Chapter 131 The Banquet
A zwischenzug is a smart move played in the middle of an expected sequence, throwing off your opponent's calculations.
A zwischenzug is a smart move Mia's anonymous caller decided to play with the little piece of information Mia had provided.
Luciano was in love, thus, it proved his Stony heart had finally found a weakness.
One which wasn't expected in the least bit.
However, just as Luciano thought the rest of the Mafia world didn't know she was with him in Milan, he didn't know Mia was a personal spy to the anonymous caller.
A very good one at that.
The first hand information Mia had given him he was going to stall a little bit before revealing information of that magnitude.
\~~~
"You slept there the whole night?!", Andreas mocked in obvious realization.
A slightly sleepy Luciano simply looked at him and sneered.
"Did you sleep in her bed or she kicked you to the floor?!", Andreas asked one more time as Luciano closed the door behind him.
He did in fact sleep on Isabella's bed after tucking his daughter to sleep.
Wow!
Mafia Don and father of the year!
But, that was only because he insisted on his peace of mind!
How cliche!
We know he only did it to sleep in her bed, just like he did in Umbria.
"We...!", Luciano started, trying to explain how they slept till he thought about it.
"Shit!
Mind your own business!", Luciano said as he headed to his room, his face evidently blushing.
"Well!
This is a first!
Sei rosso come un pomodoro!", Andreas teased as he followed after Luciano.
"Okay fine! I'll stop!
There are more important things anyway!", Andreas said, getting Luciano's attention.
Luciano turned to face Andreas in question, to him, the importance of other things paled in comparison to his beloved and his daughter.
"The banquet!", Andreas said, ringing a bell to Luciano.
"Urghhhh!", Luciano groaned as he had completely forgotten.
"Come with me!", Luciano said as they headed to the bunker which was now a makeshift office space.
Not only was it only an office space, Luciano was about to give directives that would operate the mansion on his short trip.
"I completely forgot!", Luciano's aid as he took a seat.
"I figured!", Andreas answered, especially with everything that had been going on.
"When is it?!", Luciano asked, just wanting it to be over and done already.
"Starts in three days, and then you have to be present the whole week!
You're The Don!
You really can't escape it!", Andreas reminded.
Luciano stared at nothing in particular as Andreas recounted the details and brought up specific invites on the guest list.
"Leave all that aside in the meantime!
We can do that on the jet!
Give me a name...!", Luciano started as he typed something hastily on his keyboard.
"A name for what!?", Andreas asked.
"To oversee the mansion discreetly while we're there!", Luciano answered.
"Why would that be necessary!?", Andreas asked again.
They had never done that in all of the years he'd been here.
"Isabella and my daughter weren't here then!", Luciano simply answered, not really shocking Andreas.
He confirmed one thing from that specific directive, The Don was really in love.
"Fine then!
Marco should be in charge of that!", Andreas recommended.
"Tough guy!", Luciano commented as he placed a face to the name Andreas provided.
"Communicates effectively too.
Where would I be though!?!", Andreas asked.
"You'll be with me, in Venice!", Luciano answered.
"... Among the blood sucking leeches!", Andreas completed in Luciano's words.
"I hate going there!", Luciano admitted.
"Just as I do Don, regardless, you're still The Don and I'm still your assistant!", Andreas said.
They talked for a while as Andreas memorized information he was going to give Mario and Madam Paula later.
"So he's their personal security detail and temporary head of security till we're back?!", Andreas asked one last time.
"Exactly!", Luciano answered.
"How about Isabella!
Are you going to tell her you have to leave?!", Andreas asked Luciano.
He was quiet for a while as he weighed his options.
The man genuinely didn't know how to announce his departure to her, but he had to regardless.
"Yeah!", Luciano simply said.
"I'll be the one to tell her!
But don't mention anything about it till I tell her!", Luciano ordered.
"Yes Don!", Andreas acknowledged.
"What about the suggested betrothals?!", Andreas asked Luciano.
Having managed to escape the last year, Andreas wondered how Luciano was going to put the ladies off.
"I'm not interested!", Luciano answered flatly.
"Well you have to say something concerning it!
They won't stop till you do that!" Andreas said.
"They'll be fine!
I'm simply not interested!", Luciano said.
"Very well!
I'll be upstairs disbursing duties...!", Andreas drawled as he stood up to leave.
"What?!", Luciano asked, seeing that Andreas was looking at him intently.
"You should spend time with her.
Actual time!", Andreas added before he turned to leave.
The banquet brought chills to both individuals, even if Luciano was Don.
A gathering of all the previous Mafia Don's families, the smile plastered on their faces could be easily characterized as fake.
Regardless, the want to kill each other was kept at bay by the formalities of the banquet, as well as the prevention of war between families.
The amount of tension in one week always annoyed Luciano.
The men were opportunity grabbers, some sucking up to him and requesting unprecedented favours.
The mothers are always eager to ship their daughter to his lap all for the attention their family will get, and then the daughters...
They simply annoyed Luciano to the core!
Not only did they try to act coquettish, but they were also spoiled brats that Luciano couldn't stand.
However, his presence was undisputed as he was The Mafia Don of all of Italy after all, thus, he just had to be in attendance.
It was just that, that specific banquet came with surprises of its own.
~~
Translation
Sei rosso come un pomodoro - You're as red as a tomato.
~~
Marco! Just in case you forgot, he was part of the clean up crew following the brief move to the lake house. He suspected Mia's intentions and found a broken tile in Mia's room.