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“Yeah, he said that.”
“You’ve met with him?”
I nodded. “I bought out Pina’s debt.”
He poured himself another drink. “I’m not sure what you got yourself dragged into, little brother. What if the kid isn’t yours?”
That made me stand up. “She was a virgin. I’m the only man Pina has been with it.” I said, forcing every word out. “Look, Giovani, I don’t expect you to throw a party because I finally fucked up and got a woman pregnant. I’m not asking you to take Pina in because she ismyresponsibility—the mother ofmychild—but just remember she’s mine. Don’t insult her.”
“Easy.” He growled. “I have nothing against Pina, never had. She came to me to ask for help when her parents were about to skip town so Salvatore wouldn’t have their heads. Pina asked for help and I offered it, but she ended up leaving with her family.”
“I didn’t know that.” She left because I told her to go to hell two minutes after I came inside her. It was my fault.
“She had nothing to do with the bullshit Ariana spewed around, but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s only nineteen years old. Neither of you are ready for children.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” I was four years away from turning thirty and nowhere near ready to become a father, but it was decided for me. “Still, we’re going to have one in seven months.”
“With Pina. Tell me something, why her? Does it make you feel like you’re getting back at Father somehow?”
“No.” I shook my head rigorously. “This has nothing to do with him. She just… she… she’s my calm.”
“What?”
“She calms me down. If you meant it when you said you want me to find my place and settle down, then you’d better hope Pina sticks with me because she’s the only thing that can clear my mind.”
Giovani gave me a long, slow nod.
“Come here.” He said while pulling another glass out and filling it with amber liquid. “I’m proud of you little brother.”
“Because I was stupid enough to forget the condom?”
“You stepped up. You fucked up and now you’re cleaning your mess. A lesser man would have pushed her through the doors of an abortion clinic with a couple hundred euros in her pocket and left.”
“She’s mine. It’s my child.” The suggestion angered me.
“It’s your child. A Caputo child.” He grabbed my shoulder. “I’m proud of you.” Only now his words got to me. I respected Giovani, I looked up to him, and hearing that? It struck a chord I didn’t even knew I had and for the first time in years I felt the gap between me and my brother slightly narrowing.
“Grazie26. ” I cleared my throat, feeling uncomfortable. “Were you ready when Victoria was born?”
Giovani’s laugh filled the room. “No. You’re never ready for children, but all the fear you feel now will be forgotten the moment you see your kid. How far along is Pina?”
“Only a few weeks. She was admitted to the hospital last week and we found out by accident.”
“Does Grazia knows?”
“No.” I tensed. “I haven’t even told her I know where Pina is.”
“You should get ready for that conversation. She’s been looking for her friend for months. I think you’re on your way to becoming her favorite brother for bringing Pina back to Palermo.”
“Oh yeah?” I smirked and gulped some of the bourbon. “What do I get for being the one who sent her away in the first place?”
“What does that mean?”
“I saw Pina before she left. She was trying to see Grazia while she was still in the coma. I didn’t take that very well.”
Giovani looked at me calmly. “You did something stupid.”
“I told her to go away.” I said, angry with myself. “Father was dead, but I still felt like he was poisoning our lives. I wanted every memory of him gone and Pina… she’s a Bernoulli. I’ve been a dick to her.”
