My Mafia Romance

Capitolo Undici

He was definitely Domenico's son. He had the same mouth and the same thick eyebrows. It was amazing to see my husband's son sitting there playing so innocently knowing that that was his father at one point in time.

"Well you've seen him" Flora's husband started rudely interrupting the moment I was having. "Now why don't we talk about-"

"I need his birth certificate and all of his other papers," I cut him off directing my statement towards Flora.

"Of course," she sighed obviously saddened to see the little boy leaving her home and her life. "I'll get them for you now."

I walked into the room followed by Angela who was in just as much shock as me.

"Daniele," I called softly crouching down to his level. "Hi," I smiled at him when he looked up at me.

He was so timid and shy I wondered what type of treatment he had endured at the hands of these people, specifically speaking Flora's ogre of a husband.

"I'm Apollonia," I said inching forward. "I like your bear. May I play with you?" He looked up with his beautiful hazel eyes and nodded giving me a full on smile. It seemed as if he had been isolated to play by himself and for once someone offering to have some type of positive interaction with him.

"He's his son," Angela whispered mostly to herself in amazement.

"Does he have anything in particular that he likes? A blanket or a favorite stuffed animal?" Claudia asked Flora who had recently rejoined us in the barely furnished bedroom. "He likes this blue blanket that Francesca bought before she died and the bear he's holding now." Claudia nodded taking hold of the blanket and the folder that contained all the paperwork for Daniele.

Angela picked up her newly acquired nephew and balanced him on her hip, while I slipped off my wedding ring giving it one last meaningful look and handed it to the grubby man who snatched it away. "My lawyers will be in touch soon to settle the legal bindings you have to Daniele," I said bending down to pick up the teddy bear that Daniele had dropped. I knew that lawyers weren't necessary, the mere mention of Domenico's name scared the older couple, but I needed to cover all grounds.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you ladies," Flora's husband raised his beer bottle in a cheers type motion.

We hurried out not sparing the disgusting man another look and realized that a dark cloud had grown over the city and a cold chill was spreading. All Daniele had on were a pair of ratty tennis shoes, stained shorts, and a torn t-shirt so I wrapped him up the best I could in his blue blanket as he snuggled up against me.

The ride back to the hotel was full of animated chatter that excited Daniele to no end. He was happy to clap his hands anytime someone mentioned his name of smiled his way. I knew in my heart that it was the right decision making the long journey and giving away my wedding ring to bring him back home, back to his father.

"Danny are you ready to see your daddy?" Angela tickled him after we had given him a little too much gelato from a shop down the street from the hotel. We had bought loads of clothes, pull-ups, and new toys.

I had called Antonia and Giovanna to see if they could somehow sneak a crib into the bedroom directly next to mine. But thankfully Domenico was planning to stay out of town for several days and wouldn't be around to question why baby furniture was being carried into the house. Antonia had organized for the room to be painted light blue and I left all decisions up to her, while Giovanna was to stand guard against the actual guards of the compound.

The week went by smoothly and soon it was time for Angela and I to leave Claudia and head back home to Sicily with Daniele. I was sad to leave Claudia, but even more nervous to present Domenico his son.

Upon arriving home I introduced Daniele to his grandmother and four other aunts.

"My beautiful boy," Antonia cried with tears of happiness streaming down her face. "He's adorable," the youngest Manzoni sister Maria said.

After he received hundreds of kisses evident by the number of red marks scattered across his face and arms he became fussy, wanting to go back to playing with his favorite teddy.

"He looks quite a bit like Mr. Domenico," Giovanna commented helping the little boy play with his blocks after he had woken up from his nap. "I know," I agreed. "I was stunned when I finally saw him."

"Do you know when Domenico will be home?" I inquired getting more and more apprehensive the longer he was away. "No he said that he would be home soon though," Giovanna said. Just as the words left her mouth we heard the front doors open and the sound of men's feet.

"Maybe he'll get the message," the voice of Carmine sounded throughout the house. "After what he did to Apollonia I couldn't let it go," my husband's own voice answers back. My eyes widened to the size of saucers and I quickly snatched Daniele up and darted up the stairs to the new nursery Antonia had designed with Giovanna on my heels.

"Just stay here for awhile to gather your wits," Giovanna said slipping back out of the room. She was right, my head was spinning and I was now feeling the full impact of what I had done. Daniele was dozing off in his crib with his trusty bear by his side.

I don't know how long I stood admiring the sleeping toddler, for all I know it could have been hours. I was in my own little world. That is until the wooden door creaked open and in walked a shocked and pissed off Domenico.