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Telling Anastasia that we’re having a baby was one of the most emotional things I’ve ever done. On one hand I was the happiest man on the planet. I was going to be a father. I had a good role model in my own parents, but on the other hand, this life is fraught with dangers and envious people, just take a look at what’s happened to Sia all her life. Although, I will make the rivers run red to protect my child.
Sia was not expecting my news, but once she let the words register, her fears came out.
“I don’t know anything about being a mom! What if I mess up? What if something happens to me and my kid has to live the motherless life I lived?” That last bit had my blood pumping. Just thinking of something happening to her that would remove her from us?
Hell no.
“Listen. A life without you simply doesn’t exist and if it did? Well, I’d just burn it to ashes,amore. As for your other fears, I understand them. This is new for me too, love, but we’re not in it alone. There’s a lot of people out there who struggle to be parents on their own and yet, they accomplish it. You and I have a whole family to help us and guide us. You think we’ll be the only ones allowed to raise our children? No way. Not with this family. They’ll be cherished by more than you and me, so don’t let those fears make you believe you can’t become an amazing mother. You will be the mother you didn’t have and you’ll pass on your talents just like your mother did.”
I tell her all this while rubbing her flat stomach, but she throws her arms around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. I meant every word I said. She may not realize how strong her protective instincts are or how loving she really is. A woman as fierce as my woman will be an extraordinary mother. I have no doubt.
“I love you,” she says after a moment then pulls back and looks down at her stomach. “I think we can do this.”
“We can and we will. Now let’s see about getting you home.”
The day we got home from the hospital Sia wanted to meet her aunt, but I got her to hold off for the day with the promise that I’d have Marcella here no matter what. So now we’re here, sitting in the kitchen with Luca, who is too proud to use the wheelchair the doctors ordered him to use, waiting for Tommy and Peter’s mother to join us. Sia says she isn’t angry with Marcella anymore. She saved their lives and she’s grateful but needs answers as well.
We hear voices coming toward the kitchen and turn to see Marcella come through the door and watch the emotions flash on her face. Nervous, happy, afraid, but also relieved. She’s always been a docile woman, but learning of how she saved Luca and Sia, I know she’s much more than the quiet and often unseen woman she displays.
“Ciao, Marcella. Come and join us. We’re just having some of Ma’s homemade cannoli.”
She doesn’t move right away, but Luca speaks to her.
“Zia?Per favore, come sit with us. We’re not mad at you.”
Marcella breaks down then but keeps her eyes on Sia and Luca as she walks over to us.
“I’m sorry,nipotes. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you both with me but it wasn’t safe here. That night, your mother called me like she did every night. We were chatting and making plans for your second birthday, Anastasia,” she says while reaching to hold Sia’s hands. It seems this is a story she’s had on repeat in her head all these years.
“While we were talking, I heard gunshots through the line and then I heard your father scream for her to run to you and Luca. I heard your mother scream, ‘You worthless schemer!’ but then the phone line disconnected and when I looked out the window, I could see that the power was off in your home, but there were flashes of gunfire.”
She stops and sobs into her hands, but Sia wraps her arms around her and says, “Don’t continue if you can’t,Zia. It’s okay.”
But Marcella shakes her head and takes the napkin Luca hands her.
“No, I must tell you.”
I give her water and we wait while she takes a sip.
Continuing where she left off, she says, “I began screaming for Tommas, your uncle.
‘Get to the children, Cella,’ he yelled to me as he ran to your parents’ aid. I waited until he got into the house and then I ran to the back entrance. I saw no one there, so I broke the window and unlocked the door. Creeping through the house to your rooms, I heard a man’s voice say, ‘You should have chosen wiser, Lily.’ Followed by a gunshot. Your father’s voice came next, broken with tears and rage as he wailed. ‘I’ll see you in hell, schemer. One day your death will be a painful and sluggish thing. One day you’ll lose it all.’ He began laughing, your father. He laughed in the face of death. Your father was known for his manic laugh. Frankie The Manic Romano.” She says that last bit with a fond smile even though it’s a piece of information that would frighten most. Sia and Luca smile even with the tears.
“I didn’t stick around to hear his death. I did what I had to do. I entered the room you shared and saw you, Luca, standing with the knife your father gave you. You rushed at me right away, but as soon as you saw it was me you wrapped your tiny arms around my legs. ‘Zia, cosa sta succedendo?’ you asked, but I shushed you and told you to climb onto my back. I grabbed a blanket and tied it around us both so you wouldn’t fall off then I grabbed Sia, who was sleeping like a rock, and ran. We slipped out the window in your father’s office but not before I saw Adriano.”
“Why didn’t you say anything, Marcella?” I demand, my mind running rampant with the images her story conjured. “Why did you marry him?”
Sia reaches out and lays her hand on my arm to calm me, to keep me from thinking this woman is a traitor as well.
“I married him because he threatened my children. He made me believe all these years that Andino ordered the massacre. I stayed quiet because I’m the one who took Luca and Sia. I saved two who were meant to die. I didn’t know Andino well. I still don’t because Adriano, the bastard, beat me anytime I stepped out of line. How, Gavriel, was I to know who I could turn to? Even my sons love your father. I’ve been alone with this. I suffered Adriano to make sure my children were safe. He threatened to sell off my daughter’s purity if I didn’t tell him where my sister’s children were.” She says this to me with fire and I believe her. She thought my father ordered this and suffered years of abuse.
“Adriano is in a cell now. Being beaten to the brink of death and then being brought back from it. Frankie spoke the truth; Adriano’s death is steady and agonizing. I’m sorry you’ve been alone all this time.”
She dips her head and smiles then turns and cups both Luca’s and Sia’s faces and says, “I saved two pieces of my sister and brother-in-law. The fight was worth it. I know the truth now. I know Andino loved Frankie. I’m so happy to see mynipotes.” She pulls them both in for a hug.
Luca winces as they pull back and Marcella begins smothering him like the mother hen she is while Sia pulls me to the side.
“I feel like I can finally move on. I can let go of ghosts and celebrate the life we have. Thank you, my love, for getting us the answers we needed.”
When we reach the hall, I pull her off her feet and kiss her.
“Stop thanking me for things like this, Sia. Seeing you happy is all the gratification I need, okay? I love you and I will give you the world. All you have to do is ask, yeah?”
I’ll give my woman anything she asks for.
