Page 188 of Vita Mia

Mirabella shook her head. “What has happened to you Domi? You’re not him you know. You’re not Gio, or Lorenzo. You’re a bad imitation.”

“Why is that?” Dominic asked.

“Because even with their cruelty they had compassion. You’re empty of feelings. I see it in your eyes.”

Dominic eased out of his seat. The letter she wrote Giovanni was tossed into her lap. “Go home, Donna Nera. And stay there, until I decide what comes next.”

“You decide! You don’t get to decide, Domi! We’re a family.”

Dominic walked off the plane. She glanced to the window and saw a car arrive for him. He was gone. Mirabella wiped her tears. She picked up the letter. It remained sealed. Dominic was right. She was desperate and pathetic to even attempt this. But she refused to feel regret over her weakness. It was all she had left to remind her of her humanity.

***

“WAKE UP,” A VOICE WHISPERED.

Marietta groaned. In her sleep she was with her mother. She was a five-year-old girl, back in America on her grandparents’ farm. Her mother held her hand as they picked apples. At times her mind changed the memory to be one of her and her sister playing in the fields together as children. It was a false memory but that didn’t matter. It was the only time she could think of her sister and not feel rage and hatred.

“Wake up,” a hand shook her shoulder.

Marietta turned over. She squinted into the darkness. “Doctor?”

“You have to come with me. Now,” Sera whispered.

Marietta tried to lift on her elbows to see the doctor but she couldn’t. The room had no windows and the darkness was deep and impenetrable.

“Please, get up. Now.” Dr. Sera said. She pulled the covers back. “You’ve been sedated all day. It’ll be morning soon and they’ll come for you. I have to show you something.”

“What is it?” Marietta asked and scratched her scalp.

The doctor gave her slippers to put on. She did and felt the drugged state of her mind clear some. She preferred the numbness instead. The clarity made her heart race and her mind run with conspiracies. She snatched her hand from Sera.

“Don’t touch me! Stay away from me,” she said.

“Shhhh!” Sera grabbed her wrist. “Do you want the truth about your husband or not?”

Marietta frowned.

“Do you? This is your one and only chance,” Sera said.

Marietta snatched her hand away again. She stood on shaky legs. Sera walked over to where Marietta assumed was the door. She opened it and spoke with men outside. She then turned and looked at her. “Come, with me.”

Marietta shuffled to the door. The guards that kept her locked away looked at her disheveled state in disgust. She tried to hold on to her dignity. She entered the hall with her head high. She nearly cursed the bitch out for using Lorenzo’s name to poison her. But the small taste of freedom held her tongue. She’d spent the entire day asleep and trapped in bed.

They went upstairs to a room that was often used by Sera to talk to her alone. The top floor didn’t have any of the men guarding. She’d attacked Sera before upstairs. She smirked and thought of doing it again. Sera opened the door and Marietta went inside. She paused at the sight of a camcorder on a desk and two chairs.Was she going to videotape her in this state?She wondered.

“Sit.”

“What is this?”

“Sit, please. I will explain,” Sera pleaded.

Marietta sat down. The doctor came over and sat next to her.

“Listen to me. I had to wait. I had to make sure you were clear headed. That you could understand what I’m about to tell you and show you. Are you? Are you clear headed?”

Marietta nodded.

“Today in a few hours you will meet with the assistant prosecutors in the case against Giovanni. This is a very important meeting Marietta. They are in the last stretch of their investigation. They want to convict. And they won’t take any risks with a witness who they think isn’t mentally sound.”

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