“Don’t say it like that. Don’t think it. Talk to them. Hear their side of the story before you judge them.”
“Judge them? Oh no Bella I’ll fucking kill him!” he shoved the armoire to his left, and it crashed to the floor. It landed with a thunderous slam that made the floorboards creak. He put the balls of his hands to both his eyes to hold back the tears as his emotions pushed him dangerously to a murderous edge.
My sister. For God’s sake I even sent them away on trips together. All the while he was molesting her. Screwing her before and after she was married like she was some kind of whore! He defiled her!
Blinded by pain he went for his gun Danny-boy.
Mira rushed him. Giovanni held the weapon above her head and shoved her to the bed.
“Wait!” Mira rolled over, scrambling across the bed, trying to stop him. In nothing but his pants he held tightly to the gun, blinded by his anger. She knew if she didn’t stop him he would kill Domi in front of everyone, with her baby in the house. It would destroy them all. Begging and pleading, she pulled on his arm, but he shoved his hand into her pocket to get the little key she thought she hid from him. Losing her balance, she fell back to the floor.
He didn’t hear her. How could he? He went for the door sticking in the key, unlocking it within seconds. It was all happening so desperately fast Mira could barely get off the floor before he flung it open.
Zia greeted them with Eve holding her hand. Giovanni eased the weapon to the back of his pants. Eve rushed her father’s legs. She wrapped her arms around them, hugging tight. She smiled up at him and spat out her pacifier. Mira wiped at her tears and got to her feet quickly. She picked up her daughter and put her in Giovanni’s arms. Zia looked at the destruction in the room and frowned.
“Thank you, we’ll be fine,” she said, and Zia gave her a questioning smile. Mira closed the door on her. Eve was now bucking to be set down from Giovanni. He lifted her above his head, and she giggled.
“This is not going to work, Bella. You should never use our daughter this way.” He said in a tight voice.
Eve won the battle for freedom. Giovanni set her down. She walked away. “If you can believe that we happened so unexpectedly, why can’t you believe the same thing for Domi and Catalina?”
“He knew better. That’s why. She was a kid when this started. He took vows to protect this family, to sleep with her behind my back goes against the grain of who we are as men. It’s as perverse as what Franco did to her.”
“What happened between them is no more perverse than what happened between us. Flavio told you that our love would destroy you. He tried to control our destiny and because of it I was forced to bring our daughter into this world alone. Yes, Domi knew better, but he wasn’t acting as your consigliere. He was acting as a man in love. Let them plead their case before you sentence them. You aren’t your father. You have compassion in your heart. I’ve seen it.”
Eve walked over to the armoire that lay flat to the floor. She put her hands to her knees and squatted, her little pink dress rising, showing her diaper. Mira smiled. Giovanni didn’t. Eve sat on the armoire and clapped, grinning at her parents. Mira walked over and forced him to allow her to sit on his lap. She put his face in her breasts and held him until he returned her embrace. Silly as it was, she only knew one way to calm him. That was with her love. It’s who they were.
“I have one more thing to say.”
Giovanni sighed.