Page 176 of Vita Mia

She touched Dominic’s face. She leaned in and kissed him. Why she made her move he wasn’t sure. But he kissed her back for sport. She wrapped her arms around his neck and the kiss sweetened. Dominic savored the taste of her desperation, he refused to turn her away. He was becoming addicted to other people’s misery. When she drew back she looked hopeful. “Let me go,” she said in a remorseful voice. “When this is over you let me go.”

“No,” he whispered in her ear.

Sera shoved him away.

“I’ll expect to hear from you in a few days with an update,” he said and walked off.

“You, asshole! You unfeeling asshole!” she shouted after him.

He tossed her a look over his shoulder and gestured ‘call me’ before slipping back through the tourists. Dominic removed the handkerchief in his blazer pocket and wiped the traces of her lipstick from his lips then stuck it in his coat pocket. He found his men parked where he left them. And once inside the car he was on the phone moving his plan forward.

***

GIOVANNI OPENED HISeyes. He had no way of telling the time. The only indication that it was night was the lights in his cell shut off at 8pm promptly and didn’t turn on again until 6am. The lights were still on. He got up from his bed and began to stretch his muscles. He went down and did fifty push-ups. He did another set with the left arm and his right arm behind his back, then another with the right arm and left pinned behind his back. He stood and jogged in place while lifting his knees high, and then shadowed box until he was drenched in sweat and panting. He hated the warden and that prison of hell but he had become used to the violent night episodes and part of him missed it. He wanted another shot at those guards. Any shot to kill someone.

There was a bang on the door. He froze. The latch to the window below was released and dinner was left on a tray. Giovanni walked over and looked at the cold pasta and moldy bread. He’d only eat what was edible. He picked up the tray and returned to his cot.

“Don Giovanni,” came a whisper.

He glanced to the opening. He saw nothing. Inside dropped two bananas and a shiny red apple.

“Name is Quan,” the person said.

“Grazie mille, Quan,” Giovanni said.

The man moved on. He could hear him making deliveries to the others locked away in hell like him. Giovanni got up from his bunk and went over to pick up the bananas and apple. He hadn’t had fruit in two months. He sat and stared at it for a moment. Then he glanced over to the window where the gift came in. The first bite of the apple tasted like heaven. The second tasted like freedom. He chewed and smiled.

***

MIRABELLA RINSED OUTthe last of the bottles. Lorenza sucked her middle fingers and held to her leg the entire time she did so. She had found herself split between her niece and her baby girl. But she didn’t mind. The children needed reassurance and she needed their love to hold on too. It kept her mind off of her husband.

“Donna,” Sophia said. “You shouldn’t have. I was going to finish those dishes.”

“Nonsense. You’ve done enough. Have a cup of coffee with me,” Mirabella said of the fresh pot she had made. Sophia got the mugs. Mirabella reached down and picked up Lorenza. She carried her and the tray of cheese and crackers to the table. She sat and her little niece went for the snacks immediately. Sophia joined her.

“How’s Zia?” Sophia asked.

“She’s resting. She insists on staying with Catalina so I don’t see her often. I know the doctors say it’s to be expected with her age, but each day Catalina says she’s tired and in pain. We are trying to keep her relaxed.”

Sophia nodded in agreement. She stared down at her cappuccino as if lost in her own thoughts. Mirabella was too busy trying to stop Lorenza from stuffing her mouth with cheese without chewing it to notice.

“I have something to share with you,” Sophia said.

“Oh? Is everything okay.”

“No. Things aren’t okay. That’s why I’m here. Right?”

Mirabella gave a slight nod.

“I never thought I would return. I’ve lost my heart twice because of this family,” Sophia said. “I loved Giovanni like a son. I helped raise all the boys. But when he took my Carmella from me, it was too much. I blamed him. I cursed you both. And I stopped being the mother my son needed. Now I’ve lost them both.”

“Sophia, I don’t know that Giovanni had anything to do with Carmella’s disappearance.”

“Please don’t pretend. It’s not necessary. My daughter was troubled and Armando used her. I know what happened was partially her own doing. What she and Armando did, the danger you were in. I understand.”

Lorenza reached for Mirabella’s mug so she pushed it out of her way. Sophia smiled at Lorenza. She got up and fixed Lorenza a baby cup while they talked.

“I’m glad you agreed to help me and the kids. I trust you, in-spite of everything. It’s hard to trust people now.”

---