Welcome home, Miss Gia

It was 1am and the airport was as calm and serene as can be. There were very few people, moving with ease into different directions. Some were waiting for their families to land, and some calling cabs because nobody cared enough to pick them up. I slowly walked outside, pulling my suitcase behind me. The 8 hour flight left me stiff and sore in every area. It was dark outside, the only source of illumination coming from the lights that shone over the parking lot. The air was still and quiet.

"Gia," Enzo smiled as he approached me.

I felt a feeling of warmth and comfort as he hugged me. He suddenly slipped a strong arm behind my thighs and swept off the ground, spinning me around bridal style.

"Enzo, mettimi giù !" I shrieked, laughing hard as I clung onto him. (Enzo, put me down.)

Enzo laughed with me, finally placing me back onto the ground. I grinned up at him, examining his every feature. His brown eyes warned my skin and his smile made me smile even wider. I hadn't seen him in only three years but he had changed so much. His shoulders were broader, his smile devilish, no longer innocent, and he was buff, as the Americans say, having muscular build. I had to admit; the man was good looking. For over half of my life I had been in love with Enzo, but I knew ever since I was eight years old that I was already promised to another. Eventually my love for him was channeled into other things, because I knew we could never be together. We had been practically been raised together and we became best friends. He had helped me through so much and I had been there for him as much as I could. When I was 13, I moved away from home. My father wanted to keep me safe and sheltered from their life of crime and danger. My communication with Enzo was very low, since I was all the way across the globe. And now that I was engaged, I was going to move away and become somebody else's wife. I would have to leave Enzo behind again even if I had just seen him for the first time in a very long time.

"I missed you so much," he breathed, pulling me into another suffocating hug.

I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Me too..."

Enzo led me to a red convertible sports car, carrying my suitcase for me.

"Holy shit," I marvelled, inspecting the car. "You actually bought this car?! I was joking!"

Enzo shrugged, tossing the suitcase in the back. "I'm a man of my word. Plus, the car reminds me of you."

"No shit. It was my dare."

I hopped into the passanger seat and Enzo did the same. We listened to music and caught up during the hour long ride home. He had officially joined the mafia, he had met a girl he wanted to marry and he had missed me. He said that a 1000 times. Enzo had grown up into a good man but I felt like he could have chosen another path than to join the mafia. He had always sworn would never be like his father, to work for the mafia, but he gave in. He had no choice, just like me. Finally, the car stopped in front of my father's mansion.

"This is me," I smiled at him.

"Yeah," he returned the expression. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow. Get some rest and spend time with your folks before your big party."

I nodded. "I will. Goodnight."

I kissed Enzo on the cheek and got out of the car. Our large cast iron gates opened and my mother stood there in a satin robe, barefoot. My eyes watered as I ran into her arms immediately. She wrapped her arms tightly around me and embraced me.

"Il mio angelo..." she sobbed, stepping back to cup my face with her cold hands, but I didn't mind. (My angel...)

She had her hair in velcro rollers, which made me laugh inbetween the tears.

"Gia, tesoro mio, sei bellissima," mamma sighed. "Sei cresciuta così tanto..." (Gia, my sweetheart, you look beautiful. You've grown so much.)

I sucked my teeth. "Mamma, it's been only seven months since you last saw me. Calm down."

Mamma chuckled. "You'll understand when you're a mother."

"Ladies, I love you both but I need to leave like ten minutes ago," Enzo called out from the car, reminding us of his existence.

"Oh hi Enzo," mamma laughed as we both turned to him. She went over and pulled my suitcase out the back.

Enzo rolled his eyes. "Now that Gia's back you're gonna treat me like this?"

"Of course not my love," mamma grinned. "You'll always be my favorite. "

Enzo smiled slightly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. "

With that he drove off. Mamma and I laughed heartily as we turned to go inside. The gates opened automatically, and two men were waiting on the other side. My smile faltered. Nothing had changed.

"Welcome home, Miss Gia," one of them greeted, stepping forward. "I hope your travels went well."

I folded my arms. "You want to search my bags?" I asked, cutting to the chase.

"It's mandatory for everyone who visits Vila d 'Ambroslo," the other guard explained.

"She's not a visiter. She's a member of this family, " mamma snapped angrily. "Now step aside."

They obeyed her command immediately. I followed mamma into the house through the front door. Memories of my childhood flooded my head as mamma turned on the lights. A young woman in a cleaning uniform hurried downstairs.

"Welcome home, Miss Gia," she smiled politely, taking my bag. "My name is Brunella. I'm your helper for the time being. I'll take your bag to your room."

I nodded. "Grazie." (Thank you.) I turned back to my mother.  "I'm gonna go to bed mamma. I'm so tired," I sulked.

Mamma planted a kiss at the top of my head. "Okay, angelo mio. Everyone is excited to see you so get some rest tomorrow is a very busy day."

I smiled weakly. My engagement party was tomorrow, to a man I hardly knew. His name was Emilio Armani and he was 40, the head of the Italian mafia. A shiver ran down my spin. I had just turned 20, but this was a peace treaty that had to be honored. If it was violated in any way, they would come after me and my family.

I had met Emilio approximately 6 times. They were all brief meetings when I had visited home. He was a fairly nice man. He never mistreated me and he was always polite, but he was the head of the fucking mafia. I was never the person who dreamed of falling madly in love then getting because my number one example growing up was my parents.

They had a 25 year age gap, and as far as I could remember,  they were never in love. It was an arrangement, like most marriages in the Rizzo family. Mamma didn't like to talk about so I never really knew the story of how they ended up together. Regardless, they were now married for almost 18 years, and despite not being in love, their marriage survived through the worst.

I sighed softly turned and followed Brunella upstairs.

She opened my bedroom door and stepped aside to let me in first. My bedroom looked the exact same as it had three years ago when I left it. It was obviously thoroughly cleaned right before my arrival, judging by the clean fresh scent of lavender.

"I'm sorry you had to wait up this late for my arrival," I apologized to Brunella, throwing myself onto the bed.

"Don't worry about it Miss Gia," she smiled sweetly, burning some sweet smelling incense.

I kicked off my boots. "Please, call me Gia."

Brunella just smiled at me, and I knew she wouldn't call me Gia just yet.

"Your dress for the engagement is in the closet. Maybe you'd want to take a look?" Brunella asked.

"Tomorrow," I mumbled, already falling asleep. "Oh and please keep the lights on when you—"

The door suddenly burst open.

"Gia!" Mamma cried as she came rushing into the room.

I sat up, alarmed. "Qual è il problema?" (What's the matter?)

She sat on the edge of my bed, her lips quivering. "It's Emilio."

I was hesitant to ask. "What happened to Emilio?"

I knew her answer would change everything forever.

"He was shot dead."