Page 49 of Ti Amo

“Shall I go to America and handle this personally for you?”

“No. Call our cousins in America. Pay him a visit.”

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Mira was surprised that Italians celebrated the commercial aspect of Christmas. Catalina even suggested they go in search of a live Christmas tree. They travelled out near Mt. Vesuvius and found an acre of land roped off with trees lined up for sale. Eve clapped and stood in front of several in awe. Nico, her protector, matched the toddlers step for step. With his dark shades and concealed weapon, he was both serious and watchful of those around Eve. They looked a sight to the father and son managing the sales, she being American and black with her blue eyed baby and the addition of tall surly looking men who appeared powerful enough to crush bricks with their own hands.

However, Mira enjoyed the freedom. To be out in Italia among people and the country’s beauty once more revived her. She’d been confined behind doors for two long. So she and Catalina took a stroll through the lot in no hurry. She touched one tree and then the next with their escorts stomping through the maze of trees like they were part of the secret service.

“This one. What do you think, Mira? This is the tree.”

Mira stared at the tall green fir with long branches and a bushy circumference. During the holiday’s Fabiana would insist on decorating their trees based on the color theme of her upcoming fashion line. It would always inspire her. Her throat nearly closed with emotion as memories of Christmas with her friend surfaced. They loved the holiday, and even when she was living with Kei, she and Fabiana spent the entire Christmas day together.

“Are you okay?”

Mira blinked away her tears and forced a smile. “Yes. This one is perfect.”

Catalina turned to a gentleman and began negotiating. She called upon Nico and Renaldo to help with the removal of the tree from the stack. Eve let go of Mira’s hand and ran on her little feet down the path of trees. “Catalina, I’ll be right back. Eve’s taken off again,” Mira said. Nico’s head shot up. “Don’t worry, I’ll get her, help Catalina and Renaldo,” she waved off his concern. She hurried after her daughter. “Eve! Eve!”

She turned the corner of trees and didn’t see her. Struck confused, she doubled back. “Eve?” Mira hurried into the next aisle then the next.

“Eve!”

At the point of full hysteria she rounded another corner and found her daughter. She was in the arms of a stranger. He was a tall Asian man who wore a dark suit, and black gloves. “Eve?” Mira hurried over.

The man put Eve down and her daughter reached up for him again.

“Forgive me,” he said, with perfect English. His olive black eyes sparkled with sincerity. “She’s lovely.”

Mira scooped her daughter up in her arms. “Poppy!” she pointed at the tall Asian man, stretching her arms out to him again.

“No sweetie, that’s not Poppy.” Apparently her daughter thought the man resembled Kei. And for a moment Mira was struck by how similar the two were in height and overall appearance. He had dark hair tapered low on the sides and nape and a bit spiked to the front. But his demeanor and handsomeness could make him Kei’s distant cousin. The stranger stared at her hard. It was his eyes and the intensity behind the dark swirls of his irises that reminded her and made her unable to look away.

“Signora Mira?” Nico said behind her. He approached with three other men. All of them locked eyes with the stranger. The man tipped his head in respect and turned to walk away.

“Is there a problem?” Nico asked in his heavy accented voice.

“No. We’re fine.” Mira pushed gently against the wall of chest before her to make Nico move away and not pursue the stranger. Nico nodded and the men shadowed her as she walked off. She glanced back for the Asian man but he had disappeared in the cluster of trees.

“Is everything okay?” Catalina asked. “Did you escape us againbambina?” Catalina tickled Eve’s side and her daughter laughed.

“Yes. Eve’s fine.” She dismissed the encounter.

The rest of the day was less eventful as they shopped throughout the streets of Napoli. They strapped Eve in a stroller they purchased as soon as they arrived at the market. Mira approached a street cart and purchased three scoops of gelato in a cup instead of cone. The smoky creamy flavor of pistachio mixed in with vanilla bean and caramel had her daughter bouncing and humming through each taste.

“She loves it!” Catalina laughed. “Zia can make the best gelato from scratch. I’ll be sure to tell her little Evie loves those flavors.”

They continued shopping and chatting along the crowded streets. It was a different experience. Storeowners catered to them as if they were royalty, and everything purchased was put on the Battaglia account. Catalina knew each of the men shadowing them by name, and Mira made sure to buy something for them all. The driver took three special trips to the car loading it with their haul. The trip to the toy store was a difficult one. Eve threw tantrums in every aisle demanding a doll or game. Catalina agreed to watch her as Mira shopped. The only way for her to do so was to buy one of the dolls and let her sit at the front of the store where she could play with it. When Mira finished shopping, she had the store clerk make arrangements for it to be delivered.

As they were leaving Mira couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. She stood at the open car door and looked around at the other shoppers wary of the feeling, but still unable to shake it. Seeing no one out of the ordinary she gave up. It may have a lot to do with the fact that she’d lived in seclusion for almost three years, and now she was roaming the streets of Italy. Or it could be the doppelganger she met who looked just like her ex-lover. Inside the car she noticed how Catalina’s spirits had improved significantly. She was worried about her and thought of several ways to help.

“Can we stop by the factory?” Mira asked during the ride home.

“Why?”

“I’d like to see where Franco works. Maybe this woman he’s fond of works there too.”

Catalina shook her head. “I don’t want to see him. I doubt she’s someone who works for him. He’s not stupid.”

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