Chapter 15 My Hero
Fifteen
My Hero
Serafina
Maybe I’m weird. I mean, am I supposed to enjoy sex this much? Especially the way we did it last night. I love the way Eros makes my body feel. It’s like he knows what I’m thinking before I do. The thrill of not knowing what he had planned for me only spurred my desire to please him.
Eros makes me feel alive. When I’m with him, nothing else matters.
From the moment he walked into the kitchen, Eros made me his priority. Through dinner, he complimented me on the meal, and we spent time talking about our day. He took my concerns to heart when I spoke of Alia and Anita. If he were like Guisto, he would have pushed Bianca’s concerns aside.
Giusto is not the only husband and father who ignores his wife’s problems. I can honestly say that most Mafia marriages are an elaborate pretense.
A show for all to see! Men buy their wives expensive gifts to hide their affairs or out of guilt for not spending time at home.
They lavish their wives with gifts instead of the attention they truly desire.
The women wear the jewels, furs, and couture dresses like a shield.
I’m not sure if they’re trying to convince the other Mafia wives or themselves that their husbands love them.
There are those few couples who, although matched by their parents to marry, found love.
My parents, for one, but there are others.
I know that Nero and Felicia are happily married.
I understand that Nero fell in love with her when she was just a young woman.
Luciano and Grazia found their way to one another, and I know that he would die to protect his wife and daughter.
Even Marco Moretti and his queen, Gloria, didn’t start off as a love match, but they fell in love, and Marco ensures his wife is respected by all in La Famiglia.
Eros was gone by the time I woke up this morning, but he left a note on his pillow. Gioia mia, I’ll be home for dinner tonight. Wear the dress I’m having delivered. Be ready for six. We’re going out. It’s time to have some fun.
With Eros, you never know what to expect.
Normally, this would drive me crazy. I’m a very organized person and like to have my days planned.
Yet, the idea of getting dressed up and going out with Eros, and not knowing where we’re going or with whom, is exciting.
I don’t know what Eros considers fun, but I’m looking forward to finding out.
I hurry to get up and get dressed, then head over to the guesthouse to assist with the girls.
I knock on the door, because although Bianca and Mom gave me a key, I think it’s important that they have their own space.
Bianca and Mom living together is an excellent idea.
Mom loves the company, and Bianca needs the emotional support.
Mom adores Bianca and has treated her like her own daughter.
It’s sufficient to say that Bianca is closer to my mother than to her own.
Bianca swings open the door. “Come on in,” she says, doing a sweeping motion with her hand to let me walk through. “Princess Zia Serafina has arrived, girls,” Bianca announces.
The girls are sitting at the kitchen table finishing their breakfast. “It’s just Princess Serafina, Mom,” Alia says with a giggle.
“It’s ‘princess day,’ and we’re all princesses,” Bianca explains.
Alia is on board with the idea. She’s wearing a sparkly dress, with her hair in pigtails, adorned with a tiara. Anita has on a flowery, purple dress and also wears her tiara, but her expression is less than happy.
“Do I have to go to school? I’m not feeling good,” Anita whines. Anita is getting worse, and I’m worried about what the situation at school is doing to her self-esteem. She’s always been a happy little girl and loved going to school.
I place my hand on her forehead. No fever.
This is the same routine she’s been trying for the last few days.
She’s not sick, she’s scared. Kids can be mean.
At this age, I’m not sure if they understand how badly they’re hurting the girls.
Part of me wants to tear into the school and lecture the students on empathy; the other part of me knows I need to let this sort itself out.
“Hey, sweetie, one more day. Every day is a new day, and who knows, something wonderful might happen,” I say to her.
Begrudgingly, she murmurs, “Okay.”
Bianca and I grab their backpacks, while the girls kiss their grandmother and put on their shoes. Bianca’s bodyguard is usually waiting for us, but when we get outside, Eros is standing there.
“Hello, my beautiful damsels,” he says, bowing to them like you would royalty. “Your horse and carriage await.”
Alia runs over to Eros, and he sweeps her up into his arms. “That’s not a horse, silly,” she says. Then she laughs as he tickles her.
“I was pretending,” he replies, then looks over at Anita. “Well, sunshine, do you mind if I join you this morning on the way to school?”
Anita shakes her head and gives him a quiet no. Eros stretches out his hand and guides them into the car. “Bianca, you’re in back with the girls. Fi, sit up front with me.”
During the drive, Eros chats with the girls, talking about their favorite teachers and classes.
Alia likes gym, and Anita loves doing art.
It’s not far to the school, and when we park the car, we find that Luciano and his family and Nero and his family are waiting for us in the parking lot.
Antonio and Ciara are attending the preschool, so we’ve seen them often, but they have never been waiting for us.
We get out of the car, and Eros leads us to greet them. Anita clings to Eros’s hand like a lifeline. Alia is skipping while holding on to her mother.
“Isn’t this a wonderful surprise?” I say.
“Nero had this fantastic idea that we ladies should go out for a spa day, and we thought we’d surprise you,” Felicia responds, looking adoringly up at her hubby.
“But first we need to drop these beauties off at school, and Antonio and Ciara at preschool,” Luciano cuts in.
“We’re also here because we have a very important favor to ask,” Nero adds. “We’re wondering if you girls could go and stay with Antonio and Ciara in their class after school until we pick them up.”
Thankfully, that’s when Antonio and Ciara chime in with glee. “Please, please, please,” Ciara exclaims.
Antonio, on the other hand, is excited to show the girls his drawings.
He takes Anita’s hand and drags her toward the school entrance.
Ciara does the same with Alia, and we adults follow behind.
What the kids don’t see is that Nero and Luciano are making eye contact with the other parents, most of whom I recognize as families from La Famiglia.
They are silently making their displeasure known and making it clear that alienating Anita and Alia will not be tolerated.
It seems that Eros’s connection to Nero and Luciano runs much deeper than I imagined.
They’re not just friends but brothers, and not the kind you put up with, but the kind where the bond goes beyond even blood ties.
“Good morning, Mr. Moretti,” the teacher says as we approach Antonio’s and Ciara’s rooms.
“Good morning. From now on, Anita and Alia will be coming to sit with Antonio and Ciara after school. All four children will be picked up at the same time. Any change in plans will be communicated through their mothers,” Nero states.
“Excellent,” the teacher responds with a grin, looking down at Anita and Alia. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”
Dropping off the younger children isn’t enough. The men accompany Alia to her class, then Anita to hers. We walk out together, the three men huddling with their bodyguards keeping watch.
Grazia’s the first one to speak up. “I’m looking forward to a relaxing morning of being pampered.” Felicia readily agrees. Bianca still looks shell-shocked at being included in the mix.
“Are you sure you want me along?” she asks tentatively. I’m about to jump in, but Grazia beats me to it.
“Do not even think of ditching us,” she warns with a smile, then comes closer and says quietly, “You’re not responsible for his actions.
He’s gone. I hope he left you a few good memories, but if not, you both created two beautiful children.
They are sweet and kind and a lot like their mother and aunt.
People talk. There’s nothing we can do about that, but Nero and Luciano have every intention of making their opinions known on this matter.
My brother is livid. Children should never be a target.
Kids are reacting to their gossip at home.
Let’s see how the day unfolds for Anita and Alia. ”
“I’ve gotten a call from the office for the last few days. Anita wanting to come home. She says she doesn’t feel well, but when I pick her up, she’s suddenly better,” Bianca shares.
“It will get better. I bet she won’t be calling today,” Felicia responds brightly. “Come on, we have pampering to get to.”
She goes to Nero, who calls over to his men and has a car pull up for us. Grazia traipses over to Luciano to give him a kiss. Felicia does the same to Nero. I’m a little embarrassed but definitely don’t want Eros to be left out. I move to him and take his hand to pull him aside.
“This was all your idea, wasn’t it?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I merely stated I wasn’t thrilled with kids being the target when they had no idea what their father was doing.
Nero and Luciano decided to show a unified front, and this is where the women of our families gather.
The word will spread quickly. I assume it’s already halfway across town,” he replies with a chuckle.
I can’t help but giggle along with him. His laugh is so infectious. I kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Eros. This means so much to Bianca. And to me.”
A day out is just what Bianca needed. I did too, but the highlight of the day is watching Bianca come out of her shell and to see the carefree spirit she once had emerge once again.
Felicia and Grazia insist on paying for our mini spa treatment.
Oh, I protested, but to no avail. I managed to pick up the tab for lunch, but only because I was quicker at taking out my card.
A few days after we were married, Eros sat down with me and handed me a new credit card, a bank card, a new cell phone, and a wad of cash for emergency purposes.
What kind of emergency would require that much money is beyond me.
I still have it tucked away in a box hidden in the closet.
I still don’t understand why I need a new phone, but since I don’t have much in the old phone and it’s no great loss to me, it’s not a big deal.
The drive home from picking up the girls from school is far more pleasant than it has been.
I’m not saying that all is right with Anita, but she had a hint of a smile on her face when we picked her up.
It seems that some of her friends sat with her at lunch, and her best friend, Cassie, who was told to stay away from Anita, is allowed to play with her again.
Cassie’s a sweet girl. None of this is her fault, and that’s the worst part of this whole ordeal.
Children don’t hate or carry grudges or make judgments; parents do.
Poor Cassie was just as devastated to be apart from Anita. And from what Anita says, many kids who never noticed her before are stopping to greet her in the schoolyard. Anita is wary, and I would be too in her position. Still, it’s nice to see her in a better place.
Alia goes on and on about some moms who came to pick up their kids and stopped to ask if Alia would like to make plans for a playdate with their children. Alia is thrilled to have a full social calendar. When we arrived, several moms approached Bianca to make arrangements.
Things are looking up for Bianca and the girls, and it’s all because of Eros.
He says that this was all Nero and Luciano’s idea, but it was Eros who initiated the conversation.
This also tells me that his words are meaningful.
Eros said he would take care of my family, and he keeps his promises.
He cares about my nieces. He quickly corrected me when I called them “my nieces” and insisted they are “our nieces.”
My concerns about Bianca didn’t go unnoticed, and although I’m sure a spa day wasn’t his idea, his relationship with Nero and Luciano prompted Felicia and Grazia to take note of Bianca and her situation and do something about it.
I was worried about Mom being alone for so long, but when I called to check in on her, Monica was over with a few of her friends and they were having an afternoon espresso in the garden.
I haven’t felt this carefree in years. Eros did this for me.
Do I dare hope that this could mean he loves me as I do him?
I really do love him. He’s a monster outside our home, this I know.
I’m not a fool. Then again, the Mafia world is about survival.
The enemies swarm around us, lying in wait to make their next move, and they don’t care who is included in their collateral damage.
I’ve seen entire families devastated by the Russians and the Triads, and then there are the gang members who encroach on our businesses, wanting a piece of the action.
The world is a terrifying place, and yet, I’ve never felt safer.
Eros has texted me twice today. Once to remind me that we’re going out for dinner, then once again to respond to my message thanking him for the beautiful dress that was waiting for me when I got home.
The box came from an exclusive boutique in the city.
I’ve been there once or twice myself. They deal with wonderful designers with unique styles.
The prices are ridiculous, and yet getting an appointment for their personalized shopping experience would normally be a three-month wait.
I lift the lid and carefully unwrap the tissue paper to find a blood-red silk dress lying there.
I hold it up to my body and look in the full-length mirror.
It’s stunning. The dress itself is a satin strappy knee-length dress with a slit on one side.
It’s super sexy, and I hope I do it justice, as this is not what I’m used to wearing.
I check the clock and see that it’s much later than I thought. Eros will be home soon, and I’m nowhere near ready. I should get a move on, but I decide that sending a text to him is more important.
Thank you, honey. You’re my hero. I hit Send and hurry to get ready.