“She said what??!!”  Nessa shouted.  “I’m going to pound that bitch’s face in!”  Nessa made to march downstairs but Lia grabbed her by the arm.  “You will do no such thing.  I believe she and I have come to an understanding.  But...if she causes any more trouble, she and my fist will have a come to Jesus meeting before I send her ass back to Scotland”.

Nessa was taken aback by Lia’s comment.  Her sister-in-law was so sweet and even tempered.  She didn’t think she’d ever seen her angry.  She didn’t doubt for one second, however,  that Lia wasn’t capable of following through on that threat.  She was protective of her family.  She became even more protective after Allegra was born.  “Well, ya won’t be the only one whose fists Irene’s face will become acquainted with.  In fact, I’m sure there will be quite the queue up for the honor of giving that cow a thrashing”.

Lia was still in shock from her chat with Irene.  What was her endgame?  Was she here to make a last ditch effort to win Dom’s affection?  What about Donal?  She wondered if he was aware of his wife’s obsession with his brother.  She was sure he knew that they’d dated and it was hard to believe that he didn’t know that she’d been in love with Dom.  So why did he marry her?  She decided to ask Nessa.

“Ness, what’s the deal with all that, anyway?  Donal had to know that Irene had strong feelings for Dominic.  Why would he marry her?”

“It was all a mess, really.  Donal had it bad for Irene, even though he knew that she had her cap set for Dominic.  She pursued Dom relentlessly and when they got together she was possessive and clingy.  She was suffocating him, so he broke up with her.  She tried win him back, sending him gifts, cooking for him among...other things, if ya get my drift.  She started running off girls that he dated after he broke things off with her.  Finally, in a pathetic act of desperation, she started coming on strong to Donal.  Poor thing had to know she was just using him, but he didn’t care.  He was in love with her.  When she didn’t get the reaction from Dominic that she’d hoped for, I guess she decided to accept Donal as some sort of consolation prize.  When Donal asked her to marry him, she said yes without hesitation.  I think she felt it was her way to stay in Dom’s life, the sick she devil”.  Nessa shook her head in disgust.

Lia couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  She just didn’t know what to make of the whole situation.  She felt as if Donal was allowing himself to be made a fool of just so he could hold on to a woman who didn’t love him.  It was sad, but he and Irene’s relationship was none of her business.  Now, Irene’s relationship with Dominic was another story.  She hoped the woman took what she’d said when they were alone seriously.  If she didn’t...heaven help her.

*******************************************

Mimi and Gio showed up at the house the next day bearing gifts for the baby.  They’d been showering their goddaughter with gifts everyday since the day she was born.  Lia and Dom had told them several times that it was enough now.  They were running out of space for all the clothing and toys they’d been giving the baby.  Mimi and Gio were having none of that.  “You can’t tell us how to spend our money and you can’t tell us not to buy things for Allie.  She’s our baby, too”, Gio huffed one day when Lia told him that he didn’t have to bring the baby a gift every time he and Mimi stopped by.  “You’re being selfish, Lia”.  She and Dominic decided to let the matter drop for the time being.

Dominic let the couple in and made note of the gift bag in Mimi’s hand.  ‘At least it’s only one bag today’ he thought as they walked past him and into the living room.  “So what’d you bring her this time?” he asked, trying to hide his mild irritation at having to find space for whatever they brought in the dwindling real estate that was Allegra’s nursery.  “It’s nothing huge.  You’ll have space for it, I’m sure”, Mimi said as if reading his mind.  Dominic moved over to the sofa where Lia was nursing their daughter and sat down.  He opened the bag and pulled out a cute pink teddy bear and a picture frame.  The frame held a picture that appeared to be a selfie of Gio and Mimi.  They were leaned in to each other with huge grins on their faces.  “That picture is an important one that we wanted Allie to have.  It’s the picture her godparents took the day they got engaged”.  Mimi said it so matter of factly that Lia and Dominic didn’t catch it at first.  Dom was the first one whose brain caught up with his ears.  “Wait!  Did you just tell us that you’re engaged??”  Mimi and Gio nodded rapidly and Mimi held out her hand to show them the ring, both of them had goofy grins on their faces.  

Lia’s smile was so wide her cheeks hurt.  “I can’t shout or jump up and down while the little miss is enjoying her lunch, but please know that I am jumping up and down and shouting on the inside”.  Lia gave a pointed look to her very best good girlfriend and said, “I told you we’d be sisters for real one day”.  Mimi smiled at Lia.  “You sure did, didn’t you?”

“Hey Dom, I thought your mom and brother were here for a visit.  Where are they?”  Gio asked.  “Nessa took the three of them out for lunch”.  Mimi looked up, her eyebrows lifted in surprise.  “Your dad came, too?”  Lia and Dom both looked at each other.  ‘No.  Donal’s wife managed to wrangle her way onto the trip with him and Maw”.  Mimi’s eyes immediately narrowed.  “That hateful bitch is here??  How very brave of her”.  Her voice was filled with menace.  Lia gave Mimi a look that said ‘You don’t know the half of it’ and stood up.  “I’m gonna go put the little princess down for her nap.  Meems, come help me”.  Dominic looked up at the two as they made to leave the room.  “You need help laying a wee baby down for a nap?” he asked.  “Stay outta grown folks business”, Mimi tossed over her shoulder as they walked away.

*********************************************

Mimi stood staring at Lia with her mouth opened in shock.  Lia had just finished telling her friend what transpired between her and Irene when the MacCleod’s first arrived.  “I can’t even believe it!  What would she have to gain by telling you all of that?  Other than a foot up the ass, that is.  I mean, was she hoping you’d say ‘well since you put it that way I’ll scoot to the side and let you have him since you want him so bad’.  That heifuh is asking for a two piece to the dome”.  Lia shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what she thought, but I know I’m not putting up with any of her bullshit.  The only reason she’s still here is because I don’t want to put a damper on Aileen’s visit.  She’s so in love with our girl, here”, Lia said smiling while gesturing at her sleeping daughter.  “So she’s come completely around, then?” Mimi asked.  Lia smiled and nodded.  “Girl, babies are magical.  The will warm even the coldest heart.  Especially Miss Allegra Rose with her exceptionally beautiful self”.  Lia felt a wave of sadness wash over her.  “Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to melt her granddaddy’s cold heart.  Dom hides it well, but it broke his heart that his father wouldn’t even put his pride aside to come see his granddaughter.  He’s still holding on to that racist bullshit and saying that Dom turned his back on his family”.  Mimi scoffed.  “Well, from where I was sitting at that table that night, HE was the one turning his back”.  Lia nodded and lifted one shoulder in a half shrug.  “He doesn’t see it that way.  He may never see it that way and it’s a damn shame.  That man would risk his whole family because of his pride”.  Lia seemed lost in her own thoughts for a minute before shaking her head.  “I just hate to see my husband hurting because of his father’s ignorance”.

Mimi walked over to Lia and put her arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug.  “All you can do is what you’ve been doing.  Support and love him.  Dom knows you have his back no matter what.  And who knows, maybe William will come around the same way Aileen and Donal did”.

“Maybe”, Lia said chewing her bottom lip.  “Maybe”.