Is This Happiness

77

CARMEN

I latch both hands down onto Luca's shoulders. Knowing as soon as my brain started to process what I was seeing in front of me, he would too. But thankfully, he was just short enough to where he couldn't quite see the bodies. There were too many people in the way.

I use all of my strength to haul his shocked but fighting self back down the street. He fights me relentlessly to break free, but I couldn't let him.

"Fuck." I whimper, clutching his hand tighter than any hand should be held.

"Where are they!" He yells, heaving from the pace we're walking at. We couldn't run, it would be obvious. Maybe even the police would think it was suspicious.

"Calm down." My voice is shaky. Trying to figure out an escape plan. My eyes scan every passing car and house. There weren't many people on the street in the direction we were walking.

"You can't tell me to calm down, you're the one shaking!" He shrieks, struggling to breathe.

"Luca, please." I subconsciously let out a cry as tears start to roll down my cheeks. I take another deep breath before turning on survival mode. We had to get away from the open road. Anyone passing could see our faces clearly.

Where the fuck is Stefano?

"Through here." I pushed him ahead to walk in front of me so my body blocked his view as we walked between two homes.

The ocean was on the other side. If anything we could wait it out on the beach. What was I going to tell Luca? Running away from the scene was enough to fill his head with questions.

Further down, a large cabana sat in someone's backyard. It was a vacation home I'm sure, the lights weren't turned on inside the house.

Guiding him towards it and in. I climb in behind him, pulling the small rope tied around the pole to free the large curtain to block us.

"Where are they?" He asks me again, shaken up by the sight he saw. Staring at me with wide eyes. He blinks repeatedly, never taking his eyes away from me.

"They're okay." They're fine.

"My house was on fire. They're in there. They have to be in there!" His voice raised the more he started to blurt out words.

"Stefano's car wasn't in the driveway, they aren't there." Relief washed over his face.

He practically shoved me out of the door, was this planned? Those two at the fair were watching me. That spill wasn't a coincidence. It couldn't have been, it was just too obvious.

Our legs were laid straight out as we faced each other. Well hidden in the sheltered bungalow.

I felt overly protective for some reason. I don't know why. I've only just met the boy. But instead of worrying about myself at this moment, Luca was my only concern, and Stefano.

It could be the fact that he's literally like a mini Stefano, and my husband means everything to me. And so does his happiness and everything that mattered to him. But also, he's grown on me the past few hours.

"You don't have a phone how will we find them?" He questions.

"We will." I deadpan.

"Why are we hiding? Why didn't you ask the police what happened? Are you sure you didn't see them?" What could I possibly tell him? Just that some war was probably the reason that his house has just gone up into flames?

"I panicked." I murmur, and it wasn't a lie.

Why couldn't Stefano just tell me what's on his mind without me having to drill it out of him? How many times am I going to have to beg him to let me in on things. How could this be our Mafia as he claims if he doesn't tell me. I'm not a mind reader.