Page 222 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

What could possibly go wrong?

It was after Mimi’s sister had left that Gio turned his attention to his grandsons.

The musicians still played softly; his grandfather’s conversation was getting louder the later the hour.

‘Dante, why don’t you ever bring someone?’ Gio demanded, seeming determined to sort out his grandson’s love life.

Dante strummed his fingers on the table and gave a non-committal smile.

Right now, he wished he had.

He kept thinking of Susie, and how he’d stalked off in the garden that day, after he’d told her everything.

‘And you...?’ Gio turned his inappropriate questions to Sev. ‘Why are you staying in a hotel when you have a home here?’

‘It is your honeymoon,’ Sev quipped.

‘Then why not stay at your brother’s?’ Gio persisted. ‘Always you stay in a hotel...’

‘I might want to find company.’

‘Then bring her along.’

Sev gave a wry laugh and rolled his eyes, and then Mimi decided it was time to treat them all to another performance.

‘Ah, I know!’ Mimi said, and delivered her choice to the ensemble.

The violinists and viola player took up their bows, but the cellist abruptly glanced towards Sev. She was local, and knew this was perhaps not the best choice.

A beautiful soprano aria by Puccini. They were in Lucca, after all—his birthplace. So possibly it was a natural choice, and Mimi would have performed it often...

Except it had been sung at Sev and Rosa’s wedding.

As well as at Rosa’s funeral.

Gio didn’t seem to remember—he was gazing at his bride.

Dante closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at Sev, who was as white as marble, though there was clearly still some blood supply, given the muscle leaping in his cheek.

Mimi’s voice seemed to be wrapping around them both, taking them back to those dreadful days.

‘Mimi...’ Dante went to halt her, but Sev told him to leave it, and so they sat through the hellish performance and briefly met each other’s eyes. Sev’s look was less than friendly as his gaze lifted to Dante’s scar.

‘Bravo,’ Sev said at last, and stood and gave Mimi a burst of applause. ‘Now, I really do have to go.’

‘Not yet!’ Mimi pouted, but thankfully Gio suddenly seemed exhausted and ready for guests to leave.

‘And me.’ Dante stood.

Sev was out in a matter of moments, so it was Dante who bore the brunt of the farewell hugs and kisses, but soon he was up on the walls, chasing his brother down.

‘Sev!’ he called out.

Sev told him to back off, only Dante ignored him.

When he’d caught up, Sev told him to back off again—only rather less politely.

‘No!’ Dante grabbed him. ‘Listen to me. I should never have said what I did. I get it, okay? And I am sorry. But it’s been almost ten years.’