Chapter Two
It took a week, butMia finished her space, and then, after sitting in it for two hours, felt herself get even more depressed.
There was no color.The furniture was black, and the cupboards and storage boxes were also black.The walls were magnolia, which did match the white carpet, but she hated it.There was not even a speck of color.There was no warmth.
After a few hours, she left the women’s space, and that had been two weeks ago now.Three weeks in total of her life, gone.
Mia stood at the porch with a thick jacket wrapped around her as she looked out across the yard.She had also put on a hat, as well as some gloves and a scarf.It had snowed overnight.She didn’t know if it was going to be the last snowfall of the season, but it looked stunning.
All she wanted to do was go out and walk in it.Actually, she wanted to build a snowman.How fucking childish was that?Instead, she stood outside in the freezing cold with her red-hot coffee, only wishing she could go and play.There would not be any playtime for her.All childish games and attitude had ceased.She was a grownup now.At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
She was a grownup and didn’t need to do childish things.So, instead of playing in the snow, she was drinking her coffee and reminding herself of all the things that had been said to her over the years, to keep herself on the straight and narrow.No playing in the snow.No walking in the snow.
Once she had finished her coffee, she made her way back into the house and went to the kitchen where the staff was working.She offered them a smile and a thank you before stepping out.
At first, she didn’t have a clue what to do.Giovanni had already left for work.Usually, she was busy organizing one event after another, but there was nothing for her to do.There was no event to organize.
She made her way to the library, as that was the only place that offered her any comfort.Mia grabbed a book off the shelf and took one of the comfortable chairs.She sat down and flipped the page of her book open.
She started to read the first couple of sentences, and even a couple of paragraphs, only it didn’t register what she read.This, sadly, reminded her of being back home.If she attempted to do anything else in her parents’ house, she was always criticized.She loved reading, and whenever she disappeared into the library to read, they wouldn’t complain, mainly because she was quiet and wasn’t causing trouble.Getting married was supposed to get her away from all of that.
Glancing down at the book, she attempted to try again, only the words were still not computing in her brain, and it was starting to drive her crazy.She closed the book, got back to her feet, and slid the book back on the shelf.She needed to do something.
Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket, she knew there was no point in calling Liana, as she was dealing with being pregnant.Also, by some miracle, Liana and Diego had been able to come to terms with what had been said that night at the party, when he called her a doormat.
She gripped her neck.Mia was happy for her friend, especially as she had a baby on the way.For herself, Clarissa, and Tatiana, it hadn’t gone quite as smoothly.
She called Clarissa first.“Hey, uh, I know this is just kind of out of the blue, but do you want to hang out?Have a spa day or something?”
As mafia wives, they were not allowed to work.Their role was to provide children to their husbands and put on a good show at parties and functions, so they didn’t become the topic of conversation.
“Yes, please, I can’t just sit around doing nothing anymore.It’s driving me crazy.”
Clarissa was considered boring.Her friend loved to knit and sew and tended to enjoy quite solitary hobbies.Since that night her husband called her old and boring, even though she was the same age as herself, Liana, and Tatiana, it had stung.
Clarissa had a lot of darkness in her past.She had held her older sister as she was dying, after a gang hit-and-run, and it scarred her for life.
Mia wasn’t going to ask why she wasn’t in her crafting room.There was no point.She wasn’t in her woman’s shed organizing a party or some kind of fun event.Their husbands’ remarks had hurt them.
“I’ll call Tatiana, see if she’s wants to join us.”
“I’ll call Liana,” Clarissa said.
“I thought she had a couple of pregnancy appointments coming up?”
“She does, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t want to join us for a girls’ day.”
Mia hung up and arranged to pick up Tatiana, along with Clarissa.Liana was meeting them at their regular spa.It was owned by her man, and Mia couldn’t drive, so she had no choice but to go to one of her designated soldiers called Javier.He was one of four she had to see whenever she wanted to leave the house.They had babysitting duty.
Javier was in his forties, married with a couple of children, and considered one of the best soldiers within the mafia.She had done her research.Giovanni had not spared any expense in finding a man to help with her life.She rarely used Javier.She had never felt comfortable asking anyone to take her anywhere.
Today, she needed to get out of the house and just breathe.That house was starting to choke her.
Tatiana and Clarissa both looked as entertained as she did.She sat in the back of the car, and Javier slid the privacy screen up, but it didn’t help ease the tension.They didn’t feel comfortable talking to one another as they knew somehow their husbands were listening in.
It didn’t take long to get to the spa, and when they arrived, Liana was inside, along with Diego, who was kissing his wife goodbye.Mia was happy for her friend.However, in that moment, it made her miss how she had been with Giovanni.It had been such a short time they were happy together.
