Page 44 of La Dolce Vita

"Not Florence. I'm talking about America," Mirabella smiled.

The women both looked at her with curious excitement.

"It was a gift he gave me for my birthday before all of this madness with Kei... before all of it started," she picked up the water and sipped before she spoke again. "Me and Marietta will go with him and Lorenzo to visit our family farm in Virginia. I can show you everything."

"It's still there?" Marietta asked.

Mirabella nodded. "You have family there, too."

"Why don't we know your family?" Catalina asked. "None of them have traveled to Italy. Not even for the wedding. Hell, I thought Fabiana was your family."

"It's a long story. You'll meet them all one day, Catalina. And you," she reached over and touched her sister’s hand. "You are going to meet them in a few weeks. So, that's why you can't go to Paris. I need you here with me."

Marietta grinned. "You hear that, Gianni? Mama's taking us to America!"

Gianni nibbled on the piece of banana that Catalina had shared with him and blinked his blue eyes at his aunt. Mirabella hadn't seen Marietta so happy and relaxed in a long while.

Catalina clapped her hands together and pushed up from her seat. "Come hang with auntie," she said and reached for Gianni. He turned his head away in refusal and buried his face against his mother's breast.

"Well. I need to make some calls before dinner. I'll be taking the ferry out to Sicily at dawn," Catalina said. "I'm not telling Domi."

"Why not?" Marietta asked.

"He's been at it again, lately. Talking about me cutting back, telling me I need to refocus on us and not the business. And now that we have the house he thinks I should be focused on decorating and getting ready for the wedding."

"I agree with him," Marietta said. The women frowned. "What? These two are always talking about the wedding but don't even have a date!"

"We do have a date. It’s November 29th."

"Oh?" Marietta shrugged.

"I just don't want to agitate Domi. Things are good with us. Besides, I'll be back before we head to Paris. Francesca is remodeling her boutique, and I have some originals I want to put in there. Maybe even at a special price to entice the tourists to buy."

"Good idea," Mirabella said. "And give Francesca my love. I think we all need to visit Sicilia soon. Especially with Vito feeling so sick."

Catalina walked out.

Marietta put her face in her hands. "This is the best news ever," she sighed.

"You okay?" Mirabella asked. She scooted back so Gianni could climb down from her lap and play.

"I feel better. Lorenzo and I had a talk. He wants to go to Bellagio. I like the idea of America instead," she said. "Speaking of Sicilia, do you want to tell me what this thing with Rosetta is really about?"

"You can see through me? Huh?"

"I'm your twin," Marietta chuckled.

"Armando and Rosetta have been sleeping together," she said.

Marietta choked on her tea. She coughed into a napkin. Gianni froze with concern. Mirabella gently patted her sister’s back while giving her son a wink to ensure him everything was okay.

"Are you sure? Who told you that?" Marietta coughed.

"I got a call from Josefina. And then I called Armando. He had no problem confessing it to me."

"Gross!"

"He had the nerve to show up at the party to give Catalina a gift."

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