Chapter 4 The Funeral

She helped him choose out some books that she was sure they would like, making sure that the girl's books and colors were different from the boy's own.

"Girls like softer colors while they are younger and more human like colorings." She explained when he raised his brows at all the princess coloring books she picked.

She wondered where the mother of these perfect twins were as she added more items to the cart while removing some of the things he had picked before.

"This might be fascinating to them." She said with a grin that made Luigi look at her for more than a minute before looking at the puzzle set she had dropped in their cart.

"I think this should be enough." She said as she tickled the boy with the hand she was carrying him with and his giggles sounded like the most pleasant thing ever.

"I agree." He said and they moved to the cash point to complete the order. After about an hour, they were finally done and she handed the two kids to him while rubbing their backs as the book store attendant helped the man carry all they had bought.

"Oh my god! I have less than an hour left!" She exclaimed as she remembered what she came here for the moment the trio stepped out of her sight.

She rushed back to her book section and tried to skim through the blurbs, throwing anyone she found the cover pleasant or writer familiar into her basket.

Since she was only loaning them, she knew if she didn't find anyone interesting enough for her, there would be no problem as she went to register the book codes at the library check out section.

She chuckled as she saw Rocco's figure heading her way the moment she stepped her, she had been just right on time.

****

"James Mantini is here." Matteo informed Luigi who was staring hard at the coffin that now bore his brother's body. He nodded his head perfunctorily, his mind barely processing who it was.

He had gone away from Cosa Nostra eight years ago and never looked back for once. "He used to help Lukas a lot, he's someone you can trust." Matteo added and Luigi nodded his head in understanding while shooting a grateful look at him.

He knew of course that with Matteo's help, handling matters here would be easier. No matter how much his father called, he had refused to come, only returning to pay the man his last respects after news of his death was announced.

Lukas had barely sat at the head position of the Santoro for five years and was now lying dead in front of him.

"Perhaps it's nothing more than a position to end your life." He muttered, his grief, embroiled in rage. The burial was brief, just like he had instructed and despite how much he didn't want the lunch to happen after, he had no choice.

"Would you like to address anything or anyone here? This is your best chance." Matteo, Lukas right hand man before his death said his eyes were expectant and fixed on Luigi.

"Just make sure everything needed for the lunch to go smoothly has been sorted for." Luigi said his face devoid of any emotion, if Matteo had been hoping to read him, he would have failed, his poker face was even more impressive than Lukas.

Since there was some time before the funeral lunch, Luigi went up to Santi and Gia room, the maids had dressed them in black overalls that had white polka dots on it and the both of them were engrossed in some coloring book.

He sighed in relief upon seeing how they were. It had taken them three days to get to this point. Even though he was certain they wouldn't be like this the whole day, there was at least some progress.

He had to admit the girl from earlier had been right. They had both taken to their books like fish in the water.

Although they had cried miserably the moment they realized she wasn't with them anymore, they had calmed down after a shower and breakfast.

"Master, would you be staying behind?" Kale asked as he stepped out of the shadows. While growing up, their father had given them both their personal men and guards.

While Lukas had grown up with Matteo, Luigi had been with Kale since he could remember. "What do you think I should do?" He returned the question and paused in his tracks so that he could see every passing emotion on Kale's face.

"We worked hard to build Nirvana to where it is today. The moment you return here, it would be hard to keep it the clean company that you have built for so long." Kale said and bowed his head afraid that he had misspoken.

"Let's get this lunch done with." Luigi said after a while and the both of them went down immediately.