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“Anna. She was talking about a boy she met at the hospital.”
Mamma cursed under her breath. “That girl…” She pressed her lips together. “I’m fine, tesoro. The new night nurse told me I needed to go, but I think she worries too much.”
“You have a night nurse?”
Mamma nodded weakly. “Yes, and she’s wonderful. There are a lot of new faces around here. I don’t know what is happening. Your papà must be trying to replace you.” She reached a cold hand up to press against my cheek. “He’ll need to hire fifty more to replace my tesoro.”
“Fifty-five,” I countered, smiling when she laughed. “I worry about you.”
“I know you do. You’re too much like me, Marcella.” Mamma’s hand fell to her lap, and she tilted her head. “Tell me about him.”
I smoothed out the skirt of my dress across my thighs, giving the action my full attention. “I don’t know him yet, Mamma.”
“All I know is his name. Matteo. There must be more to him than that.”
He’s Papà’s boss and he bought me, Mamma.
“He’s nice…” I lied.
I didn’t know what else I could tell mamma. Matteo had all but locked me in a room the night he bought me?
“He likes lemon granita.”
Mamma smiled. “My favorite.”
“I want you at the wedding, Mamma.”
Mamma’s smile dropped away.
“I’ll be there,” she said, but I knew she didn’t believe those words.
Unless Matteo and I got married at the end of her bed this very instant, I wasn’t sure if Mamma would make it to my wedding.
“I never thought it would be like this…”
“I know you wanted things to be different, but this is how it works, tesoro.”
I shouldn’t have had to choose between my family and the man I was told to marry. If Matteo asked me, I would choose my family over him. He wouldn’t like that.
“Will you call me the next time you’re feeling unwell? Or have your nurse call me? Please?”
Mamma slowly sighed. “Yes, Marcella.”
“Alright,” I mumbled, not entirely satisfied, but I needed to let her rest. Leaning forward, I kissed her pale cheek. “I love you, Mamma.”
“And I love you, my Marcella. Be good. Be kind. Be patient, sì?”
I nodded and stood, pausing to check her vitals before I left her bedroom.
Of course, Matteo was on the other side of the door.
“Get away from this door,” I hissed and pounded a fist against his chest.
“Where you go, I go, amorina.”
“Oh, so you’ll follow me to the bathroom? Che cazzo…” I closed the door and shoved past him.
Matteo grabbed my shoulders and drew me back roughly. My body slammed against his and the air slipped out of my lungs.
