“No, you were nosey,” Giovanni’s sister said, then smiled. “You will have to forgive my mother. She doesn’t meet many non-Catholics, and when she does, she doesn’t understand why they aren’t Catholic.”
“I’m just saying that the Catholic Church has been around long before her religion. Why everyone is not Catholic, I don’t understand.”
“You have heard of theProtestant Reformation, mother. You know that was when the religious reform movement swept through Europe in the 1500s. It resulted in creating a branch of Christianity called Protestantism, a name used collectively to refer to the many religious groups that separated from the Roman Catholic Church due to differences in doctrine.”
“Yes, yes. A terrible time for the Catholic Church.”
Illyria rolled her eyes and shook her head. “So, what is it like living in California?”
I grinned. “Hot, sunny, lots of sand, but the ocean is beautiful, and the scenery is breathtaking.”
“I’ve always wanted to go, but I’ve never had the time.”
“I think the West Coast would suit you.”
“Have you ever been to Hollywood?”
I smirked, shaking my head, “No. Los Angeles and the surrounding area are not my cup of tea. I prefer Northern California. I felt closer to home there.”
“Why did you not return home?” Nicoletta asked curiously.
“After my mother died, there was nothing left there for me. My brother was already stationed in California, so I went there to be with him.”
There was literally nothing to say about that, and I was grateful. I hated talking about my family. Like the Valentinetti’s, I was extremely private when it came to my family. I just didn’t talk about them like most people did. Unlike the Valentinetti Family, where I came from, outsiders were just that. Outsiders. People not to be trusted, and considering I came from what most people liked to call the Mountain Folks, talking about family to an outsider just wasn’t done. However, there was one similarity between the families I couldn’t ignore. Both families were highly private and protective of their own. Always had been and always would be, and both families took care of their own when meeting out justice.
“I must say, you look familiar to me. Has your family always lived in Tennessee?” Nicoletta asked.
Looking at the beautiful older woman, I simply nodded, “Yes, ma’am. My family has been there for generations.”
“Never anywhere else?”
“I believe I had a cousin who moved to Kentucky for a few years, but no, my family never strayed far from home in that regard.”
“It’s amazing because you bear a striking resemblance to a childhood friend of mine.”
“We all have a twin out there somewhere,” I replied.
“I’ve heard about that,” Illyria grinned and added. “It’s actually scientifically proven. There is someone out in the world who looks almost identical to everyone. I forget what the scientist call it, though.”
“It’s called Doppelganger. It’s a German term that literally means double walker — as in a ghost or shadow of yourself.”
“That’s it,” Illyria smiled brightly. “I wonder if I have a doppelganger?”
“How do you know my nephews, Reginald and Dwayne?” Nicoletta interrupted.
Taking a deep breath, I knew one or both of the women would eventually get down to the nitty-gritty and start asking the crucial questions. Funny thing, though, for some reason, I thought it would be Illyria, not her mother. “Your nephews are good friends with my brother.”
“The brother who lives in California?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And what does your brother do for a living?”
“He was in the Marine Corps for a while, and now he is part of the Golden Skulls Motorcycle Club.”
“I don’t know this,” Nicoletta said, looking at Illyria, then back to me. “What is a Golden Skull?”
Sighing, I used my words carefully. It was not my place to talk about the Golden Skulls or any members, and I was only the sister of a club member, and the club itself was private. So, I went with the simplest explanation I could. “They are a bunch of like-minded men who like riding motorcycles together.”