“He couldn’t shoot her, Gio,” Dominic chuckled.
Giovanni waved the comment off. “My wife hasn’t been in my bed in close to a week. She sleeps with her now. Where the fuck is Lorenzo?”
“I spoke to Carlo. He says he’s at Maria’s,” Renaldo said.
Dominic put his face in his hand. Maria’s wasn’t a woman. It was a place. A whorehouse that Giovanni’s father owned, and Lorenzo inherited. Giovanni did away with the business of prostitution. Maria’s was now managed and owned by the Tacchi clan. The place was full of a bunch of gypsy whores who robbed and hustled men who came through the door. It was not the agreed upon place they went to escape.
“Do you want me to bring him out of there?” Nico asked.
Giovanni tapped his finger on the surface of the desk. He thought it over. “Pay him a visit. Tell him to clean up. I expect him to return to his wife no later than tomorrow morning. He needs to walk through that door and not be dragged in. The man has his fucking pride.” Giovanni shook his head in disgust.
“Pride? Gio, he’s at Maria’s. The women find this out and he can’t walk through that door.” Dominic said.
“Not our concern. If he’s stupid enough to take a whore into his marriage, there is nothing we can do to prevent it,” Giovanni said.
“The Donna asked that I tell you to come see her when you are done. She says she wants to talk,” Dominic said.
“I’m done talking about this bullshit.” Giovanni grumbled.
Santo appeared at the door and knocked. Giovanni granted entrance with a glance. Nico left.
“Ciro?” Giovanni asked Dominic.
“He’s ready. I just left the gym. This fight will make him a star, Gio. All the clan bosses will be attending. Everyone in the
Campania
is going to show support.” Santo boasted.
“Carlo’s been working hard with him,” Dominic agreed.
“I want to take Bella to the fight tonight,” Giovanni announced.
Santo sat up. Since the Lorenzo and Marietta drama, his wife hadn’t answered a phone call from her business, or handled any other matters. In fact his little one was supposed to start school, and Mirabella had called it off. The women were standing together in their support of Marietta.
“She likes boxing,” he explained though he didn’t have to. “She needs to get out and have some fun. With me.” Giovanni smiled. He was ready to make up. Boxing could be the key. “Marietta’s draining the life out of my wife,” Giovanni said. “It’s time I put an end to it.”
“It’s a good idea, Gio,” Santo spoke up. “I think the family should be there. The press will be. It’s a good way to give your endorsement of Ciro.” Santo stood.
“Where are you going?” Dominic frowned.
“I, uh, excuse me, Gio. I need to make a few calls,” said Santo.
“I agree with him,” Dominic said and watched Santo curiously as he walked out. “I’ll bring Catalina.”
Giovanni shook his head no. “I don’t want Catalina to come. I want it to be my night with Bella. Catalina comes and it’ll just distract her, or the women will worry about Marietta. Her attention should be on having fun with me.”
Dominic smiled. “You making other plans for the evening?”
The thought of an evening of just the two of them did lessen his anxiety. “Yes. We’ll stay the night in Napoli.”
“I’ll make sure it’s all arranged.” Dominic smiled. Giovanni again gave his nod of approval. He wanted his wife back. He knew exactly how to make that happen.
**
“Where is she?” Mirabella asked Catalina.
“In her room,” Catalina said. “In the bed.”
Mirabella turned and headed down the other direction of the hall. Catalina was on her heels. “We have to do something. She won’t eat. Zia has been making her soup and she won’t eat it. I made her bathe today. She was beginning to smell.”
“I know. I know,” Mirabella said.
“Will Gio help? Did you talk to him?”
“Damn it, Catalina, I have! What more can I do?” Mirabella snapped.
Catalina nodded. “I’m sorry. I hate seeing her like this. Even Zia is treating her coldly. They all blame her. But I understand why she did it.”
Mirabella glanced over. “Don’t ever do anything like that with Domi. If you don’t want kids tell him. Don’t do anything sneaky behind his back. It’s hard to come back from lies and deception in a marriage.”
“I won’t. I wouldn’t. That’s not what I mean. It’s just that it’s hard to tell these men anything. They’re so stupid sometimes,” Catalina said. “Marietta loves Lorenzo. Anybody can see it. But she’s different, Mira. Something is wrong with her.”
“She’s fine,” Mirabella said.
“No she isn’t. We both know it,” Catalina said.
“She’s fine! She’s just stressed out. We’ll get Lorenzo back here and they’ll talk it out. She’ll be back to her normal self in no time.”
“Okay. Yes, you’re right. I feel bad for her. She tries so hard but she always does things the tough way. Lorenzo should understand her more, not try to crush her spirit. It’s cruel. If I were a man I’d kick his ass!” Catalina said.
Mirabella nodded that she agreed. She wished Marietta confided in her fear of having kids with her and not Shae. Why hadn’t she confided in her? She pushed open the door. Marietta lay on her side. She didn’t look up when they entered.
“Nico is leaving. Is he going to bring Lorenzo back?” Marietta asked.
“No, sweetie. I don’t know. Giovanni said he’ll take care of it, so yes, that might be the reason Nico left,” Mirabella lied.
Marietta put her hand to her face. “I don’t feel good.”
“You need to eat. What if they are going to find Lorenzo and he comes home and sees you like this?” Catalina walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “Get dressed, and come downstairs and eat with us. Okay?”
“No. I need to stay by the phone. I paged him again. He might call back.” Marietta pushed Catalina’s hand away. Catalina looked to Mirabella for a suggestion. She only nodded for Catalina to give her space.
She walked over to her sister. “She’s right you know. He could walk through that door any minute. Look at you. You need to eat and comb your hair. Be pretty and confident when he comes back. Let him see he didn’t break you. No one can set Lorenzo straight like you.”
For the first time in an exhaustive week Marietta didn’t respond with tears. “You think I’m crazy?”
“No.” Mirabella sat on the bed. “Well maybe a little.”
Marietta let go a burst of laughter. Her smile broadened. Mirabella and Catalina both exhaled in relief.
“Zia is angry with me. She’s not talking to me.” Marietta said. She sat upright.
“Zia will get over it. Lorenzo will get over it. That’s what’s special about our family. We learn to love, forgive, and get over it.” Mirabella put her hand on top of her sister’s.
“Mira’s right. You know the story of me and Franco.” Catalina sat at the foot of the bed. “The entire family was mad at me. I thought it would never end. Now we’re planning a wedding. They get over it,” Catalina said.
“Okay! Fuck this!” Marietta stood and heaved several deep breaths. “He better not be with another woman. That’s all I got to say. I swear to God I’ll cut off his dick and feed it to him in a bowl of Zia’s ziti.”
They watched her go to the bathroom. The door closed.
“Do you know where he is?” Mirabella whispered to Catalina.
“I got an idea. I’m praying I’m wrong. But it’s Lorenzo we’re talking about.” Catalina said.
Mirabella nodded. “I know.”
**
“I can’t speak long,” Santo said.
He peeked out the door of the study and then closed it. “Tonight. We do it tonight.”
“What. Why now? You’ve been putting it off for a week. Suddenly you’re ready to make a move?”
“There’s been trouble here. Lorenzo is missing and his wife is distraught. Mirabella and the kids haven’t left.”
“And what’s different about tonight?”
“You asked if I could get her to the arena for the boxing fight. I thought I couldn’t. Today I found out Giovanni is bringing her. If I can separate them it might work to your favor.”
“Might? I want guarantees.”
Santo grimaced. “This is the fucking best I could do. I am putting my life on the line by even trying it.”
“I want Eve,” he said.
“Not possible. I’ll deal with the children after. Do we do this or not?”
The silence on the phone was like the cold steel sharpened edge of a knife being slowly dragged across his throat. Santo kept glancing over his shoulder. He was inside Melanzana. One of the men could walk up on him at any moment. He waited.
“I’m impressed. I think it’s a perfect plan. Yes. Do it. Tonight.”
The line went dead. Santo hung up the phone and considered what he’d have to pull off. It wouldn’t be easy.
**
“Bella?” Giovanni said.
“Give me a second,” Mirabella said. She picked up the stack of folded clothes and went to the dresser drawer. He couldn’t tell if she was angry or not. All he knew was he missed his wife and the tension was draining them both.
“I told Nico to find Lorenzo and tell him to come home,” Giovanni said.
She paused at the dresser. “You did?”
He approached her. She turned and stared into his eyes. He could see the fatigue and stress on her face. She looked exhausted. “Are you well, Bella?” he asked and touched her hair.
“I’m scared for Marietta. I think we might need to get her some help, Gio.” She went into his arms and burst into tears. She wept so hard it shook him. He stroked her back and held her until her sobs lessened. “Something is wrong with her.”
“She’s upset about her marriage. Marriage is private, Bella. We can agree on that much?”
“Yes. We can agree on that.” She lowered her arms and looked up at him. “I just didn’t know what to do. She’s my sister. I don’t know what to do when she acts this way. It’s extreme, and scary. You didn’t see her this week. Do you understand why I’ve been concerned?”
He cupped her face. “I do now, Bella. I only ask that you don’t punish me when we don’t agree. Don’t push me away. Come to me if you’re scared,” he told her.
“I tried.”
“Bella? You’ve tried harder for that business than you did with Marietta. You shut me out. That’s not like you. What is it that makes you so terrified of your sister’s pain?” he asked.
Mirabella lowered her gaze. “I—my family. I think, I think there’s depression in my family.”
“I don’t understand.” Giovanni said.
“Nothing. Forget it. It’s probably nothing. Marietta was upset and she reminded me of someone. But it’s nothing. You’re right, sweetheart.” He held her face and kissed her lips twice before kissing the tears from her cheeks.
“I’ve been so lonely for you,” she said softly. Her hands slipped around his waist. “Have you missed me, baby?” she rubbed his back. Giovanni chuckled. His wife was really good at evading. He could press the issue and uncover what scared her about Marietta’s depression. But to be honest he had to be selfish on this. He missed her smile.
“Let me cook us a special dinner. You and me. And then we can make up.” She rubbed her jaw across his. “Any way we please.”
“Let’s go out,” he said.
She looked into his eyes. “Out? Where?”
“A surprise.”
“I don’t know if I should leave her tonight. When Lorenzo comes home we both need to be here. Don’t you think?” she asked.
“He’s coming in the morning, and I’ll have you back before then.”
Mirabella chewed on her bottom lip. He saw how torn his wife was. He loved her loyalty, but on this one he needed to insist. He needed to make her feel good again. Feel safe and protected. It was the best way he knew how to love and nurture her. She may have pushed him away, but he did little to comfort her. He watched her run between the children and her sister for a solid week. He could have easily put an end to it by bringing Lorenzo back home. Part of him wanted Marietta to suffer. It was blasphemous of her to pull such treachery in her marriage. But these women were American, foreign to their customs and ways. Maybe he was too quick to judge. When she didn’t agree he finally relented.
“Okay. I’ll tell you the surprise,” he said.
She lifted her gaze. He smiled down at her. “Ciro fights in Naples tonight. We got ringside seats.”
“Really?” she smiled. His heart expanded with relief.
“Sounds like fun doesn’t it?”
“It sounds like so much fun!” she said barely able to contain her excitement.
“
Dà retta.
I love you. I’m sorry we argued. This isn’t something either of us can fix. My
cougine
is as stubborn as I am. I do know he loves her. He will come home and make things right with his wife. Believe me.”
She hugged him. Mirabella was her sweetest to him when she offered him forgiveness. The week had been hard on the family. Marietta’s wails, ranting, cursing, tantrums, were an all day and all night event. He’d spent a couple nights at Villa Rosso to escape his loneliness for his wife.