Page 166 of La Dolce Vita

"Why does everyone treat Mirabella as if she just landed in a spaceship? I can see it. It's like you're happy she's here, but you're not."

Deloris gaze switched over to Mirabella. She was laughing with the minister and Giovanni while Gianni danced at her feet to the gospel music. Deloris opened her mouth when Minnie appeared. All the women looked up.

"Everything okay over here? Do you want something else to eat or more to drink?" Minnie asked.

"No. I'm fine. Deloris was going to tell me why everyone seems a little standoffish to my sister." Marietta said.

"No I wasn't," Deloris blurted. "I mean I don't think people are treating her differently. Right, Minnie? No one has been mean to Mia."

"Stop blabbering, Deloris." Minnie gave a belly laugh. She sat down on the picnic bench. She gave a look to the other women, and they picked up their plates and babies then moved on. She then smiled at Marietta. "How much do you know about your grandparents?"

"Only what my sister has told me. Granddaddy was a preacher and a farmer. And Me-Ma died when she was young."

"Yeah, Mary had sugar. Black folk then, barely managed that well."

Marietta frowned at the term.

"Diabetes. She dealt with it, but she was type 1. You can't defeat it. Eventually, it ate away at her. It was so sad when she died. We all felt it. Mia suffered the most. Mary was the only mother she ever knew."

"And Grandaddy died of a stroke?" Marietta said.

"He did. He suffered quite a bit before he finally let go and let glory claim him. He was a tough bird. Tough to the bitter end. Many of us thought he’d make it."

Marietta exhaled. At least that part of her history was true. Last night Mirabella had wanted to talk about her past, but Marietta stopped her. She could tell it was hard for her sister, and she just didn't want anything to ruin their mood. Now the curiosity was growing.

"So what is it? Is it her wealth? People in this town don't like her cause she's famous?" Marietta asked.

"She saved this town," Deloris spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I have to say it. Before she opened that factory here, the men had to all work logging up the Greenbriar River. Hard laborious work for little to no money. And they keep driving out the unions. They the only ones to make sure these big companies treat us fair. Mia not only lets the unions in, but she pays better than any job we could take in this area. Folk are on a waiting list to get hired at her factory from other towns. And black folk in charge too. You don't see that often around here, but this our town and Mia did that for us. She saved this church and our land. We all own our land because of her."

"That's true. Mia is generous," Minnie said. "The problem, Marietta, isn't us. Mia won't let us close to her heart. She thinks we blame her. When all we been doing for years is trying to protect her."

“Not all of us,” Deloris scoffed.

Marietta frowned, and Minnie shot a warning glare over to Deloris.

"I'm sorry Minnie, but Mia has to know. It wasn't family who told those investigators about her past. It was Cutter people. And it pisses me off that she thinks we would do that too her."

"Cutter? Her old boyfriend?"

"Oh, so you know about Cutter?" Minnie glanced over to the grill area where a pig was being roasted. Cutter was laughing and talking it up with a few deacons.

"Yeah, she told me that he was a jerk to her. Abusive." Marietta said.

"I tell you what, honey, you and Mia come see me tonight. I think it's time we had a long talk. But I want Mia to be part of it. Okay?" Minnie asked.

Deloris nodded as if to encourage Marietta to agree. She smiled and nodded. "Okay."

***

“Excuse us,” Giovanni cut in on the minister and Mirabella’s conversation. “Need to borrow my wife.”

Clyde Jr. nodded and smiled. Mirabella didn’t. She looked confused. Giovanni took her by the hand. He walked her out of the tent. “What are you doing?”

He didn’t answer. He kept walking. And before long he knew she knew where too. Her hand tried to snatch free of his. “Let’s do it together.”

“No, Giovanni, don’t force me. Not out here in front of these people,” she said through clenched teeth.

“What people? You mean your family? Your friends? Why does it matter that they see us? What matters is you face your fears. It’s what the doctor said would help. And I’m here for you Bella.”

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