Page 268 of Vita Mia

“That’s why we came. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you away. I know that now. It’ll be alright.”

Shae and Marietta didn’t say much more about the secret being revealed. They, too, greeted Kyra.

***

THE BEST PART OF CUBAbesides the beaches for Mirabella was the cars. The Cubans preserved their vintage vehicles and over the years Giovanni had adapted to the culture. They were driven in a powder blue 1959 convertible Cadillac. Gino was their designated driver. Eve and Gianni drove MiaBella, Armando, Dominica and Geovani in a 1959 pink Ford Fairlane 500 with whitewall tires. The family traveled along the coast in a place that felt more like home to them than Sorrento had been. Mirabella was seated in the back with Giovanni’s arm thrown around her. He wore a fedora that stayed on his head despite the breeze washing over them in the convertible. His eyes were shielded by deeply tinted sunglasses. He was so handsome in the hat she kept leaning in and kissing his jaw and inhaling his aftershave. His silver hair extended to his sideburns and his long beard. Another addition to his handsomeness that she never let him change. He was a classic to her. The original copy. Never duplicated though many that loved and honored him had tried. And as they traveled home she kept wondering what he was thinking as he smoked his cigar that he kept low so it wouldn’t extinguish. He hadn’t shared the conversation with Eve that he had on the plane, but after the two spent time talking she noticed a change in him.

She waited; she dropped her head on him and closed her eyes.

“Do you know that you grow more beautiful each passing year?” he asked.

“I think you’re biased,” she chuckled.

“Never. It’s true Bella. Remember last year when we visited Columbia for our anniversary. How the guide I hired kept flirting? And the men stared at you when we walked the market shops and dined in the villages. You have always captured the hearts of men. When we met you told me to piss off and still captured mine.”

“I never said that!” she laughed. “Why would you think of other men while staring at me?”

“After talking to our daughter and thinking of you, of us, I’m reminded of how blessed I am Bella. Blessed that you took a chance on me.”

“I fell in love. That’s always risky.”

“Maybe. It’s just been a helluva life,” he said.

“Mmmhmm,” she said in agreement.

“Eve has forgiven me. She truly has,” he continued.

Mirabella’s heart softened. She prayed that this time Eve and Giovanni could really heal the painful separation between them.

“She’s always loved you, Giovanni. You know that.”

“I know. I know. But I have so many regrets for my oldest child. I want her to be happy, I’ve been trying to make that happen since she fell from that window.”

“She will be. This is a fresh start for all of us.”

“I called her husband,” he confessed. “He’s going to be here waiting for her when she arrives.”

“What? Gio!”

Gino gaze shot up to fix on his parents in the rearview mirror. Mirabella sat upright.

“We said we wouldn’t interfere,” Mirabella reminded him.

“I called Nico too,” Giovanni said. He looked over to his wife. Mirabella glowered at him. He knew damn well, she didn’t approve of Eve’s feelings for Nico or vice versa.

“We won’t interfere, if either of them wants our daughter then they need to fight for her, prove themselves worthy. She deserves that. And she deserves our support Bella.”

“I can’t believe you would even consider Nico for Eve. You of all people.”

“Yes, Bella. Me of all people. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

“It’s wrong, Gio. It’s not right. Stefano left her after the miscarriage. He should not be forgiven for that. And Nico. He’s blood. It’s not right.” She exhaled in sadness and sank back in the seat.

“After all these years,” he smiled. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. “When did my wife and I change roles?”

“Stop teasing me.”

“You believed in Catalina and Domi. Didn’t you?”

---