Page 146 of La Dolce Vita

Together they started up the steps to the porch, and both men paused at the sound of music. It was faint but compelling. Giovanni opened the door and released the melody. He paused. It took for him to step inside for Lorenzo to follow. His wife was dancing. She and Mirabella sang a song that sounded faintly familiar. He'd never seen the women so playful and happy. He closed the door and dropped the bag at his feet. He and Giovanni watched. Mirabella walked over to Giovanni and took his hand. Marietta went to the record player and switched albums. She came for Lorenzo after.

Diana Ross 'Upside Down' began to play. Lorenzo smiled. Marietta danced around her husband and then to the front of him rubbing her hands down his long arms. And when her belly impeded their closeness she turned and put her back to him and moved. He liked it. He danced with her, almost able to match her rhythm. And when he glanced over he saw his cousin smiling. And dancing. Maybe the trip wasn't an entirely bad idea.

Mirabella’s arms lifted to Giovanni's neck. She danced a little faster to keep up with the tempo of the music. He didn't mind. He could hold her like this forever.

"Upside down you're turning me... round and round you're turning me..." she sang. She let go of him and started dancing for herself. The song evidently brought back happy memories for her. Giovanni watched and smiled. She came back to him and hugged his waist while moving as the music slowly faded to an end.

"Let's go for a walk," she said. "Talk?"

"It'll be dark soon," he teased her. "Aren't you afraid of the dark?"

"Doesn't matter. Here at night you can see the moon and so many stars." She looked up. "Remember Chianti?"

His penis stiffened against his leg when she mentioned Chianti. He smiled and nodded. "Then let's go for a walk."

Marietta was back at the music player. She and Lorenzo were looking at albums.

"We'll be back," Mirabella said. “Listen out for the kids.”

The two barely acknowledged them. Giovanni was led outside. Dusk had arrived. The sun was gone from the sky, and it left a trail of reddish purple streaks. Even now he could see a hint of stars.

"How does it feel to be home?" Giovanni asked.

"Wonderful." She said and walked ahead of him. She stopped, turned and grinned at him. "Over there is where the apple orchards are. And over there is where my family would grow snap peas, collards, soybeans, and seedless watermelon. Ever had seedless watermelon?"

He shook his head no.

"People would come here from town and strap a bucket to the front of their body. They'd pick a basket full and get paid $5 a bucket plus a seedless watermelon."

He eased his arm around her waist, and she started to walk him toward the trees to the back of the farmhouse. "We had chickens. Let's see if Clyde and his sons keep them."

He didn't say anything. He let her lead him and talk as fresh memories came to her. Sweet memories to replace all the terrible nightmares she's suffered over the past few weeks. There was no wind for the evening. The air felt humid and thick to breathe. Little tiny bugs flew up out of the tall grass as they walked. Her hand swung while holding his.

At the back of the house was an empty chicken coop. And a wooden livestock stall that was still fresh with mud for pigs that no longer existed. Mirabella’s hand dropped from his. She sighed with disappointment and walked over to the pig pen. She stared at it.

"Right here. This is where it happened."

"Where what happened?" he asked and stepped to her side.

"Where Cutter and I argued. Where Granddaddy found us."

"Why were you arguing?" Giovanni asked.

"I refused to let him control me."

"So, your grandfather found you here?"

Mirabella nodded. "He was upset. He confronted me first. I had disobeyed him by seeing Cutter."

"Was Cutter violent with you?" Giovanni repeated. "Did he hit you?"

"No. Not exactly. He grabbed me to force me to leave with him. Things spiraled out of control from that point on. And.... well he... we..."

The gate of emotion that kept the tears and grief safely locked away was thrown open. She collapsed against him in tears. He held her as she tried to share the rest of the story, but he could barely hear the words over her sobs. This man Cutter tried to force her to leave. Her grandfather argued with him. Fought with him. She got in between them. In the middle of the struggle, her grandfather collapsed. Mirabella thought he'd fallen and hurt himself. But he was clutching his arm. His eyes were bulging. It was far more serious. Cutter ran, he left her to deal with it alone. Mirabella called the ambulance and by the time they arrived he was unconscious.

"It was my fault. He suffered. He never woke. I did it. I might as well have put a gun to his head. I killed him. He was a good man. The purest of men. The best man I’d ever known, and I killed him."

"He died protecting you. The same as any man who loved you would. It was a horrible incident. But it wasn't your fault. None of it. You were young."

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