Page 275 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

“The Calabrese, and Siena. I know my place—I know my choices. I know what they did. You weren’t wrong when you said what you said, but you said it in the wrong way at the time. You were angry, though, so I get it.”

“Do you love her?”

“Siena?”

Cella shrugged one shoulder. “Daddy says you’re still seeing her sometimes.”

“It’s complicated given the situation, but yeah, I love her.”

“She seems nice.”

“She is wonderful.” John scrubbed a hand down his jaw, and decided to just get this over with. Say the hard shit—stuff he hadn’t ever said to his sister, but she still deserved to hear all the same. “I’ve taken a lot from you—and Liliana, too—over the years. Safety in your own home. Peace and quiet. Possessions. I’ve said a lot of shit, and done a lot of shit when we were growing up. It should have been a good time in your life, but I turned it into chaos. I recognize that, Cella. I know I can’t change it, but I am sorry.”

A single tear made a traitorous line down Cella’s cheek. She didn’t try to wipe it away, or even acknowledge that it had escaped.

“I do love you, John,” Cella whispered. “I just have to do it from afar.”

“Yeah, I know. We all have to do what we have to do for ourselves, so don’t think I expect anything more from you than what you’re willing to give.”

“Thanks.”

John placed the large gift bag on the coffee table, and took a step back. White tissue paper overflowed from the top. “Ma helped a little bit. I hope it helps you, and the baby, too.”

Cella glanced at the bag, and then back to John. “Nothing really helps, John.”

“Yeah, I got that. I’m sorry, Cella.”

“I know. I wish it helped.”

John headed out of the room when Cella went back to folding clothes, but didn’t touch the gift bag. He didn’t want to push or pressure his sister for anything. She was going through enough shit as it was.

He found his mother in the kitchen. She already had a cup of coffee waiting for him, and a seat open at the table.

“How did it go?” Jordyn asked as he sat down.

“Uh, well, she didn’t tell me to fuck off.”

“That’s good.”

John smirked. “She didn’t say much else, either.”

“Did she like—”

“She didn’t open it with me there,” he interjected.

Jordyn nodded, and took a quick sip from her coffee. “Oh, I see.”

“It’s got to be at her speed, Ma. On her time.”

“You’re right, John.” His mother reached out and cupped his cheek. “You’re good that way, my boy.”

Something like that.

He stayed with his mother until he finished his coffee, but quickly got up to leave once it was done. He had business to do, and Andino to meet.

Things on the Calabrese side of business were starting to move forward. John was anxious as fuck to put it all to rest.

“I’ll see you later, Ma,” John said, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “Tell my father I’ll call him.”