Page 137 of Vita Mia

“Leeza walked to him.”

“She did!”

“Yes. Leeza stood up and smiled at Papa, then she walked to him.”

“Oh mummy I would have wanted to be there for that! Papa must have been so happy.”

“He was sweetheart. He was. Why are you looking for Nico?”

Eve lowered her gaze and gave a sly smile.

“You’re not keeping secrets, are you?”

“No. I don’t keep secrets anymore. I promise. I thought today would be the day that I tell him.”

“Tell him what?”

“Tell him that I love him.”

“Oh, he knows that,” Mirabella said.

Eve shook her head no.

“He does not. I love him. Like you love Papa. I’m going to marry him. I prayed to God to forgive me for my sins. And Zia said God has listened. When I am bigger we will get married and I’ll give him a baby. I will be his wife.”

“Sweetheart, when you get bigger, Nico will be old and grey like Mama,” she teased. “You will be a beautiful young lady and you will meet a handsome prince and be his wife.”

“No mummy! I love him. That’s why Cecilia died. I didn’t want her to die, but she died because I am going to be Nico’s wife. I dreamed it.”

“Stop it!” Mirabella snapped.

Eve flinched.

“Don’t ever say that again. Do you hear me?”

“I’m sorry.”

Mirabella reached for Eve’s wounded hand. “I’m sorry too, honey. You’re confused and I understand. It’s just you can’t say things like that. Nico is our family. He’s like a father to you. He’s your Godfather. Okay? He’s not some prince, some hero, or your future husband. He’s family. Understand?”

Eve nodded.

“Come here.”

Eve went to Mirabella. She sat and pulled her up on her lap and sat her there. She took her hand into hers. Eve’s scarring was deep. Her skin had all peeled away leaving a pink pigment with black spots. It was rippled from healed blisters. And two of her fingernails remained discolored. Mirabella kissed Eve’s hand.

“It looks better,” she said.

“Does it?” Eve asked. “Better than what?”

“Yescara, it does. It looks better than before.”

“Sometimes I feel it. The fire. I feel my hand hurting. I don’t say anything because I don’t want to upset you.”

“You can talk to me. Always.”

“I know,” Eve mumbled.

Mirabella kissed her hand again and then kissed Eve. “Mama was wrong. You can love Nico. And you can pretend to be a princess and for him to be your hero. Because in make believe we can do and be anything we want.”

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