Page 137 of La Dolce Vita

"She's the sweetest baby girl. Just a jewel. Oh, I'm in love. Can Aunt Minnie have a hug?" Minnie asked and pulled Eve over. Her daughter hugged the woman but pushed away and went to her father right after."

"I have a grandbaby your age. She's your cousin. You'll meet her tomorrow." Minnie grinned.

Gino walked over to Minnie."Ciao!"he said.

Mirabella’s eyes stretched, she was so shocked. Gino said it clearly, no baby talk. Minnie laughed.

"Ciaoto you too, baby!" she laughed. She pulled Gino into a hug and stood with him. She gave him over to Clyde who held him up in the sun and smiled at him.

"They are identical, ain't they?" Minnie asked of Gino. Gianni who ran from her to Mirabella.

"Yes, they are. Identical," Mirabella chuckled.

Minnie clasped her hands together. "Tomorrow we are having a cookout at your grandfather’s church. You know Clyde Jr. is the pastor now. Everybody is coming."

It didn't surprise Mirabella. Minnie was well respected in the town and the only one that Mirabella often spoke to. She relayed the news of the celebrity from Apple Grove who never came home. But, who also put a factory here to employ the people, and pretty much owned half of the town.

"Let's get the luggage," Clyde said to the men. Giovanni followed. Lorenzo and Marietta finished their conversation, and he let her go. She returned to Mirabella with a deep blush to her cheeks. She wiped away her tears. Minnie reached for Gianni, but he held on tight to Mirabella's neck. She knew that Giovanni said she should try not to spoil him so much, but it was hard. She pulled Gianni from her.

"This is your auntie, and she just wants to give you a hug. Can you do that for Mommy?" she asked him in Italian. "I'll give you candy."

Gianni looked at the grinning Minnie, who had her hands up, reaching for him. At first, Mirabella didn't think he would. But something in Minnie's warm smile won him over. Gianni reached for her. Minnie celebrated by spinning around and kissing on him. It spooked Gianni, and he squealed for his mother again. But Minnie turned and went to the front porch steps.

"I'm in love," Minnie chuckled. "C'mon then, let's get you settled inside. I went to the grocery, so there is a little bit of everything. No one stays here. Me and my baby girl Ellie cleaned the place and put in fresh linen. But no one stays here. We keep it just as you said."

"What does she mean by that? How does she keep it?" Marietta whispered.

"The way I left it," Mirabella answered softly.

"So you don't rent the place out? It's pretty big," Marietta said.

"No. I don't." Mirabella replied. "Thank you, Minnie, for going through the trouble."

When they followed Minnie up the steps, Eve was first to take off running down the wooden porch. She jumped on the glider and rocked back and forth.

"No bother. We have missed you so much. So happy you came!"

Mirabella knew that wasn't true. Half the town hated her, and the other half was too young to remember her and didn't care. She believed Minnie missed her, and Clyde cared. But that was it. Minnie opened the door. Marietta went inside and the kids next. Mirabella didn't move. She couldn't move. It was as if someone had nailed her feet to the porch. Marietta glanced back at her with a worried smile. Mirabella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And for the first time since her grandfather's funeral she walked back into the past.

***

François choseLe Tailleventfor dinner. He walked them through the restaurant as if he owned it, proud as a peacock.Très chic, très hip, très sexy!It's what they often said about François. The man was the epitome of fashion and represented Mirabella's design house since Montague was escorted out. Possessing a very classic handsomeness, he wore a dark velvet blazer, with a crisp white shirt open at the collar, for a polka-dot, royal blue and white ascot neck tie. His hair was black as coal, and smoothed from his face with the kind of mousse that made it look polished. Several diners paused to look at François as he passed. He paid them no mind. But he had their full attention. His nails were painted, and his pinkie nails had silver dagger tips. He carried in his arms a small dog that nipped and glared at everyone they passed.

Rosetta was the second to prance and flaunt her beauty and status. She walked behind François with her chin up and her hair swaying. She wore the designer sunglasses Catalina gave her and peered at everyone from over the top. She paused for Catalina to catch up and whispered in her ear.

"They’re staring at us. They know who we are."

It was true. This time of year brought out the spectators. And since Milano, Catalina's face had been featured on the cover of several magazines. But she didn't care. She'd spent most of her brain energy trying to concentrate on work and seeing through what Mirabella asked of them. And the rest of her mental energy praying Armando didn't just walk up to her at the most inappropriate time.

Every feeling of anxiety or stress drained when Catalina looked up to see a special person waiting for them. Seated at an all-white cloth table, with gold plated silverware, was Jamie.

She was beautiful. Her hair was dark at the roots but magenta red at the tips and curly. Her brown skin was flawless, with makeup so precise she'd put any supermodel in their business to shame. She waved her hand and wiggled her pink nails at them and stood. Catalina smiled. She glanced to Rosetta who stared on with wide-stretched eyes. She had told Rosetta that Jamie used to be a man and what she looked like. She wanted Rosetta to carry herself with class and not embarrass her if by some chance she found out. Now she wished she hadn't. One look at Jamie and you didn't see a man in a dress. No. You saw a fierce, confident woman in charge of her life. Jamie wore a slimming black dress with large, vibrant, colorful flowers pinned to the swoop neck collar, which reached low enough to reveal her double Ds. And she had on boots that stretched up to her thighs and made her go from a solid six-foot-two to six-foot-seven.

"Catalina!" Jamie pulled her into a hug. Catalina hugged her back. "And who is this baby doll?"

"She's my cousin Rosetta," Catalina said. "Rosetta this is Jamie. She and Kyra run the shoe division of Mirabella's."

"Bonjour,"Rosetta said with a shy smile.

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