Page 67 of Vita Mia

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NICO ARRIVED TO FINDGiovanni, Dominic, Catalina and Mirabella with a few of the Battaglia family eating at the back of Villa Mare Blu. They’d set up a tent and a picnic table for a party. The balloons attached to the white tent were flapping wildly in the wind. He stepped out of his shoes and rolled his pants leg up. He then walked the sandy path to the tent.

Once he entered Catalina saw him first.

“Nico!Mama mia!I haven’t seen you!” Catalina rushed over to him and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. Everyone else looked on. Mirabella stood. She came over and hugged him next.

“I’m so glad you came,” Mirabella said.

“I hear it’s a party,” Nico gave the women a small smile.

Mirabella wiped the tears forming and nodded. Nico hugged her again to reassure her. He had lost the ability to cry. Sometimes the pain was so deep your mind and heart locked the grief into you so secure nothing could free it.

“Nico,” Giovanni said and Dominic nodded.

Nico glanced around. “Where are the kids?”

Mirabella pointed to the beach. He saw them closer to the shore. The kids were making bubbles and playing in the sand. Eve wasn’t with them. She sat alone.

“Can I talk to Evie?”

“She’d like that,” Mirabella smiled.

Nico kissed Mirabella’s cheek and walked over to Eve. She sat on the sand in a yellow summer dress. Her hair had a honey golden hue to it from the sun. She was a sweet kid, a really good kid. And he hated to see her sitting alone.

“Can Uncle Nico sit down?” he asked.

Eve looked up and her blue eyes stretched wide. She got to her feet in a jump. She rushed his legs and wrapped her little arms around them. “Nico! Nico! Nico!”

He smiled. He picked Eve up and she burst into tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck and cried against his shoulder. She was in so much pain he tried his best to absorb it. He rubbed her back. Though he and Cecilia never had a child he knew fatherhood. Since he met the toddler and her cherry red pacifier she was like the daughter he always wanted. He loved her like any father should. She was the purest thing to innocence besides his dead wife.

“It’s okay Evie. It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry I killed Cecilia. I’m so sorry.”

“No. No Evie. You did not. Her death was never your fault.”

Eve lifted her face. “But I started the fire.”

“And the fire can’t be controlled by anyone. Cecilia is gone because God says so. Not because of you. She wouldn’t want us sad. She loved you Evie,” Nico smiled. “You were her daughter. Like mine. You’re a special girl. Okay?”

Evie nodded.

“No more tears. I came here for us to be happy,” Nico said.

“You did?” Eve wiped at her cheeks with her hands. Nico noticed the glove she wore on her left hand. It covered her fingers as well. He wondered how bad Eve was burned beneath.

“I did.” He set her down on the sand. Eve looked up at him. She looked so small and vulnerable. She reminded him of how fragile life could be. She grinned for him and he felt himself smiling in return. He’d never be able to replace his Cecilia. But he’d make sure Eve grew up to be a strong free spirit. He’d protect her with his life. Before God called him home.

“Can we go to the water?” Eve pointed to the sea. “And kick the waves. Like Cecilia and I used to do?”

“Teach me,” he said.

Eve grabbed Nico’s hand and walked over to the shore. The water washed over his toes and hers. She squealed and ran back up the sand. Then she ran forward and kicked at the sudsy waves causing a splash. The other kids noticed. Chasing the bubbles didn’t seem as fun. They all turned and ran for the celebration. It must have been a sight to see Nico kicking at the water with them. But he had fun. He picked up kids and threw them in the air. He swung a few around. He kept checking to see if Eve smiled. And she did. She smiled and laughed. She even fell over into the rushing waves. To Nico’s surprise he found that happiness was something he too could share in. No matter how fleeting.

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