Page 258 of La Dolce Vita

"No. If Giovanni is dead, then you have to get out of Italy, Sicily. You have to go back to America. Without me."

"No! Are you crazy.\?"

"Shae. You will call Shae and arrange it. I have money in accounts... Switzerland. Enough for you and the baby to disappear. You don't understand what's coming," Lorenzo said between gasps of breath. His eyes teared. He shook his head. “This is my fault. They will kill us all if he's dead…”

"And if he lives."

Lorenzo looked at her sadly. "Then they will just kill me."

"I don't care. Live or die; we do it together." She went to him and hugged him. He wept. Marietta held him; certain his tears were for Giovanni. And to her surprise, she shed them as well. By pulling the trigger, she changed their lives forever.

“He wasn’t my cousin. He was my brother. My brother,” Lorenzo wept.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry baby.” She said and clung to him.

***

Mirabella was walked into a room that had so much equipment she thought it was the operating room. The machines blinked and beeped with dials and lights. Giovanni was in the bed. A tube was connected to his mouth and nose. His eyelids were taped shut. He was so swollen in the face and neck he didn't look like her husband. Mirabella felt weak. She could barely take the necessary steps toward him. She had to steady herself. She reached the side of his bed and looked at him in disbelief. The only comfort she could take was his heart monitor. It was beating somewhere in his battered chest.

She ran her hand over his and sucked down a deep breath of sadness. "I'm here, sweetie. I'm here. Be healthy for the kids and me. Okay?"

He didn’t respond. His hand didn’t move.

"Be strong for me and I swear I'll be strong for you."

She leaned in and brushed her lips lightly over his jaw.

"I love you."

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