Page 208 of Vita Mia

“Lo!” she wept and rushed over to him. He lifted his good arm to hug her. She put Lorenza on him and her daughter sat upon her father’s lap and cried. She didn’t know him or want to be given to him. Marietta wept against his chest. She believed it was over. She truly believed that the best she could hope for was Lorenza and her escaping Italy and the nightmare. But instead she found her heart.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

Lorenzo was badly beaten. His face was swollen and half was in bandages, as was the rest of him. “Oh my God, who did this... I thought...”

Lorenzo kissed her silent. Marietta double blinked in surprise and kissed him tenderly.

“I’ll explain it all. Now, who is this?” he asked.

Lorenza howled with tears and rubbed her eyes. Marietta laughed through her own tears. “She’s your girl. She has a temper like me.”

“Yes she does,” he chuckled. He reached for her and comforted her the best he could. “She’s so big now,” he said. “She’s beautiful.”

Lorenza put her hand on her father’s chest and then pulled it away. She sniffed and stared at him curiously, the tears and been reduced to hiccups. She blinked at both of them not sure of what to make of them. But Marietta did see her child’s distress lessen. Her baby girl was learning to trust them. And Marietta was learning the same. She kissed Lorenzo’s face and smiled. “Welcome back.”

***

“WHAT IS GOING ON?”Giovanni asked his attorney when he walked into the room. He’d expected to be transported out but he was kept in another room of the courthouse while the judges had closed door proceedings with the attorneys. One of the officers approached Giovanni. He stood. The officer un-cuffed his hands and un-cuffed his feet. Giovanni rubbed his sore wrists.

“The judges have granted your release. They are going to review all the new evidence today. It appears that your cousin is alive. He was found delirious after escaping captivity. He had an accident and was taken to the hospital.”

“The charges against me?”

“The prosecutor has refused to withdraw the charges. I’ve made a motion to have the evidence thrown out, including Marietta’s testimony. We won’t hear from the courts for a while.” The attorney smiled. “It’s true. You’re free. For now.”

Giovanni smirked and rubbed his wrists.

“I’ll need a ride.”

“There’s one waiting for you outside.”

Giovanni walked out of the courthouse. Down the steps was a mob of reporters. The Carabinieri had to keep the crowd parted for him to pass through. A car waited for him on the street with two of his men outside of it. Inside he found both Dominic and Nico.

“Welcome back brother,” Nico said and shook his hand. Dominic gave him a nod of respect as well.

“Can’t believe it went down without an issue,” Giovanni said as they drove away from the public spectacle with their men flanking the cars.

“There were issues, but we managed them,” Nico said.

“And Lo?” Giovanni asked.

“Hospital with his family. They’ll give testimony against the Russians and Don Santoro like we planned.” Dominic confirmed. “Carlo is in Africa with your present. But the best news for you today is justice. Right now our enemies are learning the errors of their ways.”

***

“Luigi, telefono,” his wife called from downstairs.

Don Luigi Anastasio had been glued to the television since the moment the news reported Marietta Battaglia would take the stand against Giovanni. The judges wouldn’t allow the media inside but the reports kept pouring in. Never in the history of the Camorra had a wife gone to the authorities and revealed all the secrets of her family. It was unheard of. No one knew what to expect. And that included Anastasio. He had worked for the Licciardi’s for years as an enforcer to the underboss. When Don Licciardi was sent to Poggioreale Prison and later murdered, Anastasio graduated to Don of the Licciardi territory. A promotion that guaranteed him a seat at the table of the Camorristi. He was Giovanni’s personal pick to wear the crown. Thanks to the support and investment, he delivered his promise to reconstruct the Secondigliano. He had been loyal, until Ballistrieri and Santoro got into his ear that Giovanni was the weakest link. And they validated this claim by pointing out how Giovanni gave their territory to Russians and let foreigners take over. He betrayed his vow to Giovanni but always dreaded the decision. He never truly believed that Giovanni would be defeated so easily. Now the release of the boss of all bosses had rocked the underworld.

“Luigi! Telefono!” his wife yelled from below.

“I hear you!” he shouted back. “Damn it!”

The news was ongoing and constantly contradicting. The only thing confirmed by the media was Giovanni Battaglia would be released from custody. Don Anastasio needed to call Ballistrieri. If Giovanni walked away from his crimes every clan boss in the Camorristi was in danger.

“Did you not hear me?” his wife asked. She held the phone in her hand with an impatient frown. He kissed her cheek to soothe her temper. His wife and children were his world. He knew his absence and mood swings were affecting them. The past year had been one of extreme stress since he went into the alliance against Giovanni.

“Will you sit down to dinner with your children?” she asked as he stepped to the window with the phone. He gave her a nod and a wink.

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