La Dolce Vita: Romantic Suspense (Battaglia Mafia Series Book 7)

by Sienna Mynx

  "Come with me, sweetheart. Don't you want to play?" Mirabella asked.

  "Yes," Eve agreed. She looked to her father. "Can I play?"

  Giovanni wanted to refuse. Everything in him said he should refuse. But Mirabella had removed her sunglasses and pleaded with her eyes that he loosen up. He reluctantly put his daughter down. Gianni, when lowered, began to holler. Mirabella gave him over to Giovanni. She knelt and made the introductions. "You remember Minnie, don't you?"

  Eve nodded.

  "She has a granddaughter that wants to see you. She wants to play with you."

  "Va bene, I want to meet her," Eve said.

  "She speaks Italian. She's so cute!" the other woman with Minnie exclaimed.

  Minnie extended her hand. Eve looked to her mother and then to the woman. She took her hand and let her lead the way.

  "We'll join you both in a few minutes," Mirabella said.

  The women left with his daughter. The moment they were out of hearing distance he opened his mouth to speak, but Mirabella silenced him with her own voice. "I know it's a bit overwhelming, sweetheart. They don't mean any harm. It was shocking to see me after all this time. Most weren't sure how I would be, so they are... just trying to make us feel welcome."

  "But--"

  "Giovanni." She gave him a stern look. "Since the day I married you I have been thrust into your world. Accepting of your culture and our differences. You will do the same for me. And you will do it with respect. Do you understand?"

  He could say nothing but nod his head in agreement.

  "Remember this church, the land that this church sits on, all of it, we own. Those people, most of them, work in my factories. We own it. It was the first thing I bought when I made my first million. And today, for the first time since I buried my grandfather, I am going to see his grave. I need you to be your charming self. So I don't fall apart."

  "Si, Bella. I will be," he said. “Come closer.”

  Mirabella stepped to him. He touched the side of her face with the back of his hand. And then leaned in and seized a kiss. She was so beautiful to him, even more, when she was disciplining him. He leaned in and kissed her before her world. Mirabella's arms lifted and went around his neck. The kiss ended far too soon, but it delivered the message he wanted to send. Everyone in the Campania knew how close to his heart his family was. Now the people of Apple Grove would learn the same.

  Mirabella let him go first and wiped her lipstick from his mouth. "Some people here think I bought the town to flaunt my wealth. Others think I'm cold and selfish to my family because they are still farmers and factory workers. I just want you to understand why there may be a little tension."

  "And Cutter?" Giovanni asked. "Is he here to send some kind of message to you?"

  "I don't care about Cutter. What happened between us was over a decade ago. He doesn't matter to me. And I don't want you to let him get under your skin. Please? No matter what, we ignore him."

  Giovanni chuckled. That wasn't the answer she hoped for, but it was the only one he'd offer. He looked up and saw his children laughing and screaming with delight. Lorenzo and Marietta were now walking off to the cemetery hand and hand.

  “Your grandparents are buried here? Is that what the woman said earlier?”

  Mirabella glanced back. She too saw Marietta venture inside the private cemetery.

  "That's a historical site here in Virginia. Slave graves and our family roots can be traced back there. My grandfather too. I used to think I wanted to be buried there as well."

  "What? Away from the kids and me!" Giovanni said with a fake gasp.

  "Excuse you; my kids are buried with me," Mirabella said.

  Giovanni laughed and hugged her. “You and my kids will be buried next to me. In Sicilia. By the sea, with blue roses growing for eternity.”

  She turned and hugged him. “Can we not talk about death?”

  He kissed the top of her head. “Yes. But I want to see the graves. Let’s go and...”

  “No. Not now," she said. "Gianni, do you wanna play with Eve and Gino, honey?"

  “No, No! mommy!” Gianni said.

  “Ah, c’mon sweetie-pie, they are having fun,” she tried to put him down. He screamed and clung to her.

  “I think he’s sleepy. The time difference is making him cranky,” she said. Giovanni shrugged. His gaze lifted over the top of his sunglasses and connected with Cutter who watched them from under the tent. He then looked to Marietta who had knelt before a grave. Her long curls covered her face by the wind but he could tell it must be an intense moment. Lorenzo hovered over her watching.

  “Bella, you sure you don’t want to join your sister? Look over there.”

  Mirabella didn’t answer. She fretted with their son who refused to stop crying. Giovanni reached over and took him. He bounced him twice in his arm, and he stopped crying.

  "Thank you, honey," Mirabella said and smiled. "Let's get you a plate of food. There are so many people I want to introduce you to."

  Giovanni took her hand. Together they approached the family.

  ***

  “You okay Marie?” Lorenzo asked.

  She wiped at her tears and nodded. She went into her husband's arms. He hugged her. It only took them a few minutes to locate the graves. The moment she stood before them emotions she couldn't express crashed in on her. She wasn't sad or angry. She was filled with so many feelings that felt similar to the love she felt for her husband and baby. Pure love. Lorenzo kissed her face. He took her hand, and they left the cemetery and returned to the tents. Immediately family swarmed them. Lorenzo was seated a table where the men gathered, and she was pulled over to where the women gathered.

  "I'm sorry. I can't keep the names straight." Marietta chuckled.

  Her cousin Deloris grinned. Deloris was doing the majority of talking. "Forget the introductions. You have so much family here, girl, you would need a pen and paper to get it all down. Just know that we are all excited to finally meet you."

  There was a total of twelve women and kids seated with her now. And more were coming to stand around the picnic table.

  "So, where are you from?" Deloris asked.

  "Chicago," Marietta answered.

  "And how did you find Mia? How did you know she was your sister?" A woman named Tannie asked.

  "My parents told me I was adopted. I was searching my records and found my father's name. It sent me to Italy. Once there I found out who my mother was. And that's how I found her," Marietta said.

  "Wow," Deloris shook her head. "I was little when Lisa ran away. But I remember when she came back. She was so beautiful. Like you. And sad. I guess I would be too if I was separated from my baby. Is it true? What that man in Sicily said. You're his sister? Does that mean James ain’t your father?”

  Marietta drank from a plastic cup. It was the only thing she could do to delay her answer. But the women all looked at her and waited for an answer. "Well, it turns out that James isn't our father. A man, a very powerful man in Sicily, is. He is dead now. We met him before he died and he told us the truth about our mother.

  "Wow,” Deloris said, and the women all exchanged looks.

  "And that's your husband? Over there? The tall one," A woman named Angela asked.

  "Yes, he's my husband, and he's the cousin of Mirabella's husband," she said. The women exchanged another look. Marietta could sense there was something to the women being around her and not Mirabella. A few people spoke to Mirabella, but none of them were as friendly to her as they were to her. And it was slowly pissing her off.

  "Deloris, can I ask you a question?" Marietta said.

  "Sure," Deloris said. Someone put an infant in Deloris arms and a bottle. Deloris began to feed the baby. A few of the women got up to join other tables for conversation. And others got up to fix plates. The crowd had thinned enough for Marietta to be frank.

  "What's the big secret?" Marietta asked.

  "Huh?"

  "Why does everyone treat Mirabella a
s if she just landed in a spaceship? I can see it. It's like you're happy she's here, but you're not."

  Deloris gaze switched over to Mirabella. She was laughing with the minister and Giovanni while Gianni danced at her feet to the gospel music. Deloris opened her mouth when Minnie appeared. All the women looked up.

  "Everything okay over here? Do you want something else to eat or more to drink?" Minnie asked.

  "No. I'm fine. Deloris was going to tell me why everyone seems a little standoffish to my sister." Marietta said.

  "No I wasn't," Deloris blurted. "I mean I don't think people are treating her differently. Right, Minnie? No one has been mean to Mia."

  "Stop blabbering, Deloris." Minnie gave a belly laugh. She sat down on the picnic bench. She gave a look to the other women, and they picked up their plates and babies then moved on. She then smiled at Marietta. "How much do you know about your grandparents?"

  "Only what my sister has told me. Granddaddy was a preacher and a farmer. And Me-Ma died when she was young."

  "Yeah, Mary had sugar. Black folk then, barely managed that well."

  Marietta frowned at the term.

  "Diabetes. She dealt with it, but she was type 1. You can't defeat it. Eventually, it ate away at her. It was so sad when she died. We all felt it. Mia suffered the most. Mary was the only mother she ever knew."

  "And Grandaddy died of a stroke?" Marietta said.

  "He did. He suffered quite a bit before he finally let go and let glory claim him. He was a tough bird. Tough to the bitter end. Many of us thought he’d make it."

  Marietta exhaled. At least that part of her history was true. Last night Mirabella had wanted to talk about her past, but Marietta stopped her. She could tell it was hard for her sister, and she just didn't want anything to ruin their mood. Now the curiosity was growing.

  "So what is it? Is it her wealth? People in this town don't like her cause she's famous?" Marietta asked.

  "She saved this town," Deloris spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I have to say it. Before she opened that factory here, the men had to all work logging up the Greenbriar River. Hard laborious work for little to no money. And they keep driving out the unions. They the only ones to make sure these big companies treat us fair. Mia not only lets the unions in, but she pays better than any job we could take in this area. Folk are on a waiting list to get hired at her factory from other towns. And black folk in charge too. You don't see that often around here, but this our town and Mia did that for us. She saved this church and our land. We all own our land because of her."

  "That's true. Mia is generous," Minnie said. "The problem, Marietta, isn't us. Mia won't let us close to her heart. She thinks we blame her. When all we been doing for years is trying to protect her."

  “Not all of us,” Deloris scoffed.

  Marietta frowned, and Minnie shot a warning glare over to Deloris.

  "I'm sorry Minnie, but Mia has to know. It wasn't family who told those investigators about her past. It was Cutter people. And it pisses me off that she thinks we would do that too her."

  "Cutter? Her old boyfriend?"

  "Oh, so you know about Cutter?" Minnie glanced over to the grill area where a pig was being roasted. Cutter was laughing and talking it up with a few deacons.

  "Yeah, she told me that he was a jerk to her. Abusive." Marietta said.

  "I tell you what, honey, you and Mia come see me tonight. I think it's time we had a long talk. But I want Mia to be part of it. Okay?" Minnie asked.

  Deloris nodded as if to encourage Marietta to agree. She smiled and nodded. "Okay."

  ***

  “Excuse us,” Giovanni cut in on the minister and Mirabella’s conversation. “Need to borrow my wife.”

  Clyde Jr. nodded and smiled. Mirabella didn’t. She looked confused. Giovanni took her by the hand. He walked her out of the tent. “What are you doing?”

  He didn’t answer. He kept walking. And before long he knew she knew where too. Her hand tried to snatch free of his. “Let’s do it together.”

  “No, Giovanni, don’t force me. Not out here in front of these people,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “What people? You mean your family? Your friends? Why does it matter that they see us? What matters is you face your fears. It’s what the doctor said would help. And I’m here for you Bella.”

  She looked over to him and then to the cemetery. The fresh tears forming in her eyes almost made him abandon his mission. Mirabella’s tears were his kryptonite. He could never survive any task if she is upset. He put his arm around her shoulder. She eased her arm around his waist.

  “Grazie amore per sapermi amare--thank you, my love, for knowing how to love me," he said. She looked up at him and a few tears and slipped down her cheeks. "Grazie," he said again. "Now, let me prove to you that I know how to love you. You want to go in there; you want to say the things you've kept buried in your heart since you lost your family. It's why we came here. Let's do it together."

  “Okay,” she said softly.

  She started to walk first, and he went at her pace. When they entered the tiny little cemetery, his arm dropped from around her shoulder. His hand found hers. Giovanni stared at some of the tombstones. There were a few made of wood stakes with just initials and dates. He saw one that was a large rock that had been carved into. And then more modern looking gravestones further to the back. The three his wife stopped in front of were the largest. The one for her grandparents had images of them both on the plaque. And a scripture was written across. Mirabella lets go of his hand. She stepped forward and stared at the grave. He stepped back to give her privacy.

  It was then the hairs on the back of his nape stood on end. He glanced back to the party. A small crowd had come out of the tent. They stood there and stared at them. The minister Clyde Jr. was among them. None of them looked away or concealed their curiosity. Apparently, this was the event they all came for.

  Giovanni had never felt more powerless. If they were in his country he’d have them all chased away. She’d have the privacy she deserved. She wasn’t here for their entertainment.

  And then he heard Mirabella weep. He glanced back, and his wife had fallen over in tears. Her hand was pressed to the tombstone, and her tears consumed her. He'd messed up. This wasn't what he expected. If she were to have a full meltdown in front of these people, it would add to her humiliation. Giovanni went to her and got on his knees.

  "Bella, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She turned into his arms, and he held her by the grave. "It was too soon. It's okay. We can leave. I'm so sorry sweetheart." He stroked her back and prayed her tears would stop soon. But she cried harder and harder.

  Giovanni closed his eyes. They were exposed, open and vulnerable. What should he do? And then she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "I killed my grandfather. I did it. I had an abortion, and he found out. And... he had a stroke, and he died, and I did it. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

  Shocked, his eyes stretched. Nothing in their past or future could have prepared him for such a gut-wrenching confession. She looked so terrified after confessing. Hopelessly desperate for him to forgive her. “It’s okay. Listen to me. We’ll talk about it later. Not here. Not now. Okay?”

  She nodded and dropped her head in shame. The woman he knew and loved would never do something so horrific as an abortion. It went against everything he believed, and he knew it had to be the same for her. They talked about kids, life; he couldn't conceive that she would ever commit such a sin.

  “Let’s get the kids and go,” he said.

  “No. Stay here with me. Let’s go back to the party and show them that I can... I can handle this. Please. Will you help me?” she asked.

  He kissed her brow. He kissed her tears stained face. He kissed her mouth. “Ti amo," he said. "Nothing will ever make me stop loving you, Bella."

  She sighed with relief. He helped her stand. She wiped her face clear of tears and then hugged him. He could feel her grow stronger in his arms. A
nd he suppressed the need for him to learn more. Abortion? When did this happen? How old was she? Was it from Cutter? What could make her so desperate to do it? And what secrets did she still keep from him?

  “I’m okay now. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you that way. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  “Yes. Let’s go back. They have some good food. I’ll fix you a plate.”

  “Bella... we should leave, talk,” he said.

  “Not now Gio,” she glanced back to the others outside of the tents. People had started to turn away. The show was over. Only the Minister and a few of his men remained.

  “I’ll explain it all tonight,” she said.

  He hugged her once more and together they walked out of the cemetery.

  ***

  Later –

  Clyde took a seat with the men. Giovanni was in a folding chair under the tent. Gianni sat on his knee. His son accepted the treats the women came by and gave him, but he refused to be touched by any of them. Gino and Eve loved the attention. Every time Giovanni looked up another person was carrying them around or Eve was running with a pack of kids playing and laughing.

  Clyde looked over. "Got a head full of hair doesn't he?"

  Giovanni nodded. He touched Gianni's curly puff. His mom had once again put his hair into a ponytail. He wasn’t sure why she did that. He didn’t like it at all.

  "Why don't you come by the barber shop tonight? Bring the boys. My grandson works there in the evening. He can cut the boys hair." Clyde said.

  "I'll ask his mother," Giovanni said.

  "Good. Good." Clyde said and took out a pouch from his front pocket. He removed some stringy looking brown stuff and tucked it up under his lip. Lorenzo frowned. He looked to Giovanni who had no clue as to what it was.

  "So. You met Cutter?" Clyde asked. He spat a stream of brown stuff and wiped his lip with a napkin.