Page 90 of Revere: A Legacy Novel

Well, then …

“Also,” Giovanni added.

Catherine sighed, and looked back out at her uncle. “What now?”

“Your father sent me over to remind you about the dinner this weekend with the family. You might be able to disregard his calls and demands, but the rest of us are a bit harder to ignore. Be a good Marcello, and put your happy face on after church on Sunday. Especially for Cecelia and Antony. Do not disappoint your grandparents by not coming only because you want to hurt your father.”

“I wouldn’t do that to them,” Catherine said quietly.

Giovanni nodded once. “I didn’t think so, but sometimes a reminder of what is important can be helpful, Catty. I will see you on Sunday.”

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to come this weekend, Catherine.”

Catherine strolled on past her father as she entered the old Marcello mansion. “Why wouldn’t I come, Daddy?”

“You know exactly why.”

Catrina shrugged off her jacket, and took Catherine’s as well. “How was your week, mia reginella?”

“Pretty good.”

“Oh?” Her mother smiled. “I missed you, though. You didn’t come over.”

Catherine’s gaze darted to her father who was still watching her with barely hidden irritation. He was angry and disappointed with her. He still wanted her to bend to his demands. She couldn’t do it, and he had to respect that whether he liked it or not.

“I’ll come over this week,” Catherine promised her mother.

She kissed Catrina’s cheek.

Dante sighed, and strolled on past his wife and daughter. Once he was around the corner, Catherine finally relaxed a little bit.

Her mother didn’t miss it.

“Give him some time,” Catrina said.

Catherine rolled her eyes. “To what, Ma, send more men to break something else on Cross’s car? Or how about sending Uncle Lucian the next time I stay the night with Cross? He’s made how he feels abundantly clear.”

“You’re spending nights with him?”

“That’s all you heard in that?”

“Well … no, but it’s a detail I find interesting. I’ll talk to your father again, Catty.”

“It’s pointless. You’re both too stubborn. His mind is made up. It’ll just end with you two in a fight, too. Leave it alone, Ma.”

Catrina cocked an eyebrow. “How little faith you have in me, dolcezza.”

Catherine chewed on her lower lip before saying, “Ma, it’s not that I don’t think you could help, but more that I don’t want you to. I need Daddy to let me make these choices on my own. For him to understand that whether or not they are good or bad choices, they are still only mine to make. It’s time for him to step back.”

“And let you fly,” Catrina said quietly.

“Exactly.”

“You know that scares him, though, don’t you?”

“I know he’s scared I’m going to find myself depressed again,” Catherine replied, “and that it might lead me where it did the last time. I also know I can stumble into another one of those spirals simply because I’m not managing my own happiness, but trying to placate his. I still don’t want you arguing with him over me, Ma. I needed to learn these things on my own; it’s time for him to learn, too.”

Catrina’s lips pursed. “I won’t talk to him, then, but know that he loves you so very much, Catty.”