Don Corleone [Michael Corleone] DISCONTINUED

Chapter Thirty Eight

The news spread like wildfire and immediately everyone threw a small celebration. Fiona was pregnant. What better news could the Corleone hear?

Michael was ecstatic and surprisingly that day Tom had never seen Michael so bright and for a long time too. Different from Michael though, Fredo who didn't go back home and remained in Vegas sent no news back of what he thought of the pregnancy.

"This explains everything- your eating habits and mood swings!" Tom said as he held the wine glass close to his face as he craned over Fiona, who was shorter than him, to speak.

Fiona's smile instantly dropped, "my mood swings? What about my mood swings?"

Tom's cheerful smile dropped in an instant too as he stammered over his words but Fiona instantly chuckled, deceiving the man.

"I'm just messing with you, Tommy." Tom felt as if a 100 thousand boulders were removed from his body by a flick of Fiona's wrist.

"I know about the mood swings, unfortunately for Mike, he's the number one victim when it comes to my mood swings." Fiona patted Tom's shoulder as she remembered how last week she refused to sleep in the room and decided to crash on the sofa but Michael wouldn't allow her.

Not only was Michael on cloud nine, Vito suddenly seemed radiant at the news as he congratulated his son and his son's wife- deep down Vito couldn't help but feel proud but that showed evidently on his face anyway.

Carmela, Sandra and Connie couldn't help but squeal and coddle Fiona who they did not expect to get married to even be pregnant. But just like Vito, they were happy too.

After constant conversations around the table, laughter booming in the dining room, food being offered to one another, Fiona's eyes roamed around the whole table, taking in every detail.

But suddenly her eyes landed on Michael who was sat beside his father while she sat beside Carmela on the other end of the table. Just like Fiona remembered ages ago when she first met him, he was already looking at her with a smile on his face that was plastered on his lips ever since he heard the news.

Michael's eyes sunk in his wife's orbs- as if everything was a dream. As if she was just a dream, everything between them was surreal that he had to internally pinch himself. He was grateful for everything and just the thought of her widened his smile.

His eyes drifted to her neck and down to her collarbone only to see her fingers fiddling with the necklace around her neck. It was the sun necklace he gave her back in Italy. But Fiona's eyes were waiting for Michael's eyes to drift back up to hers, and when it did, she smiled brightly at him as he too, smiled back- suddenly a 100 butterflies in his stomach fluttering their wings.

"Oh Fay!" Sandra said suddenly, diverting Fiona's eyes from Michael to the excited woman, "I know! After dinner, you should play the piano!"

Michael who leaned against the doorway watched his wife in astonishment as her long fingers swiftly, pressed each key with concentration.

As his wife pressed each key, the song seemed familiar and the more she played he remembered what it was. It was Speak, Softly Love.

He watched how her fingers would move rhythmically while her eyes were glued to each of the keys she was about to hit next. Sandra who was sat near him had a big smile on her face as her eyes twinkled. But Connie was different, sat beside Carlo seemed like hell for her and Michael noticed the hushed but harsh whispers between them.

Vito, noticed too. But the Don drifted his eyes away from the couple and focused on Fiona.

When Fiona ended her sweet melody, his mother cheered her and drowned her in sweet words that made Fiona's cheeks go pink.

"I didn't know you could play the piano, you're full of surprises." Michael's fingers were laced with Fiona's as they took a little walk in the garden after the party.

"Well, can I tell you a little secret?" Michael leaned in closer indicating that he was ready to listen, "Speak, Softly Love is the only thing I can play on the piano- if you ask me to play the piano, I always play that. Nothing else."

Michael's laugh encouraged Fiona's chuckles to erupt from within her too.

"Well at least you can play something- which reminds me, you can play the piano, at least that particular melody, but you can't drive a car!" Michael's chuckle made Fiona raise her brows at the man.

"I can drive!"

"Darling you-"

"C'mon, I learned how to. Let's drive around the block and I'll show you."

Driving around the block in the beginning seemed like a bad idea to Michael as he expected his wife to crash, but as she set off she proved otherwise.

"Well look at you, sweetheart, you know how to drive and play the piano!" Michael said with a chuckle and a big smile as he removed his wife's coat the moment they entered the house.

"If you're teasing me, then screw you, Mikey." Michael's laughter erupted thru the house but Fiona shushed him, warning him that his parents were asleep.

Before Michael and Fiona could make their way upstairs, the telephone rang.

"I'll get it. You go 'head upstairs." Fiona nodded her head and went up the stairs as Michael answered the telephone.

"Hello?"

"Mikey? Hey!" Fredo's familiar voice was on the other side of the line, "I heard about the....uh, pregnancy..congratulations, Mikey. I'm happy for you two."

Fredo's tone was bitter sweet and Michael identified it immediately, "thank you, Fredo. I thought you were coming back for a visit."

"Uh, well, you know, Vegas right?" Fredo chuckled nervously, "the casino business and all."

"Of course, I understand." Michael's words were soft spoken and he couldn't help but feel that one of the reasons Fredo didn't come back for his visit was because of Fiona's pregnancy, "take care of yourself, Fredo."

"Of course, you too Mikey. Would you tell Fiona I said hello?"