Act like my wife

17. Journey back home

"Come with your papa and me to Italy, or I will have Veronica killed right there in the U.S.!"

Those words awakened the beast inside of me. Before I could stop myself, my fingers had found their way around her thin neck. I could only see red! My ears turned deaf to her pleas...

Mio Padre ran inside and punched me on the side of my face, it was at that time that I recollected myself and let go of Mia Madre. She was limp as a noodle by the time I freed her, but he caught her before she fell.

"How dare you hurt your mother?!" His eyes flared with hellfire, but mine weren't any cooler.

"Warn your wife to stay away from Vera! I am not Antonio, I won't let you both interfere in my personal life!"

"Your personal life is nonexistent, Patrizio. Haven't you figured that bit out for yourself, boy?! You make a series of bad decisions that your mother and I always have to clean up!"

I paused. "Clean up? Clean what up, Lorenzo?"

He pointed a finger in my face. "You're the one with a fancy university degree, figure it out yourself!!" Then, he held her shoulders, and together, they headed for the door.

As I watched the two of them leave, a sudden realization hit me. "It was you..."

"What are you yapping about now, boy?"

"You murdered Mira. How did I not see it before?"

They both stopped right in the door frame. Mia Madre freed herself from Lorenzo's hold and made her way back to me, her hand still massaging her neck. "Now that you know it, What will you do? Kill us too? I am sure your Pappa showed you the letter that your whore of a wife sent to another man! Don't you see she deserves it?"

"Who are you to decide if she deserves to die? Why did you not tell me about the letters? Unless they are fake-"

"Don't be ridiculous! Those letters are nowhere near fake, your darling Mira had eyes for another all the years you were married. Her heart beat for another, her toes curled for another. You were a fool in her little game"

"And who is the man that she loved?" My blood boiled knowing that they made a fool of me.

She turned silent. "I have no idea, but no woman can ruin my family and go free, I, Bianca Morretti won't allow it. And if you don't want Veronica to suffer the same fate, come with us to Italy and follow your true calling as the new leader of La Cosa Nostra."  Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Mio Padre might be the notorious leader feared by many, but Mia Madre is the reason for that fear. She is the daughter of the previous don, and she has done despicable things in her life despite having such a sweet face. So, if she threatens someone, I'd take it seriously.

"Fine. I'll come with you"

Her smile widened and she came closer to hug me, but I moved back. On noticing this, she dropped her hands to her sides.  "Alright. Pack your things, figlio". After saying this, she left with Lorenzo.

My legs wobbled and I knew I needed to sit down, so I made my way to the chair and reclined. A glass or two of wine will do me good, but not when Gio is still awake. I don't want him to see me drunk.

Mio Dio! This is something I have been dreading all my life, I can't believe it has come to it. What was the point of running for so many years?

Hours later I got news from my men that Veronica had arrived in the U.S. and is settling in my place in Manhattan with Bella. I instructed them to always stay close and watch them like a hawk. As for me, I have a journey to prepare for. A journey back home.

***

THREE DAYS LATER

Our plane landed at the Catania airport in Sicily. From there, we drove to Mio Padre's mansion. The maids took our luggage inside, but I wasn't ready to enter the house with everyone else. So I decided to go for a walk to gather my courage. I strolled through the garden with a sleeping Gio in my arms.

Almost knocking me off my balance was a flashback of my seven-year-old self playing in the garden. A white rock in my hand, which I placed on a pile of other small stones a few feet away from the pond. Along came an eight year old Antonio, and mia madre holding his hand. 

"Patrizio!" Madre called.

I stopped playing with the rocks and looked up at her. "Sí, mamma?"

"Let your brother play with the stones, stop stealing them from him."

A look of pure confusion appeared on my innocent face. "But..."

"I don't want you to make him complain again."  She turned to Antonio.  "Go play, figlio"

Antonio ran over to my younger self, and with his feet, he destroyed the small empire I had built with the rocks. That was when the bullying started from my elder brother, my parents didn't see any problem with it because they would always defend him and punish me. If Antonio had never died, Mio Padre would never have remembered my existence. All I wanted was a simple life, but here I am, in the same place I had been running from for the past twenty years.

"Boss".  Leo's voice came from behind me.

"Yes?" I didn't bother to look at him. He placed a white envelope in my hand. "Who is this from?"

"From Federico." He answered in a whisper.

"Federico?"  My reaction was more of a shock than fear.

"Yes, boss."  He carried Gio from my arms and walked off leaving me standing near the pond.

I accessed the envelope and took a second to catch my breath. Federico and my father had never seen eye to eye, Mostly because our families have been rivals for generations and both men have attempted to sabotage each other in the past. A case of when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. I do not miss it one bit.

I opened the envelope and brought out the piece of white paper inside. Beautiful cursive writing graced the surface of the letter. A soothing scent filled the air courtesy of the piece of paper.

I began to read the words; 

"I welcome you, figlio di Lorenzo. I have important information that you might need, come at noon tomorrow.          

-Federico"

What could he possibly want to tell me?

I wouldn't be scared of Federico because no matter how serious the feud between him and my father is, they have known never to involve their children. But since Antonio and Federico's daughter had an affair, I'd say the kids are already involved, and knowing Mio Padre, he is up to something.

Leo returned with Gio still in his arms. "Boss?"

I faced him. "Prepare yourself, Leo. Tomorrow, we march into enemy territory"

Translations:
Mio Dio: My God.