I Just Want to Be With My Wife

Wait, HUH?

"I'm home!" Luigi bursts into the apartment frantically. "What happened? What is it?"

He rushes around the apartment, kneeling down where his kids are watching TV.

"Both eyes, both ears, both feet, both hands." Luigi gives them both the once over. "It's not the kids!" he calls.

"Luigi!" Giovanni calls.

"Dad?" Luigi calls back, standing up.

"I'm at a loss." Giovanni says. "I don't understand how this could happen."

"Dad, what. Is it?" Luigi enunciates.

"Your mother." Giovanni says, but it's enough to set Luigi off all over again.

"Ma?" Luigi's eyes widen. "What happened to Ma?"

"She's missing." Giovanni says. "We were invited to a work party, and she's not here to attend with me. It's strange. She's always my plus one."

"Where is she?" Luigi asks.

"I have no idea." Giovanni says.

"You don't?" Luigi follows him down the hall.

"She left for Italy, but I thought she'd have been home in time for this." Giovanni says offhandedly, raising Luigi's suspicions.

"Excuse me?" Luigi demands. "When did she go to Italy? More importantly, why? "

"Not long ago." Giovanni says, waving it off. "Said she was going to buy something there."

"Buy what?" Luigi pushes.

"I don't understand how she's not back yet." Giovanni paces, rubbing his face.

"Dad, what did she say?" Luigi insists, following him to the living room.

"That she was going to Italy, and she'd be back to attend the work party." Giovanni says.

"She said those exact words?" Luigi asks.

"Yes. No." Giovanni shakes his head. "I just assumed that's what she meant."

"Did you ask her how long she'd be gone?" Luigi pushes again, then gives up in favor of going into Giovanni's office. "Did you look in here?"

"What's to look for?"

"For something that would tell us where she went! Duh!" Luigi snaps. "Hotel, number we can reach her. Anything!"

"That's not in here." Giovanni says confidently.

"Dad, I'm only gonna ask you one more time." Luigi says. "When Ma told you she was going to Italy, what. Did. She tell you?"

"I have no idea." Giovanni frets.

"Think back." Luigi orders. "Last time you saw her. You're there, she's there, and says--"

"I'm leaving for Italy."

"Mmm." Giovanni says without looking up from his paper.

"I feel as if my life here is gone. Everyone I believed would always be there, is gone. I don't know why I bother anymore. You don't care, neither does our son. I'm just another pretty decoration. I hate my life, and I don't want to hate it. So I booked a one way trip to Italy. Tonight. Link is making Agnello brodettato."

"I like Agnello brodettato." Is Giovanni's only reply.

"Dad, you're a fucking idiot!" Luigi yells. "Ma didn't just go on a trip, she left for good!"

"No." Giovanni shakes his head in denial. "She'd never."

"You just said it!" Luigi follows him out of the office. "You said that Ma told you she's moving to Italy!"

"No I didn't!"

"'I feel as if my life here is gone. Everyone I believed would always be there, is gone.'" Luigi quotes. "And you said you liked that idea."

"No, I said I liked Agnello brodettato." Giovanni corrects. "And I do."

"Dad..." Luigi says exasperatedly, walking down the hall again. "You literally just proved her point."

"No I didn't!"

"'I don't know why I bother anymore.'" Luigi quotes again, then walks into their bedroom.

"Enough!" Giovanni orders. "Alright, so I don't always pay attention when I should, but is it my fault no one talks about anything meaningful?"

"The closet is empty." Luigi declares, opening the door to show his dad, then going through the drawers. "Perfumes, jewelry. All gone."

"What could she have done with them?" Giovanni is at a loss.

"Italy." Luigi says. "And how did you not notice she wasn't sleeping in her bed?"

"You're here just as much as me." Giovanni points out. "How did you not notice?"

"She's your wife !" Luigi says.

"You two are close." Giovanni says back, then upon hearing something, looks to the doorway. "What is that?"

Then he just walks out, so Luigi follows.

"Link, what are you doing?" Giovanni demands, seeing him packing things into a box. "Did you help her leave? Are you still helping her leave?"

"The silver's hers." Link reminds him.

"You never let her use it." Luigi says.

"Yes, but I thought we'd pawn it, not ship them off to Italy with my missing wife!" Giovanni says.

"Link, can you tell us where she is?" Luigi begs.

"She gave me the address." Link says.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Luigi demands.

"She ordered me not to unless Mr. Mario asked." Link says.

"I'm asking now!" Giovanni snaps. "Just tell me where she is."

Link calmly goes over to the corkboard, and pulls a paper off, handing it to Luigi.

Luigi snatches it. "There's no way that was here before now."

"It was."

"Right there?" Giovanni gestures to the corkboard, then shakes his head again. "That's it. You." He points at Luigi. "You're getting packed and coming with me. And you..." now he points at Link. "Put all this back."

"Why would he need to do that?" Luigi asks, confused.

"Because we're the dumbasses going to Italy to bring your mother home." Giovanni says, shoving Luigi towards his room.

"Then you and I, Link, need to have a serious talk." He snaps. "I sign your paychecks, not Mia."

Then he storms out, leaving Link to sigh, but unpack the boxes anyway.