Page 78 of Useless Love

It’s hard to hear the man I love call me by that name. How much longer will I have to keep deceiving him.

I’m about to invite him to join us for some wine when my phone rings. After checking it, my pulse picks up. “Oh! It’s my mother. Excuse me.” I rush upstairs. Maybe she has news!

Once I’m in the bedroom with the door closed, I answer.

“Hi, Gaia,” Mother says.

I've only been away about one day but I already miss her. I can’t imagine moving to Chicago to be Mariano’s wife. Please let her have good news!

My prayers are immediately answered, because she says, “I talked with Father and he said yes.”

I fall back onto the bed, touching my chest. “Really? How? How did you—”

“I think the god you’ve been praying to saved you. Your father cannot afford to cross the Satta organization, even though he also has reservations about the way Mariano’s first wife died. Remember, Satta’s only daughter will marry your brother, and upsetting that organization now would ruin everything. They might even wage war taking your father’s refusal as disrespect.

“So how did Father get out of the marriage?”

“Your father consulted Dante Salvatore. Who explained his cousin Mariano doesn’t fancy you. He would only be marrying you to make Leo happy. Dante advised since they didn’t shake hands on the deal, and the talks were in the begining stages. If you turned up already married Mariano would’t take offense.”

“But what about Leo Satta? He is the boss?”

“Dante is a man of little words, but he hinted since Mariano didn’t care nothing would happen.”

“I don’t want to ruin father’s reputation, or worst start a war between the biggest organization in the country, so I can walk off into the sunset with Carmine.”

“Your father asked Dante about the posisbility he was wrong. I hear Dante phoned Mariano and told him you were married, as your father listened.”

“His response was, good that spares me from getting married for now.”

“Thank you god.”

“All the praying and donating to St. Mary’s came in handy.” Mother teased.

Tears pool in my eyes. “I’m going to be Mrs. Carmine Gaudino.”

I think I can hear my mother’s smile through the phone. “I’m happy for you, Gaia. That’s all I’ve wanted is for my children to be happy.

I try to hold it back, but I can’t. I thought I would never get to be with Carmine, and yet all of my dreams are coming true. It’s such a relief—no more pain or worry. Only…

“Mother, I’m scared about Arianna?”

“Scared? Why?”

Then, since I’m so overwhelmed with emotions, the truth comes flooding out. I tell mother everything that has been going on with Arianna—all the lies and deceit. I tell her about our conversation when she said she wanted to kill Carmine and had suspicions that Father wanted the same. I talk for over an hour, but get everything out while Mother patiently listens.

When I’m finished, she says simply, “I see.”

“What do I do, Mother?”

She’s silent for a while, and then says, “Well, if your father ever had an inclination of harming the Gaudinos, that’s probably changed. I think Carmine has grown on him. I heard him boasting the other day over the phone about the strength of his new son-in-law, so I no longer think your father wishes any harm on Carmine. He fully committed to peace, especially since Sal is out of the picture. As for Arianna…your father and I will handle it.”

“Please, don’t hurt her,” I beg. Despite everything, she’s still my twin and I want her safe. She just needs to be saved from herself.

“Hurt? No, we will just have a serious talk. Or your father will. She never listens to me.”

I nod, feeling so much weight lift from my shoulders, it’s like I can finally breathe again. But there’s still one more issue. “How should I tell Carmine the truth?” I ask Mother.

“Hmm…that’s going to be delicate. The men in our world sometimes over react, so he may be angry. My advice is to wait until after you’re married. You will be legally bound together, forcing him to face it and not run away. With time, he will forgive you.”

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