Page 106 of Vita Mia

“Stop apologizing, Bella,” Giovanni said.

Mirabella nodded. She looked at his bruises. The ones on his face told the story. But it was the rope burns around his neck that terrified her the most. Someone had strung him up, or choked him.

“What is this place?” Mirabella asked.

“It’s jail,” Giovanni said. He tickled his daughter and she fell forward on to him with laughter.

“Gio... are you okay?”

He glanced to her. She bit down on her bottom lip. “Are you going to be okay?”

Giovanni smiled. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m fine,cara. This is the best gift you could have given me. The very best.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“No,” he said and made a funny face for Leeza.

“I know you said—”

“Listen to me Bella. I don’t give a shit what they do to me. You can’t come back here. Do you understand me? You can never come back.”

“I understand now. I didn’t mean to put Leeza in harm. I only thought—.”

“Shhh...” Giovanni whispered. He kissed her tears. “La mia dolce bellissima, Bella. Don’t let them see you cry.”

She nodded and wiped her tears. He then gasped. Mirabella looked up and saw what had amazed him. Leeza had let go of her father hands and stood on her two feet. She stared at her mother and father as if her actions were normal. Mirabella smiled. “Eve told me she was trying to walk.”

“Can she?” Giovanni whispered, as if the sound of his voice would make her fall. “It’s too soon.”

Leeza looked at Giovanni and then Mirabella. She clasped her hands before her chubby face and grinned.

“I don’t know,” Mirabella chuckled. “She might be able to walk.”

Giovanni scooted back. Mirabella could see he was in pain when he did so. But he didn’t complain. She scooted back with him.

He held out his hands to Leeza. “Come to Papa,” he said. “Vieni da tuo padre, vieni, vieni,” he said.

Leeza stretched her arms out and took a step. She wobbled. Mirabella sat up to reach for her in case she fell.

“Vieni, vieni,”Giovanni encouraged her.

Leeza took another step, and then another. Each time she did it felt as if she would tip over. Mirabella looked on in amazement as her daughter giggled with excitement over her accomplishment. At only ten months old she was walking. And then she fell forward and Giovanni caught her. He hugged her and laughed.

“She did it. She walked!” Mirabella said.

“She’s my miracle bambina. Aren’t you. Leeza MiaBella. My beautiful baby girl,” Giovanni said.

Mirabella dropped her head on his shoulder as Leeza pushed out of her father’s embrace to try to walk again. They let her play and sat in silence and watched her. She was afraid to speak. She was afraid to even breathe a word. He lifted his left arm and let her come in closer and snuggle him. She turned her face to his chest and wept. He ran his hand down her back.

“They will be coming soon.”

She nodded.

“You and the kids? All of them are here, in Italy?”

“We have a place. It’s close.”

“She’s amazing,” Giovanni said as Leeza crawled, then stood and walked a few steps, before plopping down on her bum and crawling again.

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