“Colder,” I barely got out.
My eyes had locked on a figure in my writing room. A figure I’d always be able to differentiate from the rest. My father-in-law. He was searching the room, running his hand along my desk, his powerful presence probably the reason why the candlelight was flickering—shivering from fear of getting extinguished by his powerful breath.
Thandie nudged me with her elbow. “That the uncle who was on his way with…Marciano?”
My eyes only left the room when Thandie pointed out that Uncle Tito had arrived with Marciano. When I’d called and invited him, Marciano said he nodded, and it was the first time he’d agreed to leaving his and Aunt Lola’s house since she passed. Marciano said he only agreed when Marciano had told Uncle Tito about the baby and that I wanted to tell him something that would’ve pleased Aunt Lola.
“Yes,” I said, my breath coming out in a cloud. “He should get inside as soon as possible. He looks so frail. I don’t want the cold to touch his skin for too long.”
The thought bothered me, and I rubbed my arms, rushing to meet them. But not before my eyes met my father-in-law’s, and the heat from his stare felt like it made me shiver from the clashin temperatures. I checked my watch. The meeting hadn’t begun with Francesco and his line yet. He was making them wait.
Thandie was in step with me.
Marciano nodded at me when he was close enough. I nodded back and grabbed Uncle Tito’s hand, squeezing, but not too hard. He’d worn gloves, but as thin as he was…
“Let’s get inside and get something warm to drink,” I suggested.
Marciano went to agree, but Uncle Tito shook his head. His lips stopped moving in a constant motion, even though his hands were still together, like in prayer. He licked his lips. “We will take a walk,” he said in a voice that cracked as if the sands of time had reached his throat.
“All right,” I whispered. “But it’s so cold.”
He moved his connected hands up, as if to say,we are going,this is my final wordon the matter, but he refused to allow them apart.
I looked into Marciano’s eyes, and he nodded at me, as if to say…what he wants, he gets.
“Any direction?” I asked.
Uncle Tito used his hands to point. “Aria and I only.”
Thandie cleared her throat. “Aria isn’t completely safe lately, and with the baby…”
Uncle Tito’s eyes found Ermanno in the distance. “He will push.”
Marciano called Ermanno over. Ermanno looked up, meeting Marciano’s call. Ermanno’s eyes widened before he said something to Azzurra and ran toward us. She took a seat on a wooden bench to wait for him. He always walked her home, unless her father came to get her.
Ermanno came to a complete stop in front of us, his entire body taking a soldier’s stance in front of Marciano. I could tell he was a bit breathless, like Marciano was special to him. Maybebecause Marciano’s name was indicative of who he was—a boxer. Marciano ordered him to take the reins—the wheelchair’s push handles—telling Ermanno that the man he would be in charge of taking care of was a living legend and should be treated as so.
“Sì!”Ermanno stood taller. “I have been given the honor of wheeling Uncle Tito around before. I will take care of this legend Uncle Tito and the most beautiful and warm-heartedSignoraFausti!”
Even though I hadn’t seen it lately, a slight grin, a ray of sunshine, peeked out of Marciano’s dark cloud. Ever since Aunt Lola had passed, and Uncle Tito was grieving for her so hard, I hadn’t seen the usual genial man crack anything but his knuckles.
Thandie gave me a look, and then Marciano, when Ermanno took the handles and started pushing Uncle Tito along the path.
She mouthed, “I’ll stay close.”
“Me too,” Marciano said, not keeping his voice down.
“Inside, Marciano!” Uncle Tito snapped, but it lacked the pepper he was going for. It mostly cracked as if his mouth was too dry.
Marciano didn’t seem fazed by the bite, but he listened, his shoulders slumping a bit as he made his way towardNel Cielo, and we began our cold walk in the fog.
Chapter 39
The Meeting
Rocco
It was not customary to turn my back on a meeting. Even more important than my enemies who would sit and challenge me was my father. However, my enemies were still downstairs until it was time to call them upstairs to my office. My father had left the room and was only then returning.
