Elizabeth

18: All That Remains

We are told that we are safe in our families. I believe that to be true tonight. Because as the music plays, I can see everyone who has brought me out of hell. Alina and Elijah greet us first. "You look absolutely stunning, Eliabeth," Alina says. She kisses my cheek and hugs me. "Oh, and you tidy up well too, I guess."

"Mami," he curses under his breath.

"I love you, Romeo. Know that," she reassures. She reaches up to kiss his cheek, now. Elijah and Romeo hug and shake each other's hands.

"You're ready for tonight?" He asks. Romeo nods and touches the small of my back.

Family is Alina and Elijah. They are his parents...mine too, I surmise. Family is Liviana and Santino. She has her legs crossed as she sits in a chair and Santino talks to Allison and another man. They are all laughing. Evan talks to a woman. When he spots me, he winks at me. I begin to laugh. Romeo shakes his head and laughs.

Nate and Dean and Zane all talk to each other over drinks as some men pass to talk to them, but the three of them are always together. They are my family too, I surmise.

There, Casso sits and watches his daughter dance in the middle of the room to the music that the orchestra plays. She wears a blush pink dress and a bow in her hair. When she spots me, she squeals and immediately runs to me. "Eliza!" She squeals.

"Oh Cat!" I say. I kneel to her in my dress and extend my arms to her. "You look beautiful," I gasp and kiss her. She giggles and twirls around for me.

Romeo

"And you look like a princess," she gasps. She rushes to Elizabeth's arms again. Elizabeth stands and follows Caterina as begins to tug Elizabeth with her.

"No kiss for Uncle Romeo?" I chuckle. She finally looks at me with her blue eyes.

"Uncle Romy!" She says. She jumps in my arms. I'm prepared to catch her, for she always does this. "Hi," she giggles as I kiss her cheek.

"Hi." Soon, she squirms.

"Let me go! I need to take Eliza with me!" She jumps out of my arms and continues to pull Elizabeth with her. I watch them. I watch my beautiful niece and stunning wife as she begins to dance with the little girl.

"Drink sir?" Asks a waitress. She has a tray in her hands. I take one and nod towards her as gratitude. Five months ago, I would have ignored any server. Has Elizabeth changed me this much?

"Look at us," Santino laughs. He and Casso approach me. "How have we survived?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, man. I'm thriving," Casso boasts. He waves to his little girl when she waves at him.

"Liviana's pregnant," he tells us. "I'll be a dad in the spring."

"Fuck," I laugh. "Congrats."

"Ah! Look at you boys! Looking so handsome!" Nate comes to us. He pats Santino's cheek. "Hey, little advice on your girl. Marry her and don't let her go. Look at what the fuck happened with my relationship and my father's relationship," he scoffs.

"Dad, are you drunk?" Santino asks.

"No. Not drunk. Living." He winks at me. I give him the middle finger.

"Oh! Santino! It's our song!" Liviana pulls him away from us so that she can dance with him. Now it's Casso and me. He takes out a paper from his coat pocket.

"I looked into Bobby's case file deeper."

"You're ruining my night, dear cousin," I say. I look at the paper. This makes no sense to me. "What the hell is this?"

"This," he points to the words on the paper. "Is the address of his son's gravestone."

"Son," I mumble.

"She said that her father never raped her," he says. I nod. "Bobby's dead son was conceived by a woman under the name of Collins Ross. Romeo, your Elizabeth was raped, and her son was killed three years ago."

"Three years ago," I mumble. I look at her. She's laughing and smiling. "She was fifteen, when she was raped. Why didn't she tell me?"

"Zio says that there's a type of trauma that stores the darkest part of your traumas and keeps them hidden. It means to be forgotten. She doesn't remember."

"How the hell does she not remember? How does—"

"Romeo," she calls out. She walks over to me and laughs. "I want a daughter now. To spoil her and make friends with Caterina and—" she catches her breath. I put my hands on her waist and look at her. I touch her stomach.

"You want a daughter now, hmm?" I chuckle. I try to forget about everything that Casso's just told me. "Let's go sit down," I say. She goes to sit down. I take Casso's drink from his hands and gulp it down. "Who knows?" I ask him when she's out of earshot.

"You, me, and Nate." I nod and clench my jaw.

"Keep it that way."

Elizabeth

The actual banquet starts. We all sit down together. Elijah and Alina sit with us on the other side. Elijah goes to start the banquet. "Good evening," he says. "This is our sixty year anniversary of the mafia banquet. There are a few things happening tonight. This includes the king of Italy, my son to give a few words."

"Fuck," is all Romeo says. He kisses the top of my head before leaving to his father. Romeo shakes hands with his father and hugs him before Elijah comes back over to sit down.

"My name is Romeo Bianchi," is all he says. "Tonight, I will be claiming my queen." Some of the single women perk up and wave at him, but he only has eyes for me. "Elizabeth, come here," he says. The men at my table stand out of respect for when I stand. I walk to Romeo. He takes my hand and kisses my forehead. Elijah comes up with a tiara. I didn't realize it was this formal.

"Wow," he says. He kisses me again. I laugh as there are some coos in the crowd. "Elizabeth," he says. "Will you become my queen?" I look at him with such love in my eyes.

"I will be your queen if you love me as you're king." He takes the tiara from Elijah and puts it on my head before kissing me. Everyone cheers for us.

"Get a room!" Casso hollers, so Romeo pulls his middle finger to Casso.

...

When we get back to the table, everyone looks at us with awe and wonder. I lean my head on Romeo's shoulder. "You tired?" He asks me. I hum.

"A little," I whisper. He brushes his fingers through my hair as I close my eyes for just a little bit.

"Dad," he says and flags Elijah down. "We will head out," he says.

"Take your leave," he says. He puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes it. Romeo nudges me to stand up. "Take the guards. They will escort you to the car. I'll call your driver—"

Bang. Bang. Bang.

-Everest-