Page 211 of La Dolce Vita

"Arrivederci, Clyde," Lorenzo nodded.

"Bye, kids!" Clyde said. The children waved and said goodbye. Clyde hit the side of the van for encouragement and walked away. Giovanni cut his gaze over to his cousin. It hadn't escaped his attention that his cousin barely spoke two sentences to him since he announced they would return home. It was time for the distrust to end.

"Have you found Isabella," Lorenzo asked.

“I’m not sure. It’s possible. We will return home and see.”

Giovanni glanced over at him. "I toldPatribefore he died I would learn to be a better man. Last night I realized I'm not a better man. I'm just a man. And I will do anything to protect what's mine. It's not your job to avenge my wife." Giovanni gripped the steering wheel tighter and stared at Mirabella as she and her sister hugged their family and said goodbye. "It's mine."

"It's my job to protect you. And if you do this without me I can't," Lorenzo said. "Sometimes the truth isn't simple, or neat. Sometimes there's more than we understand about our brotherhood, about loyalty, about trust. You're working with Benicia, who still has a grudge from the attack you did on his father. You're trusting your enemies instead of family for the sake of that viper bitch. Do you know that last night the Benicia's fired on Carlo? Killed Leonardo and six of our boys were gunned down."

“By who?”

“Benicia. Trusting your enemies and not your family makes you weak and vulnerable. It will get us all killed."

"I'm not trusting them. I'm letting them be who they are, to give me what I want. And as for our men. Mateo Benicia will pay for every life he took in my name. I promise you that cousin."

Giovanni honked the horn.

"Good grief, you have an impatient husband," Minnie chuckled.

"We'll call you. As soon as we are home," Mirabella said.

Marietta hugged the girls one last time. "I gave your mother my number. You two can come to visit anytime. Anytime!"

The girls nodded. Mirabella gave Clyde a hug, as well as a few more family members who came to say goodbye. It was done. The girls returned to the van and waved and watched as the last of their family faded away. Mirabella glanced over to her husband, who smiled encouragingly for her. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

Lorenzo had put his sunglasses on and slumped down on his seat. The kids were sleeping in the back of the passenger van. Marietta scooted in closer to him, and he flinched as if startled. Lorenzo put his arm around her and held her.

"Are you okay? Earlier when you took the phone call, you... well you've been quiet," she said.

"Thinking," he said.

"About?" she asked.

"A surprise. One I will have for you at home."

"Yummy! I like surprises. Can you give me a hint?"

"It's a gift. For you and the baby. Something I should have given you a long time ago."

"Really? Now I'm intrigued. And don't say it’s in your pants," she rolled her eyes.

Lorenzo chuckled. "I said for you and the baby, naughty girl."

"Happy mommy makes a happy baby."

"How did it go, Marie? Saying goodbye to your family?" he asked.

"It wasn't like saying goodbye. More like I'll see you later," she said.

"What if you don't? See them again. What then?"

"That's a strange question. I just found them. And my sister. I just found her. I don't plan to lose any of my family anymore. For the first time in my life, I feel whole. It's a good feeling."

Lorenzo sighed. "My wife is whole, perfect. I will make you happy."

"You do. And our baby. Say I love you to the baby." She put his hand on her tummy. Lorenzo turned sideways in his seat with his right arm extended on the top of the seat and his left hand on her belly. He leaned in and whispered.

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