Page 118 of La Dolce Vita

"Maybe not! Or he could have hired her before, and they both... maybe they want to kill the kids."

"Stop!" He grabbed his wife by the arms. She had the madness in her eyes he'd seen before.

"She resembles her, yes. But not that much. I think you're making too much out of it. I will get rid of her. Okay?"

"I need to catch my breath." Mirabella shrugged off his touch and sat in a chair. She put her hand to her breast. Breathing came in short gasps. The anxiety walls crushed in on her lungs. Giovanni got down on one knee and kissed her free hand. The moment his lips brushed her knuckles the tightness in her chest eased. She smiled at his tenderness. What he didn't know was that she had a nightmare last night. A short, painful one. In her dream she watched Fabiana burn. How could that be a coincidence that she saw Fabiana today? Or her twin.

Giovanni looked up into her eyes with those violet gems of his, and she touched his scruffy cheek. When was the last time he shaved?

"Don't be upset. I truly didn't know," he said.

"I'm not mad at you, baby," she said to her husband. "I thought... I saw her and figured I was hallucinating. Seeing Fabiana again. It hurt and felt crazy at the same time."

"Let me take you upstairs. We can talk. Or I can lay down with you. Do you feel stressed?"

"No. No, I'm fine. Don't worry. She came all this way to meet me. I'm all right."

"Bella? We are not meeting with this doctor. Even if she can help, you are too agitated."

"I am agitated, Gio. Because I keep being blindsided by...” she paused. She put a hand to her brow. “I’m not upset, sweetheart. Give me a second. I didn’t expect to see that woman, looking the way she does.”

“Let’s get rid of her.”

“No. That won’t solve anything. What I need to do is face my fears, not run and hide from them behind you. You need me healthy. My children do, too. Damn it; I won't cower."

"I can take better care of you than a stranger. We go to America and take a vacation. I'll make plans for us to leave in a few days."

"That soon?" Mirabella asked.

"Sooner if you wish," he kissed her thigh. “Just relax. Let me handle everything.”

"Va bene. We as a family do need a break. Catalina should take Rosetta and go to Paris. You and I can take the children to America. That will make me happy."

"Done!" he said with a lopsided grin. He stood. He towered over her as if he were her champion again. "I will get rid of that doctor!"

There was something in his tone and the look in his eyes as he said the words. She didn't like it. Of course, it wasn't the doctor’s fault for the coincidence. Her husband had to know that.

"Don't, Gio. I want to meet with the doctor."

Giovanni's smile faded.

"I won't let you and Dominic decide who gets to step into my head and analyze me. Not anymore. This is my choice. I want to meet with her. Alone."

"Alone? No. Definitely not."

"Fine. Talk to her with me. But after you're done, she and I meet privately. It's how therapy should be. I need to work with her without you looking over my shoulder. I can do this. I can."

He pulled his hand away and wiped it down his face. The muscle in his jaw flexed. He was ready to reject her reasoning but didn't know exactly how to do so without sounding like a heel.

"You're certain?" he asked.

"I'll prove it," she stood and took his hand. She led him her way. So many emotions gnawed away at her insides as they walked down the hall to the terrace. Fabiana's resurrection had occurred many nights in her dreams. To see her friend or someone who looked similar, had shaken her to the center of her being. The inexplicable sadness she felt as she approached the doppelgänger made her eyes well with tears. Mirabella blinked to disperse them. If Giovanni sensed her distress, the doctor would be sent away at gunpoint. And deep down inside she didn't want the doctor to go. She felt desperate to know more about the woman. Could it be a long lost relative? Fabiana had a hard childhood and had escaped abuse by her stepfather. Often Fabiana would speak of her relatives in Italy. But she never named a person or family. Could this doctor be her? Mirabella felt her hands shaking. The anxiety was so tight in her chest it was as if she had run up six flights of stairs. She breathed slowly and managed to mask her distress. The doctor waited. The woman looked genuinely concerned.

"Dottore,buongiornoI'm Mirabella Battaglia.Prego.Welcome to my home," she said and extended her hand.

"Mirabella, so nice to finally meet you." The doctor shook her hand, and air kissed either side of Mirabella's cheeks. "Forgive me, but I'm confused. Did I do something to upset you earlier?"

"No. I, uh, no. You remind of someone."

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