Free La Sposa by Sienna Mynx Page B

Before and after Christmas, Mira had
attended Mass with Zia. There were so many rules in this life, she
felt awkward about how rigid the traditions for them
were.
    “ Traditionally, the bride’s family
would make the arrangements. I believe Gio is taking the lead
because of all the problems you two have faced. He wants your day
to be perfect.” Zia took her hand and squeezed it. “Don’t worry. He
will see to everything just as you like it.”
    “ How does he know how I like it
without asking me?” Mira pressed.
    Zia frowned.
    “ Can I ask you a question? A
personal question?”
    Zia nodded.
    “ The vineyard, the business, you
and Rocco own it?”
    “ Rocco owns it with Giovanni.” Zia
corrected.
    “ Do you run any parts of it? Maybe
the accounting or management of the workers?”
    “ No.” Zia answered.
    Mira cleared her throat. “Have you ever had a
job outside of being Rocco’s wife? Please don’t misunderstand me, I
think being a wife is fine but… well I think I’m going to… no. I
plan to reclaim my company. Giovanni and I are working out the
details. He’s a bit old fashioned about how we do this.”
    Zia’s brows lifted. “You want to
work?”
    Mira chuckled. “I built my company from
scratch. It’s not really work, it’s a part of who I am.”
    “ Yes. But you are a mother
now.”
    “ I am.” She looked to Eve who was
now wrapping herself up in fabric and playing. “I happen to think I
can be both.”
    Silence settled between them. Zia stared hard
at Mira. To further explain herself, Mira decided on another
approach. “There are a lot of things expected of a wife. Being an
Italian wife or American wife, responsibility for the home falls on
the woman’s shoulders. I saw it with my grandmother. I understand.
But it’s the nineties. The man wants all of me any time I’m with
him—I’m talking about physically and emotionally. This I can
manage, because part of me wants the same thing.”
    “ And the other part of
you?”
    “ My company is part of me. I can
handle it. I just think he needs to understand that I’m a person, a
business person too. Our marriage is a partnership not a
dictatorship.”
    “ I agree. You can be strong for
your husband and take care of your family and his needs. There is
dignity in who you will become when you are his wife. Nothing in
your company can give you the dignity of being Don Giovanni
Battaglia’s wife.”
    “ Zia…”
    “ Let me finish.” Zia put up a hand.
“He will never be the man to consider you an equal. And if I know
Giovanni, he has already expressed this to you. He is always honest
with himself and the people he cares about.”
    She nodded in agreement.
    “ No matter what he promises you, he
won’t make you his partner in life. He lives a different life,
Mira. This you need to accept now, or admit to yourself that you
don’t. Because our Gio will not change. And if you love him you
won’t expect him to.”
    “ He expects me to
change.”
    Zia nodded.
    Mira sighed. “I guess I already have. I just
don’t know when I changed. Was it when I agreed with Fabiana to
date him? Come here? Was it when Fabiana died, or when I had Eve?”
She looked to her daughter. “At some point I’ve changed, and I
can’t explain why.”
    Zia smiled.
    Mira forced a smile. “Well he’s agreed to
reclaim my company. I’m happy about that.”
    “ That’s because there’s something
in it for him. Right?” Zia asked.
    Mira chewed on her bottom lip. She
nodded.
    Zia nodded. “I know you were a powerful woman.
I see it on the television. I read it in the papers. You and your
friend came to Italy for something different than you found. If you
want to run your company and become this,” she waved her hand
gesturing around the sewing room. “Then like anything in your
marriage your husband doesn’t understand, you must convince him it
is not a threat to him. Understand? Let him think you make pretty
dresses for fun,” Zia grinned.
    Mira