CHAPTER 39 #2
Mamma inhaled long and sharp, then spat through gritted teeth, “Is this why every single man I date breaks up with me abruptly? Because of you?”
“We both know you only dated those men to piss me off. Luckily for you, it worked.” Papà’s chin jutted and he smirked arrogantly.
“I’ve threatened every single boyfriend of yours since we divorced.
If a hefty cheque didn’t get the job done, then my fists did.
Think of it, Lucia. If they really loved you, they’d never leave you, regardless of what I did to them.
But they did and the truth remains that the only man who loves you with his entire heart, mind, and soul is me.
I take care of you, I provide for you, I would die for you.
You know it too. You’re just being stubborn because it’s easier than admitting that you want to give us another try. ”
Wow.
I almost wished I weren’t surprised. Papà always appeared so blasé when Mamma got a new boyfriend. Now I realized it was because it didn’t matter who she dated. Mamma would never sleep with them—like she’d sleep with him—and within sixty calendar days, her current boyfriend would kick the curb.
Papà had ensured it, in his own unorthodox way.
Mamma picked up a spatula from the utensil crock and whipped it in his direction.
“Enzo,” she spoke with an eerie calm. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”
“I’d like to see you try, Lucia. You love me too much to see me dead.” Still, he backed away as she advanced towards him. “Just remember, I did this for us. You’re mine and I’ve always been yours.”
Fuming, she rounded the table while he scurried to the other side. “I’m going to butcher you to pieces for every tear I shed from heartbreak.”
“With what, that spatula in your hand?” he goaded, but the smile on his lips told her everything she needed to know. He won. She lost. “Good luck. You can’t even hurt a fly. Plus, if you kill me, you’ll miss me too much. Who else is going to put up with your needy nature, principessa—”
Like a woman scorned, she pounced on him with a battle cry, spatula at the ready.
The doorbell rang that very instant.
“I’ll get it!” I declared all too happily and got out of the kitchen before they started destroying things.
Luna strutted after me.
Neither of us was fazed. When both parents had lived under the same roof, this was a daily occurrence in our home.
I swung open the door with a bright smile on my face, already knowing who it would be. “Ciao, Nonna! I’m so happy to see you!”
My grandmother stood on the front porch with her cane and a dish of tiramisu in her hands. Behind her, a taxi exited. “Piccola, I’m so happy to see you too.”
I hugged her, breathing in her homey smell. “You’re here early. Not that I’m complaining.” I smacked a noisy kiss on her wrinkly cheek. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” She smiled. “Your papà was supposed to pick me up in half an hour, but I had an inkling that something was wrong. Hence why I decided to come on my own.”
“Your instincts are on point.” I grabbed the tiramisu dish from her so she could enter inside with her cane. “Oh, I love your outfit. You look so cute.”
She gave me a slow twirl, elated. “We match.”
We both wore black dresses. Mine was form-fitting and down to mid thigh, coupled with sheer stockings that had little black hearts on them.
Nonna’s was ankle length and billowy. She accessorized with the cutest rhinestone crossbody purse and jeweled clips to keep her grey hair away from her face.
And blood red lipstick, of course. That was a classic Bellafiore women staple.
“That we do.”
On cue, a loud vaffanculo rang in the background.
“Nonna…do you still carry holy water in your purse? We have a bunch of sinners in this house.”
Nonna shut the front door, locked it, and peered down the hallway to see a sliver of the chaos in the kitchen. Mamma and Papà went at each other’s throats like dogs. A plate got thrown on the floor. Glass shattered. Curses were exchanged.
“Oh!” She reared back. “What’s going on?”
“Okay, so basically…” I gave her the entire rundown in under thirty seconds. Nonna emulated the cross sign when I told her what I walked in on. By the end of my storytelling, she was shocked but not surprised at their antics.
“Now”—I flicked a glance towards the kitchen—“it looks like Mamma picked up a knife and she’s going to stab him.”
“She won’t stab him,” Nonna said. “Also, Enzo’s like a cat. He’s got nine lives.”
“Yeah, well, if she does stab him, he’ll be down to eight.”
“Meh. A little bit of fighting is good for the soul.”
“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about your son’s well-being?”
She shrugged. “He’s a hellion, just like your grandfather was—may his soul rest in peace.
Men like that deserve a good spanking every so often.
Let your mamma berate him. Furthermore, she’s doing it out of sheer pleasure, not anger.
” She waved her cane in their general direction.
“Secretly, the part of her that fell in love with his dangerous side loves that he was crazy enough to sabotage her dates. They’re just letting out some much-needed steam.
Trust me, Gabriela. Their passion lies in their fight—it’s how they thrive.
They were like that even when they were young.
But you, my child, are an angel compared to them.
” She patted my face lovingly. “That’s because you take after me, of course. ”
I chuckled. “Of course I do.”
She bent down to coo at Luna, who was pawing at her leg for attention. “Hello, my pretty little baby. My other angel who takes after me. How are you? Yes, yes, I’ve missed you too. I have some treats with your name on them.”
While she rummaged through her purse for Luna’s treats, I observed my parents over my shoulder. “Um, Nonna, they don’t seem like they’re fighting anymore.” My eyes squinted in disbelief. “Ew. They’re kissing now and oh my God, Papà is down on one knee, proposing to her!”
All three of us crowded into the hallway to watch the scene unfold.
“Yes!” Mamma cried out dramatically, a pool of broken glass surrounding them. “Yes, I’ll marry you again, Enzo!”
The last hour leading up to Hunter’s arrival was a rollercoaster of emotions. From the surprise at seeing the proposal, to congratulating my parents, to cleaning up the kitchen, and to mentally winding down from this ridiculous high.
Hunter would be here in ten minutes and Nonna decided it was time for a last-minute family meeting.
We were all gathered in the living room.
Mamma and Papà, showered and dressed to the nines, were sitting in the love seat.
Mamma blushed and cast him side-long glances.
Papà was displeased at Nonna summoning him against his will.
But whenever his eyes connected with Mamma’s, his face softened.
After years of fighting and denying their feelings, they were finally at peace and like teenagers in love.
Mamma also couldn’t stop staring at the shiny five-carat rock on her left hand’s finger.
It winked under the chandelier’s light in all its impressive glory.
Apparently, Papà never stopped carrying around the diamond ring he proposed to her with more than two decades ago.
Now it was back where it rightfully belonged.
Nonna sat in the armchair in front of them with Luna in her lap, and I was perched on the armrest.
“Let’s set some ground rules before Gabriela’s boyfriend arrives.
” Nonna hedged her cigarette holder in my direction and I lit her vice with a Zippo.
She brought it to her lips for a puff. “Firstly, I want both of you bozos to be on your best behaviour tonight. This is an important occasion and none of you will ruin it with your theatrics”—she glanced pointedly at Mamma, then at Papà—“or your macho bullshit. Understood?”
He uncrossed his arms from his chest and stood up. “This lecture is entirely unnecessary—ow!”
Nonna whacked him on the shin with the end of her cane, glaring. “Shut up and sit back down, Enzo. I’m not done talking and you won’t interrupt me again.”
Papà killed for a living—had murdered men for simply staring at him the wrong way. Yet under his mother’s scolding, he shrank back like a kid being grounded.
“Secondly, this is Gabriela’s special evening.
” A plume of smoke curled out of Nonna’s mouth.
“We’re all aware that you both have always had bad timing your whole lives.
Getting engaged right now, of all days, was a choice.
Nonetheless, here we are.” She sighed. “With that being said, your engagement announcement will have to wait. I refuse to allow you to steal my granddaughter’s thunder any more than you already have.
This is her night. So no talk of rings or weddings. Understood?”
My parents had the gall to look embarrassed and simply nodded.
It was good enough for me. I wasn’t angry that they’d gotten engaged today, but I loved and respected Nonna’s need to stand up for me.
Tonight was about me formally introducing Hunter to my family as my boyfriend and I wanted that to be the key focus.
“Thirdly.” She took another puff of her cigarette. “You’ve traumatized my granddaughter and great-granddaughter. I’m expecting them to be fully compensated for punitive damages. Gabriela, begin with the list of demands.”
I stopped my mouth from twitching into a smile. I was having entirely too much fun. Mamma and Papà narrowed their eyes. Nonna hid her laugh with a cough.
“Number one.” I opened my thumb from my closed fist. “Luna needs a new cat tree. The one in this home is old and worn out. Only the best for my girl.”
It was the least my parents could do after putting us through years of their soap opera.
Papà ground his teeth. “Fine, a new cat tree for Luna. Easy enough.”