Ma Knows All

Luca stood a good few feet away from Eddie just for good measure as his brother opened the door. He watched as his parents stepped comfortably into the house.

His ma wrapped Marcello in her arms first before turning to Eddie and Luca. She hugged them both in turn before stepping back to look at them.

“Oh, Luciano e Eddison sono insieme!” Mrs. Moretti said excitedly.

“Come fai a saperlo?” Luca asked his mom, looking accusingly at his brother.

“Non l’ho fatto.” Marc raised his hands in surrender.

Eddie stood back and watched the Italian conversation, utterly confused.

“Will someone translate for me?” she asked, and all heads snapped to her. Luca closed the distance between them, once again placing his arms around her waist.

“Ma knows all,” Luca said with a shrug, causing everyone to laugh.

“I am so happy!” Mrs. Moretti said.

“ORA MANGIAMO!” Mr. Moretti said loudly.

“Now we eat,” Luca whispered the translation into Eddie’s ear.

The five of them moved to the dining room and sat down before Luca got the lasagna from the oven. Everyone loaded their plate, and Dante Moretti spoke first.

“To Marcello,” he said, raising his glass of red wine. “My oldest son finally taking his place. Taking over the family business.”

Luca looked from his father to his mother to his brother, but Eddie clapped her hands together happily. Leaning into Marc, she congratulated him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“This is a little sudden, don’t you think?” Luca asked loudly.

“It is the best time,” Dante answered.

“Your father knows best, Luciano.”

“Am I missing something?” Eddie placed a hand on Luca’s thigh. “This a good thing, Luca.”

Eddie smiled at her surrogate family, who smiled back. The five ate their dinner before relaxing in the lounge.

With Christmas only a few days away, Marc had decided to stay in Boston, much to Luca’s disgust. Eddie lay back on Luca’s bed as he got undressed.

“We don’t have to have sex every night, Luciano,” Eddie said with a laugh.

“I know that, but why does he have to stay ~here~?”

“I can hear you!” Marc’s voice traveled through the wall, and Eddie chuckled.

Luca hopped into bed, and Eddie immediately cuddled into his side.

“Why were you so put out before at dinner?” Eddie asked softly.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me, Luca.”

“It is just too big of a job for Marcello.”

“Being CEO? Yeah, I guess, but Marc will—”

“There is more to it than that, Eddie. Our family…”

Luca trailed off, and Eddie moved to look him in the eye.

“What?”

“Taking over from Pa means Marc will be the new leader of the Italian Mob,” Luca said quickly and quietly.

“What?” Eddie gasped. She had been with this family. In their home. She had known them for almost three years. How could she not know? “Why did no one tell me?”

“I’m sorry, Eddie. We should have…we—”

“~You! You ~should have told me. There is no ‘we’ in this, Luciano. ~You~ have been lying to me.” Eddie hopped out of bed, moving quickly toward the door.

“Eddison.”

“No! I can’t even look at you right now.”

“I don’t have to be a part of it, Eddie. If you don’t want me to, then—”

“I don’t care about the ~Mob~, Luca! You lied to me!” Eddie slammed the door behind her and made her way down the hall to her old room.

Eddie eventually fell asleep in her old bed. It had been almost two weeks since she had slept alone, and she definitely didn’t like it.

***

Luca groaned as the light shone through his window in the morning.

He had hardly slept, worried without Eddie by his side. He dragged himself from bed, hoping to find her in the kitchen like normal, everything forgotten. Instead, he was greeted by his brother’s voice.

“Where’s Ed?”

Luca looked around to find Marc making Pop-Tarts for breakfast.

“Are you really going to do it?” Luca asked his brother, ignoring the previous question.

“I don’t have much of a choice. Dad has passed the torch,” Marc replied, and Luca nodded. “I want you to be my vice.”

Luca stiffened.

“I heard your fight with Eddie. I know she is okay with the mob.”

“She isn’t okay with me, though. I have probably ruined things with her.”

“So, you apologize. Things will look up. We agreed that not telling her was best.”

“I lied to her. You know what trust means to her. She will probably never talk to me again.”

“Everything will be okay.”

***

Eddison spent the whole day in her room. On the odd occasion, she would come out, she would find some snacks and go straight back.

While it was true Luca had been part of the lie, Marc thought Eddie was being too hard on his brother.

Luca went to bed early, so Marc took some leftover lasagna to Eddie. He slowly opened her door to find her curled up in her bed. Moving to her side, he laid a hand on her shoulder.

“Luke?” Eddie’s voice was soft and hopeful.

“It’s me, cara.”

“Marc.” Eddie sat up to face him.

“Luca wanted to give you some time.”

“He thinks I hate him,” Eddie said softly.

“Well, yeah.” Marc offered her a smile.

“I was angry, but I actually get why you didn’t tell me.”

“You do?”

“Of course. But I wanted him to come and talk to me.”

“He will, but in the meantime, I bought you some dinner.”

“Thank you…~Don~.”

“Marc is fine, cara.” Marc laughed. “I have asked Luca to be my vice. Are you okay with that?”

“As long as he is happy.” Eddie shrugged.

“Goodnight, Ed.” Marc kissed her forehead, leaving her to her dinner.

Eddie thought about her wild relationship with Luca. The Italian Mob was just the cherry on top of this nutty sundae.