Becca.We dressed in funereal black, standing at the head of a receiving line while family came to pay their respects at a wake at the compound. There would be another wake at the Cathedral, a full Catholic Mass, and then a procession to the mausoleum where the late Don Valentino would be buried.People had been bringing food for days. People of all walks of life who knew or felt indebted to or were associates with Don Valentino. I'd heard the kitchen staff say we had more food than we knew what to do with. James had told them if we had too much, to arrange with a local parish to distribute it to the poor.I stood at James's side. I wasn't his wife, but I was the mother of his child, and he'd decided my place at the funeral was right beside him. I did get a few curious looks, but I was holding Dahlia and James was holding Alessandro, and we looked every bit the family we were. So what if it wasn't conventional?Layla was standing quietly off to one side, also wearing black. She
Becca.When the wake was finished for the day, I sat in James's office for a good ten minutes, less interesting to James than a potted plant, as he caught up with Sofia in Italian. With every passing minute, I could feel the little green monster becoming more and more powerful.Finally, Sofia gave that birdsong laugh of hers again and turned to me. "So, Becca, I hear you graduated from a top-tier university recently. Something to do with statistics or economics, right? And you were working on your masters degree?"I thought of expanding on that a bit, but I simply shrugged. "Yes, something like that."Sofia's smile slipped a little. "Well, you've been so busy with the children, I'm sure you haven't had a chance to do any internships."I remembered New York, then, and the internship I'd had at Neal's office for a little while before everything went south. It all seemed like a foreign memory now. My stomach twisted. "Not a complete one.""Too bad. I'm sure you'll be brillian
Becca."Sofia's having dinner with us?" I repeated, watching as James tied a very smart tie around his neck."Yes. She's a guest. I thought it would be a good opportunity for her to meet and spend time with the family," James replied, flipping his collar back down and pulling on a jacket.I'd come into James's room, all ready to tell him off, only to see him putting on one of his sexiest suits. My little green monster began causing me to panic. Was he dressing up for her?"So, is this some kind of formal dinner?" I asked.James glanced over at me. "No. You can wear what you like.""Then why are you all dressed up?" I demanded."We remain in black for a mourning period of one year here, Becca. The funeral hasn't even happened yet. I'm just showing my respect," James said.Yeah, right. I stiffened my back and then started for the door. "I'll go change, then. And I'll have Giana add more black to my wardrobe. I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner."Actually, I was more incen
Becca.After gelato, James escorted us to a nice study lined with books and scattered with comfortable furniture. James poured us some after-dinner drinks—grappa—and we sat on two sofas, James next to me, Sofia across on another loveseat."Are you ready to get up and do all of this again tomorrow?" Sofia asked, winking at us. "There's a wake at the Cathedral before mass, is there not?"I groaned and leaned my head against James's shoulder. "My feet are never going to survive.""Might I suggest flats?" James said.Sofia and I both looked at him in horror. "Bite your tongue, sir! Flats. At an Italian funeral. My dear mama is probably rolling in her grave," Sofia responded, crossing herself."I don't want to shame your uncle at his own funeral by failing to dress appropriately," I added.James held up his hands. "I give in. Forget I said anything." He leaned in and kissed my temple. "We'll find you a nice chair.""Thank you," I replied with a smile.Sofia let out a so
Becca.I stood over the Pack 'n Play for what seemed like hours, watching Alessandro and Dahlia sleep. Layla had Alessandro packed. James and I were packed. Aside from the funeral tomorrow, we were ready to take the jet and go.I couldn't believe Chad was trying to get custody of our sweet Alessandro. I couldn't believe he had the gall. No, the BALLS. That lying, cheating, abusive PRICK. Even if he had been smacked around a little by James, it wasn't as though he wanted Alessandro.Now, his family was worried about their legacy. Now, Alessandro was suddenly good enough.I wanted to strangle the lot of them.The door to my suite opened, and I looked over to see James looking haggard."Did your lawyer recommend a family law attorney?" I asked, going over to him."He did. Turns out the Cartwrights are using the same firm," James sighed. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. "Sofia actually got in touch with someone. Apparently, a friend of hers was in a knock down
Becca.If anything, the receiving line at the Cathedral was even longer than the first one. People paid their respects, kissing the late Don Valentino on both cheeks before taking their seats. It was a full house.James and I sat at the front along with some cousins and other relatives once mass was about to start. It was a full Catholic Mass, with the blessing of the bread and everything.As a Protestant, I did not go up to receive communion, something James's family, and those in the rows behind, noted and began to gossip about. Apparently, James was supposed to be with a good Catholic girl.The bishop—for the bishop himself had come to perform the mass—gave mass in Italian. I didn't understand a word, but James leaned over and at least quietly translated the homily for me. James then stood to say a few words, also in Italian, but he'd rehearsed with me beforehand so I knew what he was saying.We then processed to the family's mausoleum and people threw flowers on top of th
Becca.I walked out of the lawyer's office feeling as though I were floating somewhere outside myself. Everything just seemed so… surreal.James was carrying Alessandro. But then I had a sudden need to hold the child, as though physically having him in my arms could protect us all from having him taken away.Woodenly, I held out my arms for Alessandro."Becca… are you sure?" James asked.I nodded, and James carefully passed the one-year-old over. Alessandro blinked dark eyes up at me, completely unaware of the dangerous game that was going on around him. Unaware of the dangerous games that had been going on around him."James, I can't lose him," I whispered. "If the judge says I can keep him, but I have to go away from you… I will.""I know," James said without judgment. He put a hand at my back, but I pulled away."Everything's gone wrong, and every time it does, there you are right in the middle of it," I spoke sternly. "Why is it that you keep f*cking up my life? Our
Becca.A few days later, we were back in the car again. James said he had another surprise for us.I couldn't stop smiling while we drove through town. While it wasn't Italy with its countryside charm, Scarsdale didn't disappoint. The streets were lined with Tudor-style buildings, and every home looked like it had sprouted around lush, green forests and seas of perfectly mowed lawns.James eyed me as he held Alessandro, who giggled from being bounced up and down."If you're smiling now, I can't wait to see what you'll think of this new house," James said, more to Alessandro than to me. I'd learned the house we'd been staying in was just temporary, and that the real one was the surprise. That was why James hadn't even left his things in the bedroom the night we got there. "Where ARE we staying, James?" I eyed him suspiciously–with everything going on, I hadn't even asked. "Are we renting this place? Is it with friends or contacts of yours?" "Not quite…" He shrugged and