Hiding With Her Twin Babies
Chapter 42

Don Benito and his men decide to go home. It is time for him to face his enemies. He knows that the Casellas and Garza will come after him. It is just a matter of time before they do. He has sent his wife, daughter-in-law and grandchildren back to Italy. He can not risk their lives. Although he knows the Casellas will never hurt children and women, he does not want to take that chance. Victor is driving in the car with Benito, and he can not take it any longer. Victor needs to convince his father to talk to Dante. Dante is the Godfather, and he is sure if they plead with him, he will let them off the hook and not kill them. They will lose Dallas, but they will still live a full life with their children and wives.

“Father, we should talk to Dante. He is not unreasonable. He will let us live even if we lose Dallas. We can make a good living in Italy. We have no one supporting us, and I am unwilling to lose my life over a small matter like becoming the next Godfather in the states,” Victor says.

“That is what is wrong with you, Victor! You have no ambition, and you are a coward!” Don Benito shouts at his son.

“No, I have brains, father, and I know when to surrender when I am losing. I have a young wife with young children. I want to be there for them when they are growing up!” Victor says.

“Then you go to Dante, but you tell him I am not giving up, and I will keep Dallas even if I have to start a war. I do not see him as my Godfather, and I will never bow down to him,” Don Benito says.

“Fine, stop the car,” Victor says. The car stops, and the other vehicles with them stop. Victor gets out, walks over to the men and tell them he is going to Dante to beg him forgiveness, and those who want to come with him can the rest can go with his father. Victor was against his father’s plans from the start. He knew Bernardo would never betray the Casellas. Even when his father talked to Bernardo about his plan, Bernardo’s face was blank, and he did not say a word. Finally, when his father stopped talking, Bernardo got up and said that he did not want war and would not go against the Casellas. Bernardo said there could only be one Godfather, and that is Dante. But his father thought when Bernardo got the chance to become Godfather. He would grab it as everyone wanted power. Now his father blames Bernardo for falling in love with Mabel Casella and saying that is why he backed down. Victor knows it is not true. Even if Mabel and Bernardo never met, Bernardo would not go against the Casellas. There is a reason for that, and no one knows what that reason is. Only Mabel and Bernardo know that secret. Bernardo was in love with Mabel for a long time.

A lot of the younger men goes with Victor. As Victor drives to Dante’s house, he sees the cars following him, knowing it is the Casellas. So he drives straight to their house, and as soon as he and his men stop. Dante’s men surround them, and they give up their weapons. Dante comes walking out, he looks relaxed, but it is clear to Victor that Dante is not in the mood to play. He may look calm, but he is obviously ready to fight if he has to.

“Victor, I was expecting you,” Dante says. Victor frowns. How did Dante know he would be coming here?

“Don Casella, I plea for your mercy on the men with me and me,” Victor says.

“I was Expecting your father to come as well, but I guess he does not care about his family as much as you do. Your mother, wife and children are safe. You know we would not harm them unless we have no choice,” Dante says. Victor goes cold. Dante has his family! That was why he was expecting them.

“I did not know you had my family. I thought they were safely in Italy!” Victor says he feels afraid for his family.

“We figured you would send them away and pick them up at the airport,” Dante says.

“Please, Dante, I swear I will give up Dallas even if my father won’t. My family did nothing wrong, and I pleaded with my father not to try and go against you, but he is hard-headed and will not listen to me,” Victor says.

“You were at my sister’s apartment. Were you planning on k********g her?” Dante asks. Bernardo told him everything.

“No, I knew she was not there. I knew Bernardo would never leave her alone. I went there for the sake of my father. He has gone crazy, and I don’t want to make him mad. He is power-hungry and not thinking straight. I will understand if you take him out, but please spare my family, men, and me,” Victor begs Dante. Dante looks at Victor. He always liked Victor, and he knew Victor would never do anything to put his family in jeopardy.

“Come in, Victor. Let us talk. Besides, your family will be happy to see you,” Dante says. Victor walks inside the house with Dante, and to his surprise, his wife and mother are sitting drinking tea with Jennie. The children are playing in the pool with Dante’s children, and it looks like a happy house party. Victor’s wife and mother get up and are delighted to see Victor alive.

“I guess your father did not come? I told Dante and Jennie he was the crazy one and would not listen to any one of us,” Jackie Benito says. She knows her husband. Over the years, he has changed and become a cold power-hunger man. She misses the man she got married to.

“He is hard-headed mother, but he will come around maybe if we let him think your life is in danger,” Victor says. He does not have much hope, but maybe there is still a little piece of the man he used to love and admire left in his father.

Dante and Victor walk to his office. He is glad Dante is the Godfather of the Italian Mafia in America. Any other Godfather should have killed his family to teach him and his father a lesson not to go against the Godfather and his rules. He looks at the ring on Dante’s finger. It is a very sort-after ring when you are in the Italian Mafia. Still, you have to work hard for it and earn the respect of the Italian Mafia as the people in the Mafia are ruthless, and if you show weakness, you will not be the Godfather for long. Weakness does not mean that you have to be cruel. You can earn respect the way the Casellas have with being kind to your own. You can not bend the rules for anyone. Dante will punish his father even if he comes to his senses and begs Dante for his forgiveness. Dante will take away his title of Don and give it to someone worthy. Someone he can trust. Victor knows all of this, and that makes him nervous. Although Dante might forgive his father, the new Don might not and kill all of them. It is the rule of the Mafia. The Dons rules their territories, and the Godfather rule the Dons. Dante will have no say in what the new Don decides to do.

“Victor, I have known you for a long time now. I know you are not behind all of this and that you only did as your father told you to do as he is your Don,” Dante says. A good son will never go against his father. Likewise, a second-in-command will never go against his Don. So Victor was following the rules.

“You know I can not disobey my father and my Don, Dante. It went too far, and I had to leave my Don behind as he was not thinking clearly. I feel my loyalty belongs to the Godfather first, and that is why I went against my father’s wishes to come and beg you for mercy,” Victor says.

“Well, I respect you for it. But, when a Don goes rogue and defines the rules of the Mafia, you have to know when to step away. You did it although that Don was your father. I respect you for it, and therefore I hand Dallas to you. You are the Don of Dallas now,” Dante says. Victor can not believe what he is hearing.

“What about my father? Do I have to kill him now?” Victor asks. He does not want to kill his old man. Although his father is power-hungry and crazy, he still loves him.

“No, you can send him and your mother to Italy where they can stay in peace, but they are never to set foot in the states again,” Dante says.

“I will do that, but I do not know how my father will take the news. He is unpredictable lately,” Victor says.

“I believe he loves your mother, and he will come to fetch her and ask for mercy. He must know by now I have his family in my hands,” Dante says. What Dante said is true. Victor knows his father will only listen to his mother, and he loves his grandchildren. He will come as soon as he hears Dante has his family. Victor and Dante are still talking when they hear the cars pull in. Dante’s men surround the vehicles, but a defeated Don Benito gets out and hands all their weapons to the guards. He knows he is in big trouble and will die tonight. If Dante doesn’t kill him, the new Don of Dallas will. He walks to the front door, and as Victor, he is surprised to see Jennie entertaining his family. They are all okay, and his wife runs to him and throws herself into his arms.

“Mario Benito! What have you gotten yourself into now?” She cries, afraid for her husband’s life.

“Jackie, my love, I was so stupid! I was a hard-head and would not listen to Victor. So I will beg for your lives, and they can take mine,” Mario says.

“Nonsense! No one is dying tonight! You made a mistake, and I will not let you die for it,” Jennie says. She is ready to fight whoever she has to, to protect Jackie from getting hurt. She loves the older lady already and Victor’s wife and children. She does not care if she has to go against Dante or the new Don of Dallas, but she will not let these sweet women suffer for a mistake of an older man.

“Jennie Petrov, you will stand up for a foolish old man like me?” Mario asks. He could stand fighting everyone, and he wanted power, but not at the cost of losing his family—the people he loves so much.

“I will,” Jennie says as Dante and Victor walks it.

“That will not be necessary, love. The new Don of Dallas and I have agreed that Mario Benito must be punished, but no one will die. He will only be banished to Italy with his wife, and he may never return to the state,” Dante says.

“Oh, and what about his children and grandchildren. You are not touching them!” Jennie says, ready to fight.

“They will be staying in Dallas, and Victor will be the new Don,” Dante says. Jennie is ready to fight, and when she hears that, she cools down. She smiles.

“Well, you can at least let them come and visit their family once in a while,” Jennie begs.

“Don’t push me, love. Victor and his family can go and visit them,” Dante says. He wants to give into Jennie, but he knows he can not show any weakness and has to stand with his decision.

“Fine, it was worth trying,” Jennie says as she walks over to Dante and k****s him. The wedding is around the corner, and she has many things to plan. Although Jen, Mabel and Angy are taking over, and she feels more like a spectator than the bride, she can not complain as she can not ask for better in-laws. Dante winks at her as Mario thanks Dante and swears to be loyal to him as he shows mercy. Mario also hands his Don’s ring over to his son, and he feels a weight lifting off his shoulders. He and Jackie will retire in Italy and still live a good life.