Don Corleone [Michael Corleone] DISCONTINUED

Chapter Fourty Two

Evangeline's little eyes peaked behind the sofa while her brother Gabriel sneaked under the table, the twins watching Vito's cat lick its paw, ignorant to the kids' plan.

Gabriel waited under the table for his sister's command and watched his sister intently as she snuck up behind the cat.

With one strike, Evangeline grabbed the cat by the back of its neck. Gabriel crawled out of the table as the two twins giggled and chuckled while Vito's cat meowed, unimpressed by the little kittens she looked after for years.

Unfortunately, before Michael could say a word to his children while he was talking on the phone, he knew Fiona heard Vito's cat's meow from the other room. Michael couldn't save his kids from their mother's wrath. Even if he butted in.

"Evangeline and Gabriel Corleone!" Immediately the kids' smile fell off their face and Michael couldn't help but be amused, "put that poor cat down! My God, she hasn't done anything but watch over you two! She isn't a toy!"

While Vito's cat seemed to watch over Gabriel and Evangeline -even when they are fully grown- she also had kittens of her own that she gave birth to behind the bushes in the garden.

Even when no one could read the cat's thoughts, of course, Vito's cat considered the two loud twins as her own too.

"But mother, we were only playing." Evangeline seemed more braver than Gabriel, more adventurous too. Gabriel on the other hand was always by Evangeline's side, following her commands even if it was a dangerous adventure that she planned to have in the garden.

Of course Michael was the first to notice the switched roles of the twins, even thought he found it interesting, he couldn't help but find it odd.

"Don't mother me, Eva. Put her down and let her out to the garden, she has her own kittens to tend to, after-all." Fiona said, hands on her hips while her brows raised.

"Yes mama." Gabriel caved, opening the sliding door and before taking the cat from his sister's grip, he patted the cat and let it run off to the garden to tend to her five striped kittens.

"Now go to your grandfather- go and say good morning." Fiona said.

Before Eva could run off to her grandfather's office, she jumped onto her father who was speaking on the phone, startling him. She planted a small kiss on his cheek that left a smile on his face before catching up to her brother.

"Don't forget to knock first!" Fiona called out to her running kids.

Once Michael ended the call, his eyes trailed over to his wife who her eyes were still lingering where the kids had ran off to, a cheerful smile on her lips. Before Fiona could run off to the kitchen where Carmela was, Michael stood up in a swift motion, grabbing his wife's wrist and guided her to sit on his lap.

"Something you need?" Fiona said thru giggles as her husband's arm wrapped around her waist, kissing her non stop.

"Yes. You." Michael said between kisses making his wife chuckle, pushing him away.

"Oh stop it, you." As Fiona wrapped her arm around her husband's neck, Michael's eyes traveled down to her collar bone where the necklace he gave her years ago, a sun pendant, still rested around her neck.

Michael's fingers twiddled with the necklace as Fiona spoke to him in a low voice, "Connie and her husband are coming to dinner today." It was so clear, the poison in her voice as Fiona mentioned Connie's husband and Michael knew why.

It was only recent that Michael and Fiona found out about Carlo's abusive behavior, and they only managed to find out because Carmela let it slip out by accident. But because Fiona and Michael were forced to promise not to interfere, they kept their mouth shut.

"I know-"

"How can he do that to her!?" Fiona said with a frown on her face, if this was a cartoon, Michael knew that her face would go red as a tomato and steam would be coming out of her ears.

"Don't worry. I have a plan." Michael said closely in her ear, just so she could hear, afraid that there might be a chance that someone was listening to their conversation.

Immediately the words of Michael caught the attention of his wife, she perked up and leaned closer to him, "you better let me in on it."

"Of course, sweetheart."

Right before dinner, Tom's arrival excited the twins, making them leap out of their chair and jump into the arms of Tom, "uncle Tommy!"

"Hey! How're you kids doing? Hope you didn't cause any trouble today." Tom said, but mainly he meant it to Eva more than Gabe, anyway.

"No we didn't!" Gabriel said before running back to the dining room, where all the family members sat, waiting for Tom's arrival.

"Sorry I'm late." Tom apologized as he took a seat beside Fiona.

When Tom arrived, the family began to eat. Vito at the head of the table as usual while Carmela was on the other end.

Vito and Michael including Tom were having an intense conversation but Fiona was not focusing with them, as her attention shifted to Connie and her husband.

The couple were intense, harsh, as if both of them reeked of poison.

"Mommy?" Gabriel called his mother but it was as if Fiona never heard her son at all, "mama, can I have?" Gabriel pointed at the fried chicken that was on the other side of the table that he could not reach.

But Fiona's eyes were glued to the other couple on the other side of the table, as Gabriel kept whispering to his mother, Michael turned to give him his food but only caught Fiona's gaze resting on his sister and her husband.

Carlo however, grabbed his wife's arm rather harshly making Fiona flinch.

Abruptly, Fiona stood up and excused herself from the table. Fiona found her way in the kitchen, leaning over a chair and clenching on the wood, trying to calm herself so she could go back to the dining room and pretend that there was nothing wrong.

As Fiona took deep breaths, wanting to make her way back, Michael made his way to his wife, placing his hand on her shoulder for comfort.

"I know it bothers you, Fay. Do you trust me?" Michael said and Fiona noticed his demeanor changing.

Fiona scoffed at the silly question, "of course I trust you, Mikey-"

"Then just wait for the time. Just wait for what I told you earlier about Carlo."