The Body #1: Santo and Fiorella

Chapter 6 (Fiorella): A Special Test

Pushing back from the toilet after being violently sick, I breathed in great gulps of air, and only then did I realize Santo was crouched next to me, his one hand on my back, the other holding a wet washcloth for me. He tried to wipe my mouth, but I snatched it from him with shaky hands and wiped my own mouth.

"Fiorella," he crooned to me as I brushed my teeth, "getting this upset isn't healthy. I won't have you making yourself sick over this."

Too late, you idiot. You should have thought of that before you brought Tanya home with your baby in her belly.

After giving me a few moments to gather my strength, he stood up and offered me a hand. I ignored it and stood up on my own. I'd need to learn to do everything on my own going forward, and I wouldn't let this man help me with anything if I could avoid it.

Santo pushed my hair back, and I forced myself not to flinch. I'd already shown too much emotion this evening.

"I bought this necklace for you, Fiorella, not for anyone else, and you'll wear it at all times," he told me in an implacable voice, and I heard him open the little hinged box. "If you ever attempt to have it removed for any reason, I'll be forced to issue an official warning to you." There was both determination and apology in his tone.

My insides seized. That was serious threat, one that could put my family on the Body's radar. I breathed deeply for a few minutes, forcing down the need to throw up again. Slowly turning, I gave my back to Santo and lifted my hair from my neck.

His hands threaded the necklace around my neck and he took a minute to fiddle with the clasp. When he was done, he pressed a kiss to my neck, and again, I didn't react.

"It's a special clasp," he told me. "One that can only be opened with a special key that I'll wear around my neck."

Sounds perfect. I'm being forced to wear a necklace from you that I don't even want to celebrate a baby that isn't mine and I definitely don't want. Thank you for such a thoughtful gift, Santo. Can't wait to see how you top this present at Christmas!

He tugged on my hand to turn me to face him, but I still wouldn't look at him. "We're going to go downstairs now to say good bye to my mother, and you need to smile for her, Fiorella. Show her you're going to accept the child." His voice lowered until I could barely hear it. "You must, so she doesn't report anything bad to my father."

Santo was threatening me again. I took a deep breath, and refused to pull my hand away from his but made it completely limp. I could do this. I could, if for no other reason than to save the lives of my parents and sisters.

All the way downstairs, Santo held my hand, and he held it even after we found his mother in the kitchen, rinsing the dinner dishes in the sink.

"Mamma," Santo said. "You shouldn't be doing the dishes. Fiorella and I will take care of them later."

Not that I wanted to give him credit, but that was the truth. Unlike my father and other men in the Body who left all household chores to their wives to handle, Santo helped with clean up after dinner.

My mother-in-law shut off the faucet and turned to us, her eyes going from Santo to me. I had no idea where the Bearer of Baby had gone, and I didn't really care. All I wanted to do was give the performance of my life...and then maybe go throw up again since the first time had been so fun. 

"Are you OK, Fiorella?" she asked, and there was only concern in her voice. No condemnation or warning.

"I was...just overcome with the excitement of finding out the baby was a boy," I lied. Convincingly, I hoped, even though the words were threatening to choke me. "I thought the necklace went to Tanya for presenting Santo with a boy."