Lost Your Mind novel · Chapter 24 of 24

Chapter 24: The Widow Who Wasn't

A year later, on the first Sunday of October, every chair at the long table was full.

The candles were lit, though it was still light outside.

Twelve capos sat in their black suits with their wives, laughing too loudly, and nobody was counting who sat where.

Don Ettore sat at the head.

He looked ten years younger, and he hadn't let go of the baby since the soup.

Benedetta's son was four months old, with a head of dark hair and a furious, wide-open mouth.

The Don held him in the crook of one heavy arm and gave him a crust of bread to gnaw.

Donna Livia pretended not to see.

"He'll rot his gums," she said.

"He'll rot them as a Corradi," said the Don.

Benedetta, across the table, laughed so hard she had to put down her glass.

She wore a green dress now, and her hair was loose.

She had a small flat in the town and a job keeping the books for my father's chandlery.

On Sundays she came to the estate and sat where she liked.

The boy had her grey-green eyes.

Nobody had said Dario's name at the table in twelve months.

Nico sat at his father's right.

He wore a black suit and the heir's ring on his right hand.

At each wrist was a small silver link, one with a G and one with an N.

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