Page 75 of Vita Mia

“Mama?” Gino asked.

“Yes?”

“Why did those men take Papa?”

“Eat your food. Don’t ask questions!” Eve snipped. “Right, Mama? We don’t ask questions. Papa is fine.”

Mirabella’s gaze swept the children. Lorenza stopped eating with her fingers and stared at her as well. All of them waited for her to reassure them. She felt nauseous. She couldn’t summon the words. She smiled at Eve and the kids with a slight nod. It was enough. The children continued to eat. Gianni went on about a cat he saw on the beach, to which Eve claimed was a lie. Then Gino said it was a tiger. Eve, however, did believe this version. Mirabella got up twice to pick up Lorenza’s cup that she kept throwing to the floor. Other than that activity she sat at the head of the table in a catatonic state. The house felt empty though she knew there were many others inside. Her men were anxious and patrolling, but still she felt chilled by isolation. Gone was her silent protector, Leo. Cecilia would no longer get up and wipe runny noses or cut veggies small enough to entice the children to eat. She glanced to the empty chairs that Marietta and Lorenzo once sat in laughing and joking with the family. Carlo’s chair was empty too. And then her gaze went to the others that Belinda and Kyra would constantly occupy. They were gone. No Rocco at the other end of the table. No Zia to bring out meals. She was alone.

“Donna? Catalina has just arrived.”

“Really!” Eve exclaimed.

“It’s okay, sweetie. Everything is fine. Watch the kids for me Georgio.”

“Si, Donna,” he agreed.

With Leeza in her arms she went back through the house in time to greet Catalina. “What happened?” she asked.

Catalina had little Armando bundled up. “They took Domi. They said for questioning, but here they can hold him for eternity until they get the answers they want. He told me to leave. The Carabinieri has invaded my home. They are all over it looking for evidence that Armando was murdered.”

“I feared that would happen,” Mirabella said.

Catalina walked ahead of her to the parlor. She shrugged off her coat and sat down. Mirabella couldn’t. She was too worried. She paced with her daughter Leeza in her arms.

“So, we just wait. It’s all we can do,” Catalina said.

“This is the safest place. They will raid Bagheria next. They won’t come here.”

“Why?” Catalina asked. “Why not here?”

“Giovanni and I prepared. We kept this place listed as one of my American assets. I bought it for a dollar from him and put it under my company’s name. They can’t come for it, not yet,” Mirabella said.

“So, it’s started?”

Mirabella kept pacing. “Yes. I’m sure we’ll have more family coming in from Bagheria. Even Zia.”

“Zia is back from her sisters?” Catalina asked.

“She’ll come,” Mirabella said.

“Yes. She’ll come,” Catalina agreed. They had both made peace with Zia, but the strain of what she’d done after Lorenza was returned and Marietta was committed to Maddalena had taken a toll on the three women. They didn’t address it, but the strain was there. And Zia decided to spend the holidays with her sister. It was the very first Christmas Zia wasn’t with them since Mirabella married into the family. But Mirabella understood guilt and grief, so she didn’t attempt to keep Zia with them.

“How long has it been?” Mirabella asked.

“A few hours,” Catalina sighed.

“Do you think they took him straight to Roma?” Mirabella asked.

Leeza woke and began to cry. She rocked her baby to calm her in the cradle of her arms and kept pacing.

“Maybe he’s still in Palermo? With Domi?”

“No. No. Gio, said if they come they take him to Roma, and any trial he has will be there, not Naples. That’s what he said. That’s what he feared.”

“What’s the difference?” Catalina asked.

“Gio didn’t explain the difference. I think the Campania is more sympathetic to him. I think.”

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