As Francesco and Adele reached their seats next to Costanzo, Piero and the man stopped talking and looked up. Francesco spoke “Father, this is Adele who I told you about”. Then he nudged her with his elbow.”

Adele cleared her throat and spoke “Nice to meet you sir.”

The man next to Piero spoke coldly “Call me Paulo. You are much smaller and more fragile that I expected. I pictured the girl that catches Francesco’s eye to be more healthy.”

Piero laughed “Thank you Paulo. That was my view too. This seems to be the only thing we agree on since you have stepped foot in this ranch. Now sit down both of you.”

Francesco pulled out a chair for Adele and sat down next to her. Francesco was looking at his father with narrowed eyes and was contemplating about what to say back to him for being rude about Adele’s small figure. As he was about to speak, his uncle stopped him with his voice “Now its time for meal time prayers.”

As Piero started praying, Adele noticed how Paulo rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. As Piero finished his prayers and announced it was time to eat Paulo turned to Piero ” Some things never change it seems. Do you also make my sons go to church too every Sunday or you are just satisfied with making them listen to meal time prayers? I don’t think I want my sons to be exposed to such activities. They will turn soft. They would develop a conscious.”

Piero was looking down at his plate spreading butter on his bread. He sighed “Of course. I forgot. you want them to be completely soul-less so when you kill their mother, they wont protest.”

Francesco and Costanzo looked at each other with horror struck eyes. Costanzo turned to his father “Is this true father? You cant do this.”

Adele grabbed Francesco’s hand and squeezed it, trying to keep him calm. She could feel Francesco’s shaking hand. He was in state of shock. Francesco spoke with disbelief “Father, tell us it cant be true. Are you after killing our mother?”

Paulo turned to Piero “The sons I raised would never say a word against my decisions. No more church from today Piero. I don’t care what you do with your Sundays but my sons don’t follow you into no church.”

Costanzo stuttered “Father. You cant do this.”

Francesco roared “Father answer me. Is this true? You are after our mother?” He was trembling visibly now.

Adele was horrified. She wanted to speak comforting words to Francesco and calm his agitated state but she knew she could make things worse by speaking. So she sat like a statue holding Francesco’s hand and hearing the horrific conversation in the room.

Paulo turned to Francesco ” I am not after your mother. I have already caught her. She is in my compound in new York. Apparently your mother had married a police officer and then had told him all she know about us. That officer had entered her into a witness protection program and she was due to testify against me on this very day in court actually. She actually had thought the New York Police were ever going to arrest me or any judge would even let me go to jail where I rule everything. She was living in a safe house or so she thought. My men caught her yesterday but I didn’t get to start to make her pay since, your uncle insisted that I should come to his mansion and make sure of your safety.”

Before Francesco or Costanzo could speak, Piero spoke with a warning in his voice looking at his nephews ” I don’t want to hear any more.” he then turned to Paulo “Look. Why don’t you go outside and smoke a cigarette while we are waiting for the roast lamb to be brought in. My chef had some trouble with his oven earlier so we may get to have that feast abit later. Some fresh air in this countryside can do your brain some good. Maybe you wont be attacking my religious lifestyle so much when you return.”

Paulo laughed menacingly “Of course. You are one to change the subject when I was going to dare my sons to have any come back. You must love your peaceful time at meal times. Don’t worry. i wont attack my sons whilst at your dinner table no matter how outrageous they become.” He then stood up and looked at his sons with pure coldness ” You will answer to me after dinner for daring to question me.” He then walked away from the dinner table and grabbed a Cuban cigar from the tea table in the middle of the room and walked out.

Costanzo turned to Francesco “Do something. Go after him. He listens to you. Convince him to not touch our mother.”

Francesco was looking horrified. He stood up but his uncle spoke firmly “Sit your backside down now. Its all under my control. Your mother would live unless you ruin my plans somehow by infuriating your father and making him return to his home to early and finish the job sooner.”

Francesco was looking at his uncle with his mouth open. Piero sighed “Sit down and I will explain.” To Adele’s surprise Francesco complied and sat down silently. It seemed that Francesco knew there was nothing he could do to solve this horrific situation.

Piero spoke calmly “Why do you think your father is here in the first place? I am on your side boys. Your father contacted me about a month ago and asked me to send him my best men to help search for his wife and locating her since his spies in the police force had reported to him there was witness with the same name as your mother was coming forward to testify against him. My men returned last night and told me they had succeeded. Then I phoned your father and invited him here. I am trying to keep him here as long as possible until I put together a descent plan to rescue your mother.”

Francesco spoke with gritted teeth “I don’t believe you. I don’t trust you. Why do you care about our mother or what happens to her? This must be part of a sick game by you for your entertainment.”

Piero sighed and shook his head “You are right. I don’t care for your mother. I care for my wife who happens to be your mother’s sister.”

Costanzo, Francesco and Adele were looking at each other with shocked expressions after hearing this revelation. Adele whispered “Impossible.” But none of them dared say another word. They were now paying full attention to Piero listening to him intently.

Piero drank some wine from his glass and continued “I cant let Paulo kill the one woman that has the same blood that runs in my wife’s veins. Costanzo and Francesco, look here, I am nothing like your father. I don’t blame the failure of my marriage on my wife. I blame myself. It was me who drove my wife to the point that she fell out of love with me and ran away from me. But of course your father doesn’t see it that way when he thinks of his messy divorce. To him, your mother is the villain who deserves to pay for her sins.”

Francesco was speaking with a painful tone that made Adele’s heart break “I cant believe our mother would make herself vulnerable like this. My father would be not happy with anything but her blood now that she has gone to the police. He is going to kill her.”

Costanzo spoke with a trembling voice “Its impossible to stop our father. What are we going to do?”

Piero spoke “Now that whole story about the witness protection program and your mother going to police is irrelevant. We all know that Rosarios are untouchable. No one can bring down the criminal organiation of your father. No judge would have dared. She would have probably been dismissed as insane or mentally ill by that judge of that court that was due to happen today. Your father is just giving you excuses that he is killing your mother for this. Your father knows that your mother didn’t betray him this way by choice. Her new abusive husband or rather her ex-husband forced her to do it. He is dead by the way. Your father tortured and killed him yesterday in front of your mother the minute your mother and him were brought to your father. He was in a hurry to kill him since he was worthless to him. But of course your father would be taking his time torturing and killing her slowly. She is right now locked up in a dark cell with no light and windows in your fathers cellar. its not too late to rescue her. I will rescue her but I need time.”

Francesco spoke “I don’t trust you uncle. I don’t believe you would risk a mob war with my father by attempting to rescue my mother. Either, you must have another motivation for doing this or you are trying to raise my hopes and Costanzo’s hopes up by pretending to help us and then crush it down when our mother is killed.”

Costanzo gasped “Francesco. Don’t speak to uncle this way. He is our only hope right now. Don’t make him change his mind.”

Piero spoke ” I am not trying to trick you Francesco and your brother. Trust me on this. I will help save your mother. I would use all my power and resources to make sure she lives. But ........ of course I have other motivations to rescue your mother. Her being my wife’s sister is not the only reason I am going to send my men on a risky mission such as breaking into your father’s mansion in New York. You will find out soon why I am risking a mob war. Now enough with the questions. Your father would return any minute now. You will act apologetic when he arrives back. Try to convince him to stay in this mansion longer. My plan cant work if he leaves tomorrow. I need time to plan a successful rescue. Costanzo and Francesco, try hard to make your father stay here for longer as though your life depends on it. I have no idea how long your mother would live after your father returns to his mansion.”