Weeks had gone by, and the security at the Corleone's house was more strong than before.
Aurora would spend her days chatting mostly with Sandra, while she would help her with the kids as well since she had no one else to talk to.
She didn't see Michael as often as she wanted to since he would spend his days with Sonny and Tom mostly, and as much as she wished he could be with her, she understood him.
After talking about it for a few days, they decided to tell his mom about their relationship.
"Aren't you nervous?" she asked as they walked to the garden where Carmela was picking a few roses. After sonny told her she couldn't go to the hospital as often as she wanted to visit Vito, every day she would recollect flowers so she would get them to him on Sundays since that was day she could go.
"Of course no, she loves you more than she loves connie" He stated. She rolled her eyes and didn't say a word as they approached his mom "Mama, how are you?"
"Good, look at these beautiful roses I just got for your father... he'll love them" she said smiling "Ooh, hi darling" Aurora smiled at her.
"Mom... we want to talk to you about something" Michael started.
"Sure, let's take a walk" Carmela said.
"Well... to start off, I want to tell you how much this family means to me, you've been like a mother for me, Carmela, and I would never thank you enough for the way you've treated me since I was little, you, and of course, my godfather" aurora stated as Michael squeezed her hand, with a smile on his face.
"You don't have to, darling. You've been a wonderful daughter to me, after all, Genco was our dear brother, someone who started all of this with Vito, and our most loyal person" Carmela added smiling.
"Mom... I've loved aurora ever since I was a child, and I want you to know, she's the most important person in my life, that's why I asked her to be my girlfriend... after all these years being away from home I figured out that my feelings towards her never changed" Michael said as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
Carmela didn't had to say a word, as her face spoke for her. She kissed Michael, and then, hugged the daughter of his husband's best friend.
"I've known for a long time" she said with her hand caressing her son's cheeks "The eyes Michael, they never lie" she stated "I'm happy for the both of you... there's no one else who's better for my son than you, my darling" she kissed her cheeks, smiling softly at her "We can tell your father tomorrow when I visit him".
Aurora couldn't hide her happiness, she was overman as she didn't think Carmela would say all that.
"Sure, mama... thanks" he said smiling "We'll meet you inside the house for breakfast".
"Go on!" Michael kissed her as they walked to the house.
He was happy, all he had ever wanted was right there in his arms.
As they entered the house, they went to the kitchen table where Sonny, Sandra, Theresa, Tom, Connie, Carlo and Fredi were seating.
"Good morning guys" she said seating next to Sandra.
"Is there you wanna tell us, Mike?" Sonny asked with a smirk. He knew they were dating, aurora couldn't help it but to tell him the next day since she had always been close to Santino.
"Aurora is my girlfriend" he said smiling at her.
"Don't you guys think we haven't notice?" Connie replied laughing "I'm so happy for you both, it has always been obvious".
"Well, here's my only advice, don't take to long to put a ring on it." Sonny said patting him on the shoulder and getting closer to him "She's a little sister to me, you treat her bad and I'll kill you" he whispered.
"Cheers on the new couple" Tom said raising his glass.
"Well, let's get ready for the next big wedding" Carlo commented not receiving any replies.
"Take it easy guys" she replied while holding hands with Michael "But we wanted you all to know it".
"Where's Fredo? I haven't seen him" Michael asked out of the blue as he took another bite of his cannoli.
"Probably fucking some random girl as usual" Sonny said not bothering to talk about his younger brother.
They kept eating while making a few jokes, and even thought outside of the household it was a war between the five families, Michael and Aurora felt on a bubble while they screamed their love to everyone.
"He's gorgeous" Aurora stated while she held Santino Jr.
"Ooh, I hope I could say that when he cries at nights" Sandra joked while she put frank to sleep.
"I got to be real honest with you, I want a baby boy so badly" she replied kissing the 8-month old baby.
"A little Michael, huh?" She laughed nodding "I think you guys were 15 when I married sonny, I'm not sure".
"I was 10, Michael is older than me, so he was 15, yeah" she explained.
"Anyways... Ever since I've known you, he has always been protective of you. Sonny was the one who told me when you guys first dated, and I don't know, you guys look very in love of each other, that's sweet, I swear I hadn't seen Michael smiling that much since he came back from the war, and even before that. He's in love with you." She said smiling, Sandra was a good woman, even thought Sonny would usually be unfaithful to her whenever he pleased, more recently during Connie's wedding, when he was with Lucy Mancini.
"That's very sweet... what can I tell you? I've been in love with him since we were kids, running all over this place... it's what we have ever dreamed since we were teenagers." She explained "I don't know if we are going to get married, I really don't like to challenge the future, but I don't see myself marrying with someone who isn't Michael Corleone, either way, time will tell" she added.
"Then you'll marry him, but you know... I don't think I've ever said this anyone, and you'll be the only one that I tell this, but, I've this feeling..." she started "I know The Godfather is stable, and I know sonny will takeover sooner than I expected" she was right, everyone could see it, Vito was recovering but it was for the best for his health if he eventually retires "But you know, I don't see Sonny as the Don, I just don't picture it, and I fear, for my kids, for him... he's short tempered, and in this world, that never goes well."
"What are you trying to say?" Aurora was confused.
"I don't know... it's just that I love him, but at the same time, I love my kids, I want to protect them, and he's very vulnerable right now with all of this war stuff, you won't believe this, but I'm preparing for the funeral of my husband, a day that I don't want it to come, but everyday seems more and more closer" she thought she was crazy, how could she say that?
"What are you saying? How can you say that! He's doing everything he can to protect us all" she replied shaking her head.
"I know, I'm not saying that he isn't, it just that I feel these things, it's weird, but I just don't see this war ending soon, that's why you have to be for Michael, to support him, it's easy to be in love, but hard to bear with all of this... you've been in this family since you were born, but it's now that you have to know the truth behind all this, and it's when you have to there for Michael, I know you love him, but you've to really be there for him, he'll need you more than you think..." she warned her.
"And why do you tell me this?" She asked.
"Because, you're the only one, even more than Connie, who really understand what living in this family means, and you should be aware of everything, just like mama corleone tell us every time to Theresa and me" she explained with a smile.
Maybe she was right, after all, Michael was getting more involved in the family business, and with her father she knew what were the risks Michael would face as he involved himself more and more in the family.
"You're right, Sandra... thanks for that bit of honesty" she replied hugging her.
"I've learned that through Carmela" she added.
They kept talking while they tried to put Santino Jr to sleep, after they succeeded at it, they went downstairs where they helped to make dinner.
Clemenza was there telling them his secret on how to make the perfect meatballs.
"So sugar is the secret, huh?" She said holding a laughter.
"Cut the crap. I got more important things for you to do." Sonny said entering the room "Good evening ladies... how's Paulie?" He asked while Sandra and Aurora kept doing the food.
"Oh, Paulie? Won't see him no more..." Clemenza added. Sonny nodded and then he turned to the entrance of the kitchen where Michael made his way to the brunette who he greeted with a kiss on the lips.
"Mike, where are you going?" She asked. Carmela decided not to go to the hospital that day since she felt a little sick, so therefore they didn't went to the hospital to tell Vito about their relationship.
"Yeah, mike, what are you gonna do?" Sonny added.
"We are going to the city" Michael replied taking aurora's hand.
"We?" She said unsure. Michael simply nodded at her.
"Send some bodyguards with them, alright?" Sonny said to Clemenza.
"No, we are just going to the hospital to see Pop" he stated.
"They are gonna be fine, Sonny" Clemenza said supporting Michael.
"Fine..." Sonny replied.
Aurora turned to Sandra to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"See ya in a bit" Aurora said to her political sister in-law.
Just as they left the kitchen, sonny turned again to Clemenza.
"Send somebody with them, anyway... " he ordered.
Michael and Aurora walked to the door holding hands.
"Are we going to tell my godfather about us?" She asked.
"Sure." He smiled kissing her.
They walked to the car waiting for them and he let her get in first.
"I can't wait to see him, I really wanna tell him about us... his opinion is really important for me" She stated while leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I know." He took her hand and placed a kiss on it.
The drive when quietly as they spent half an hour going from Long Island to New York.
She remembered years ago going to New York with her dad days prior to Christmas Eve to buy gifts to everyone. They loved to buy cannolis at the bakery of one of her dad's friend.
She missed him every single day, but she still had her godfather and she prayed for his health, she couldn't bear to lost someone that close again.
They got out of the car and walked to the door of the hospital.
"It's so cold here" she replied as she hugged herself with her coat.
They entered the place and it was suspicious particularly for Michael how there was no sight of his dad's bodyguards.
They arrived at his room and Aurora's heart broke as she saw Vito.
"Godfather" she said gettin closer to him. He had his eyes open and a small smile appeared on his lips.
Before she could say something else, her attention went to Michael as he talked to a nurse.
"I'm sorry sir, but you can't be here, it's too late to receive visits" she protested.
"I'm Michael Corleone and this is my father. There's nobody here. What happened to the guards?" He asked. Aurora went to Michael's side to try and calm him down.
"Your father just had too many visitors. They interfered with hospital service. The police made them leave about ten minutes ago." She explained as she went to check the Don's pulse.
Michael walked to the phone sitting right next to his father.
"What are you doing?" Aurora asked confused as he picked up the phone.
"Ah, Get me, ah, Long Beach-4-5620, please..." he said. The nurse was leaving but he stopped her "Nurse, wait a minute. Stay here." He ordered.
"Sonny, it's Michael. I'm at the hospital... Listen, I got here late. There's nobody here." He said as he took a glance at his father.
She could hear Sonny screaming through the phone.
"Nobody... no no no Tessio's men, no detectives, nobody. Papa's all alone" he replied. Sonny assured him that there was people coming over, while telling him not to panic "I won't panic!" He said hanging up the phone.
"Michael, what's going on?" Aurora said as she took his hand.
"We have to move him to another room" he said.
"I'm sorry but you'll have to leave" the nurse said in an annoyed tone.
Michael was shaking his head as he when to check if the bed would fit through the doorway.
"Uhh... You and I are gonna move my father to another room." He said looking at the brunette, and then, landing his eyes on the nurse "Can you disconnect those tubes so we can move the bed out?"
"That's out of the question!" She replied angry.
Before Michael could reply, Aurora went to confront the nurse.
"You know his father? Men are coming here to kill him. You understand? Now help us, please." She said as she walked quickly to where Michael was trying to roll the bed.
The nurse joined them and the three of them moved the bed to another room down the hallway.
As the brunette helped the nurse with equipment, they heard a door close, and then, footsteps.
"Stay here" Michael warned as he went outside the room to see who was it.
He saw a man holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I'm enzo, the baker".
"Enzo..." Michael wasn't sure.
"Yes... enzo...".
"You better get out of here, Enzo; there's gonna be trouble..." he warned but the baker denied shaking his head.
"If there is trouble, I stay here to help you. For your father." He replied.
"Alright... Listen, wait for me outside in front of the hospital. Alright? I'll be out in a minute. Go ahead..." he ordered and Enzo nodded.
Michael went back to the room as aurora was sitting next to Don.
"Who was it?" She asked.
"Enzo, the baker... Don't get out of this room" he explained. He took his father hand and kissed it "Just lie here, Pop. I'll take care of you now. I'm with you now. I'm with you..." he assured him as he exited the room again.
She noticed how Vito smiled as a tear went down his cheek.
"Don't cry, godfather" she said as she caressed his cheek "I've to tell you something... I hope I could get your blessing".
She leaned closer to him, careful not to touch any of the equipment around him.
"I love Michael, and he asked me to be his girlfriend a few weeks ago... I want you to know how much he means to me" she smiled as she felt his hand grabbing hers "I love him, godfather".
He smiled at her as she leaned her head in his shoulder.
She felt overjoyed and sad at the same time.
"I'll be here with you, I won't leave you" she assured him.
"Is he your father?" The nurse asked.
"He's my godfather, but my dad was his best friend for over thirty years" she explained smiling "My father passed away a few months ago, and he's the only paternal figure left to me, that's why it's important for me to keep him safe".
The red head nodded with a smile.
"I'll leave you alone, if you need anything I'll be in the next room" she said "Good night".
Aurora nodded as the woman left the room.
She woke up by a few voices.
"Huh?" She opened her eyes to see Tom standing next to Michael.
She got up her seat as soon as she saw his left cheek inflamed.
"Oh my god! Michael, what happened?" She said.
"It's fine, it's fine Rory" he quickly said.
"Guys, you'll have to leave, the car is waiting outside" Tom added.
"Tom, don't let him alone" Aurora said as she spotted about five bodyguards right outside the room.
"I won't, now go to the house, you, it's unsafe for you guys to be around here" he mentioned.
"It's true, Rory, come on" Michael said.
She said goodbye to Tom hugging him and she then went to where the Don was sleeping peacefully and place a kiss on his forehead.
They left the room and as they made their way to the exit, she stopped to have another look at Michael.
"We need to put ice on that, my love" she said as she placed a kiss on his lips "Be honest with me, Michael. Is it really serious everything that's happening?" She asked.
There was silence and in that moment, without saying a word, as he placed another kiss on her lips, she knew.