Page 138 of Vita Mia

Eve’s smile was so bright Mirabella knew she had corrected her mistake.

“But in real life Eve, we loved Cecilia, and Nico loves Cecilia. She is his wife, whether she is dead or alive. And we don’t want to ever make him feel like he needs to choose us over her. Understand?”

“Yes mummy. I love them both. Nico and Cecilia.”

“Good baby. Now go play.”

Eve nodded and scooted down from her knee. She started to walk off and stopped “Mummy?”

“Yes?”

“Where did you bury Boo-Boo?”

“Ah, I’m not sure sweetheart.”

“Can you find out? I want to say goodbye.”

“I’ll try.”

***

HOUSTON, TEXAS

“Madre?” Rolando said.

Shae lifted her face from her hands. Rolando had come into the basement. The kids, including Jilly were gone to school and daycare. Rolando was the only one to stay behind.

He held out a glass of water for her. “Per te.”

“Thank you,” Shae smiled. She drank the water not even knowing she was thirsty.

He sat next to her. “He’ll come back.”

“I’ve called everyone,” Shae said. “I’ve even called the hospitals. It’s been four days.”

“He’ll come back,madre,” Rolando said.

“Why hasn’t he called?” Shae asked, as if she didn’t know.

“He needed to take the rage somewhere away from you and the kids. It’s how he is. I’ve seen it. When Adara—.”

Shae looked up.

Rolando silenced.

“It’s okay. You can say her name.”

“He loves youmadre,I think he loves it here in this country, but he has not forgotten who he is, no matter how much he pretends to be a cowboy.”

Shae smiled. Rolando called all the American men he sees in Texas cowboys. She thought it was cute. But maybe Rolando wasn’t saying it as a compliment. Maybe he too, felt out of place in their new world. He never complained. He and Jilly had formed their own tight bond as she taught him how to better his English. And since they became a family he always referred to Shae asmadre. However, today her eyes were opened. They jumped into a new life. But for Carlo and Rolando was it a jump or more like a push?

“He was very close to Renaldo, wasn’t he?” Shae asked.

“Close is not the word I’d use,” Rolando said. “Carlo is a friend to some, a monster to others, and to a few people he is a brother. Renaldo was part of Carlo.” Rolando touched his heart. “They both existed together. Like Lorenzo and Gio. The four of them, six of them—”

“Six?”

“You didn’t know him. His name was Santo. In the past it was Carlo, Lorenzo, Nico, Santo and Giovanni. They were the five. Renaldo came last. Carlo trained him personally. And then he was part of the brotherhood. Now three are dead. For Carlo, everyone is dead.”

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