Page 88 of Vita Mia

“Don’t worry about it. I won’t ask you to kiss me again.” She got up without the help of his extended hand and walked off. He had to walk fast to catch up. Ryder asked her a bit more about her father being a daredevil with his cousin and jumping from cliffs to the sea but she didn’t answer. And when they walked into the house she left him standing in the parlor. He’d blown it.

“Damn it Ryder. You should have taken the bullet and kissed her.”

***

MIRABELLA PUSHED THEgolden stem of her diamond stud into her lobe and screwed on the fasten. She could not look away at her image in the mirror. Not out of vanity, but out of self-recognition. Who was the woman before her now? Father time had been kind to her. Besides the grey stripe of hair to the front of her bang she didn’t look nearly as old as she felt. Life had taken so many turns she couldn’t envision the future. She only wanted to survive for as long as she could in the present.

Her gaze shifted to the empty bed. Her mind conjured a memory of Giovanni laying on the pillows with Leeza resting upon his chest, and the twins rolling around the mattress. Eve sat close to him reading a book while Lola tried to reach over and turn the page. The precious moments were fleeting when he could give as much love as he wished to his children. A memory she wished her children could conjure every time a bad one surfaced.

The past was done. It was over. There was no turning back. All she had was the story and she needed them to hear it. She needed the world to know the love, the sacrifice, the price Giovanni paid for them. Nothing would stop her from telling it all.

Mirabella plucked a tissue and dabbed at the tears in the corners of her eyes, then reapplied her makeup. A dab of lipstick to her lips and a splash of her daughter’s signature perfume behind her ear finished her off. Her shoes were near the window. She walked over to put them on and noticed the car headed to the house. Her oldest child sped up the road in her white convertible. She wasn’t alone. Mirabella narrowed her eyes on the guest she brought. The car parked next to all the others. Riding next to Eve was Nico.

Eve smiled at something Nico said and the two both shared a laugh. She watched them talk in their familiar way for a few minutes before they exited the car and walked toward the villa. There was a knock at her bedroom door. Mirabella went to it answer and found MiaBella standing there smiling. “Mum, Gianni called me. Jewel and Lola got their parents to agree to let them come to Sicily! They’re coming!”

The genuine happiness in her baby girl filled Mirabella with joy as well. “I told you they would.”

“Thank you mummy! I know you made this happen, not even Gino could get Lola and Jewel’s mothers to budge,” MiaBella said and hugged her. It was true. Mirabella had to swallow her pride and push for the girls by calling both Shae and Marietta and humbling herself. Again, she’d do anything for her children.

“Are you coming downstairs. Armando is on his way. He’s bringing the others, and Evie just arrived. Dinner is almost ready.”

“I’m coming. Where is your friend Ryder?”

MiaBella rolled her eyes. “He’s around.”

Mirabella grabbed her daughter’s hand. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s silly. I’m just happy that Jewel and Lola will be coming soon.”

“Me too.”

The phone in the room rang. Mirabella glanced to it.

“I’ll see you downstairs,” she said.

“Okay mummy.” Mirabella watched her leave. She then glanced to the camera pointed at her from the top left of the room. She stared at it for a moment, while the phone rang. She gave in and went over to answer.

“Pronto?” Mirabella answered.

“It’s tough. I know it is. But you have my support,” Dominic said.

“Grazie,” Mirabella said.

“Then why are you summoning the American kids?”

“American kids? Lola and Jewel are family,” Mirabella said.

“They aren’t part of this. By design.”

“It’s a new year. I wanted them all with me. When this is over they are going to learn all of the truth together.”

“It’s not your job to explain to our children who and what we are.”

She sighed.

“I’m still the Donna of this family. And all of them are still my responsibility. Have you forgotten?”

“You didn’t want that role, have you forgotten?”

---