Page 84 of A Debt to Pay

“Luci is in labor. She’s doing amazing.”

“Luci is in labor? I need to get back. Mamma, how do I get back?” I turn to run to my daughter’s nursery when Mamma grabs my arm, holding me in place.

“Alessandro. My son. Wait. You cannot let yourself get stressed. Calm down. It’s okay.”

“It’s okay? How is it okay? I’m here and Luci is in labor. I need to be with her. She needs me!”

“You’re right. To be able to do that you need to calm down and keep your heart rate down.” I attempt to slow my heart rate while looking into my mamma’s eyes. Then it hits me that she’s officially here. My mamma is right in front of me.

“I got your journal.” I’m not sure what possesses me to say that, but when I do, she smiles.

“Good. I wrote that for you, as I’m sure you noticed. Carrying you was the biggest blessing of my life. You’ve made your mamma proud just by being the man you were always meant to be. I’m sorry I couldn’t be around for you growing up. You stole my heart!” I hold her close as she laughs, making me smile in return. I’m not sure how long I’ve been here or how long we continue hugging. When we part ways she grabs my face in her cold hands again, taking the time to scan my features. “It’s time, mio figlio.”

“Time for what, Mamma?” I never knew how therapeutic it would be to call her mamma until today. I needed this.

“You need to go back to Luci. Be there for your daughter like I couldn’t be there for you. I need you to remember one thing, mio figlio. Be a part of every moment you can with your girls.Treasure everything and remember every sight, scent, voice, everything. Those memories will be what matters.” She reaches up on her toes to kiss my forehead and smells my head similar to how you would smell a newborn’s head. “Be the papa I know you can be. Do it for your mamma.”

“I will.” Everything fades, including Mamma as I enter a space of blackness and can hear everything around me but I can’t see anything.

Chapter 79

Aldo

38 Weeks Pregnant

In the short period I worked for the Leone family, I was taught two specialties. How to track someone while staying hidden, and how to shoot from a distance. I’ve lied to Stella for the past week when she asks where I went as I wait for my target.

Guilt doesn’t have time to eat at me because that’s the moment he walks out that door. Alessandro Leone, the man who stole Luci from her family. I position my rifle, focusing my sight through the eyepiece when my heart stops. Luci. She’s standing next to him, saying her goodbyes. Should I take the shot? How rusty am I? How could I live if I missed?

“Breathe, Aldo. Focus. Block out everything around you.”

My papa’s words echo in my head as I follow his words, aiming at my target, and shoot. The moment the bullet leaves the chamber it hits me. Stella. If Geno finds out what I’ve done, we could be targets. Normally the rules are no women and no children, but I’ve learned to never underestimate Geno Leone.

I don’t wait for the result of my shot before I pack up my rifle, and speed back home. I spend the entire drive with shaky hands, formulating a plan to get Stella out of the house.

I bust through the door, yelling for my wife. “Stella! Stella, where are you? Pack a bag!” Stella appears from around the corner, wiping flour on her apron.

“What’s wrong? Why am I packing a bag?”

“I won a vacation! In um. In . . . in Maine! Yes. You know me, those little raffle things are a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s a lovely beach town, but we have to leave in thirty minutes or less if we want to get there today.” I’m hoping my panic comes off as excitement as I race Stella upstairs.

We each pack a bag and after reassuring Stella there will be laundry on-site we rush into the car, running away from the Leones for the third time.

Two weeks later, Stella is restless, knowing Luci’s due date is tomorrow and we don’t have phone signal on this remote beach town.

“Aldo, we need to go home! Luci is due any day now and I want to be home. And that’s only if she hasn’t had her yet! She needs her family. I know you hate Alessandro and Geno, and I know that won’t change. Luci is our nipotina though, our family, and she needs her family. Why are you fighting me on this?”Fuck. I can’t lie to Stella anymore. I stated in our wedding vows that I would never lie to her. Now look at me.

“Sit down, Stella.” Stella, my wife of over forty years, sees through me as I know I’m about to break her heart. “I shot Alessandro. All I wanted was to get Luci home. I’m sorry, amore mio. We can’t go home. I promised to protect you.”

Stella jumps up from where she’s sitting, rushing around as she packs her bag. “Aldo! I told you Caterina and I were building back our relationship with Luci to be in her baby’s life. I’m not giving that up.” I continue sitting in the chair I’ve been in and Stella faces me, toiletries in hand before throwing them freely in her bag. “Why are you sitting there?”

“We’ll be looking over our shoulder for the rest of our lives if we go home.”

“How has that been any different from the last forty-plus years? You signed up for that the night we ran away, but it’s not just us anymore. I am not leaving Caterina, Luci, and our great-granddaughter. You can come home or not, but I’m going, and you can’t stop me.” This woman. She’s right. She’s always right. I give up the fight, packing as I memorize every inch of her in case it’s the last time. Lord knows if Geno Leone finds out what I did to Alessandro it could be.

Chapter 80

Alessandro