by Sienna Mynx
Carmella seemed shy and hesitant. She kept glancing back to Armando for reassurance. Over the years he’d seen her with his son. Armando had a wandering eye. And this woman did their domestics as well as shared his son’s bed. “Why have you returned?” Mancini asked.
“The Donna was taken to the ospedale. Dominic Battaglia returned to Villa Mare Blu with family. He said my services were no longer needed,” Carmella answered.
Mancini’s gaze switched to his son. Armando nodded in agreement with the news.
“Have a seat,” Mancini gestured. “Tell me. What had happened? How did Mira-ah-Giovanni’s wife have an attack that made her deliver the babies early?”
“I’m not sure. She and Giovanni argued behind closed doors. The next thing I heard was the men shouting for the doctor and the car. They carried her out. I had to help with the baby, Eve. I saw nothing more.”
Mancini figured it happened this way. Giovanni was a reckless idiot. He glanced to his son. “Any news on Isabella?”
“We are searching Carini for her. The monastery there could be where she’s gone. We should find her soon, Papa. I promise you.”
If they found Isabella and silenced her no one else could counter his objective to be reunited with his daughters. Mancini felt a cooling sense of satisfaction.
“Don Mancini, I wanted to know if it were okay that I continue to work here for the next few weeks?” Carmella asked.
He waved her question off. “Of course, now go.”
“Grazie! Grazie tanto,” she said.
“Prego,” the Don nodded.
Armando opened the door and Carmella walked out of it. He closed the door. He stared at his father for a moment. “We need to decide on what’s truly a priority.”
“Kill Isabella. That is your priority.” The Don reached for his spectacles and then his book. “I expect a call from Buhari when Mirabella’s condition improves. As soon she wakes we make our move. Go.”
His son left without a word of objection.
The Don ran his hand smoothly over the book. The title was To Kill a Mockingbird. It was Lisa’s. Her favorite. On his long journey home she gave him the book to take with him. It spoke of racial intolerance; it spoke of the human spirit. He often read it over the years. He’d trace his fingers over the passages underlined by her with a red pen. Words that leapt off the pages, felt real. Each highlighted sentence seemed spoken from Lisa.
He smiled.
The doctors had already informed him he existed on borrowed time. And when he met Lisa on the other side he’d have the forgiveness from their girls to bring to her.
Mancini kissed the weathered binding of the book and opened it to read.
* B *
Relaxed with contracts strewn about him as he lay in bed propped by pillows Dominic struggled to focus on the fine print. He couldn’t sleep. He had done well to avoid Catalina all day. But in the night he found it hard not to think of her. He wasn’t sure if she knew he had returned. He had lost the privilege to see her. Right now he just existed.
The phone rang.
“Pronto?” he answered.
“She’s awake!” Giovanni said.
Dominic sat up. He removed his glasses. “When?”
“A minute ago!” He could hear the elation in Giovanni’s voice. “She woke up and touched my head. The doctors have her now. She’s awake and she spoke. Bella is fine.”
“I’m on my way!” Dominic pulled back the sheets.
“No. Come tomorrow. I want to be alone with her. Tell the family and come tomorrow,” Giovanni said.
“I will. I’m so relieved, Gio. I’ll tell everyone.”
“Ciao,” Giovanni hung up the call. Dominic got out from under the covers and found his robe. He eased his feet into his slippers and walked out of his room. The first door he visited was Lorenzo. After two knocks Lorenzo answered in his boxers.
“What is it?” he groaned.
“Mira’s awake.”
“She is?”
“Tell Marietta. Gio expects us to come in the morning.”
“Bene. Grazie,” Lorenzo said.
“Prego,” Dominic replied.
Lorenzo closed the door.
“Mira?” Marietta asked. She held the sheet to her bare chest and stared at him with fear in her eyes. When Marietta returned home to him late in the evening she was so emotionally exhausted he made love to her and put her to bed without questioning her about the events of the day. It felt good to be the one to deliver the news.
“Your sister is awake. She’ll want to see you first thing in the morning.”
“Oh my goodness.” Marietta covered her mouth. “Thank you God!” she got of bed, and ran to him naked. Lorenzo brought her up into his arms and hugged her. “Thank you God! Thank you!” Marietta cheered and kissed his face repeatedly.
* B *
Catalina heard a gentle knocking at the door. If she had been sleeping the visitor wouldn’t have woken her. But how could she sleep? She heard from Rosetta that Dominic had returned. He’d travelled between the villa and the hospital yet she never saw him and he made no effort to see her.
The knocking came again.
Catalina turned on the lamp at her bedside. She didn’t bother to put her robe on. She went to the door in her nightshirt and panties. “Who is it?”
“Domi.”
Catalina fixed her hair and wiped the sleep from her eyes. She sucked down a deep breath and exhaled before she opened the door. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “I thought you were avoiding me?”
“I came to tell you that Mira’s awake,” Dominic said.
“Really?”
“Gio called. The doctors are with her now,” Dominic smiled.
“Come in.” Catalina further extended the invitation by opening the door wider. He looked tempted. She could see by the way his gaze climbed her body and lingered at her nipples or dropped to her bare thighs.
“It’s late. Get some rest. We’ll leave early in the morning,” he said and turned.
“Domi!”
He paused.
“Is that all? Really? Is that all you have to say to me?” Catalina asked.
He glanced back at her. She waited. She hoped. But he nodded yes before he walked away.
“Domi!” she called after him as he kept going. “Vaffanculo!” she slammed the door. His rejection after delivering such good news cut her deep. Catalina fumed.
* B *
The doctors kept with their exams for over an hour. The waiting was torture. Eventually the door opened and the nurses wheeled her bed back inside the room. Mira sat up against her pillows, alert.
“Signor, Dr. Buhari has been called. The doctors will meet with you when he arrives.”
“Grazie,” Giovanni said.
“Babies?” Mira rasped.
Giovanni looked to his wife. She had tears in her eyes. Her hand went to her heart. “My babies?” she asked again while patting her heart. “Where?” she asked.
“Yes. They’re in the neonatal unit. They’re premature remember? Small. But they’ve been waiting on you.” Giovanni smiled.
“Take. Me.” Mira moved the sheet aside. Giovanni hurried over.
“Bella, let’s wait for the doctor. And then I’ll take you, sweetheart,” he took her hand and tried to kiss it but she snatched it away. Mira glared at him.
“I’m not keeping you from them. You had a complicated delivery. Your heart stopped.”
She frowned.
“It’s true. The doctors said your recovery is miraculous. It’ll take a minute. Okay?”
“Liar,” she said.
“I’m not lying to you, Bella,” Giovanni said.
“Not. This!” she said, and struggled to capture her thoughts. “Liar,” she said and her eyes welled with tears. It dawned on him what she truly meant. The lies he told about her sister, and father. The omission of truth had caused the premature birth of his sons and her suffering.
“Let’s not do this now,�
�� he reasoned.
“Go!” she said pointing to the door.
Stunned he froze.
“GO!” she shouted and pointed to the door.
“I won’t go dammit. I’ve been here every day, every minute. I’ve been worried. I was here when the babies were born. I was here when you… when we almost lost you. I will be here.”
“GO!” she shouted again.
Giovanni rubbed his temples. “Stop this, Bella. You know me. I’m not going anywhere.”
She turned away from him and slumped down on her pillows. The rebuff cut him to his core. He wasn’t sure what to say next. But he knew he had to say something.
“You want to do it now? Let’s do it now.” He brought the chair back to the bed. “I lied to you. I learned who Marietta was and who your father was after the wedding. I didn’t believe it at first. How could I believe something so incredible? And when I did believe it, I couldn’t face it. The idea that our fathers were connected this way, Bella. How could I have handled it any different? It’s my job as your husband to spare you the ugliness—”
“Stop!” she said.
She looked back at him. “Go, please. Beg you. Go.”
Giovanni sighed. The look in her eyes left no room for negotiations. She didn’t deserve the stress of his presence. He understood that. It took considerable effort to stand but he did so. Mira turned back over to her side and looked away. He hesitated. He searched his brain for a reason to delay his leaving her bedside. He wished he could force her to look at him. But nothing came to him. Defeated, Giovanni left. He kept walking. He walked until he arrived at where the hospital kept his sons.
Inside he found only one nurse present. She smiled at him with her eyes. Giovanni put on the breathing mask and hospital robe. He walked over to Gino and stared at his son. The boy moved his hand. He kicked his foot. “You know don’t you, Gino? Mama’s awake.”
The baby breathed slow and easy. It had to be a sign of improvement. Giovanni’s racing heart calmed. It dawned on him that his Bella could be mad now, but when she saw their boys everything would certainly change. It had to.
“Signor, the doctors are with your wife. They want you to come.”
He backed away from Gino, removing his mask and his robe. He handed it over to the nurse and hurried to meet with them. He arrived to find all three doctors present. Though the late hour the men looked alert and excited.
“Your wife is doing well. We’re all surprised.”
Mira stared at him. She wore no expression. But Giovanni smiled at her. “She can’t speak. Not fully,” he said without judgment.
“Her speech may be impaired a bit. If she requires physical therapy we can arrange it. But she seems to be recovering well.”
“Babies?” Mira said to the men.
“Can I take her to the boys?” Giovanni asked.
The doctors exchanged a look. “Of course. I’ll have chair brought in.”
The other doctor excused himself as well. Giovanni extended his hand to Buhari. The man looked surprised. He extended his hand and shook Giovanni’s. They exchanged a nod and the doctor left. Mira continued to stare at him She didn’t bother to say what she felt. And there were too many words for him to express his feelings. So they stared in awkward silence. Before long a nurse brought in a wheelchair. Giovanni walked over to the bed. She looked up at him as if she wanted to reject him but he knew she could not. He scooped her up in his arms. Her arm eased around his neck. To hold her again felt right. He carried her to the chair and put her down in it gently. Mira let go of him as soon as she was seated. Giovanni wheeled her out.
“I did as you asked, Bella. We named them Gino and Gianni. Gianni was born vaginally. He came out at over three pounds. Gino struggled. They had to remove him by cesarean. He was two pounds. They had problems with their lungs.” Giovanni told her everything he could without taking a breath. He wheeled her slowly, wanting to delay their arrival so he could prepare her. Mira didn’t speak. If she spoke to him maybe he’d better understand her disappointment in him. The silence was the worst punishment she could give.
He had to open the door and ask for assistance before he was able to push her through. He wheeled her to Gino first.
“This is Gino,” he said.
“Beautiful,” Mira whispered. She put her hand on the glass. Giovanni watched her. She stared and cried tears of what he hoped were joy. He could see the smile on her face as she looked at Gino. “Wrong? What?” she asked. She looked up at him for an explanation.
“Right now his lungs. But look at him, Bella. He’s moving his feet. He hears you,” Giovanni said.
“Mama. I. Here,” Mira said. “Mama. Here,” she said again.
“Do you want to hold Gianni?” Giovanni asked.
She looked back at him surprised. She nodded yes. He could kiss her in that moment. But he didn’t dare try. “Nurse?”
Giovanni wheeled her into position and put down the break on the chair. The nurse brought the baby over as she had done before. Mira needed more help getting into position. She was weak. He could tell without her saying so. When he put their son in her arms he saw such love and happiness restored to her. He stroked her hair and knelt beside them. “Gianni. He’s our champion. He was in a hurry to come into the world. The doctors said he was down in the birth canal pushing his way out.”
“Love. Him,” Mira said.
“I love you both.” Giovanni said.
Mira’s gaze slipped over to him. His heart fluttered in his chest. The moment was brief. Her attention returned to their boy. “Small,” she said.
“He’s tiny, but growing. He’s four pounds today. The doctors said when they are both five pounds we can take them home.”
“Good.” Mira nodded. “Love. You,” she kissed their son’s tiny forehead. Giovanni observed, he couldn’t leave her side. The time she had with him felt short. He could see the anguish on her face when they took Gianni away. She pointed back to Gino.
“He’s too weak now, Bella. You can’t hold him yet. But soon.”
She nodded that she understood, and wiped at her tears.
“Are you ready? To go?”
She shook her head no. “Stay. Me. Please me stay?” she asked.
Giovanni released the brake. He wheeled her over to the incubator and parked her chair there. Mira was given a glove and she then was able to slip her hand into the sleeve of the chamber. It was the only way she could touch Gino. He and the others never did. They feared how weak and small he was. But Giovanni knew Mira needed to feel their child and he sensed Gino needed her touch.
“Baby. My. Baby,” she said softly. She swallowed and tried to say more but her words didn’t form. He stepped back and gave her, her moment. Everything was right with the world again.
18.
In the darkness Mira blinked. She was awake. After what felt like the deepest sleep of her life she was alert and aware. She blinked and stared at the ceiling before her gaze lowered to her surroundings. At some point after visiting the kids she drifted. Giovanni must have put her to bed. She turned her head to the right slightly. Her husband was there. He slept slumped in an uncomfortable hospital chair. Though her mind processed slowly, the events of the evening came back with rapid clarity. She and he had exhausted themselves by staying so close to their sons all night. By the time they returned to her room she was half asleep. He put her in bed and she allowed it. She didn’t have the strength to deny him.
Her heart hurt. Mira pressed her lips together to keep from crying. Giovanni slept with his head dropped back, and his mouth open. Had he taken to sleeping in the chair since this nightmare began? Careful not to dwell on his torment she cast her gaze away from him. Mira closed her eyes. She wanted out of the bed. She wanted her children. She needed to be with the boys. And what about Eve? Her poor baby girl had never been separated from her. Not even on their honeymoon. Eve had to be terrified.
She shifted in the bed. Her body felt stiff, almost frozen. The movement of h
er head exhausted her. So she vowed to gather her strength. She had no idea what she would say to Giovanni. How they could possibly go forward. But his betrayal and her lack of faith in him had taken them too far from each other.
“Morning,” she heard him groan.
She looked over and realized he was awake. Or had she woken him with her soft grunts to find comfort on the hospital bed?
“How did you sleep, Bella?” he asked with a deep yawn.
She nodded her head to indicate she felt fine. And she did. Other than the rigid stiffness to her joints she felt better.
“Hungry? I’m sure you are. I’ll call Zia and tell her to bring you something good to eat,” he said.
“Zia?” she asked. A surge of hope pierced her heart. If Zia were near then she’d finally have the support she wanted.
He smiled at her. “Everyone is here. Zia prayed over you for two days.”
Mira had no idea how long she’d been out of it. She vaguely recalled hearing their voices, and responding to the pleas to wake from her deep sleep in her head. But her thoughts faded and cleared irregularly. She could trust nothing. Part of her thought Fabiana would walk through the door.
Giovanni dialed a number. He spoke to someone in Italian and laughed. He looked over at her and smiled. Mira managed to smile back at him. She loved her husband. Even now. The door opened and Catalina and Marietta rushed inside. She was shocked to see them so early, so soon.
“You’re awake!” Catalina exclaimed. “I could barely sleep. I was out the door as soon as the sun came up.” She kissed Mira on both cheeks. “How do you feel?”
Mira nodded to her.
Marietta stepped closer to the bed. “Hi,” she said.
What was Mira to do? How was she to go from no family to having a sister, a twin? She glanced to Giovanni who stared at her with so much love it was impossible to reconcile the facts. How could he think she wouldn’t want to know her sister? It infuriated her even more. Mira extended her hand to Marietta. And her sister accepted.
“Hi,” Mira managed to say.
The immediate connection between the women hurt him deeply. Not because of jealousy or envy. It was because the sisters were denied this bond due to his insecurities. Giovanni glanced to Lorenzo who noticed the way the sisters held hands and smiled at each other. Lorenzo looked up at him and gave him an encouraging nod.