La Famiglia (32 page)

“But who is she, Gio? This woman he married. I barely remember her from the wedding,” Catalina said.

“She came to Eve’s birthday party,” Rosetta chimed in. “But of course you arrived too late to meet her.”

“Oh shut up,” Catalina tossed back.

“It doesn’t matter who she is, Catalina. Make her feel welcome. Okay?” Mira said. She noticed Dominic’s chair was empty. She hoped that he would arrive before Lorenzo and his wife did so they could toast the couple together.

“
Donna
,” Carlo stood from his seat and Mira walked over and greeted him.

“How are you, Carlo?” Mira asked.

“
Bennisima
. Good to see you.” He kissed her on the left and then the right cheek.

“If only Zia and Rocco were here. We’d have all the family,” she said. She returned to the head of the table where Giovanni sat. She saw his plate was empty and picked it up. He and Eve would starve themselves rather than eat from the plate fixed by anyone other than her. Mira didn’t mind. Which would probably have Fabiana turning over in her grave. Neither of them were the type of women to be found barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Mira smiled to herself and stacked the plate with everything she knew her hubby and baby liked.

Once done with her mommy and wifely duties she returned the plates to them and gave her daughter a sweet kiss. Silence fell over the family. Mira lifted her head and her gaze. Lorenzo entered the room holding hands with the woman she’d seen before.

Marietta was quite lovely. She wore a turquoise maxi dress with a very high split up her right thigh. The low scoop neckline revealed a respectable hint of cleavage. And her figure rivaled every woman’s in the room. She was a bit fairer skin than Mira but with her hair drawn back from her face in a curly puff her features were similar to Mira’s. Strikingly similar.

Which explained why the family stared at her and then glanced back at Mira with evident shock. Or it could be Lorenzo’s appearance. He wore a white long sleeve shirt un-tucked from his dark trousers and opened at the collar to reveal his muscular chest. He had a gold chain around his neck. He would be devilishly handsome if it weren’t for the fresh bruises to his face and the line around his neck as if he’d been strangled.
Why was it each time she saw Lorenzo he had bruises to his face?
Mira shook her head and smiled.

“
Benvenuti!
Welcome!” Mira exclaimed. She hurried down the table to them both. Her legs didn’t move as fast as she liked. “Congratulations to you both! Giovanni told me the news this morning. I’m so happy, so very happy for you.”

Lorenzo kissed Mira’s cheek and she embraced him. She then turned to his wife. “You’re Marietta right?” Mira asked.

Marietta glanced to all the others staring at her. Besides the black Barbie before her there wasn’t a friendly smile in the room. She instantly felt unwanted.

Before her now was the woman the media constantly speculated about. Mirabella was strikingly beautiful as a pregnant woman.  She wore an all white-layered dress that flattered her expanding curves. And though her skin was several shades darker than Marietta’s she could see passion marks on her neck.
What the hell? Who walked around with hickies on their neck?
Face to face with Madame Mafia, Marietta recognized the resemblance they shared. It made her uncomfortable. Lorenzo squeezed Marietta’s hand and she opened her mouth to speak.

“Yes I am Marietta. Pleased to meet you,
Donna
,” Marietta said.

“
Donna
?” Mirabella laughed. “Call me Mira.”

Marietta nodded and removed her hand from the woman’s.

Mira pointed to two chairs reserved for them. “Have a seat. I know you must be hungry. Sophia prepared everything. If you want fish we have some on the table over there with some fresh pasta salads.”

Lorenzo escorted Marietta to the table. She waited for him to pull out her chair and then eased in like a lady. He sat next to her. The family was a lot to take in.  The men at the table leered at her with hard relentless stares. Carlo wore an amused smile over her discomfort.

The women at the table were equally hostile in their silent staring. And when she looked down the table to the man who sat at the head of the family,
Don
Giovanni Battaglia, she found it hard to hold his stare. The
Don
was as intimidating as his reputation. And like any other kingpin he remained stoic and observant of her. What Marietta found unique was his striking violet blue eyes. They were cold as ice. She didn’t understand how he fit with a woman like Mirabella, who gushed and ran her mouth while everyone else sat silent.

“We have to celebrate. I’m so happy for you both. We’re going to have a big dinner and party for you. Giovanni insists.” Mira nodded her head. “Right, sweetheart?”

Don
Giovanni continued to stare at Marietta, he didn’t answer. And the blue-eyed little brown toddler in his lap ate her food as if Marietta hadn’t joined the table.

Mira continued. “Today I want to invite you to join me and the girls on the beach. Unfortunately I can’t go out sightseeing, but the private beach we have is beautiful. We can have a picnic, take some of the things from brunch with us. How does that sound? I would love to get to know you better. Oh look at me. I’m talking your head off. Please, help yourself. I can’t believe Lorenzo got married,” Mira chuckled. She waddled like a duck back down to her husband and daughter. Marietta nearly laughed at how ridiculous she moved. She rolled her eyes to her and her fake offer of friendship. She had no intention of spending a day with her. Maybe she and Lorenzo could go visit the grotto he told her about. As she reached for the food she felt the cold stare of someone else at the table. Marietta looked up into the eyes of a woman with dark raven hair and piercing eyes. The woman glared back. Someone addressed her as Catalina.
Whoever the bitch is, she better watch her step.

Everyone returned their attention to their meal. Mira rejoined Giovanni at the end of the table. He was feeding Eve from his plate. “Baby, maybe you should say something. Congratulate them in front of the family,” Mira whispered.

“You already did. That’s enough, Bella.” Giovanni answered. The sharp tone he used with her stung. Mira looked down the table and realized she might have made a fool of herself by being overly friendly. But she was sincere. She really did hope to make this a way to mend her relationship with Lorenzo. And besides she felt a little lonely for a friend. A black American woman joining their clan felt like a big deal. They were the same age, could talk about home. Mira sighed. The woman looked up at her and Mira smiled. Marietta ignored her smile and started a conversation with Lorenzo. Mira gave up.

Catalina caught the rude dismissive look Marietta gave Mira.
Who the hell did the puttana think she was?
And to further insult her brother Lorenzo had picked a woman who looked like Mira. The resemblance between the two of them made her sick. It mocked Giovanni’s marriage, and Mira.

From the moment she saw them appear she thought they were a disaster. Lorenzo looked like a train wreck and his trophy looked cheap in her clingy dress. The harlot was unworthy to be his wife.

“So how did you two meet?” Catalina asked.

Marietta stopped smiling over what Lorenzo whispered in her ear. She locked eyes with her. Lorenzo kissed her cheek and spoke. “In Milano. We had a mutual friend.”

“Really? That’s funny, you met Fabiana in Milano.” Catalina smiled. “Guess that’s where you meet all your girlfriends.”

“I’m not his girlfriend, I’m his wife.” Marietta replied.

Catalina smiled. “Ah yes, well in our family men like Lorenzo keep both.”

“That’s enough, Catalina.” Lorenzo warned.

Catalina leaned forward and steadied her stare with Marietta. “Fabiana and Lo were going to get married. That’s before she blew up in front of—”

“Enough!” Lorenzo slammed his fist on the table.

Giovanni and Mira both looked down at them. Catalina glared at Lorenzo. She was still hurt over the way Dominic dumped her. And now this bitch shows up. “Who the hell is she, Lo? You bring her here… force her on us!”

“Stop it, Catalina!” Mira said. “Excuse yourself from the table if you can’t be civil.”

“Fine with me. I lost my appetite.” Catalina sneered at Marietta who only smiled in return. Catalina stormed out holding back her tears.

“I’m so sorry—” Mira began.

Marietta saw the
Don
grab his wife’s hand to silence her. Mira nodded to her husband. “Please forgive the rudeness.”

Marietta shrugged and continued to eat. She’d been treated worse. Catalina’s response to her felt genuine. Marietta respected that much. It was the fake platitudes by Queen B on the other hand that set her teeth on edge. Lorenzo shook his head chuckling. “No harm done. Wouldn’t be breakfast if someone didn’t storm out in a bitch fit.”

A few others at the table laughed.

“I like your ring,” Another young woman said. Marietta looked up and recognized her. It was the woman she’d seen months ago when a young girl was pushed down the stairs at Gio and Mira’s wedding. Now they sat side by side as if nothing happened.

“My name is Rosetta,” she said. Marietta noticed she looked strikingly similar to Catalina. “Can I see it?”

Marietta held out her hand and the girl leaned forward to inspect it.

“It’s beautiful,” Rosetta said.

“Thank you.”

Marietta tried to finish her breakfast. The sooner it was over the better. She had made up her mind. She and Lorenzo would not stay here for long. She couldn’t stomach these people.

* B
*

Dominic waited. A sleek white two-seater car sped directly toward Villa Mare Blu. He checked his watch. They were on time. The car rolled to a stop a few inches in front of him. Santo opened the door to the driver side and stepped out first. Giuliani was who Dominic expected to see. And he emerged from the car next. Giuliani wore dark sunglasses over his eyes and a dark suit. He wasn’t a tall man but he was known for being flashy and argumentative to be recognized.

Santo approached.

He embraced Dominic and kissed both cheeks.

“Giuliani, we thank you for coming.” Dominic greeted the top earner of the Mottola clan with a cheek kiss. 

“I risked a lot by coming. I can’t stay long. Can we do this now?” Giuliani popped his collar and dusted invisible lint from his suit. Dominic looked to Santo who gave him the same look of irritation. Appeasing this one wasn’t appealing to either of them. No matter how he was viewed by the Mottola clan, to Dominic and Santo he was no more than a bug beneath their shoe.

“Welcome to Villa Mare Blu. We have food and wine for you. You are in good hands.”

“I thought I might see Giovanni, speak to him alone,” Santo interjected.

Dominic shook his head no. “For now can you just see to our guest?”

“Follow me,” Santo said to Giuliani.

* B
*

“Bella?”

“Mmm?” Mira said as she wiped Eve’s mouth. Her daughter tried to push her mother’s hands from her face. Eve reached again for the pastry on her father’s plate and brought the sticky dough to her mouth. Eve had been eating and drinking since she sat at the table. A healthy habit taught to her by Zia. Which meant plenty of poopy pampers or accidents today if Mira wasn’t careful of her potty schedule.

“I like your idea. Take a walk today, a short one to the beach with Eve. Leo will accompany you.”

Mira sat back. “It would be good for me huh? I think so too.” She looked down the table at Marietta. “I’d really like to try to get to know Marietta better. I’m so embarrassed over Catalina’s outburst. It was awful.”

“She’s not interested, Bella. Why force it? Just you and Eve should go. Tonight if I finish early I might take you into the village for dinner. There are more things we need to discuss.”

“We’re having a celebration dinner tonight? Remember?” Mira reminded him.

Giovanni sighed. “Right. I forgot.”

Eve blinked at her mother. She chewed and rested against her father’s chest. Giovanni and several others looked up when Dominic walked into the room. He stood with his hands clasped in front of him. Giovanni pushed back from his chair. He lifted Eve in his arms and kissed her. He then handed a disappointed Eve to Mira and put her on Mira’s knee

“No, Papa!” Eve shouted. The tears were immediate.

Marietta looked down at the screaming kid.

“Cara?”
Lorenzo whispered in her ear. “Make a friend. Go talk with the
Donna
.”

“What? No. Where are you going?”

He kissed her lips. “Business. I’ve been gone for months. I will be gone most of the day.”

“What about the grotto? I thought we would spend time together?” Marietta asked.

“We will. Please. For me. Be nice to the
Donna
. She really is a sweet lady. Make me proud.”