Bound by the Past (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles 7)

I stood and held out my hand. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs and practice at the piano. I’ll help you.”

Anna set down her crayon, took my hand and followed me outside. Dante wanted our kids to learn a musical instrument, like he and his sisters had done. He considered it a lesson in perseverance and patience. I’d learned to play the piano when I was a girl too, but hadn’t played in years until Anna had started taking lessons a little over a year ago.

The beautiful Steinway piano stood in the center of the library and seeing it always made my heart sing. Anna and I sat beside each other. I wasn’t a very good musician and like Anna, piano lessons had always meant duty not joy. Still I tried to make our piano time a fun adventure for my girl, so she’d maybe discover her love for the beautiful instrument soon. We played a few fun melodies before we started to practice the song her piano teacher had given her as homework.

“Mommy, will daddy be sad if I don’t play the piano?” Anna asked softly.

I paused. “No. But he loves listening to you play. And it’s like learning to write or to count. One day it won’t be difficult anymore and you can just do it without thinking about it.”

Anna considered that then nodded. “Luisa is really good at playing the piano. Much better than me.” I could hear a hint of jealousy. Anna wanted to be the best at everything she did.

“Luisa loves the piano, like you love art. You are the artist, and Luisa is the musician. Everyone’s good at something. That’s wonderful, don’t you think?”

Anna tilted her head and smiled. “Yeah.”

The bell rang. “Wait here. I’ll get the door.”

Anna kept playing as I walked out of the library and toward the front door. Gabby had already opened it and Luisa and Bibi entered. I stroked Luisa’s head. “Why don’t you go ahead to the library?”

She nodded excitedly and dashed off, her dark pigtails bobbing.

I grinned at Bibi. “You look radiant. Dario’s a magician.”

Bibi turned red.

I laughed. “That makes you blush already? He must be even better than I thought.”

“Val,” Bibi said, giggling.

We didn’t get the chance to continue our conversation because the bell rang again. “On time as always,” I said as the piano teacher Mrs. Gatti, the wife of one of Dante’s soldiers, stepped in. After a small curtsey, which she refused to forgo despite my begging, she headed straight for the library to teach Luisa and Anna.

I led Bibi into the living room for our bi-weekly macarons time. We sank down on the sofa. “Have you thought about the homeschooling?”

Bibi nodded. “Yes. I’d like Luisa and Anna to be taught together.”

“Perfect. I’ll arrange everything.” Dante wanted Anna to be homeschooled until she was ten or twelve because the current situation worried him and I wanted Anna to have her friend at her side. Being around adults all the time wasn’t good for a child her age.

Bibi looked at me as if she was holding something back. I knew her secretive expression. She really wasn’t good at keeping things from me.

“What is it? Are things not going well with Dario?” I couldn’t imagine it being the case. They appeared happy on the outside but I knew sometimes appearances could be deceiving. Still, Bibi would have told me if something was the matter.

“I wanted to wait a bit longer to tell you, but…”

“You’re pregnant!” I said.

Her lips fell open then she nodded. “Only nine weeks along.”

I wrapped my arms around her. “Oh, Bibi, I’m so happy for you and Dario.”

Dario didn’t have children yet, and Bibi wanted more so I had expected Bibi to become pregnant.

We chatted for more than an hour. Anna and Luisa had gone up to play after their lesson and we used the time for us.

But when Dante stepped into the living room with a forced calm expression, words died in my throat. Something in his eyes set off my alarm bells.

“Good afternoon, Bibiana.”

Bibi got up and glanced at her watch. “I should be going. It’s already late.” It wasn’t later than usual but I appreciated her consideration. I accompanied her to the door. “Anna! Luisa!”

Both girls came down a few minutes later. After a short goodbye, Luisa and Bibi left. Dante held Anna in his arms, listening to her recount of today’s piano lesson. I could tell his mind was far away even as he tried to give Anna his full attention. I walked up to them. Leonas was still down for his nap but he too would be awake soon. I searched Dante’s eyes, wondering what was wrong, but he gave a tight smile. “Let’s have dinner at our favorite place.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I want us to have a family night out. We can talk later.”