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Serafina scrunches up her face. “You’re really choosing this random bitch over your own sister?”
“I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t make things so difficult.”
Pia places a hand on my arm. I look down at her, and she shakes her head. I might not understand everything she tries telling me with her body, but I understand this. She doesn’t want me to fight with my sister.
Pia stands up and approaches Serafina, who watches her like she’s a cockroach ready to land on her. Pia holds out her hand to Serafina. My sister looks at it, then snorts and turns away. But Pia isn’t done yet. She lays her hand on Serafina’s shoulder.
Serafina wrests her arm away. “Don’t touch me.”
Pia raises her hands placatingly. Then she offers out her hand again. I can see in Pia’s eyes an urgent quality, a pleading to make Serafina understand her.
“Were you really locked up for your entire life?” Serafina blurts out.
Giana’s eyes widen. “Goodness. What?”
Pia flinches.
“Mmm.” Serafina looks smug. “I thought not.”
Pia shakes her head, grabs out her phone, and types before holding it up for Serafina to read. I can’t see what she wrote from here.
To Serafina’s credit, she reads Pia’s words. “Huh,” she finally says. “You’re father really did that to you?”
Pia nods.
“Some shitty father.”
A small smile creeps across Pia’s face, and she nods again. Pia types and holds the phone up to Serafina, who reads it.
“Why am I such a bitch to you, you mean?”
Another nod from Pia.
“I got my own issues, ok?” Serafina sounds exacerbated. “I … might have taken some of them out on you. Not saying I’m going to change, ok?”
Pia’s shoulders deflate, and she sits down by me. Giana reaches over and pats Pia’s hand. “You’re very smart,” she says slowly and loudly like Pia is a toddler rather than an adult woman.
I squeeze Pia’s shoulder before saying, “Giana, Pia is mute. Not stupid. Now, I think it’s best we end this gathering.”
“Oh, no,” Giana says. “Please, no.”
“Yes,” I say firmly. “Now’s just not a good time. I also expect you not to tell anyone that Pia is here. You got that, Giana? You have to swear to me.”
“I swear.”
“Because if I find out you told anyone … remember that I’m a mafia boss. You won’t like the outcome.”
“Oh, Dario.” Giana swats my chest. “You were always so dramatic, even as a kid.”
“I mean it.” I keep my face steady. Giana finally realizes what I’m saying, and her eyes widen.
“Ok, I promise. I won't tell a living soul. I’ll make sure Leo knows not to tell either.”
“Thank you.”
Giana waves a hand between Pia and me. “So, you two will really continue to communicate that way? Always with a few seconds delay while she types her responses?”
An idea occurs to me.
