Page 132 of La Dolce Vita

Once done the angry agents handed over the passports, and Giovanni smiled at one. He took Gianni from Mirabella and she and her sister re-packed the bags.

"This is bullshit!" Marietta seethed.

"Scusi, signora?Something to say?" one of the customs guards asked Marietta. She glared at the man while continuing to stuff her bags.

"Hurry up, let's get this over with," Mirabella said. She glanced up to see several of theCarabinierihad zoomed in on her. One, in particular, had a mean smirk on his face, as if he itched to say something cruel but held himself back. She finished. She and Marietta were searched and then allowed to pass on.

"Mama?" Eve gave her a curious frown. Her daughter knew something was wrong, but she couldn't comprehend it. That hurt her heart. She never wanted her children to feel targeted. She joined Giovanni, who had convinced Gianni to sit in the stroller. The family proceeded to pretend that the delay never happened. But it was too late for Mirabella. Anxiety was a part of her life. She found herself breathing harder, and looking around to see if they were being followed.

"Are you okay?" Giovanni asked her once they reached their gate. "You're sweating,Bella."

"Am I?" she said. She smiled and gave him a sassy smile to play off the trauma. "That was intense. But I'm all right."

"It was our first time leaving the country together," Giovanni said. "It was the first you have left the country outside of traveling to Sicily."

"In years. Yes. The very first time," she said.

He reached for her hand. He kissed it.

"Relax. I've taken care of everything. We will be all right."

***

Paris, France -

"Wake up," Catalina nudged Rosetta. The driver drove along theAvenue des Champs-Élyséesheaded to the Four Seasons hotel where they were registered to stay. Rosetta wiped the drool from the side of her mouth. Their flight was delayed, so they spent more time in the airport than on the plane. Both of them were exhausted.

"I've never been to Paris before," Rosetta said and gazed out the window.

"Here, clean up, and put on this lipstick."

Rosetta accepted the mirrored compact case and tube of lipstick. Catalina fixed her hair. There were photographers in the city. They camped out near the major hotels in hopes of capturing a shot of celebrities or designers during Fashion Week. They had to look their very best. She'd given Rosetta a purple Mirabella's original, and she had taken the time to curl and style her hair. Though she didn't like her much, she had to admit Rosetta was quite stunning when she wanted to be.

"What do we do first?" Rosetta asked as she slicked her lips with a fresh coat.

"We check into the hotel. I want to call Jamie and let her know we are in town. I know she just got in from visiting Kyra. Then we meet with some of the staff from the Paris office."

"Oh? When will we go sightseeing? Can we go visit the Eiffel Tower?"

Catalina sighed. "We are here for work. You will be lucky if you get a chance to see the sun or moon."

"What?" Rosetta said with disappointment.

It dawned on Catalina for the first time how fresh and exciting this life could be for a person that was new to this. The first time she traveled to America to handle business for Mirabella she too was bubbling with excitement. She glanced over to her cousin who stared out the window pouting.

"Rosie, look. Up ahead. You can seeArc de Triomphe de l'Étoil.There!"

Rosetta leaned in and gazed out the front window past the driver. "Oh my goodness! It's magnificent!"

"Magnifique!"Catalina corrected her. "If it's not too late we can have the men take us out for dinner. Near the Eiffel Tower."

"And dancing. A discotheque? Maybe?"

"Maybe," Catalina said.

"Grazie,Catalina, I am so excited."

Catalina nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am too."

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