Page 135 of La Dolce Vita

"Huh?" She glanced back at him. "Yes, I haven't seen this place in a long time. And it looks the same. Exactly the same."

"People change, often times place don't," Giovanni said.

"Mommy!" Gianni said. He ran over to his parents. Eve walked behind him cupping herself between her legs. Lorenzo carried Gino. He tossed him in the air, and the toddler squealed with happiness. He put him down and Gino began to stomp the rocks on the ground. Mirabella picked up Gianni and peppered his face with kisses.

"The bathroom is on the outside of the building, but we have to get the key from the clerk. Come with me." Mirabella told them.

Giovanni watched the women take the children inside. He turned away and walked over toward the pump.

"Did you speak to our friends?" Giovanni asked.

"Do we still have any?" Lorenzo asked.

Giovanni chuckled.

"They will pay us a visit tonight. Still not sure about coming to America without our men. Mancini has many friends inLa Cosa Nostrahere."

"The week will be over before you know it," he said.

"Surprised you'd even do this, Gio. The clan bosses didn't receive the news about our wives well."

Giovanni nodded. The men said all the right things, but he saw through the facade. With Giovanni making a play for the Mancini fortune he was securing his position as the boss of all bosses, for generations to come.La Camorrawas not the Mafia. It wasn't structured that way. Each ruthless clan wanted the kingdom. And they were all only biding time to find the day to overthrow the other bosses and claim it. Giovanni had a target on his back before Mottola turned the clans against him.

"We need more recruits. We need stronger men in the streets. And Isabella..."

"Let's be clear, cousin. This trip is for our wives. But, coming to America sends a message to our allies here. Let Armando strike with bullets and mayhem. We are after a much bigger bite."

"La Camorrais weak here," Lorenzo said.

"True. So, we make alliances how?"

Lorenzo’s eyes stretched. "The Gambinis have been with Marsuvio Mancini since before our wives were born. We can't make alliances there."

Giovanni shrugged it off as if he were innocent. "Like I said. Things are changing. What fucking kind of boss am I if I can't expand my business to America?" Giovanni unscrewed the gas cap to the van. Lorenzo dropped on the side of the vehicle and stared at the station. The women came out with the children. Mirabella had a plastic bag of candy and snacks. Eve had a soda pop in her hand, and the boys both licked lollipops.

"A week in this place? We aren't even in the city. Fuck, it looks worse than Chianti." Lorenzo grumbled.

Giovanni started pumping the petrol as his sons came running over to him. The vacation would be exactly what they needed. He couldn't wait to see where his wife's life began.

***

To be pregnant in the summer was this woman's nightmare. Marietta tried not to complain. She tried to stay positive. She tried hard to enjoy the time with her family. But if she didn't get out of the van soon she was going to scream. Mirabella rode shotgun in the front seat. She laughed and pointed out cows, and horses to the kids. Lorenzo had his sunglasses on. That meant he was sleep. He was slumped down in his seat with his head tilted left. He'd been in a sour mood and had been since they boarded the plane. It didn't help with her misery.

The van turned off the main road to one that wasn't paved. They drove along farm land locked away behind white picket fences, with tall emerald-green grass in open fields that stretched for miles. Marietta sat upright with her heart lodged in her throat. Eve and the twins sang their favorite nursery rhyme behind her. Mirabella explained the history of the town after emancipation, and how a freed black slave founded it. All the verbal chatter became background noise to the increased rhythm of her heart. Soon the voices of her family were drowned out completely, and a farmhouse appeared in the distance.

They had arrived.

"That's the farmhouse over there," Mirabella turned in her seat toward her. "Can you see it?"

Marietta nodded.

"My grandfather and his parishioners built it. After several years they were able to buy more and more of this land, now we own all of it."

"Really?" Marietta asked.

"Yep."

"I can't believe I'm finally here," Marietta whispered. She was happier than she'd ever been. She always knew as a child she belonged somewhere. Anywhere but with the family, she was forced to accept. And this was proof. She had arrived. Giovanni turned onto the road. They drove slowly toward the two-story farmhouse with a wraparound porch and large trees on either side.

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