Page 111 of The Deadly Candies

“No!” she shouted, “Stop pretending. You nearly died. Next time, someone will.”

Carmelo took her hand and pressed it to his lips. Then froze. “Where is my ring?”

“Huh?” she asked.

“The ring. You swore you would never take it off,” he said.

“Are you serious?” she snatched her hand down.

“Kathy..,” he stammered.

“I can’t wear it, Carmelo. Are you paying attention? Snap out of it. Every day, I have to be careful. Forget it. Maybe Ely was right, I should leave.”

“Ely?” Carmelo’s face hardened. “What is it with you and Ely?”

Kathy rolled her eyes. “He’s nothing but a friend. That’s all.”

Carmelo saw her anger surfacing and had to find a way to bring it down. He could not waste their reunion on this silly argument. He loved her too much.

“I know it seems like we’re worlds apart right now. And yes, my father has done terrible things to keep us separated. But Kathy—all I need to know is this: when it’s over, when I’m finally free, will you still have me? Will you still be my girl?”

Kathy blinked away her anger, and her face softened. She smiled sadly through her tears. “Always.”

Carmelo pulled her into a deep embrace, and their lips met. The kiss she’d dreamt of a thousand times ignited a surge of joy and renewed hope inside her. Suddenly, the weight lifted from her shoulders, and she felt free again—free enough to believe, just for a moment, that maybe the fairy tale could still come true. It had to.

33

Debbie’s Place, Brooklyn, NY – 1949

“Oh my gosh. It’s perfect.Perfectfor our little girl,” Debbie murmured, strolling around the room.

“Itoldyou it’s a boy,” Matteo groaned. He walked over to the crib he and José had hauled in earlier, running a hand along the smooth wooden rail. Debbie stood beside him, beaming.

“Whatever you say,Papa,” she teased, grinning. “I love it.”

She slipped an arm around his waist, leaning into him as they stood in the empty room—nothing but the crib and their shared silence. They stared at it like some lost treasure shipwrecked on a shore, out of place yet priceless.

“We’re really gonna be parents,” Matteo muttered.

“It’s really happening,” she agreed.

A beat passed. Then, quietly:

“You think I’ll fuck this kid up?” asked Matteo.

Debbie’s smile faltered. She looked up at him. “What?”

“Like my dad did me. Like his dad did to him.”

Her chest tightened. Tears glistened in his eyes, and for a heartbeat, she couldn’t breathe—fear locking her in place. Matteonevershowed her this kind of fear.

“No.” She cupped his face, forcing his gaze down to hers. “We’re doing thistogether. And you—you’re gonna be the best father our baby could ever have.”

Matteo pulled her into a crushing hug. She rubbed his back, eyes shut, until his voice rumbled against her ear:

“Who’s the guy with Kathy?”

Debbie stiffened. She stepped back, frowning. “What?”

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