responsibility. Renaldo was more like a personal errand boy to the women, and a baby watcher for the kids.
She felt sorry for him, but safe whenever he was around. She could never tell if the demotion mattered. Kyra confided in her that it did. That Renaldo worked constantly to regain Giovanni’s favor. But he was either ignored or dismissed for the effort. Even still, when it came to his responsibilities, he took every assignment given to him with the utmost seriousness. At that moment Renaldo could give a shit about her friend’s arrival. He watched Marietta like a hawk. No danger present or unseen would come near.
“Marietta!” A voice shouted from above.
Shae rode down the escalator with a wide grin. She waved hard with her free hand. On her other arm was her large designer carry-on bag. Of course her friend stood out. She bounced in high heels. She wore flashy large gold earrings and bracelets, with the tightest fitted jeans a girl with her curves could squeeze into. Underneath her blazer Shae wore a white cut-off shirt that said ‘Rock Steady’ and revealed her navel piercing. A few men riding in front of her turned their heads and stared with appreciation. Shae was fierce. Her hair was cut in an asymmetrical bob with a long swoop of pink streaked across the left bang that hung to her nose concealing the side of her face.
It would be so much fun having her in Italy. Marietta glanced to Renaldo who was staring at Shae as well. Her girl had an immediate effect on men. Of course with Renaldo she couldn’t tell if he’d noticed her flare, or just wanted to put her in his sights for protection. And though Marietta appreciated Shae’s style, she’d have to ask her tone it down with the Battaglias. Shae may be a gem, but she was by no means the caliber of class Marietta had adapted as Lorenzo’s wife and Mirabella’s sister.
“That’s her,” Marietta grinned. She started off toward her.
“Oh my God! Look at you! Damn girl!” Shae rushed her from the final step. She bumped a woman and her child to do so. She dropped her carry-on bag and grabbed Marietta. They hugged, screaming and laughing.
“I have missed you, bitch!” Shae shouted to the entire airport.
Marietta hugged her back. “Girl! You have no idea how much I have missed you.”
“Come on let’s get your luggage,” Marietta said. Renaldo reached down and picked up Shae’s dropped bag. It was then her friend noticed him.
“Hold up. Who is he?” Shae asked.
“Huh? Oh! That’s Renaldo. He works for my husband,” Marietta told her.
“Mmmm…hi there, baby!” Shae grinned up at him.
Renaldo stared at her. Marietta shook her head. “Don’t go there. In fact we need to talk.” She hooked her arm in Shae’s and forced her to turn and walk toward the luggage depot. Her friend smelled like berry scented lotion and expensive perfume. “I told you who I married. How things are here in Italy.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know how those Italians in the ‘Chi’ roll.” Shae grinned. “But girl they don’t come like that. Most of them Italians are short with big bellies and receding hairlines.” She smacked her gum, and shot Renaldo a sexy wink from her over shoulder.
“These men aren’t like the Italians at home. They’re Sicilian, and even the short ones are different than the men from home. My husband… well he’s different. Shae, you have to respect them. Don’t come out of the mouth all crazy. Okay? You said you could do this.”
“Alright!” Shae shrugged her off. “What’s with the attitude? You think I can’t hang with your fancy life? Girl, please. I was the one that taught you how to tone it down with your crazy ass.” Shae then took a long sideways look at Marietta. The white linen sundress that tied around the neck and flared at the hips was a Mirabella original, and her strappy sandals were from Gucci. She didn’t have time to do anything with her hair so she let it air dry with big loose curls after the shower.
She felt sorry for him, but safe whenever he was around. She could never tell if the demotion mattered. Kyra confided in her that it did. That Renaldo worked constantly to regain Giovanni’s favor. But he was either ignored or dismissed for the effort. Even still, when it came to his responsibilities, he took every assignment given to him with the utmost seriousness. At that moment Renaldo could give a shit about her friend’s arrival. He watched Marietta like a hawk. No danger present or unseen would come near.
“Marietta!” A voice shouted from above.
Shae rode down the escalator with a wide grin. She waved hard with her free hand. On her other arm was her large designer carry-on bag. Of course her friend stood out. She bounced in high heels. She wore flashy large gold earrings and bracelets, with the tightest fitted jeans a girl with her curves could squeeze into. Underneath her blazer Shae wore a white cut-off shirt that said ‘Rock Steady’ and revealed her navel piercing. A few men riding in front of her turned their heads and stared with appreciation. Shae was fierce. Her hair was cut in an asymmetrical bob with a long swoop of pink streaked across the left bang that hung to her nose concealing the side of her face.
It would be so much fun having her in Italy. Marietta glanced to Renaldo who was staring at Shae as well. Her girl had an immediate effect on men. Of course with Renaldo she couldn’t tell if he’d noticed her flare, or just wanted to put her in his sights for protection. And though Marietta appreciated Shae’s style, she’d have to ask her tone it down with the Battaglias. Shae may be a gem, but she was by no means the caliber of class Marietta had adapted as Lorenzo’s wife and Mirabella’s sister.
“That’s her,” Marietta grinned. She started off toward her.
“Oh my God! Look at you! Damn girl!” Shae rushed her from the final step. She bumped a woman and her child to do so. She dropped her carry-on bag and grabbed Marietta. They hugged, screaming and laughing.
“I have missed you, bitch!” Shae shouted to the entire airport.
Marietta hugged her back. “Girl! You have no idea how much I have missed you.”
“Come on let’s get your luggage,” Marietta said. Renaldo reached down and picked up Shae’s dropped bag. It was then her friend noticed him.
“Hold up. Who is he?” Shae asked.
“Huh? Oh! That’s Renaldo. He works for my husband,” Marietta told her.
“Mmmm…hi there, baby!” Shae grinned up at him.
Renaldo stared at her. Marietta shook her head. “Don’t go there. In fact we need to talk.” She hooked her arm in Shae’s and forced her to turn and walk toward the luggage depot. Her friend smelled like berry scented lotion and expensive perfume. “I told you who I married. How things are here in Italy.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know how those Italians in the ‘Chi’ roll.” Shae grinned. “But girl they don’t come like that. Most of them Italians are short with big bellies and receding hairlines.” She smacked her gum, and shot Renaldo a sexy wink from her over shoulder.
“These men aren’t like the Italians at home. They’re Sicilian, and even the short ones are different than the men from home. My husband… well he’s different. Shae, you have to respect them. Don’t come out of the mouth all crazy. Okay? You said you could do this.”
“Alright!” Shae shrugged her off. “What’s with the attitude? You think I can’t hang with your fancy life? Girl, please. I was the one that taught you how to tone it down with your crazy ass.” Shae then took a long sideways look at Marietta. The white linen sundress that tied around the neck and flared at the hips was a Mirabella original, and her strappy sandals were from Gucci. She didn’t have time to do anything with her hair so she let it air dry with big loose curls after the shower.
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