Honest

fifty

Desiree

"And then he said well, if we have another baby, I'm selling it on the black market! That damned man. He's a pathological liar, that's what he is."

My mother-in-law is...a lot. But she's sweet.

I'm glad she's not opposed to my Prince and I getting married.

It would've been shame for him to live without the mother he lived so much.

Thankfully she on board. I meet his mother's and Aunt.

"Is my son treating you well?"

I smile with a nod. "He's my prince." I think back to ask he's done for me.

"He cooks for me," I think about the woman who shall not be named, "He helps me take it the trash. He's kind and considerate. You did an excellent job raising him!"

She smiles softly. "I did my best. But...I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

She looks at me. "At the person deep inside of him. He has the worst of his father and I, and even though he's good boy..."

I smile. "Don't worry. It's nothing I can't handle."

She gives me a strange look. "Well... That's... Comforting."

My husband's mother is an observant lady.

"Shall we meet back up with the men," I suggest.

She nods slowly, passing a glance at Savannah. "Sure!"

We walk back into the kitchen where the men are cooking.

We all pair off, talking and laughing. It's a nice atmosphere. Giuseppe keeps his arm around my waist, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"How are you, little one?"

I smile. "Just fine." He examines my face, nodding.

"Good."

Soon enough the food is cooked and we all sit down at the table. Uncle Luciano prays breifly, and we all begin to eat.

"So, Desiree, was it," Uncle Luciano addresses me.

I nod. "Yes?"

"What do you do?"

"I run the Eses."

Everyone freezes. "That's nice," Aunt Savannah smiles, making Uncle Lucy nod.

"Very nice. I heard you all were into cyber crimes now."

I nod. "Yes, I expanded our knowledge toward hacking and cyber currency, since there is an abundant usage of it, these days."

Giuseppe's father nods in approval. "Like Capone in the prohibition, you make you use of what the people want most. This is a smart woman, son."

He smiles. "She is."

"So you will be keeping the families separate?" Aunt asks.

I look at him. We hadn't talked about that.

"We're still figuring it out," Giuseppe

explains looking at me. I nod.

"Right now, we're focusing on the wedding."

Multiple people choked. "Wedding! So soon?"

"Are you pregnant?"

"In the middle of an extensive war, and need to use your name for protection?"

"In prison and need to...the same thing Luciano said."

"Pregnant?"

We laugh. "We're in love." I gaze at him, my prince.

"I want to belong to him in everyway."

He gazes back at me. "And I want to be hers in every way."

"Is it just me or is this a little too good to be true," Luciano whispers.

Aunt knocks him under the table.

"Well that's wonderful. Will your wedding be before or after Levi's?"

"Well we were going to plan the wedding for about a month from now. We wanted to dispel any bad feelings between the families, before Levi and Salone get married," I explain.

"And people are far less likely to attack our wedding then theirs," Giuseppe finishes.

"So you're in love, with no deceitful or extenuating circumstances surrounding your marriage," Niccoló sums up.

"Huh. That's not like the Vitale at all. We've been kidnaping women for about ten generations."

Manon snacks Niccoló. Savannah slaps Luciano.

"Ohi!"

"Ow!"

I smile. "I hope one day we'll be as happy as you are."

Giuseppe kisses my head.

But mother in law stares at me distrustfully.

I smile at her.

No one will take my Prince away. Not even his mother.