Page 5 of Surprise Baby for the Mafia Boss

"Is there anything I can do to help with the arrangements?" I ask. The words hang in the air as I look around at the grim faces of the Baldini family. Grazia exchanges a glance with the other family members. There's a subtle tension, a collective hesitation that lingers in the room.

Enzo speaks first, his tone guarded, "Emelia, we appreciate your offer, but these matters are usually handled within the family."

Undeterred, I persist, my voice carrying a mix of determination and vulnerability. "I understand, Enzo, but I was there for Ginny in her final weeks. I shared those moments with her, and I feel a connection to her. I want to help honor her memory in any way I can."

Luca, silent until now, finally speaks, his tone cold and distant, "This is a family affair, Emelia. Your presence here is appreciated, but we'll take care of the arrangements."

"I was there for her," I argue. "She confided in me and shared stories that were deeply personal. I just want to ensure her farewell is as beautiful as the connection we had."

"Emelia, please understand," Grazia tries to soften the blow, her big brown eyes reflecting a mix of sympathy and firmness. "These traditions have been in place for generations. It's not about your connection. It's about upholding our family customs. We all love you dearly, but this is the time for the family to grieve. I will send you the details and you can perhaps help on the day of the funeral, but for now my brothers and I will handle this."

I can see Enzo’s jaw clench in irritation, and I’m irritated, too.

Keeping my composure, I look at the Baldinis, head on. They're all too gorgeous to be real, and there is no such thing as an even playing field when you're up against them. They've achieved the trifecta—immense power, riches beyond your wildest dreams, and beauty that could be on the cover of GQ.

I twirl a piece of my honey brown hair between my fingers, trying one last time to show them that if Ginny could accept me into this family, they should too.

But when Luca speaks, the rejection I feel sends me out of the door and to my own home, "Emelia, we appreciate your offer, but we have it under control. Please respect our wishes."

Chapter Three

Luca

My siblings and I are gathered in the mansion’s kitchen, a space that has always offered safety and comfort. The discussion is a hard one, but the warm food and cold drinks make it bearable.

“I’ve started organizing for Nonna to go into the crypt, like Mom and Dad,” Enzo says. I had a feeling that would be his plan, but I already knew I was going to veto the decision. Grazia stays silent.

“Nope,” I say quickly, “She needs to be buried next to her husband, the man who helped create this family.” Nonna Ginny loved Nonno like it was written in the bloody stars and she would want nothing more than to spend eternity lying next to him.

She often told me their love story, and it was almost sickly sweet. How they managed to bond over their true love for each other while hustling within our dark world has always been difficult for me to comprehend.

Nonno died before the family crypt was started, and it was decided that we would never move him. Sure, Nonna loved my parents, my father was her only son, after all, but they had each other, and that’s what I believe Nonna would say.

Enzo sighs, “Luca, when the crypt was bought, everyone agreed to be put in there.” Everyone agreed to this after Nonno died, so the argument is non-existent in my eyes.

“Honestly, Nonna always told me she didn’t give a crap about what happened after she died because she’d be dead. She told me that as long as the family stays together and continues to look after each other, the rest is up to us.” I can feel myself getting too worked up and take a breath to calm down. My siblings aren’t the enemy here.

“But then, Luca, doesn’t that mean she wouldn’t care about going into the crypt?” Grazia interjects in the softest way she knows how.

“There’s already a piece of land ready for her, right next to Nonno’s grave. The woman gave this family everything she had for most of her life. Marrying into the Baldini clan is no small job. Surely we can give her this one thing?” My voice is getting louder, but I don’t mean it to. I just feel so strongly that this is the way to go.

Enzo finally relents. "Fine, Luca. But you know this will ruffle some feathers." The feathers of my aunts, and perhaps a few cousins. I don’t give a fuck, though. Their feathers can be as ruffled as they like. None of them spent any time with Nonna. They didn't visit while she was sick or even call to check up on her. They could take their opinions on the funeral and burial arrangements and shove them up their asses.

I nod in return. “I know, but it's what Nonna would have wanted, even if she never said so out loud."

My siblings ultimately know that I will fight tooth and nail to ensure our grandmother is laid to rest in the best way we can manage.

***

We organize a lunch memorial, offer a menu of foods that Nonna loved, and everyone is invited. Everyone. That’s just how our funerals are.

There's an abundance of food, an abundance of faces, and an abundance of flowers. Oh, the flowers, there are more black lilies in the mansion than I've ever seen in my life. It's eerie. But the smell must be what heaven smells like—honey and spice.

And there are so many people here, I’m surprised the mansion can fit them all. Every allied family and business associate has made their way to pay their respects. Plus, all of our extended family.

The mansion, once alive with the sounds of business deals and hushed conversations, now hosts a grim affair. We pay our respects, swapping stories of Nonna and how her counsel shaped the paths of many in our family.

The power play subtly shifts as we all reckon with the void left by the woman who used to help us navigate our moral compass. Knowing I won't hear Nonna's sharp advice or witness her strategic mind at work leaves a gap that even the darkest corners of our world can't fill.

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