Page 56 of Prideful Union
I start unpacking her clothes. “Ok. We’ll talk at dinner. How does that sound?”
She takes in a shuddering breath. “That sounds good.”
“I’ll leave you to the rest of it,” I say, nodding at her suitcase.
She grabs my hand before I can leave. “Just know I love you so much. You and Luca both. Ok?”
There’s so much pain in her eyes. It makes my heart ache. “Ok.”
I hurry out of the room before I start crying.
At dinner,I tell Luca all about Alexandria and what I’ve done to her.
Luca laughs so hard his face turns red. “You actually threw wine at her? Classic.”
“And tried cutting her hair,” Santino remarks.
Luca’s eyes widen. “No fucking way.”
“Luca,” Mom scolds. “Language.”
“Mom, I’m eighteen. I can cuss.”
“Not around me,” she reminds him.
Luca just shares an annoyed look with me. He’s already on his third glass of the night. He needs to slow down.
Mom doesn’t lift her head up from her plate the entire time. She only picks at her food. Everyone can sense her somber mood.
“Mom,” I say to her, “I think it’s time to tell us.”
Luca frowns. “Tell us what?” “
Mom finally glances up from her plate, setting her fork down. “Riccardo isn’t your father, Luca. Franco is. Was.”
Luca’s jaw drops. “What?” He looks at me. “Did you know?”
“Yes.”
He shoves his plate away. “What the hell? Why didn’t I know about this.”
“I only found out because of Santino,” I explain. “He did a DNA test on some of Franco’s hair, and it was a match to us.”
“How did you have Franco’s hair?” he asks Santino.
“Your brother. He had some when he killed Franco. He sent it to me, so I did the test.”
“Mom?” Luca says, turning to her. “Why did you never tell us? You did … know, right?”
“Yes, I knew,” she whispers, looking back down.
“Then why did you never tell us?” he asks. “I always thought of Uncle Franco as a father figure. Now, I find out he really is my father. What gives?”
“I …” Mom begins. “This is hard for me, ok? I don’t know how to say it.”
I put my hand on her arm. “Say what, Mom?”
“Yes, Franco is your father. I got pregnant with you two a little over a month after he moved in.”
