Page 19 of Wizard's Spitfire

Ma is sitting on the couch in between Lucia and Francesca. Veronica is in a side chair, arms crossed, a pout marring her beautiful face. As soon as they saw me, they all start speaking at once.

I let them go on for a couple of minutes. I need to give Pops a few minutes. A loud whistle pierces the air. The girls immediately stop talking. Pops comes in, putting an arm around my shoulders and guiding me to the love seat.

Wizard

POPS SURPRISES ME BYwalking me to my sled.

“I need your phone,” Pops says.

I take it out of my back pocket and hand it to him. He fiddles with it for a minute and hands it back.

“Now we have each other's numbers. Take care of my neonata. Her ex doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air. He’s got Valentina tied up in knots.”

Pops walks away cursing Roger Caruso, aka JR. Two minutes later, my phone rings. It's Pops. It takes a few seconds to realize he’s called so I can listen in to the meeting.

Chapter 10

Charlie

“Now, we’re going to do this in an orderly fashion. Regina, do you have the ladle?” Pops says.

Ma nods and hands him the ladle. It’s been in our family for generations. Whoever has the ladle gets to talk. No ladle, no talking. Pop surprises me, handing the ladle to Francesca.

“Franni, start by telling us what you know regarding the bomb you dropped in the van?”

“It’s all lies!” Valentina screams.

“That’s a week,” Pops says.

Valentina opens her mouth. I raise my hand; Francesca hands me the ladle.

“That’s on top of your current punishment.”

I hand the ladle back to my daughter.

“I’m sorry, Mamma.”

“It’s not your fault, baby. Just tell us what you know.”

For the next thirty minutes, I bite my tongue as my daughter tells me about the string of women in my ex’s life. A string that touched their lives far more than I realized. Francesca even walked in on her father once.

I sit there, numb. My girls knew their father cheated. Even Valentina, who accused me of breaking up the marriage. By the time she finishes, I need time to process it all. Francesca hands me the ladle.

I move across the room and take her into my arms.

“I’m so sorry, sweet girl, you had to carry that burden.”

I see tears trail down her cheeks. It breaks my heart.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Mamma,” she sobs into my chest.

“Shh, sweet girl. This isn't on you. Your father is an adult. He made those choices, not you. I’m only sorry I didn’t know you were keeping this all in.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you anymore.”

Lucia suddenly clings to my back. I can hear the crack in her voice.

“None of us did.” Lucia sobs against my back.

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