While Matteo is a good enough man, I think bikers are lowly people. They don’t have the prestige that mafia people do. They’re the worker bees, never the heads of the business. I’m honestly amazed that Dario even works with them when he has his own men who work under him.
“Come on,” Serafina says. “You can’t tell me that Matteo is a fine specimen.”
“Matteo is fine, sure. Nothing more. I would suggest you get over your crush on him because I seriously doubt Dario will marry you to Matteo. And if you go out and have sex with him, your reputation will be ruined, and no respectable mafia man will marry you.”
Serafina is rolling her eyes before I even finish speaking. “Ok, Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes. Since you’re so good, tell me, is there no one you’ve ever dreamed of having sex with?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s true! Just like you, I’ve been sheltered inside our house. I haven’t met any men I’d want to … you know.”
“Sex, Adelina. You can say sex.”
“Fine.Sex.You happy?”
She lifts her chin. “Ecstatic.”
“If you’re so gung-ho about wanting to marry Matteo, why not tell Dario? Maybe he’d consider it.”
“Maybe. That’s a good idea. I’ll go ask right now.” She stands up quicky. My mouth drops open. I wasn’t actually expecting her to do that.
“Serafina, wait.” I follow her out of the studio into the hallway, where deep rich walls surround us and herringbone floorboards creak underneath us. Our new home is just as beautiful as our last one. We had to move when Pia’s father wrecked our house by driving a car into the foyer. Dario had it fixed up but decided to move us for safety reasons. Now, Serafina, Dario, Pia, and I all live in this beautiful new home overlooking the ocean. In fact, it’s not far from our old house; it’s still in the same neighborhood. It’s nice to be close to where we grew up, but it’s also nice not to live in the same home where destruction rained down around us.
“What?” she asks over her shoulder. “That’s a good idea. I’ve hinted at my desire to be with Matteo for a while now, but Dariohasn’t been getting it. If I just point blank ask him to marry me to Matteo, how can he refuse?”
“Well, for one thing, you’ve only met Matteo on a few occasions. Have you ever had a real conversation with him?”
She waves a hand. “Who needs conversation when you’re hot? I want to have sex with him. Isn’t that a good enough reason to marry someone in our way of life?”
“No, it’s not.”
She chooses to ignore me.
We around the hallway and end up in the kitchen, where Dario and Pia are snuggling with each other by the stove as they make dinner. Pia uses her hands to sign words here and there, intermixed with her voice. She used to be mute for a long time but can now speak again. She still likes to use sign language, though, which I think is lovely.
They pull apart when they see Serafina and I come into the kitchen.
“By that look on your face,” Dario says to Serafina, “I think you have something to say to me. And that is never a good thing.” Pia hides her smile behind her hand.
Serafina huffs. “I haven’t even said anything yet!”
“Then, speak away. I’m listening.”
And then Serafina says the words I wish she never thought of. “I want you to marry me to Matteo.”
The room goes so quiet that the drip from the faucet feels loud.
Finally, Dario speaks. “That’s not happening.”
A cloud passes over her eyes. “Why not?”
“Because you two would not be a good match, trust me.”
“And what makes you think you know better than me?”
Dario sighs and pulls Pia into his side. They’re always touching and being lovey. I wonder if I’ll ever have that someday. “Because you’re wild, Serafina. You don’t like to play by therules. Neither does Matteo. He’s a good man to work with in a pinch, but he’s constantly doing crazy things.”