Antonio was looking at his father sitting on a sofa opposite to him. He was only there because he had to be. Piero was staring at his son awaiting his next words.
Antonio finally sighed " I can't deal with this. I really can't. She took me to England and I missed out years with you. I was teased and taunted because she was a single mother in that London neighbourhood. Now you expect me to renew my relationship with her and forgive her. I can't do this."
Piero spoke in a firm tone " So.... Are you telling me that I have raised a son who doesn't comply with the most basic Rosario code? Complying with the wishes of your parents are what I have drilled into you. Are you telling me I wasted all my time? Your mother apologised to you for all the hurt she caused you. She was young. Too young. She was hardly 18 years old when she was pregnant with you. She thought she was doing the right thing...."
Antonio spoke " What about now? Is she just over it now? Why isn't she running away now? What has changed?"
Piero spoke " I don't expect you to understand. Now that her sister has accepted her faith so has she. She doesn't want to die alone. She wants to be with me and give our marriage a chance. One day when you are married, you will understand. Your mother sees no point in running because you are all grown up now. She no longer can save you from this life in her view. She feels that she has failed as a mother. But she has hope to build her life again...."
Antonio spoke " I can't believe you are taking her back in your life. All you did was fight when you found her and I. She ran a second time and you found her exiling her here to live with her sister. What has changed now? Tell me truthfully. I find it hard to believe. How did she suddenly change her mind. She was giving you a cold shoulder until now..."
Piero spoke " You are observant son.. I tell you that .... Maybe your uncle having a near death experience had something to do with it. When Maria forgave Paulo, your mother started coming around. She even held my hand at the church as we were witnessing Paulo's and Maria's wedding. But then the bullets came and she was shocked. She saw how they tried to kill me and Paulo tried to save me. That changed her perspective. She thinks if you don't appreciate what you have, The Lord will take it away. My beliefs also....."
Antonio sighed " What is wrong with you? You kill for a living and you talk of faith. I never figured you out father. But I accept that explanation. I believe you. But why did Paulo throw himself in front of you?"
Piero shrugged " Because I saved his wife. I stopped him from executing what he was planning to do to his wife ten years ago."
Antonio spoke " Why did he have a change of heart. It's confusing me. He tried to hurt his wife and suddenly wants to be with her. What made him change...."
Piero spoke " Maybe he never changed. He loved his wife. Just like how I loved your mother and she loved me. We all make choices and take things for granted. Paulo was just taking out his pain of missing Maria on those around him and was too proud to go after her..."
Suddenly there were voices heard outside. Suddenly Martha came downstairs and came to the living room. What is going on out there?"
Antonio went to the window and watched in horror how Francesco was angrily arguing with the guards outside the guest house his father was at as Adele was holding his arm and looking on. There were a dozen guards outside forming a wall in front of Francesco. The orders of the Don were specifically regarding how guards should have watched Paulo and Piero as long as Francesco was around.
Antonio turned to his father who was also at the window now " He is here for you by the looks of it. You have to talk to him. He won't leave until he talks to you. Don't keep him waiting. That would only infuriate him. I will take mother upstairs."
Martha's face brightened up as she heard her son calling her mother for the first time since he had arrived. She had apologised repeatedly to him for taking him away from his father but that had fallen on deaf ears and she had gone upstairs to drown her sorrows in her tears. Now there was an improvement. Her son at least was showing signs of coming around.
Antonio looked at his mother expectantly " Mother come upstairs. Francesco may go crazy here. You don't want to see him angry. Wait upstairs. Come." The truth was he was worried Francesco was going to unleash his wrath on his father and would have probably used colourful words on him too by the sounds of it, so he wanted to protect his mother from that. He just could not explain why. But he did.
As Martha followed her son upstairs. Piero walked to the front door and opened the door. He instructed " Let him pass. Come in Francesco."
As the guards parted, Francesco walked to Piero and grabbed his neck. He then pinned him to the door as the guards grabbed Francesco and tried to pull him off Piero.
Adele was shouting " Please Francesco. Stop."
The guards managed to pull him off and Piero rubbed his neck. He spoke " For the love of god, let go of Francesco. He won't kill me. He knows if he does, the Don would kill the closest person to him without Rosario blood" The guards immediately let go of Francesco who was looking at Piero with murderous eyes " You dare threaten Adele...." He then was about to charge at him but the guards held him back. There were about six guards holding him back while Adele was watching helplessly with her hand over her mouth.
Piero turned to the guards "You will not report this to the Don. His instructions are that if he hurts me, you will report it. Francesco hasn't done anything. You know the rules. If you are not asked, you don't tell when it comes to reporting to the Don. He has more pressing matters to deal with and doesn't have time for minor details but as you are aware everything that happens on your watch must be reported to Pietro as you know." He then turned to Francesco " Come in and wait until I close the door if you wish to say anything."
The guards let go of Francesco and he looked back at Adele and spoke " Follow me sweetheart." He then entered the house as he gave Piero a furious look as Adele followed him inside and then held his hand as he disappeared into the living room.
As Piero was about to close the door, the guards remained inside. Piero sighed " Step outside."
One of the guards spoke " Please. We have wives and children. If there is one scratch on you sir, we pay. Please let us come inside."
Piero sighed and shouted " Antonio. Come down here."
As Antonio made his way down the stairs, Piero turned to the guards " My son is my bodyguard. Fear not. Remain outside."
The guards reluctantly and worriedly left.
Antonio walked inside the living room one step ahead of his father as he saw Francesco leaning to the wall with his murderous eyes as Adele was grabbing his arm."
Francesco spoke firmly " You actually think, I will let you get away with this? Do you uncle Piero. Do you really think I am going to let this go with no consequence for you."
Piero spoke as he had his hands in his pocket standing in the middle of the living room as his son was standing next to him looking between Francesco and his father " Elaborate."
Francesco laughed bitterly " Don't act like you don't know. You broke your word. You said you will keep her safe from him. You said you will keep her hidden from him forever. But you let him find her. Then the cherry on top of it all is that you let her marry him. You stood there and watched as they were about to marry and you didn't even tell me anything. A warning would have been nice. Did you think I would never find out that my mother has gotten married to him? Did you?"
Piero sighed " Look. Francesco... It was out of my hands. This is what your mother wants."
Francesco's eyes had blood in them now. He narrowed his eyes as he took a step away from the wall but Adele stopped him " Francesco please.... Don't do anything."
Francesco kissed her forehead and leaned back to the wall. He looked at Antonio who was shielding his father with disgust " Don't worry sweetheart. It seems like Antonio has it covered..."
Antonio spoke " You could punch and kick my father and for what? It would not solve anything boss. The Don won't think twice and would hurt Adele. You know he will."
Francesco growled " I protect my woman. He wouldn't dare touch her. I would destroy every single one of them if a hair on Adele's head in harmed...."
Piero spoke "Them? You are a Rosario, Francesco. Don't you forget that...."
Francesco narrowed his eyes "I give you one chance to give me an explanation why my mother is married. One chance. Do not waste it uncle. Tell me the truth."
Piero sighed "Maybe I have no explanation Francesco. It is something you need to ask your mother. It was her wish. I am sorry I did not tell you but that was what she wanted. She wanted a small marriage. She is lonely Francesco. She needs some normal married life that your father did not give her all those years ago...."
Francesco objected "Your explanation is not good enough..."
Piero sighed "Look. I know you hate your father for what he did. But what about your mother. You should let her have a say in how she wishes to live now that your father has stopped punishing her for her betrayal. Your father is ill now and has put his pride aside at last wanting to make things right with your mother once again. Also, she just has reached a stage in her life that she is ready to forgive your father and wants to move on with her life. As for how you feel about how your father brought you up, think about it.... Your father just did what he thought was necessary to raise you to make you into a strong Rosario. You are strong and you can not deny that it is to do with the tough upbringing he gave you. He does regret hurting you too much because you are his blood. He does not regret hurting anyone else but he is regretting hurting you. Spending time away from you has made him rethink how he brought you up. But turn that around into something positive. Do not raise your sons like how he raised you. You will be a better father than he ever was to you. So your father's influence on you is worth something at least...."
Francesco wanted to move away from the wall and walk to his uncle to confront him but Adele had gripped his waist and had leaned to his chest successfully trying to stop him from attacking his uncle. He took a deep breath and then spoke with gritted teeth " Stop defending my father..."
Piero spoke " I am not trying to defend him. Your father is not the one you should worry about right now. He has no intention of hurting your mother. I can assure you. That should be enough ...."
Francesco laughed bitterly "Where are you going with this?..."
Piero spoke "You have your fiancé now. You need to move on with your life and forget the past. You must watch out for the Don. My father is more unforgiving than any one I know . Don't cross him Francesco while you are here. Whatever you want to do to your father or myself, you can do it outside of Sicily one day when an opportunity presents itself to you but not while you are under close watch in Sicily. He is nothing compared to Paulo and I. That girl who you call your fiancé is your weakness. You may escape the Don with no scars if you directly challenge the Don and defy him in anyway directly or indirectly on his soil, but that girl doesn't have the luxury. She is fair game. She has no Rosario blood. It doesn't matter if she is your fiancé or your wife. She is not of Rosario blood. So don't challenge your father without thinking."
Francesco roared as he was trying to push Adele away gently to attack his uncle "You think I am incapable of protecting my own woman......."
Piero spoke "That is not what I meant ..."
Adele cried "Stop. Just stop it Francesco... How about this... Let's go somewhere quiet and talk about everything that has happened. Please. I can't take it when you are so angry. Please let's talk about what you are planning to do next...."