Chapter 44

"Are you ready?" Romano asked Eliza quietly a few hours later. They were both in his huge study where Romano had set up the computer and camera for the video conference. No simple webcam and computer screen for Romano, he had a proper video camera with a large television screen set up.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." Eliza nodded nervously, and Romano led her to a large, comfortable sofa that was facing the camera. He made sure she was sitting comfortably before kneeling in front of her unexpectedly.

"I'm really sorry about earlier," Romano said softly, his dark eyes piercing as they stared intently into hers. "Being around you is a curiously humbling experience. I do not believe I have ever apologized this much to one person in my entire life before. I always seem to be getting it wrong with you."

"You're under a lot of emotional strain at the moment, Romano, and I know that I probably wasn't making it any easier on you. Please just forget about it." Romano sighed deeply before nodding and dripping a kiss on her knee before standing up and sitting down next to her.

Romano picked up a small remote control from the coffee table in front of them and started up the camera, pointing toward the blinking red light. 

An image of an elderly couple suddenly filled the previously blank screen of the big television to the left of the camera.

Broad smiles suddenly lit up their faces and they both started chattering at the same time. 

Eliza knew that they were Romano’s parents from the pictures he had seen in his study. His father looked a lot frailer and more tired than the robust man in the photographs, though, and Eliza could see from the sallow skin and sunken eyes how very ill the older man was.

Romano was smiling warmly as his parents continued to chatter, before he finally raised a hand and they reluctantly fell silent. He said something to them in Italian, before indicating Eliza, who sat with a frozen smile on her face. 

Eliza wasn't sure what to do or what to say; she wasn't even sure if they spoke English.

"Mama, papa...I know this has been a long time in coming," Romano said, in heavily accented English. "But this is Eliza...mia moglie." (Trans: My wife)

"Piacevole per incontrarli," Eliza murmured haltingly, not sure if she had said it right or if they even understood her, but the smile Romano directed down at her was filled with so much overwhelming pride and tenderness that Eliza felt bathed in its warmth.

Romano entwined the long, lean fingers of one hand with Eliza’s, but she didn't understand why he felt the need to make the gesture when their hands were out of the camera's sight.

"I'm pleased to meet you," Eliza repeated in English, in case the couple hadn't understood her, which seemed likely if their baffled expressions were anything to go by. 

His mother's lips pursed in what looked like disapproval but his father's smile broadened and he said something in rapid- fire Italian that Eliza didn't stand a chance of understanding.

"My father says that you are truly beautiful," Romano translated for her. "And that he is very happy to finally meet you." Eliza’s eyes flooded with tears and she nodded slightly.

"Thank you...grazie." Eliza smiled warmly at the fragile-looking old man, and he looked delighted by it. He once again said something in high-speed Italian, and Romano chuckled before responding in an amused voice. It was obvious that they were talking about Eliza, and she turned to him, waiting for the translation.

When it didn't look like it was forthcoming, Eliza prodded Romano with a nudge from her shoulder, and Romano grinned before saying something in a wry voice to his mother and father before turning to Eliza with that same warm humor in his eyes.

"My father says that while you look as sweet as an angel he does not imagine that a woman with your red hair can be easy to live with. He believes that the angelic exterior must hide a fiery temper."

"Oh?" Eliza asked in a deceptively calm voice, even while she narrowed her eyes at Romano.

"And what did you say?"

"I told him that he definitely knows people a lot better than I do because when I married you I thought that the angel was all there was, until I provoked the fiery little devil into showing herself, to my detriment."

"Devil?" Eliza asked in a highly offended voice and both Romano and his father chuckled simultaneously.

"Easy, cara." Romano lifted his free hand in a gesture of surrender, and his father burst into warm, genuine laughter, the sound so happy and carefree that for an instant everyone, including his wife, stared at him with huge smiles.

The older man brought his laughter under control and said something in Italian, which seemed to be aimed at Eliza. 

He looked at Romano for a translation, and he hesitated for a millisecond before clearing his throat and turning back towards Eliza.

"My father says that it's great to see me with a person who isn't intimidated by me and who can give as good as she gets. He thinks we will have strong sons and daughters." Romano cleared his throat before continuing, even though the huskiness persisted.

"He is honored to call you his daughter and is proud that his son's children will come from a worthy person like you."

"Oh..." Eliza whispered, her hand going up to cover her mouth, and her eyes flooding with tears. 

"Oh God."

"Cara." Romano’s soft voice in her ear pleaded with her to keep it together and she nodded, closing her eyes briefly to keep her surging emotions under control, before bracing herself and opening her eyes to meet the wise, old eyes of a man who was halfway across the world.

"Thank you," Eliza told him again. "You are so very kind to say that. I am equally proud to know that my child comes from a strong family such as yours. I look forward to the day my son will meet you, sir."

"Or daughter," Romano inserted smoothly, before translating what Eliza had said to the beaming older man."

"You are...lovely girl. I sorry for all trouble," the man suddenly said in broken but understandable English, and Eliza’s lips trembled with emotion. 

"You make my boy happy. I see this...grazie. I so worry...but I see now, he very happy with you. Very much love here. I see."

Eliza couldn't respond to that with much more than a nod and another emotional grazie, overwhelmed by the perception that had allowed the sick old man to see how much she loved his son.

Romano and his father were now having a solemn conversation, and the older man started pausing more and more frequently, seeming to lose track of his thoughts more and more until his wife stepped in and called a halt to the conversation.

"Mama says he is tired and needs to take his medication and rest," Romano whispered to Eliza, as they watched the older man protest before allowing himself to be wheeled, for he was in a wheelchair, out of the room with a few last farewells to Eliza and Romano.

Romano’s hand was squeezing Eliza’s so hard that it stopped the blood flow into her fingers, but Eliza didn't protest, knowing that Romano was probably wondering if it would be the last time he would ever see or speak to his father.

They watched in silence as the door closed behind his mother's elegant form before they became aware of the fact that another person was in the room on screen. 

A wizened old woman suddenly plonked herself into the seat Romano’s mother had just vacated, and Romano’s entire face lit up.

"Nonna!" Romano greeted with warm enthusiasm and turned to Eliza, who had already gleaned who the little old lady was. Eliza was tentatively starting to smile, when the woman launched into speech, her voice low and furious.

Whatever she was saying wiped the smile off Romano’s face in seconds, and Eliza watched as Romano’s eyes darkened in fury and his lips tightened in an expression Eliza was more than a little familiar with.

Romano released Eliza’s hand and hissed something equally dire sounding back at his grandmother, who gasped in horror before launching into an even angrier-seeming tirade.

By this time two younger women, whom Eliza recognized as Romano’s sisters, had stepped into the room and upon hearing whatever it was their grandmother had said added their own two cents' worth until there was nothing but unintelligible squawks coming from the speakers. 

Suddenly the old woman's words turned to English, and her furious eyes seemed trained on Eliza.

"You make my family miserable! You take my grandson and keep him away from his family, keep him away from his dying father. You nothing but selfish. Why you want a man who no love you? No pride...you no pride. He will love a good woman, he no love you!"

Eliza gasped in horror and raised her hands to her mouth, defenseless against the hatred she saw burning in the old woman's eyes. Her eyes flooded with tears, and Romano swore shakily before saying something soft and dangerous sounding to the three women on the other end of the camera, but Eliza had blocked them all out and was struggling to her feet, ignoring Romano’s desperate protest.

Eliza was out the door and halfway up the stairs before Romano caught up with her.