“Go change.”
Marietta left.
Mirabella exhaled. She looked around the room in disbelief. One lie always led to another. What could she really do but be the keeper of this lie?
**
Ringo was the last to arrive. And Mirabella breathed a sigh of relief that Zia didn’t accompany him. She looked to the women. They were all given instructions on what to do. The only person Mirabella couldn’t trust fully was Shae, and her role was the most important.
“Come in, Ringo,” Mirabella said.
He walked in and saw Eduardo waiting. Mirabella nodded for him to take a seat. He did so. There was a last minute change of plans. They had to reconvene in Catalina’s room to keep the situation contained. The kids were in Mirabella’s room sleeping. Catalina sat on the bed next to Shae. Marietta stood at the window looking out. Mirabella cleared her throat.
“You both were our heroes today, dealing with this nonsense.” Mirabella laughed. The men exchanged a look with each other and then glanced to the Donna with a slow nod.
“Marietta?” Mirabella said.
Here sister glanced from the window to Ringo and then Eduardo. She sighed. “I’m sorry, Ringo, for biting your arm.”
“No problema, signora.”
Ringo nodded to Marietta.
“Things got out of hand. A misunderstanding between me and my… my friend. I behaved badly. I apologize to you both.”
The men nodded.
“You know the rules.” Mirabella addressed the men. “None of you are to date or mess around with the women in this family. Right?”
The men nodded.
“Shae and Carlo have been dating. And it happened against the wishes of Giovanni and this house. Marietta found out about it. They argued.” Mirabella glanced to Shae. “Can you please explain to them the things you said earlier?”
“I was angry. Marietta was throwing me out of the house. I wanted to upset her. To hurt her. So I said things that weren’t true. She never had an affair with Carlo. I thought she was jealous of my friendship with Carlo and accused her. It wasn’t true. I apologized to the Battaglias for the insult.”
Earlier Mirabella explained the hard truths to Shae. She either cooperated or the man she claimed to care about would be destroyed. It was pretty clear to them all that Shae had to recant everything she said.
“So you can see why I’ve decided this matter is settled,” Mirabella said. “There is no need to upset your bosses about this. It was a petty fight amongst the women. And it’s over.
Capice
?”
“
Sí,
Donna. We understand,” they both said.
The men started to the door. Eduardo hesitated. He glanced to Marietta. Mirabella noticed the conflict in his eyes.
“Something wrong, Eduardo?” Mirabella asked
He shook his head no and left. Catalina stood as soon as the door closed.
“Do you think they believe it? That they won’t say anything?” Shae asked.
“They won’t say anything,” Catalina said. “They better not.
**
Ringo and Eduardo started for the stairs. Eduardo grabbed Ringo’s arm and stopped him. “Do you believe the Donna?”
“About Carlo and Marietta?” Ringo answered. “Yes. Carlo would never betray Lorenzo. Never. And I’ve seen him with the woman Shae. It was a stupid fight. Forget about it.”
“But the birth control,” Eduardo said. “The Donna didn’t mention it. None of them did. She isn’t pregnant. It’s been over two years,” he said.
Ringo nodded. “I don’t trust her. She’s not like the Donna. Some of us think she’s not really her sister.”
Eduardo nodded. “The Donna did not forbid us from mentioning the birth control.”
Ringo grabbed Eduardo by the collar. “Don’t mention any of it. It could backfire on you, and then on me. Just forget it happened. Do you understand?”
Eduardo shoved him off. He threw up his hand in an obscene gesture and walked away. Ringo looked back down the hall. Whether the birth control was a lie or not, it wasn’t their business.
**
“
Andiamo,
Catalina. Let’s leave them to talk.” Mirabella said.
“Are you crazy? They’ll kill each other!” Catalina objected.
“It’s okay. We need to finish this,” Marietta said. “We’ve had worse fights. Trust me.”
Shae nodded in agreement. “We’ll be fine.”
Mirabella took Catalina by the hand and walked her out.
“I’m sorry,” Shae said. “I heard you two in the hall and I thought the worst.”
“No, you saw me kiss him. That was me at my worst.” Marietta sighed. “What you said about Carlo was true. About me. I’ve always teased and pushed men away. I even do with him. I don’t know why. But I do.”
“My psychiatrist said it’s the ‘daddy syndrome’,” Shae smiled. “We both have it. Remember?”
Marietta gave a hollow laugh. “Yea, I got daddy issues alright.” She looked up into Shae’s eyes. “I never cheated on Lorenzo. The kiss was wrong. I regret it. But I never slept with Carlo. I love my husband with everything in me, Shae.”
“Then why even risk anything with Carlo?” Shae asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve been selfish, controlling, meddlesome, jealous. I can’t explain it.”
Shae shook her head. “Carlo’s a good guy, Mae. You’re right, I do sneak around here and listen in on your family. The things they say about him. You wonder why he feels like an outsider? Everyone, even his friends, treat him like he’s a madman. And he is. Do you know why? This place? What they do. It could drive any of them mad. Lorenzo and Giovanni are lucky to have you and your sister. Carlo has no one.”
“You care about him?” Marietta asked. “How much time did you two spend together?”
“Every chance we got. Jamie and Kyra were my cover,” Shae confessed.
Marietta rolled her eyes.
“I could easily fall in love with him,” Shae said.
“You? Love?” Marietta scoffed. “Not likely.”
“
Amore!”
Shae grinned and threw her hands up as if giving praise. “I learned the word. If I can learn Italian I can learn how to be in love and not fuck it up.”
“Then date him. You don’t have to be here to see him,” Marietta said.
“I can’t,” Shae said.
“Why? I said I don’t care.”
“I think he’s in love with you,” Shae said.
Marietta smoothed her hair from her face. “He’s not.”
“You’re sending him mixed signals. He’s sending you only one. He’s in love with you.”
“Even if he is, nothing will ever happen between us.”
“It’ll get him killed, Mae. He’s knows that. Still he kissed you in a hall where anyone could see. I know what I saw with my own eyes. No man as dangerous as him takes those kind of risks if he can control himself. He’s in love with you,” Shae said. “I don’t play second to anyone. Especially not my best friend.”
“Nothing is ever going to happen between us,” Marietta said.
“Then stop making him think it might.” Shae stood. She crossed her arms. “Can I tell you something?”
Marietta looked up at her.
“I was so jealous of you back in Chicago. So fucking jealous. Mae, you’d get up on that stage and dance, and clear more money than I made hustling in a week. Men would pay to just talk to you. Have you on their arm. It made us all feel cheap. I raised my game because of you.”
Marietta gave her a weak smile. “I didn’t think I was better than any of you. I just didn’t think I mattered.”
“But you do. And your life matters more now than it ever did. Forget what the Leones did to you, look around you at the family you found. You did it, Mae. You got another chance at happiness.”
Marietta smiled. Shae smiled. “That sister of yours is fierce. She loves you, Mae. You don’t need me anymore. She has your back. Trust her.”
“And you? What about you?” Marietta asked.
“It’s funny. I don’t want to be a domesticated wife with a mafia husband.” Shae laughed. “But if Carlo was really an option, I sure as hell would give him a second and third try.”
“I shouldn’t have hit you. I’m sorry.”
Shae walked over and hugged her. “Remember the time we fought at the club because I thought you took my Gucci watch?”
Marietta smiled though her heart hurt. “I remember.”
“I found it two days later in my purse. It took me a month to apologize to you.” Shae let her go and looked into her eyes. “I was a selfish bitch back then. You brought me into your new family and I lied to you. I’m the guilty one. I’m sorry, Mae. I never meant any disrespect. Just a creature of habit.”
“Me too.” Marietta smiled. “I’ll go with you to the airport.”
“No. Let one of those non-English speaking men take me. That way I can stick to it and not try to see Carlo before I leave.”
**
Carlo needed a phone. The pager on his hip buzzed non-stop. He glanced up to the ring. Ciro was throwing and landing punches on time. The trainer, a cousin of Carlo’s, was ducking and weaving but taking the blows.
“Be back!” he yelled at the men. It could be Renaldo paging him. They were supposed to meet up to make rounds and collect some debt. He went to the back hall and found a payphone. Carlo dug deep in his pocket for change. He dialed the number.
“Carlo?” came the hurried answer.
“Who is this? Ringo?”
“It’s me. Are you at the gym with Ciro?” Ringo asked.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“The women. They were fighting.” Ringo said.
“Who was fighting?” Carlo asked.
“The American woman. Shae and Marietta. They fought. The Donna separated them. They were pretty angry.”
“Does Giovanni know?”
“It’s not why I’m calling. The one, the one from America with pink hair, she’s leaving. The Donna is sending her away. They are driving her to Napoli.”
Carlo checked his watch. His heart beat so fast he nearly dropped the phone. “When did she leave?”
“Thirty minutes ago. Renaldo was called to take her.”
“What was the fight about, Ringo?” Carlo asked.
“I… ah, I’m not sure. I just thought you’d want to know,” Ringo said.
“
Grazie
.” Carlo hung up the phone. Ciro walked down the hall. He was dabbing at his face with a towel.
“Carlo? I want to spar with you,” Ciro said.
“Enough training. I need to get to the airport.” Carlo started for the door. “Shae’s leaving!”
“I’m coming with you!”
**
Shae smiled at the lady standing behind the counter. She was glad the woman spoke English. She accepted her ticket and hitched her strap up her arm.
“Grazie,”
she said to the woman. It was funny but after all this time she finally figured out how to say ‘thank you’ correctly in Italian.
“Travel safe,” Renaldo said.
“Tell Kyra I want an invite to the wedding.” Shae smiled.
Renaldo turned and walked away without a second glance. Shae stood there with her plane ticket in her hand and watched him go. She was pretty sure this would be the last time she’d visit Italy. She could never return and not think of Carlo, and how wild and crazy he made her feel.
“Are you done, lady?” A man with a strong British accent barked at her.
“Oh, sorry. Yes.” Shae picked up her carryon bag and started toward the customs line.
Carlo drove his car up to the curb and threw the gearshift into park. “Circle the airport. I’ll get her and bring her out,” he said.
Ciro nodded that he’d obey. He’d already expressed to his brother his plans to invite Shae to stay with them for a few days. He knew she was moody, but the news of her leaving shocked him. He hit the sidewalk fast and eventually started running. He didn’t know what airline, or her flight number. He was going in blind. Carlo rushed through the automatic doors. He looked left and right. People were everywhere.
“Shit!” He ran his hand back over his head. “Shit!”
“Carlo?”
His head turned. Renaldo was looking at him curiously. “Where is she?”
“What are you doing here?” Renaldo asked.
“Where?” he shouted.
“Gone. She’s probably through customs. I left her at the counter ten minutes ago. The line for the toilet is around the—”
“Fuck the toilet! Which airline? Which one?”
“American.” Renaldo pointed. “Let her go, Carlo. The Donna sent her away.”
“
Vaffanculo!
”
Carlo said. He ran toward customs. He immediately caught the stares from the
Carabinieri
. Carlo stopped running and tried to walk fast. And then he saw her. The customs line was apparently as slow moving as the line to the toilet. She was closer to the front.
“Shae? Shae!” he shouted.
An officer put his hand to his arm. Carlo shrugged off his touch. “She forgot her passport,” he said. Shae had heard him. She refused to look back at him again. He could tell by her stance she was purposefully ignoring him. He grabbed her arm and made her look at him.