74. Family Ties & Weddings (Part 5)-3

Francesco spoke " I believe my eyes would only be seeing Adele no matter what happens at the wedding. My father or my uncle won't ruin my wedding....My family wants to close the door to the past by this peace offering that has been happening in the past week. They don't see that peace does not come like this. My peace comes with Adele. Ever since she has come back to me, I don't see nightmares of my past often. I see some bad dreams about the future some nights but the past is leaving me. I will make a good life with Adele. I know I will. So by shaking hands and sharing bread on a dinner table, no peace comes. But my woman is all I need for my peace. I don't think anyone else sees it that way. The Don thinks he is helping the tensions going low by letting me talk it out with my father. He has no idea, holding Adele in my arms is all I need to bring me peace and make me think of my future and blank out the past." O'Neil spoke "But not helping you to forget the past?" Francesco spoke "I don't want to forget. But I don't want to re-live the past in my nightmares. However,  I do not mind remembering the dark past and especially how much I have been hating my father. I will make sure I will remember my hate towards my father so I won't ever make my children hate me. The day my child looks at me like how I look at my father, then I will know I have failed as a parent." O'Neil spoke "I can see that... You are already thinking of babies. You are serious about concentrating on the future. Aren't you?... Have you thought of your grandchildren perhaps too? ..... Some O'Neil blood can be of some benefit. It would get rid of the crazy genes you people have." Francesco spoke "No, I haven't thought of grand children.... If you think that my blood will ever mix with yours, think again." Francesco never figured out O'Neil fully. He was complex as a character. He was a double edged sword who was reliable as a man of war and in diplomacy. The contrast in his character was matching to the crime life they were leading. He was a dangerous rival and enemy but a loyal friend. Emanuelle O'Neil didn't have many non-Irish allies but the ones he had, he was willing to die for including Francesco. O'Neil's marriage to Sancia had made him even more powerful. The Giovannis were quite powerful and O'Neil could turn into a dangerous enemy if their alliance ever broke down for any reason. O'Neil gave Francesco a knowing smile " Why not? Some O'Neil genes can make your bloodline more rational. Don't you think? Some O'Neil juniors running around would brighten up your day. You would be Papa Rosario...." Francesco sighed "You have a vivid imagination." He then got up "We must get back." O'Neil nodded and walked alongside him towards the mansion. O'Neil asked "Where are you going now?" Francesco stated "To go see my mother." O'Neil spoke "What for?" Francesco shrugged "To tell her my goodbyes. I am leaving in the morning. I want to ask her one last time if she wants to come to New York with Adele and I. I told her she is welcome to live in New York with us but my father isn't. She said she won't go any where without my father. She said she was born here and will die here. But I have to try one last time." O'Neil spoke sadly "You know if I was in your position I would have attacked. How can you hold yourself back? I think Adele is changing your perspective. Isn't she? With the pace you are going, I am pretty sure, you would be coming here for thanksgivings in a few year's time if that is what Adele would want.... Come on Francesco. Let me get rid of your father and uncle for you for today. I can ask Angelo to slip some sleeping drugs here and there to make sure they don't ruin your day...." Francesco spoke "No. My mother won't come to my wedding unless my father does. I want her there. The key reason for Adele wanting this wedding to take place in Sicily is for my mother to attend. I must accept that my father never goes away. The Don is on his side." O'Neil whispered "Your father does not deserve to be in your life any more. I don't know how you show so much self restraint. All you have to do is ask and I will get my allies here. We can attack. We can kill your father." Francesco stated "No." O'Neil spoke "So you are just leaving your parents here to live a happy life?" Francesco nodded "I gave my mother the choice to come with me. She said no. I will try one last time and will ask her." O'Neil spoke "She can't be staying here. Why don't you get her out?..." Francesco spoke " I explained to her that I would gladly rescue her from here. All security has focused on my father mostly  and not much concentration is on her. I can get her out and she won't have to come back. I told her the option to come with me but she is staying. It pains me to think about that she would not be in my life again and she won't see my family in New York. I want her to be a part of it. But she has picked my father's side. She won't leave his side and the Don's protection zone. It is all a complex family matter..." O'Neil spoke "What does Adele think about all this? Don't tell me she says forgive and forget the past? Does she insist that you make peace?..." Francesco spoke "That is what she wants and what she always would want..... But don't worry yourself about my father today. Worry about the ring today. Don't lose it."