Page 191 of La Dolce Vita

“I didn’t know,” Giovanni said.

“We have a lot of catching up to do.”

***

“Lorenzo! Come here!” Marietta said.

They had stayed in bed most of the morning. She fixed him something to eat and returned to bed with him. All they did was talk and look through the photo albums Minnie left behind. He told her she should play the album but she wasn’t sure she could handle it yet. Yes, she’d been waiting all her life to know her family. But having her dream become a reality was much more than she could hope for. She hadn’t even told Mirabella about the album and diary.

It was close to lunch and they emerged to find the family outside. She had intended to start working on lunch when she heard a door close. She walked over to the window and saw a tall man with red hair and a beard holding Gino.

“Who is he?”

“Motherfucker!” Lorenzo groaned from behind her. Marietta glanced back at her husband. “That is Giovanni’s cousin from Ireland. Haven’t seen him in years. Didn’t know Giovanni called him.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

Lorenzo frowned.

“You’re acting weird? Is something wrong?”

“No. Just don’t like the motherfucker,” Lorenzo grunted. “I’ll get dressed.”

“You are dressed!” she called after him. Lorenzo bounded back upstairs. Marietta glanced back out of the window. The man was handsome. And when he and the family started toward the porch she could see he had the striking blue eyes that Giovanni and the kids had. They definitely could be related.

***

“Come in!” Mirabella said and opened the door for the kids to go outside.

"In a minute, let us catch up first," Giovanni said and sat on the porch seat.

“Something to drink Henry?” Mirabella offered.

“Water would be fine,” he said.

She smiled and nodded then went inside. Giovanni was grateful the sun wasn’t facing the porch. It felt much cooler where they sat.

“She’s a beautiful woman Gio,” Henry said and sat down. “How is she?”

“Better. This trip has made her stronger.”

Giovanni had shared his problems with Henry months ago. Cutting off Lorenzo and Dominic had given very few options when it came to confiding in someone. Though he and Henry hadn’t seen each other in years they never lost contact. The truth was Henry never lost contact with him.

“You got a son, why am I just hearing that now?”

“Didn’t know about the kid until a few months ago.”

“Wait? I’m confused. You’ve been married to Ally for two years now.”

Henry gave him a sheepish smile. “Ally didn’t push this one out. Let’s just say we were caught off guard by the little bugger. The mother isn’t worth mentioning.”

“How many kids does that make?”

“Thirteen. Not done yet! Trying raise an army."

Giovanni chuckled. Mirabella returned with a glass of water for Henry and another one for Giovanni. He accepted.

“Can you bring that one out there in the grass in when you come inside?” she asked.

---