41.family dinner
There was palpable tension in the Moretti family home. At the twelve-seater table, every chair was occupied. Giovanni Moretti sat at the head, with Marco Moretti right next to him. I was seated beside Marco. Opposite us sat Antonio Moretti, who had wounded Marco on our wedding day. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and it felt as if something could explode at any moment.
Despite the weight in the air, Emma's smile managed to warm my heart slightly. The faces of the other family members were crunched up, displaying ambiguous expressions. Everyone was waiting for the meal to begin, and not a word was uttered. Why was I even here? As I glanced at Marco seated beside me, I felt a tinge of anger for dragging me into this challenging situation once more. However, there was also a sense of relief that he was by my side.
I could feel the electricity between Marco and Antonio's lethal glares. To calm him down, I subtly placed my hand on Marco's knee under the table. He jerked in surprise but quickly turned his gaze to me. His eyes showed a mix of rage and perhaps a touch of relief.
"Stay calm," I whispered, looking deep into his eyes. As his shoulders relaxed, he placed his hand over mine, gently caressing my palm.
This slight touch managed to somewhat alleviate the tension between us.
Whispers began to circulate around the table. Emma, with her joy mixed with apprehension, bowed her head. A few glances shifted from Antonio to Marco. Not much time had passed since the incident that heightened the atmosphere, but everyone knew that this dinner was a turning point for the entire Moretti family.
Giovanni Moretti shot both his sons a stern look. “Stop looking at each other as if you want to kill one another,” he commanded, his heavy Italian accent somewhat grating to my ears.
Antonio pursed his lips, nodding begrudgingly. “Are you expecting me to happily dine with someone I don't accept as my brother, father?”
“Do I care about your acceptance? Marco is my son, and his place is at this table. When I die, he will take my chair. Marco and his wife are members of this family. You will all act accordingly.”
Marco, sitting right beside me, straightened up a bit more after hearing his father's words, a slight relief evident on his face. I could almost physically feel the tension between the two brothers.
Hoping to change the subject and escape the tension, Emma chimed in, "Where are you planning to go for your honeymoon?" The slight quiver in her voice revealed how hard it was for her to initiate this conversation.
From the other end of the table, elderly Aunt Clara gently suggested, “I think we should all spend time together at a beautiful summer house. We need to do something to bring this family closer.”
Spend our honeymoon at a summer house together? Looking at the woman, I tried to gauge if she was serious, and she certainly seemed to be.
“We will spend our honeymoon alone, Aunt Clara,” Marco retorted in a tense voice. As all eyes turned to Marco and me, the foolish woman spoke up again.
“I thought you already had your honeymoon, dear nephew. Given that Sofia managed to get pregnant before the wedding…” She trailed off without completing her sentence.
The words fell like a bomb, and all eyes turned to me.
I could feel a burning sensation on my face. The sudden realization that everyone was staring at me, especially amidst such a revelation, was quite discomforting. I felt the need to defend myself but at the same time, I was also astonished by how openly Clara could make this revelation.
Marco's face had turned red, his eyes filled with anger. “You have no right to comment on this matter, Aunt Clara. This is the life of Sofia and me. And most importantly, you certainly have no right to discuss these kinds of personal matters at the table,” he said in a stern voice.
“You may have joined this family later, but you should be aware of our family rules, Marco.” Marco clenched his eyes shut with rage. When he opened them, he could have killed witch Clara with his gaze alone.
Clara blinked at the intensity of Marco's fierce glare but retorted defiantly, "You should know that the values and rules of our family have been a staple in these lands for years. Sofia's situation affects this family too," she said with a mocking smile. Really? Since when was our bedroom under everyone's scrutiny?
It was evident that Marco was struggling to contain his anger. "Aunt Clara, only Sofia and I know about what transpires between us, how and when. No one sitting around this table can judge us."
“Are you sure the child is yours?” With her last question, the atmosphere turned icy. Marco let out a furious laugh.
“Do I look like someone easily trampled upon, or someone who would let anyone belittle my wife? By what right can you or anyone question me or my wife like this? Who gave you this right? Absolutely no one, and that includes my father,” he said, turning to Giovanni Moretti.
“No one can comment or ask about my relationship with my wife.”
"Marco, if you're going to address such a sensitive matter, you must maintain a level of respect. Even within a family, no one can be disrespectful," Giovanni Moretti stated.
Marco took a deep breath. "Respect is a two-way street, father. And respect also includes the privacy of one's personal life. If we are to discuss something that happens between Sofia and me, it will remain just between Sofia and me. I'll be accountable for my actions, but never about my personal life. Sofia is my wife, and that child is my daughter." Marco stood up. I stood up with him, our hands still intertwined.
“No one can question this, not even you. I won’t allow it,” he said, pulling me by the hand as we headed out. As we exited, I held Marco's hand to halt him.
He turned to me, his eyes still fiery with anger.
“Why did you stop me? If you want to stay, I can leave you with these cannibals,” he said. Although I was taken aback by his referring to his own family as "cannibals," I tried to stifle my laughter.