Page 271 of Vita Mia

“Grazie, Zio Lo. You age well Still a pirate, I see?”

He chuckled at his eye patch. “Your aunt wanted me to get one of those fake eyes. Like Sammy Davis Jr. I like my patch. Makes me look like a tough guy.”

She nodded in agreement. “You are a tough guy, Zio. I’m glad you came. Remember promised me we’d see each other again.”

“That I did.” He gave her a tight hug and squeeze then kissed her brow.

“Papa is excited to see all of you again,” Eve said and took Lorenzo’s hand. Lo half chuckled as he let her lead the way. Eve escorted them back into the house. She delivered the family to the dining area where her mother and father waited.

“Gio?” Carlo said after a robust burst of laughter. He walked over and gave Giovanni a bear hug by the waist that lifted him off his feet. Giovanni fought to be released. He laughed and hugged Lorenzo and everyone greeted him like a champion returning from the battlefield. Kyra and her mother were crying as they hugged and greeted each other.

Neither of them looked upon the other without a smile or a kind word.

“Alive? You’re fucking alive!” Lorenzo grabbed Giovanni by the face. “Let me look at you so I can believe it’s real. That you are real.”

“What happened?” Carlo asked.

“Why don’t we all sit. Let’s talk. Eve, I want you to join us,” her mother said.

“Am I too late to join the party?”

Nico entered the room. He leveled his gaze directly on Eve and then it moved appropriately away. He smiled at Lorenzo and Carlo. The men all embraced each other warmly. Nico made sure to greet Kyra and her husband. Eve wasn’t sure how to respond. Stefano had come. She remembered the hurt and anger Stefano had in their last argument about Nico. He threatened to kill Nico if he didn’t stay out of their marriage. She didn’t expect the two men to ever share the same space again.

“Eve, join us, you are a part of this discussion,” her father said.

She took a seat at the table next to Nico.

“How did you pull it off? I need to know how?” Lorenzo said and laughed.

“We can talk about the past and my Houdini tricks later. What we really need to talk about is the why I never told you the truth,” Giovanni said. He glanced to Marietta who met his stare with unwavering boldness. “The last time we saw each other this family was far from where we are today.”

“And where are we today?” Marietta asked Giovanni. “Looks to me that none of us really know each other anymore.”

“We’re whole,” Giovanni said. “Everyone is whole.”

“Kyra are you whole? Are your children whole without Renaldo?” Marietta asked.

“Marie!” Lorenzo said.

“No, it’s okay,” Kyra said. She smiled at Marietta then looked over to Mirabella and Giovanni. “I blamed you when he died that’s no secret. I did. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have. Renaldo explained who he was the day I fell in love with him. He tried to resist bringing me into this life. But he loved me. And when we married me and gave me the very best of him. Am I whole without him? No. I still have him with me. Every time I look at Luca I remember his strength and his pride. I remember his loyalty. I remember us. And that makes me whole enough to live my life the way he wanted. I’m glad you’re alive Giovanni. I’m glad you called me and told me to come.”

“I thought Domi extended the invite?” Catalina asked.

“Giovanni called when I declined the trust-fund that Domi said was from Renaldo. We had a long talk and he explained the investments he and Domi did for our children. Thank you. Does that answer your question, Marietta?”

“Some of our wounds didn’t heal. Some of us suffered too much to heal,” Marietta said.

“We’re even,” Mirabella cut in. She looked directly at her sister. “We’ve all lost so much. We’ve all suffered from our choices and mistakes. We’ve all paid for our crimes. One way or the other we all paid. We’re even, sister.”

Marietta stared at her sister but didn’t challenge her further.

“Grazie, Bella,” Giovanni said. “Our children are our success. I’ve learned a lot from mine,” he said and looked over to Eve. “So I’ve decided to make sure they learn the last lesson from me.”

“Going public?” Carlo asked.

“Exactly. I couldn’t do this without all of your blessing. Because if I go public so do you. In one way or the other you are at risk.”

“Papa is right about the risk,” Eve cut in. “But he’s wrong to say it’s happening because of him. It’s happening regardless. They make movies off of his life, your lives. People write books to tell your stories. And now that Lola is as successful as she is, Mum’s company too, it’s inevitable.”

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