Free La Sposa by Sienna Mynx

grinned. “ Gio! Ti amo! ”
She blew him kisses and then kissed Dominic fully on the lips.
Dominic drew her arms down and pulled away from her kiss. Catalina
gathered her umbrella and rain coat, then left. Giovanni felt the
need for fresh air.
    “ I want to say…” Dominic
began.
    “ Sta zitto .” Giovanni
ordered.
    Dominic sat without another word.
     
    *****
     
    Thunder clapped and Eve was the first to
notice. Her little curly head shot up and her eyes went wide with
fright. She sucked hard on her pacifier and blinked at her mother
for an explanation. Mira didn’t react. She waited. Her daughter
decided against tears, and continued scribbling on the fabric she
was given for entertainment. Mira glanced to the windows now
battered by the rain, wondering again how long this storm would
last. “It’s okay, baby, it’s just the rain and wind.”
    The last rumble of thunder faded in the
distance. Eve rose to her feet and passed Mira an unneeded sample
of fabric. “ Grazie, bambina . Mama’s helper.”
    Eve plopped back down and began to run a
bright pink color stick over the pearl satin material, drawing
circles and loops. And Mira once again busied herself with the task
before her. After her meeting with Giovanni, Mira hurried to the
house in the rain. Quickly she changed, collected Eve from the
breakfast table, sent word that Catalina was to join her as soon as
she finished her meeting with Giovanni, and then escaped upstairs.
She had a tough schedule, and Zia’s help with Eve was so
appreciated. She wondered where Zia had gotten off to.
    Mira glanced at the dress mannequin she had
slipped the gown over. Before she could sew the hem and train to
the slim- fitting garment, she would need to spend the day covering
the silk fabric with the antique beaded lace that was delivered to
her yesterday. She checked her watch and wished Catalina would
hurry and return so she could do one more fitting. The bodice of
the dress was heart shaped and strapless; each pearl had to be
perfectly spaced to preserve the elegance of the
garment.
    The door to the sewing room opened. Carmine
grunted as he lugged in an old brown cedar chest. Zia shuffled in
behind him with her scarf crossed over her shoulders. She wore her
typical long blue skirt and white button down shirt with short
sleeves. A very attractive young woman around Catalina’s age
followed her inside. Mira walked around the sewing table and Eve
pushed up from the floor with her hands and followed her mother.
“What’s this?”
    Zia smiled. “Mira, you remember Rosetta, she’s
the youngest daughter of Vito. He is Giovanni’s uncle from Sicily.
She and family members arrived today.”
    Rosetta gave her a respectful nod. Her oval-
shaped face was framed by thick dark brown hair that fell wavy from
a center part. She was almost an identical beauty to Catalina.
Rosetta approached, smiling. She kissed Mira on both cheeks. “I’m
so excited to meet you. I know English! We can speak it
together!”
    Mira glanced at Zia, and Rosetta grabbed her
hands to force the conversation. “I met you at the wedding.
Remember?” she said aloud. Rosetta formed her words slow as if Mira
was hard of hearing and mentally challenged. “Catalina’s wedding to
Franco? Do you remember? Poor Franco, we heard what happened to
him. Such a shame.”
    “ Yes it was a shame. Very nice to
meet you too,” Mira answered back in Italian.
    Zia tossed her chin up just a little higher
with pride over Mira speaking Italian so well. Rosetta tried to
cover her surprise, but failed. She even seemed a little
disappointed. Eve walked up to Rosetta and raised her arms to be
lifted and greeted by the stranger. “Oh look at you, bambina ! Your eyes! Look at her eyes!” Rosetta picked Eve up
and smiled. She held Eve who studied her as well, and after a few
minutes of being properly introduced, Eve squirmed to be let down.
Once on her feet, she tottered away. “She is an angel.
Absolutely!”
    Mira chuckled.