Page 66 of La Dolce Vita

Mirabella eased out of the car and into the sunlight. The air in Chianti had a sweet taste and smell. She looked past the villa and out across the open land. The vineyard was just down the hill. She could see Zia and Rocco's cottage. There was plenty of land for the kids to run and play. They should have come sooner. Giovanni walked over holding Gino and Gianni in his arms. He smiled down at her.

She smiled for him and took hold of Eve's hand.

"I have to pee-pee, Mama!" Eve squealed and held herself.

"Come now," Mirabella said, and they started up the walkway.

"It's hot out here!" Marietta complained as she walked behind them. She fanned herself with her hand. "I bet it's hot inside, too."

"Probably," Mirabella said. "We'll open the windows."

Marietta huffed. "No central air?"

Zia was ahead of them. She opened up the place first, and the family came inside after. Eve ran after Zia to be taken to the bathroom. The boys went with Gio. It was Mirabella who paused. She looked around the villa and felt like she was transported in time. Everything from the furnishings to the color of the walls looked to be fifty years old.

"Why the hell aren't we staying in Firenze? In a hotel?" Marietta whispered in her ear.

"It think it's nice that we came to Chianti. The place is okay. Besides, the country air will do us all some good."

"You mean the funky air!" Marietta walked off to open the windows. Mirabella chewed on her bottom lip. She had to agree with Marietta. The villa wasn't ideal. In fact, she would have been more comfortable at Zia and Rocco's cottage than this mausoleum.

"Hi," Giovanni said, his arm slid around her waist.

"Hi," she said.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Is this ours?" she asked.

"It belongs to Rocco. He built it after he married Zia and found out she was pregnant. But they moved out after their son died. No one ever stays here," he said.

"That's what I feel. The sadness. You feel it?" she asked.

He ran his hand over her backside and kissed her cheek. "Let's go for a walk. Talk."

She glanced over to Marietta who was squealing over a spider that Umberto was trying to kill. Giovanni shook his head and took hold of her hand to walk her outside.

"Where are the boys?" she asked.

"Gino and Gianni are with Cecilia," he said.

To her relief, the sun didn't blaze as hot on the left side of the house. She stepped into the grass and caught the soothing brush of a fresh breeze rustling through the tall blades. There was land, lots of it, but the trees were mostly downhill toward the vineyard. Together they walked hand in hand away from the villa.

"So, what happened last night?" Giovanni asked, but didn't look over to her.

"I saw you leave. That's what happened."

"I gather that," he said.

"You gather? It was the middle of the night. I was concerned," she said.

"Why?" he asked. “Did you have another nightmare?”

She stopped.

“What?” he asked.

"How dare you do that? Turn it around on me. I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid. You left, and you want to make me think it's in my head."

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