Page 126 of Merciless Monster

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“Mamma, this is Angelo, your grandson. Angelo, this is my mother, your nonna.”

“Oh, Dante. He’s beautiful. Ciao, Angelo. Come here, let Nonna see you.”

“Hello, Nonna,” Angelo beams and walks over to my mother so she can touch his little face.

“You are a strong boy, no?” she coos. “He looks just like you when you were a boy,” Mamma says with pride.

“I’m six, Nonna. How old are you?”

“Angelo, that’s not polite,” Mia says.

“No, it’s okay. The boy has an enquiring mind,” Mamma counters, already madly in love with my son.

“I am seventy-two years old, my little nipote.”

“Wow! That’s old!”

Mamma laughs from her gut.

“Sì. One day you will be that old too, my darling.”

“Really?”

“Sì.”

“Where is Grandpa?”

“Your Nonno died when your father was young,”

“Do you miss him, Nonna?”

“Very much.”

“It’s okay. I love you, Nonna.”

My mothers eye fill with tears.

“What a beautiful child you’ve raised, Mia,” she says.

“Thank you.”

I’ve never been as proud of a woman as I am of Mia right now. Getting the stamp of approval from Mamma is no small thing. What my mother is saying is that I’ve chosen well. I agree. I just wonder what she’ll think once I tell her that I’m going to talk to my brother about handing the leadership over to him. But that’s a topic for another time.

* * *

“Hi, Lisa. It’s so nice to meet you in person.”

“Ciao, Mia. Nice to meet you too.”

“Elio, can we talk?”

“Sure, brother. Come, let’s leave the ladies to get to know each other better. To tell you the truth, I’ve had my fill of wedding talk.”

“Ah, get out of here, you ingrate,” Lisa chuckles.

“Goodbye, my love,” Elio grins as he and I leave the two women to it.

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