I grab my phone and send a text to Sean, informing that I will be attending the gathering and will let him know how it goes on Friday. I ask him to lay low, in the meantime.

I head out of my room to rinse my cup when I hear my phone ringing. I rush back, so the ringing doesn't wake Annalisa and Topo and see that it's Sean.

"Did I wake you Seanasaurus?

He laughs into the phone, sounding breathless. "No, I was on the treadmill, actually. And that name is definitely a downgrade from Seany."

I laugh, "Don't worry, I have plenty more."

"So, what's your plan then, at the meeting?"

"Well, I'm going to walk in there and kill them all."

Silence.

I don't think he's even breathing. I move the phone away from my face and put my hand over my mouth to keep my laughing quiet.

"Sean?" 

"Please tell me, you're not serious?" He finally responds, he sounds anxious. Which only makes it so much funnier.

"Of course not." I laugh. "But really, I'm going to find out why they won't give up Jimmy. I was thinking about it and I'm sure Gio is using some sort of leverage or blackmail on the other families. But then again, is one man worth all the men you've been slaughtering?"

He chuckles, "I wouldn't call it slaughtering. More like I'm giving them a gentle but quick send off to the next life, with a bullet in their head."

My laugh continues. "Yes, that sounds better. Anyway, so I'll let you know how it goes. I just wanted to keep you in the loop. If you can refrain from killing anyone between now and Friday, that would be super helpful." I add sarcastically, but really mean it.

"I think I can manage that. I do have some actual work to do this week anyhow, so this will give me time to catch up." He tells me.

"Well, good. I'll talk to you Friday, then."

"Sounds good." He states but then he stops, me. "Wait, Stella?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you wearing?"

I snort. "Bye Sean." I hang up the phone, laughing.

Annalisa knocks and walks in. Her hair messy from sleep. "Who were you talking to so early?" She yawns loudly.

I tell her I spoke to Cristian and he will be taking me to the gathering on Friday. And then I just finished talking to Sean.

"So, is this Sean, cute?" She asks me as she sits on my bed. I tell her he's attractive, but apparently that's not specific enough for her when she asks me for more details.

"He's about six foot one, has black hair and blue eyes. He's a proud Irish and has several tattoos in honor of that."

"I forgot you two were getting it on...for you to notice his tattoos..." She jokes. "But like who can you describe him as, that I would know?"

I groan, "I don't know Annalisa, he's like a cross between that one actor, that played in that one Christmas movie, we watched a few years ago when I was sick. I can't think of his name, the name of the movie was...The trouble with Mistletoe. Thomas something and the guy that plays Superman...Henry Cavill."

She's looking it up on her phone and then exclaims. "Oh yeah, I remember now. He's really cute then." She wiggles her eyes at me.

I laugh, rolling my eyes. "He was such a bully when we were kids. I actually punched him, knocking him out, for picking on another classmate. Got suspended for it, too."

She chuckles, shaking her head. "Why does that not surprise me, you defending others like that..Hmm, maybe I'll get to meet him one day." She says as she stands and stretches. She walks out of my room, telling me she's jumping in the shower.

I change out of my pajamas and get dressed, ready to head for my shift at Zeeko's gym.

<><><><><><><>

JOHN PAUL

"No. End of discussion."

"I need to be there." I argue, my self control fraying at the edges as I sit in Timo's office. The loud clock in his office is mocking me with each tick the second hand makes, reminding me that time is running out. 

Timo and Tobias will be leaving in about half hour, this morning, for their flight to Chicago for the gathering tonight.

"I need you here, John Paul. Things have not been the same with your father, as you are well aware since last year. He's still the second in command, but if I'm being honest, I haven't quite forgiven him for inserting himself in your's and Stella's relationship.

I need you to be vigilant if anything seems out of the ordinary, I'm counting on you to help maintain order." He stands from behind his large mahogany desk and picks up several files and papers, placing them inside his leather brief case.

"I have not spent time training you for nothing, this last year. Should something arise or happen you will know what to do, who to contact. You know the protocol, review the codes if you need to. We will return by Monday morning."

"The gatherings are neutral ground, nothing happens at these, other than heated discussions, at most. I've been to one, remember?" I respond, annoyed as I look out the window in his office.

"John Paul"

I look over at Timo. He takes a deep breath. "Cristian will be there and I will see what I can find out about Stella. Now, I need to finish packing." I stand as he walks around his desk.

He stands in front of me and holding me by my shoulders. "Stay strong, John Paul. We will have her home, soon." His dark eyes look back at me, there's a surety in them and I find myself nodding in agreement. He picks his brief case up from his desk and heads out of his office and I follow behind.

Timo doesn't know Enzo and Joey left early this morning, taking Joey's car to Chicago. Joey had previously asked for the weekend off, so the timing was perfect. I'm working this weekend so I had no choice but to stay behind but as time went on I realized I want to be there when they find her.

Joey helped Enzo with tracking them by talking with Annalisa. She gave him her number after they reunited in San Diego. She had switched out numbers but the tracking system Enzo uses them gives them a general area of where the phone is pinging from when it's on.

I head to the kitchen to grab something to eat for breakfast. I walk in and find Carmela staring at the counter, she's still in her nightgown, her hair is messy. A look of confusion on her face. My heart hurts as her eyes move around the room and then land on me, surprised. She doesn't recognize me, but then I see the familiar look of love that she gives me when she sees me.

A couple of weeks after Stella had first left, I found Carmela out in the garden, in the middle of the night, during one of my insomniac nights. Her nightgown was covered in dirt, she told me she had forgotten to plant the seeds, for the vegetables to grow, by the end of season.

I had to explain that she had done that a few weeks prior. She looked scared when she seemed to remember. When a Dr confirmed her diagnosis of Dementia, her symptoms only worsened. One night, she left a casserole in the oven and the smoke detector went off in the middle of the night, waking up the entire household.

Luigi was now the head chef. But she still helped and didn't seem to notice or care for the role change.

"Piccolo, are you hungry? I fix you something." She smiles at me. I walk in further and bring her into a hug.

"No, I'm not hungry, Carmela. Thank you." 

"Okay, you eat with Charmaine, when she comes home." She tells me smiling at me as she pats my face. "You two make beautiful bambinos for me to hold and kiss, yes?"

I look away as tears fill my eyes. I clear my throat. "Yes, Carmela. One day."

I excuse myself from the kitchen and step out into the hallway. Leaning up against the wall, pushing the heels of my hands to my eyes. I pound my fist into the wall. Why does life have to be so fucked up? I lean my head on the forearm and take deep breaths to calm myself down.

"John Paul?"

I move away from the wall and wipe at my face.

"You alright?" Santino asks, concern etched on his face.

I sniff, and nod. "Yeah, it's just Carmela. She's getting worse each day, it seems. It's like since she was diagnosed, it's sped up or something."

"It does fucking suck. Watching someone lose pieces of their memories, of who they are, right before your eyes and there's nothing you can do about it." He says. "But at least she's around people who love her."

A loud siren goes off and we look at each other. A breech.

Just as we pull our guns, the siren shuts off. Almost too quickly. David comes running from down the hall.

"Something's wrong! Someone's overridden the security system. Before the alarm went off one of the men radio'd from the other house, the perimeter was taken down, we're under attack!"

As if on cue, rapid gun fire is heard outside.

"Take Carmela to Timo's office. Stay there until I come for you." I instruct David. He nods and hurries into the kitchen.

"Santino, call Timo and my father. We need to lockdown the main house. If they've already taken the other house, we can't leave." I pull my phone to make a call that's been drilled into me over the last year should anything happen.

As the phone rings, we hear the loud barks of Zeus and Ares down the hall and Timo and Tobias emerge with them. Their faces are both hardened.

"I already made the call, John Paul. Let's focus on securing the house." Timo tells me.

"Carmela's not in the kitchen!" David announces, panicked. I look back at him confused. I just saw her. Before I can answer the front door is kicked in.

"No need to panic everyone!"

We turn and watch in confusion and dread as Jimmy walks in the front door, smiling at us, followed by several of our own men, who are all armed and aiming their guns at us. 

But my shock doesn't end there as my father steps in through the door, aiming his gun at us, too.

"Tony, what the hell are you doing?" Timo questions him, his anger evident but he's controlling it.

"I'm doing what's best for the family, Timoteo." My father states, he glances at me briefly before looking back at Timo. "It's about someone take charge around here, who has the entire family's best interest at the forefront."

"So, you're the one..." Timo takes a step forward as several of the men who served under him point their guns at him.

Timo looks around and it's hard to not notice the flash of confusion, hurt, and betrayal that he's overcome with.

I step towards him but Tobias grips onto my arm. It doesn't stop me from addressing my father, though. "You were the one who gave up, Stella?"

"Technically, that was you son."

"You motherfucker!" I scream at him. "She almost died because of you!" I lunge for him again, but Santino and Tobias hold me back.

"After all these years, Tony?" Timo asks him, still in shock.

"You mean after all the years, I gave you Timo. For what? For you to take the advice of an adolescent, spoiled little girl?" He spits.

"She was right though wasn't she?" Timo counters.

Jimmy holds his automatic rifle up and begins shooting at the ceiling. We all cower from the unexpected gun fire. "Well, this is great and all, but we have shit to do."

"You still have to prove your worth to Gio, Anthony." Jimmy addresses my father. "So, who's it going to be? Timo's out since Gio wants him for himself." He looks up when we hear Isabella cursing in Italian.

Her arms held behind her back and her hair being pulled back. A few other of our men are also brought in who are gagged and have their hands bound. 

They look at Timo and hang their heads in shame but they're not the one who should be ashamed as I look around the room, anger building within me. Timo addresses Isabella, speaking to her in Italian. He tells her, everything will be fine.

"You should really stop lying, Timo." Jimmy chuckles. "For example, your mother is on her way to Chicago, for a family reunion of sorts."

Mother? I look at Timo and his face pales.

"Thats right, everyone. Timo employed his own mother, passing her off as a cook, for the family all these years.."

I look at Timo. Carmela is Timo's mom? Stella's nonna?

"Okay, Tony. Last chance or I pick for you." Jimmy states impatiently.

Tobias steps forward. "Tony, don't do thi—"

The gunshot echoing in the room resonates, as I watch in horror as Tobias falls on his knees, clutching at his chest. He looks down at his hands, now covered in blood, before falling over sideways. Timo and I rush over to him and roll him over.

Tobias looks up at me. Blood is coming out of his mouth. "Mel...Melanie..." He gasps. My eyes burn with tears. "Kids..." He sputters, choking on his own blood. He clutches at my collar tightly and his eyes are wide as he fights to speak. "Take care...take care of them." He gasps again, before exhaling and he stops moving; the grip on my shirt loosens.

Tears fall down my face as I look down on my friend, who in a lot of ways was like an older brother to me, too.

"See, that wasn't that hard, now was it?" I hear Jimmy ask and I can picture the evil grin on his face.

I move my head back over at them, slowly. I turn to face them. Tony is standing there, still holding his gun out after shooting Tobias. He looks over at me and as we lock eyes, there's a flash of remorse, but it's too late.

"I'm going to kill you" I vow, looking at the man who was once my father, "I'm going to kill every single one of you fucking traitors!" I look around the room at all the men, who I worked with and grew up with.

Jimmy laughs, "I never noticed how alike you and Stella are. She said similar words last year, yet...it looks like you'll both be dying tonight. In the meantime, let's catch up, bro. We have at least twelve hours before showtime."

He smiles as he walks in further, pointing his gun at me.