Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Gabriela
“But papà, what if I want to stay here?” I say to my papà on our daily phone call.
“Why would you stay there? When you were leaving, you said you didn’t want to go. And now you don’t want to come home? Just because you met a boy?”
“He’s not just a boy, papá. He’s important to me and I love him.”
“So you’re willing to take care of another woman’s child to be with him?”
“Sí.”
“Well that’s not going to happen. I told you that this was temporary and that you would be coming home. You and Diego are coming home on Friday.”
“But papá—”
“No, mija. You’ll be on that plane, don’t fight me on this.”
I stare at my phone after my papá hangs up on me.
I can’t believe he won’t listen to me. He’s never dismissed me this way.
I tried to call my mamá, but she didn’t answer.
I can’t believe this is happening. I thought they would understand that I want to be with Gianluca.
But they don’t. And I don’t know what they’ll do if I don’t get on the plane in two days.
I hear the bedroom door open and feel Gianluca sit down next to me.
“Talk to me, amore. What happened?” he asks as he wipes the tears from my eyes.
I tell him what my papá said to me and how I can’t get my mamá to answer the phone.
“We can ask my papà and mamá to talk to your parents if you want. I know they would fight for us.”
In our world, even though we’re adults, some things are still handled by our parents. I don’t think it’ll be any different when Carlo grows up. My only option is to defy my parents and stay here. But that could bring trouble to the Mancini’s and I can’t do that to them. They’ve done so much for me.
“I don’t think that will help. They’ve never dismissed me like this before, I just don’t understand what’s going on. My parents always told me that I would be free to choose who I wanted to be with. And now that I have, they’re fighting me.”
“I don’t think it’s my family. It feels like there’s more to this. I think we should send some of our guys with you. I wish I could go with you. But I can’t, if it was off-season, I could. But we’re right in the middle of our season and we’re in world series position.”
Gianluca looks so torn and I hate it. I don’t ever want him to feel like he has to choose between me and baseball.
“Please don’t be sad. I’ll find a way to come back to you. No one, not even my family will keep us apart. And now that I think about it, maybe we should talk to your family. I’m worried that mine will try to keep me from coming back.”
I lean on Luca as I do my best to hold back my tears. I can’t lose him, I know he’s my soulmate.
“You know I’ll wait as long as I have to for you.” He murmurs in my ear.
I bury my face in his chest.
“I love you, Luca.” I sniffle.
“I love you. Let’s go and talk to my parents. They’ll know what to do.”
Gianluca
From what we’re hearing, things are starting to settle down for Gabriela’s family.
Her papà has asked her to come back to Valencia.
We’ve talked about her staying and I’m certain that she wants to.
But her loyalty to her family is as strong as mine.
I hate that she might have to go back. I don’t know what that will mean for us.
At the same time, I’m also not willing to give her up.
Gianluca: Hey Gia, would you be able to keep Carlo with you for a while? Gabriela and I need to talk to my parents. Which means we need to grab my mamá and then head into the city to talk to papà
Giovanna: Of course. Is everything okay?
Gianluca: Gabriela’s parents want her to come home…
Giovanna: …
Gianluca: Exactly
Giovanna: I’d make sure my papà’s in on the conversation
Gianluca: I plan on that. I just don’t want this to turn into something bad. Because she loves her family, I don’t want to take that away from her
Giovanna: That’s not really your decision. If she chooses to be with you, then that could happen. Drive safe. I love you both and don’t worry about Carlo. We’re all headed to see the otters
Gianluca: Grazie, Cugina. We love you
We drive to the bakery to talk to my mamá first. Gabriela looks so nervous.
“Don’t worry, we’re going to figure this out.”
She nods at me as I take her hand and we head inside.
“Hey, Simone. Is my mamá around?”
“Yup! She’s in the back baking.”
We thank Simone and head into the kitchen. All three of the mamà’s are back there laughing and prepping things. My mamá comes over and gives us both a hug.
“You both look so serious, what’s going on?”
“Do we need to give you some space?” Aintín Graínne asks.
“No, I’d like you all here.” I say to them.
“Gabriela got a call from her papá and he’s told her that she needs to come back home on Friday. I was hoping that you or papà could talk to them. She told them she wanted to stay here and he said no.”
“Did he say that everything’s been resolved? I haven’t spoken to Lourdes since last week. But it also seems really fast if it’s resolved.” My mamá frowns.
“We didn’t know if we should talk to papà and my zio’s or not.”
“I think you should.” Aintín Graínne says to us.
“Yes, I agree, I don’t like the sound of this. There’s no way their situation has resolved in just a few weeks.” Caitríona adds.
“We’re going to head to the office, do any of you want to come?” I ask all three of them.
“I think we should all come with you. Simone can handle the bakery and we can call Emilia to come and help her.” Mamá says to us.
We wait for Emilia to come down to the bakery.
Then we head into the city. Our family owns the Legacy hotel in downtown Chicago.
The sixteenth and seventeenth floors are where all the offices are.
My papà and zio’s all work there. Along with my cuginos, Sebastiano, Lorenzo and a few of our other family members.
When we get to the hotel, we park in the area that’s reserved for family and head up to the offices. My papà’s secretary, Kylie smiles as she sees us.
My mamá hands Kylie a box of pastries as we all head into my papà’s office. He stands up and kisses my mamá before he greets any of us. I love that about my parents. You can see the love that they both have for each other.
“Is everything okay?” papà asks.
I tell my papà everything that had happened and he looks at Gabriela and me.
“Tell me what you want, Gabriela.”
“I want to be with Gianluca and Giancarlo.”
“Are you sure? You have to be positive. We will always be willing to fight for what you and Gianluca want. But you have to be sure.”
“I’m sure.” She nods.
“And you, figlio?”
“Gabriela is my future.”
My papà nods. “Okay. I’ll call your family and see what I can do. You might have to go back for a bit. But if you do, we will send a few of our guys with you.”
“But if I go back, I don’t think my papá will let me come back.”
“Trust us on this. I promise you that you’ll be back with Gianluca.”
Gabriela nods, but I can see the tears in her eyes and it’s killing me. I want to protect her from everything. And I can’t. I can’t even go with her to make sure she’s okay.
“Let me make make this phone call first. And then we’ll figure out what our next step will be. Why don’t you all go and have lunch and I’ll come and join you as soon as I’m done. I also need to talk to Enea and Antonio, they need to know what’s going on.”
We all head to the restaurant on the twenty-fifth floor. Charmaine greets us, she’s married to one of the enforcers in the Cimaruta MC, Liam Murphy. They’re part of our Lake Renegade family. The president of the Cimaruta is Giacomo Bastianini, he’s Caitríona’s husband.
“Do you think I’m going to have to go back home?” Gabriela whispers to me.
“I don’t know. But I trust my papà and he’ll make sure you’re safe no matter what we have to do.”
“I don’t want to leave you or Carlo.”
“Trust me, I don’t want you to leave either.” I say as I kiss her. “I love you.”
“Te amo. When my parents told me I was coming here, I was so angry that they would send me away. But now? I’m thankful that they did.”
I kiss her head as I look at my mamá. She’s smiling at us. I pray that she won’t have to go back. I don’t think I could handle that.