Page 168 of La Dolce Vita

"So. You met Cutter?" Clyde asked. He spat a stream of brown stuff and wiped his lip with a napkin.

"He introduced himself," Giovanni said. “I wouldn’t say we’ve met.”

"Nasty son-of-a-bitch. Got most in this town scared of his shadow. Can't stand him personally. He wasn't invited. I want you to know that. My son Clyde Jr. is a good man; he knows Mirabella doesn't want to see him. Cutter got family that belongs to the church. That's probably how he knew about it."

"Want me to escort him out?" Lorenzo asked.

Clyde shook his head. "No need. He's all bark now a days. No bite. Besides. We know who you are," Clyde said.

"Who are we?" Giovanni asked.

"Reporters have been through this town after Mia came back from the dead. They were camped out here at the church. I guess they figured in a small town like this Sunday morning is the best place to catch everyone in town. They told us you were criminals in Italy. Said you were some kind of Mafia guy. That kidnapped Mia. Wasn't until she came out and did that press conference did we learn it wasn't true. That she was with you because she wanted to be. Cutter knows who you are." Clyde spat another brown stream of tobacco.

"I'm not in the Mafia," Giovanni said.

Clyde chuckled but didn't say anything further. “And I’m not a farmer. Seen them fellas come through town looking for the farm yesterday. Them fella’s was definitely Mafia men.”

Giovanni glanced over to his wife. Minnie approached her. Mirabella was by the kids. They were having some kind of race where they hopped around in potato sacks. Eve struggled and fell. She got up from the ground and jumped to the finish line. Mirabella cheered them on.

"We are so glad she has come home. Mia thinks we don't need or want her here. It's not true. When we thought she had died, it broke our hearts. So many of us grieved. It's time for us to heal."

"Heal from what?" Lorenzo asked. “Why does she stay away?”

“It’s not for discussion,” Giovanni said. “She has her reasons so leave it alone.”

Lorenzo frowned but nodded he would obey. Clyde glanced over to Lorenzo and Giovanni. He looked to be gauging his words. Then he finally spoke. "It's time for us to heal from the past. Excuse me."

Clyde got up and walked out from under the tent. Giovanni let Gianni ease off his knee and go over to Lorenzo who shared his canned drink with him.

"What is going on here? What's in the past?" Lorenzo asked. “I saw you two at the grave. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine.”

"What about this Cutter? I don't like his attitude, Gio. Let me have a word with him."

"No. I promised Bella we would be polite. Cutter hasn't crossed a line," Giovanni said. “If he does, we’ll drag him back over it.”

"Non problemo,"Lorenzo said and tickled Gianni.

***

"Whew! Girl, it's hot out here." Marietta said and fanned herself.

Mirabella smiled. "Yes, it is."

"Look at Evie. Is that Minnie’s granddaughter with her?"

Mirabella shielded the sun from her eyes. She smiled at her daughter. Eve had made a friend. The girls were the same in height and age. They ran off to the next game, which would involve water balloons.

"Eve needs to play with more kids her age. Look at her," Mirabella said. “She is in love with her cousins. There are so many.”

"Yeah, I agree. Can we stand under a tree? Seriously. I'm getting eaten alive out here!" Marietta swatted at the tiny bugs buzzing around her face. Mirabella walked over to the tree and Marietta followed. Gino was under the tent being fed by some lady while he sat on her lap. She kept kissing him. The family seemed to adore the boys the most. Gino was a star.

"I spoke to Minnie. She invited us to her house this afternoon."

"Really? Why?" Mirabella asked.

“What do you mean why? To talk. About everything. She said it was time we got it all out on the table." Marietta answered.

---