“I don’t think he will like that,” Roberto said.Hewas Papà.
My papà was a strong, serious man with others. But when he was alone with Mamma and me, he laughed and acted goofy.
“Alessio doesn’t need to know.” Mamma winked at me. “We’re just being helpful and kind.”
I smiled at her. Mamma was the kindest, most generous person I knew. Papà and Nonno were not very nice to strangers. I wanted to be like Mamma when I grew up.
“Sì, Signora,” Roberto replied. He slowed the car.
Placido grunted and I noticed him taking out his gun, then he rolled down his window as we approached the red sports car.
“Is everything okay?” Placido asked a woman, leaning against the car.
“It just stopped working,” she said, then peered at Mamma. “Giovanna Remotti, long time no see.”
“Stay here.” Mamma squeezed my hand. She opened her door. “Cara, how are you?”
“No, Signora. Stay in the car,” Roberto said sternly. But Mamma didn’t listen. “Go,” he told Placido, and he obeyed Roberto’s order.
“Is Cara a friend?” I asked, but Roberto didn’t respond to me, too busy watching what was happening outside.
The women talked but they didn’t seem happy. Cara’s voice grew louder, while Mamma’s stayed the same. What were they talking about?
A gentleman exited the car from the passenger side. He looked mean, which was not very nice of me to think. Mamma would scold me for judging a person before knowing them. The guy approached Placido and suddenly pointed a gun at him.
It all happened so fast. I couldn’t see much from my seat.
Mamma screamed.
The sound of a gunshot made my ears ring. Placido fell. I couldn’t see him.
Mamma continued to scream, then there was a second. And a third shot had me ducking and covering my head.
“Mamma!” I yelled, crawling to her side of the seat, but before I could open her door, Roberto had locked it and sped away, knocking me back.
He drove like a crazy man, cursing in Italian.
“You can’t leave Mamma! She needs me. Go back, Roberto.”
“Shhh, Ciro. Everything will be okay,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
“No, go back! Go back and get her!” I yelled with tears streaming down my face. My heart raced and I was so confused. Why would he leave her like that? “Go back!”
Hours later, Papà entered my bedroom and lifted me off my bed, where I’d been since Roberto and I returned to the estate.
“My son, are you okay?” He hugged me tightly.
“Where’s Mamma?” I asked. She was all that mattered to me. Nobody would tell me anything. Not Roberto. Or Nonno or my nanny. Everybody ignored my questions about Mamma.
“She’s singing with the angels in heaven. She’s in a better place, Tesoro.” Papà squeezed me tighter and sobbed. “It’s always the ones we love that are taken from us.”
1
CIRO
Present Day
The door creaked open,and then…click. The corner of my mouth twitched, but I forced back an arrogant smirk because I knew... I knew who had entered my bedroom. She had arrived just like clockwork.
