Page 98 of Urgent Vows
Zio Giovi sits at the end of the couch nearest me. "I'm so sorry, Catalina."
"What are you sorry for?"
"I should have realized you were getting married under duress and stopped it. Your bruise didn't show at the wedding."
Self-conscious, I put my hand to my cheek. "Papà didn't force me." I can't say I wasn't under duress without lying.
And I don't want to lie to my uncle. I never want to have to lie again.
"I'm not your aunt." Zio Giovi's eyes spark with fury. "He may be dead, but you can speak the truth about your father to me."
I knew he wouldn't need me to pretend to be sad. I just didn't realize how angry he is.
"Papà did try to make me pretend to be Carlotta, but I wasn't going to try to trick our don."
"He would have killed you once he realized."
I don't think so, but I doubt I can convince my uncle of that. Anyway, it doesn't matter. "I married Severu because I wanted to."
Which is not a lie. He may have coerced me with the threat of my sister's safety, but I wanted the man. I still do, even though right now I'm so angry with him, I could cheerfully shred his favorite suit. Or maybe even, all of them.
"You don't have to lie to me,tesorina." Zio Giovi looks at the two guards stationed discreetly nearby and shakes his head. "I understand."
He's not listening to me and now he thinks the bodyguards are there to spy on what I say. I explain, "Severu has a thing about safety."
"More like he has a thing about control. He's probably afraid you're going to run like your sister."
"How did you know she ran?" Had my father told him?
"Francesco told Lora and I at the reception. He was furious. That's probably why he was driving himself home from the reception and lost control of the car. He was in a rage with no one to take it out on."
I don't reply.
Misunderstanding my silence, Zio Giovi reaches to pat my hand. "I am sorry,tesorina. You do not need reminders of the past."
"You and Zia Lora haven't told anyone else, have you? About Carlotta running away?"
"No, of course not."
"Not even the staff? Or one of the soldiers?"
"Lora would cut out her own tongue before besmirching the Jilani name." Zio sounds bitter.
Which is understandable. Zia Lora has always shown more loyalty to the family she came from than the one she married into.
After that, we talk about everything and nothing, just like we used to. He wants to know if I will keep up my target practice. I ask if he's going to buy the new car he talked about. He tells me stories from the news he thinks I'll find interesting. They're always positive stories, like my uncle needs me to know there is good in the world.
We don't talk about his upcoming move back to Detroit. Me, because I don't want to think about losing the last of my family. I don't know why he doesn't bring it up, unless Severu has not told my aunt and uncle they are moving yet? Perhaps my husband will reconsider.
Though that is a selfish thought. Zio deserves to return to the city he loves so much. He has a huge family there and he misses them.
When it's time for him to go, I hug him for a long time.
He pats my back and tells me, "You are the best of all of us,tesorina."
SEVERU
Aldo texts me a transcript of Catalina's discussion with her uncle, explaining that he did not interfere because the uncle was not being unkind to Catalina. My soldier also thought it was important to find out what the Revellos knew about Carlotta's no show at the wedding.
