Page 10

Della

Suddenly, Dante was acting differently. Huddling over his phone and texting. He seemed distracted and busy.

I shrugged my shoulders. He did have a job and a life that didn’t include me before we met. It would be reasonable that his life had parts that didn’t involve me. Did I just have to have him looking at only me? Thinking only about me? Well yeah, I kinda do. I was in love with this Italian prince. Geeze, I was becoming clingy and needy. Who would have thought that? I never even dated a guy steadily. Two or three dates and I would lose all interest. Not that Dante and I had dated.

“Della?” Dante spoke from next to me.

He’d broken into my obsessive and not too mature thoughts. I turned to look at him. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry I was ignoring you,” he apologized.

I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal,” I lied as I felt like a dumbass teenage girl.

“I had to get our date planned,” he explained.

“Date?” I paused, then chuckled. “Ok, I have to confess, I was getting all paranoid about you texting and…” I shook my head. “You are going to have to tolerate a lot of mistakes from me.”

“Mistakes?” he asked.

“Yes...I never had a steady boyfriend and I don't know how to handle…” My courage evaporated and my voice did too.

“What?” he asked as he smiled and leaned in closer.

“A relationship,” I admitted with a whisper so no one would hear. “I’ve never had to deal with any of this before. Feeling like I gotta be with you every minute. Basically acting like some school girl.”

His smile spread into a grin as he took my hand in his. “That is perfect for me. Not the school girl part, but I wanted you to be with me, on me, beside me and yes, obsessed as hell about me. So I’m fine with it.” He raised my hand, turned it palm up and kissed it gently. “And that answers my question too.”

“Your question?” I stared at him as my body shivered from the leftover tingle of his warm lips on my palm.

“Yes, let’s eat breakfast first, cause Zia is staring butter knives at me.”

I glanced over and yes, she was aiming a narrowed eye stare at him. I imagine that look was one of her motherly type warnings. Like all she had to do was give him the ‘look’ and he knew what she wanted him to do. I really adored Zia already. She was a woman that you couldn’t help but to warm up to.

We both dug in as we ate toast, sausage and a superb egg dish I never had before.

“The eggs are delicious,” I told Dante.

“It is called Frittata,” he told me.

“That always makes me laugh,” Romeo spoke up from across the table. “I think of that silly kid’s song…” He raised his brows at Dante.

Dante nodded at him then winked at me. “Hakuna Frittata, what a wonderful egg,” he sang and looked over at Romeo as if to challenge him.

“Hakuna Frittata, ain’t no passin’ craze,” Romeo sang back.

“It means no omelettes for the rest of your days,” Dante replied.

Then both men sang, “It’s our dairy free… philosophy! Hakuna Frittata!”

I stared at Dante then looked over at Romeo as I burst into laughter.

Julianna laughed with me.

“Do I have to hear that stupido pazzo children’s song every time I make Frittata?” Zia exclaimed.

“I have to say I love that song,” Tito told her. “You should too, Mama. It makes your Frittata famous.”

“I would rather it be eaten by my quiet family than to be called Hakuna , thank you very much.” Zia shook her head.

More of the family were laughing now.

“Tranquillo, children!” Stephano yelled.

“Non essere pazzo, Stevie,” Zia chided him.

I paused. I knew what pazzo meant but not the rest.

Dante leaned in close to me and explained the conversation, “He told us all to be quiet then Zia said don't be crazy. But wait for the rest…”

“Me, pazzo?” Stephano retorted as he glared at his sister. “They are the ones singing and laughing loudly, like ill mannered children. At the breakfast table, no less.”

“Si, happy people, eating my food. It is perfecto, Stevie.” Zia beamed at him as she obviously changed her mind about the song now.

Next to me, Dante whispered, “Ok, here it comes.”

“Santa Maria! Have I not told you to NOT call me Stevie?” he snapped.

More laughter.

I even sniggered as the name was SO not him but I didn’t want to be yelled at for laughing.

Stephano looked around and said, “The head of the Southern Mafia cannot be known as,” he paused and snipped, “... Stevie .”

As if he had just stated the punchline to THE funniest joke, laughter boomed out from both ends of the dining table.

Dante was trying hard to stifle his laughter behind a napkin.

Picking mine up, I did the same. When I looked around, I was surprised to see most of the family were holding napkins up over their mouths.

Leaning close, Dante whispered to me from behind his napkin, “I know he sees us, but he never says anything about the napkins.”

I laughed harder. But I did note that Stephano smirked before he took a sip of his coffee. Then I realized a fact I hadn’t recognized before this. The man enjoyed all of this! He actually egged it on then he secretly enjoyed the results. Wow. New insight on the Serious Mafia Don.

Finally, everyone quieted down, seeming to know they’d come right up to that Stephano-line but hadn’t crossed it yet.

After a few minutes, we were able to finish our breakfast. I looked over at Zia and said, “That was most deliziosa, Zia. Grazie,” I tried using my brand new, wobbly Italian.

Smiling at me, she replied, “Sei il benvenuto.”

I assumed that meant you are welcome.

“Cruising with the Italian discourse, Della,” Dante said. “Very cool.” He nodded at me.

“It is just a teeny bit, Dante,” I replied to his compliment. “It’s not like I can have an entire conversation.” I shrugged.

“At least you are trying to speak it,” Stephano interjected. “Unlike some people.” He glared at Dante.

Dante chuckled and replied, “Papa, you have heard me speak Italian.”

“Not in the last couple of years, I haven’t, figlio,” Stephano countered. “Because spaghetti, pizza and tortellini doesn’t count.”

Dante laughed. “Oh, you caught onto that, eh? I sorta liked saying mozzarella and parmigiano.”

“You need to be more serious, son,” Stephano advised. “Not spewing jokes all the time.”

“Sir, I beg your pardon,” Dante replied in a very serious tone now. “I spent my time in college. Just like you wanted. I work diligently in your accounting section at the Descalia Corporation, also like you asked. I am not disrespectful to anyone who does not deserve it. But I will live in humor as much as possible. And I will make my woman laugh as often as I can.” He took my hand, kissed my knuckles and added, “Her laughter is music to me.” Then he glanced over to his father again and added, “Al cuore non si comanda…” Looking back at me, he translated it, “The heart cannot be commanded.”

I smiled at him and said, “Que sera, sera!” Whatever will be will be.

Zia clapped her hands in appreciation and said, “Si! Che sarà, sarà!”

“Doris Day!” Both Romeo and Julianna exclaimed.

We all looked over at them.

Julianna shrugged and tried to explain, “From the oldies. We both like the black and white films.”

“Oh, I do too,” I agreed. “Old classic movies are the best.”

“Dang,” Tito spoke up. “That fits right in with Dante. He likes those slow ass B&W’s too.” He shook his head. “So boring, man.”

This was something I didn’t know about Dante. I shot my surprised gaze over to him and asked, “What’s your all time fave?”

He paused and said, “That’s a hard one.”

“To Kill A Mockingbird!” Romeo piped up.

Tisking, Dante rolled his eyes. “No, that’s your favorite. Since you are a lawyer.”

“Well, there is no huge accountant movie,” Romeo quipped back.

“I liked Humphrey Bogart,” Stephano interjected. “Or James Cagney.”

“You would, Dad,” Romeo said. “They did a lot of gangster films.”

I secretly wondered if The Godfather was Stephano’s fave, but I didn’t have the guts to ask him.

Dante leaned in and whispered, “He likes Goodfellas.”

I gasped as I wondered if he’d read my mind.

He smiled at me. “I saw you staring at him and I knew what you were thinking.”

“It would have to be the old horror films,” Tito jumped into the table’s discussion. “I mean if I just had to choose… It would be like that Bela Lugosi guy.”

“Ahh Dracula!” Stephano exclaimed dramatically. “An Italian star of course.”

Everyone looked over at him.

He shrugged and raised his newspaper up.

I chuckled. “Vincent Price was the Horror Movie King.”

“I have to agree,” Dante said.

“You would,” Tito accused. “Kiss ass much, Dante?”

“Tito!” Zia called him out. “The language, figlio.”

He shook his head and said sincerely, “Sorry, Mama.”

Dante smirked at him, then finally told me his favorite classic actor, “Ok, anything Jimmy Stewart.”

I clapped my hands. “Me too! Mr. Smith—”

“—Goes to Washington,” Dante stated with a laugh. “Or, It's A—”

“—Wonderful Life,” I also stated as I laughed.

“Holy crap!” Tito scoffed. “Now there's four of you geeks?”

Romeo, Julianna, Dante and I all laughed as we nodded at him.

“So TV night will be hell night now,” Tito griped. “I can just see it now. Old overrated musicals like The Wizard Of Oz—”

“Oh, that is my favorite!” Julianna spoke up. “With Toto and the flying monkeys.” She winked at Tito. “Not to mix up your name or anything.”

“That is my favorite too.” I nodded at her. “I love that song Over The Rainbow. ”

“Per favore, no!” Tito exclaimed as he raised his hands up in panic. “For the love of God and all that is holy, no more singing!”

We all laughed.

“No worries from me. I cannot sing. So what's the oldest film you like, Tito?” I asked him.

He paused to think about it then opened his mouth to answer.

“Die Hard!” Dante and Romeo both exclaimed with chuckles.

Tito crossed his large arms over his wide chest and grinned. “Hell, yeah. Best Christmas movie ever made.”

“Christmas?” Dante asked.

“Sure,” Tito replied. “It is classified as a Christmas film.”

“It’s a shoot 'em up, action movie,” Romeo argued.

“So?” Tito shrugged. “Look it up, cuz. It is counted as a Christmas movie. I mean the only songs in it were holiday songs.”

Then with a lot of enthusiasm, they all went on to discuss what was the best action film of all time.

Stephano simply watched them and listened. He did look satisfied to see them all here, even if the subject of conversation was probably too silly for a man like him.

I couldn’t stop smiling though as I listened to the very lively, comical back and forth discussion. Sure, it was sort of silly but fun. Who knew breakfast table conversations could be so entertaining? Someday I hoped to be a part of this family. They were all wonderful, even Stephano. Yes, he was supposedly a mob boss, but that was something I couldn't change. Hell, could it be worse than working for Ophelia and Deacon? They were reported to be evil and murderers. I wasn’t sure about Deacon’s guilt as a killer, but O had been one, if what had been said is true. This was still hard for me to deal with. That woman had been kind to me and had taken me in as a lost teen with no family. Then I found out she had murdered my parents. The last week since I’d been brought here had been a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

Now, I was in love. Funny, how that soothed me. The feelings I had before…Despair, misery, and betrayal, were mostly gone now. Dante had swept them away and replaced them with hope, joy and trust. Yes, I trusted him. Why? I just felt like he was my other half. I didn’t feel so detached from people now. Not having anyone else in the world who cared about me. I had believed that O had cared, but that just wasn’t true. She did what she did for some twisted reasons of her own. Reasons I might never know. I was no longer this woman with no family. Dante had become that. Yes, it happened awfully fast but I now believed I was destined to meet him. After all, who would have expected me to end up sitting where I sat right now?

“Are you ready?” Dante asked.

Turning my head, I swung my gaze over to smile at him. “Ready?”

“For our limo date.” He grinned at me.

“A date?” I smiled at him.

He shrugged and said, “Yeah, we shoulda done that first maybe?”

“Better late than never,” I quipped.

“Yeah, whatever will be, will be.” He winked at me.

“I now know what the words in that song meant. And pardon me if I don't sing them. Believe me, if you ever hear me actually singing, you will thank me later.”

He chuckled.

I stated the lyrics, “When I grew up and fell in love…I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead? Will we have rainbows day after day?” I reached over and stroked his jaw with my fingers. “And that is what I have felt ever since you first touched me.”

“Rainbows?” Dante stared at me then he laughed. “I’m not sure if I ever thought of a rainbow as a feeling? Damn, you are the girl for me. I mean that has to be the best analogy I have ever heard!”