo. But you invited me back into his life. So, I assume that’s because his love for your daughter and her death has broken him. I understand a broken Carlo. The same way he understands a broken me.”
Arielle dropped her head and began to cry. “She never got a chance. Not a single chance!” Arielle banged her fists against the table. “Her life was never hers. She wanted one thing, a family. Her own family. And God took it from her.”
Shae reached for a box of tissues. Shae wanted to comfort Arielle but didn’t. She let her collect herself. Arielle did. She looked up at Shae and then at the children. “Your children are safe here. I swear to you. But please leave. Seeing you is painful to my daughter’s memory.”
“Ms. Shae? Don’t trust her. We shouldn’t stay here,” Jilly said.
“Can you do this for me, Jilly? Can you take care of Jewel and let me see Carlo?”
“But Ms. Shae we don’t know her.”
“I will be back. I can’t leave you at that hotel. Not yet. This is the safest place. Trust me.”
Jilly glanced to Arielle. Shae understood her hesitation. She had to question her own sanity over this visit and what they were proposing she do. But she didn’t feel that Arielle would harm them. In fact, she felt Arielle’s protective grief made her a safe ally in this horror show.
“Okay. I know how to deal with danger,” Jilly said with a threatening glance at Arielle. “We’ll be fine.”
Shae kissed Jewel and her baby girl grinned behind her pacifier. She kissed Jilly and whispered in her ear. “Call the number I gave you if anything happens. You find a way.”
Jilly nodded. “I remember. I will.”
Shae let her go and touched her cheek. She may not have given birth to Jilly but she could not deny that Jilly’s strength and smarts were forged through her short life of adversary just like her own. She had no doubt that Jilly would keep Jewel safe and do as they agreed if anything happen to her. Arielle watched the exchange but didn’t seem to notice the conversation, or simply didn’t care. Shae picked up her purse and walked out.
The woman escort waited for her by the car.
CARLO PREFERRED THE isolated proposition of his property and land. There was only one way to his villa by car. It kept visitors at bay. It also meant that she was very vulnerable out in the isolated location.
“Signorina Shae. We will not be able to drive you to the door.”
Shae looked outside of her window and saw the tents erected and many boys gathered. The approach of the car must have alarmed them. They started appearing from everywhere. In their hands were machetes, or bats with nails and chains, they looked very hostile.
“I understand. I can make the walk.”
“We will not leave. My instructions ar
e to make sure you are safe. If anything goes wrong, please make it to the door. We will be watching. If you can make it to the door let us do the rest.”
“He won’t hurt me.”
“Signorina...”
“I’m fine.” She opened her door and got out. Thanks to Jilly she had changed from her jeans and simple top to a summer dress that was backless with four-inch gold wrap around sandals that tied up above her ankles. It proved a big mistake. The wind blew at her dress and her sandals were terrible to walk in over the soil. The boys watched her curiously. The escorts that brought her watched as well. She was now between them on the single lane road. Shae stopped to remove her shoes. She didn’t care how her skirt blew around her thighs as she did. Freed from them she continued on. Her hair was straight but longer because of the addition of extensions. The pink strips of hair became strikingly bright in the sunlight. It was like a siren announcing her presence. And even the boys who watched her walk to Carlo’s villa that hadn’t met her in the past knew who she was.
The pink lady.
A few gave her a nod of respect, while others looked distrustful. The most accusing stare fixed on her was a young man on the front steps of the villa. He held a long barrel shotgun and aimed it directly at her.
“He doesn’t want to see you!” the boy said.
Shae paused.
“Does he know I’m here?”
“I told him,” the boy said.
“You told him? You sure?”
“I’m Rolando. It’s what I do. I get information. And I knew the Battaglias were sending for you. I told him.”
“He said he didn’t want to see me?”
Rolando nodded.
Shae smiled.
“You’re close to him.”
“Go!” the boy said. He looked fatigued. All the kids did. They were diligent in protecting Carlo but they were also scared of losing him. Shae understood. She was scared too.
“How is he Rolando?”
The boy remained silent.
“I didn’t come here because of the Battaglias. I came here because of his daughter. You remember me? Don’t you? You saw me, didn’t you?”
