The Twelve Tables Ch. 22

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone left comments or sent me feedback about previous chapters of this story. Thank you again to Margaret who proofread for me. ~ellie

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Pei felt bad that she had hardly spent any time with Josh since his arrival that morning and had been relieved that he had gone riding that morning with Dante and Dino. He had then had been pressed into helping with the preparations including trimming the huge Christmas tree that sat as always in the middle of the front yard. He had taken over his possession of BJ again who laughed and wriggled in his arms as they went up in the cherry picker.

She'd helped Antonia and Rosanna finish off the gift baskets for their guests last night and again this morning after breakfast. She'd also spent quite a bit of time with both Angelo, Rosanna and their brood of children preparing for the concert tonight. She hated being the centre of attention or being on any stage, but she knew now was the time to step up and begin showing herself capable of being a matriarch. Or at least put her best foot forward to support both Josh and Dante. She tried not to dwell on being in the spotlight and prepared for the evening ahead as best she could.

It was late in the afternoon as the local families and others started arriving that the first of the two planes carrying the current and future table members arrived taking most of the family by surprise. Peri had returned with three small bottles of breast milk for her babies when the first plane touched down and watched for a few minutes from the blanket where her babies sat in rockers beside their nannies.

"Watch Romey and Carmen tonight," Dante murmured moving up close behind her. Peri looked around and saw Carmen hurrying toward Romey. They spoke quietly for a few minutes and then she walked towards where the newcomers were being greeted. "Now it's our turn, just remember that you have knowledge that she doesn't have. These are people you've met and talked to, greet them like old friends."

"Dante," she turned to look at him and smiled. "I know you're trying to help, but trust me, please. I have it all under control," she kissed his cheek and moved away through the crowd without him.

"I see living with them has only made you even more of a lovesick puppy," Lucia said peevishly from beside him.

"Yep," he said turning to smile at his sister. "I love her, and there isn't much I can do about it."

"It can't be healthy for you D." She said worriedly. "I know without Lio you're feeling lost, but this can't be the answer."

"Lucy look at me. I mean really look at me. Do I seem lost or upset or unhappy in any way?" he asked softly. "I miss Lio every single day but my life is good now, and I want you to understand that I am exactly where I want and need to be."

"Okay." She said sceptically.

"You're not stupid, Lucy," Dante said in frustration. "Your husband has brought you here on a night when the Donati table and the seconds are coming together for the first time in our lifetime outside of the gathering. Just think about that for a moment and you'll understand. Then if you truly love me as your most favourite brother, you'll stop trying to interfere with things beyond anyone's control at this point. It also wouldn't hurt you to try and be a better friend to Peri than you have been lately." Dante walked away then and headed in the direction of his arriving relatives leaving her staring after him in disbelief.

Lucia turned to look at the triplets as their nannies prepared to feed them. It couldn't be true, she told herself, but now the seed had been planted she liked the idea far more than the alternative scenario's she had conjured in her mind. She just hoped he wasn't setting himself up for another broken heart. He may not recover next time, and he was her favourite though she would never admit it out loud.

Peri had greeted the men with kisses on their cheeks. Manuel and his wife had arrived with Vincenzo's family. She had greeted Dominic's wife Finola as an old friend embracing her and bending down to meet her three children who ranged in age from six to ten.

"Did you know there is going to be a concert tonight before the big countdown?" Peri whispered.

"What countdown?" the oldest child asked.

"We have a spy cam up at the north pole to see when Santa leaves," her eyes went wide as she said it. The little one bounced up and down with excitement as the adults listened in to their conversation. "It takes a lot of singing to make it work though so do you think you could help us with the concert?"

"Can we, Papa?" Again it was the oldest who look up at his parents and asked.

"Please?" the middle child added.

"It would be bad manners not to help I think," Dominic said seriously. "Look after your brother and sister, and do what Peri asks," he tussled the oldest boy's hair.

"Hi Dom," Rosanna came forward from where she had let Peri ask them and was quietly impressed with how she handled the children. "Why don't you come with them Fin, just 'til they get to know us a bit better. It'll give us a chance to catch up."

"Great, and then I just have to see those triplets I heard so much about," she said happily feeling immediately welcome in the large family. She'd met Rosanna and Emily with their husbands several times, but they had seen the size of this little Christmas gathering from the air, and she had worried about finding people she knew.

"This is your Zia Rosanna and this," Peri said having seen her target in the small gathering. "Is your Zia Carmen, they're gonna find you some great costumes and teach you the song, okay?" The children all nodded smiling. "It's gonna be so much fun; I can't wait!" Peri shook with excitement making them all giggle. She stood and smiled at the men sweetly and turned to walk away with the women and children.

She had listened to everyone's advice and rather than just accepting it and doing what they asked she had formulated a plan of her own. Her plan had started by getting Rosanna and Angelo on side by helping to make the children's concert more of showcase. They had brought in the small band earlier, and Peri offered to be one of the backup singers for the night, including the first number which would be a re-enactment of the big number from the movie, Love Actually. They had enough children in this family and with all of the extra's arriving it would be great. She had also talked Carlo into rigging up some extra lighting and manning a spotlight during the event.

So while Carmen had focused her attention on the adult concert as she usually did, Peri had quietly endeared herself to most of the children and in turn their mothers. She had never been as busy as she had been today only taking the time to express milk for her babies rather than spending the time with them that she normally did.

CJ and Pete arrived with Charles, Constantine, and Andie on the last plane. Peri once again gathered the women and children into her merry little band of performers. With so much to do she was able to keep Carmen busy and her thoughts strictly on the concert and each performance. She went to her for help and advice on the most trivial of things letting her be the expert despite being the one who had organised the entire thing with Rosanna and Angelo.

With much pomp and ceremony people were asked to take their seats and two of the older grandchildren escorted Joseph and Antonia to thrones in the centre of the open space where people sat on blankets and deck chairs.

With just over twenty-fours to pull this off and spending a good deal of that time falling in love with Dante, Peri was proud of her efforts as the kid's concert went off without a hitch and had everyone smiling, clapping and singing along with the children. As the final number ended, she turned and hugged Rosanna relieved that she could relax and enjoy the remainder of the evening.

"All right settle down everyone," Angelo's voice boomed through the microphone and the spotlight lit his immense form on the stage. "Let's congratulate the kids. I believe that was more than enough music to power up our Santa cam!" A huge roar went up from the audience startling sleeping babies that were held by parents and nannies alike. The screen behind him lit up with a snowy landscape and a timer ticking down. "Seems we have a few minutes to wait so I would like to take this opportunity to let my beautiful daughter Arianna say a few words," he said with a smile.

At sixteen Arianna was the oldest of the grandchildren, and this was her last year performing in the children's concert. She'd been the star of the big opening number and had stolen the show with her amazing voice. She was theatrical and dramatic like her father, and she took the microphone from him with a little pirouette before facing the audience and waiting for the applause to die down.

"Firstly, I would like to point out my Zio Joshua," she smiled and covered her eyes from the spotlight looking for him.

Frowning Josh sat up straighter wondering why she was singling him out. The spotlight illuminated him briefly, and he stood and waved before it swung back to the stage.

"Don't tell him but I'm pretty mad at him right now," she said in a stage whisper. Josh leaned forward wondering what in the hell was going on. "You see this was my last kids concert for my grandparents," her voice turned sad, "and I've been here every year doing the same thing, listening to the same tired carols that we all learn at school with the same old Christmas karaoke CD playing the background. This year was different I am sure you can agree," her voice brightened. "Let's hear it for the band!" there was a loud cheer and applause. "And the lighting guy, my Zio Carlo!"

Everyone applauded and chuckled as he did a sweeping bow and almost fell from his perch atop the ladder he had been standing on all night.

"We all have someone to thank for doing all this for the kids and me. The band and the lighting and even the mind-blowing feat of teaching my Papa to be a shoo-wup girl in the chorus line," she laughed, and Angelo quickly ran out and did a curtsey to the crowd making them all laugh. "If everyone could please put their hands together for my Zia Peri," she smiled widely and stepped back as two of her brothers dragged Peri onstage after a push from Rosanna.

"I'm mad at you Zio, that you married her too late for me, the other kids have years of doing this with her but what about me?" She asked plaintively as the applause died down. "You owe me a duet next year." She grinned hopefully and saw him nod in return before handing the microphone to Peri.

"Thank you Arianna," she smiled and blushed. "I didn't do anything really. It was all Arianna and her parents who made everything so wonderful along with all of the children themselves. Honestly, It's been so much fun! Right kids?" She waved them all back onto the stage with her. "These are the ones who deserve the credit especially the little ones who only arrived tonight and managed to learn a whole song so quickly." She picked up Finola's little girl and held her. "Every single one of your children is amazing and should all be so proud," she said with feeling. "Now let's get ice cream and watch for Santa!" She led the gaggle of children off stage and up to where the food tents were.

"Well fuck me," Dante said under his breath. "I didn't see that coming."

"You're the one who said she had a plan," Josh chuckled as they walked to the stage to help Angelo change some of the equipment over.

"Pretty amazing though wasn't it, you couldn't have scripted Arianna's speech," Dante chuckled.

"No but that gives me an idea," he said with a grin. He went off in search of Angelo, who had gone to get a drink Josh realised seeing the big man in the crowd.

"Josh," Carlo stopped him as he walked by, "Got a minute?"

"Yeah, good job with the lights, man," Josh clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's grab a drink. I need to see Ang real quick but after that, I'm all yours."

Carlo stood by as Josh asked if Arianna could stay and do a duet with him tonight, and then having the father's permission he and Carlo walked away from the guests toward to main house. Carlo said he could wait until Josh had spoken to Arianna, who they found with her cousins still excitedly talking about the concert in the main living room.

"too big to be watching Santa's lift off?" he smirked at her.

"I'm still mad at you. Even though you were smart enough to marry Peri, you left it too late," she said trying not to smile.

"That's a shame because I might have convinced your father to let you stay up and sing with me tonight. If you don't want to though I understand," he said dejectedly.

"Really? Best day evah!" she squealed and ran to hug him.

"I sent the song to your phone you can be Mariah, and I will be Whitney," he batted his eye lashes at her. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" she jumped up and down hugging him looking at her phone. "I love you Zio!"

"You better," he warned but returned her embrace. "Hug your Zio Carlo he helped."

"He knows I love him," she smiled widely hugging Carlo.

"I'm gonna show him what you did to our room," Carlo grinned down at her.

"Awesome can I come?" she asked.

"No gorgeous, you have a duet to prepare for, and I may need to punch him a couple of times, and I don't want you to see your two favourite Zios fighting," Carlo chuckled.

"What is it with my big brothers wanting to punch me today, is it pick on Josh day and I wasn't informed?" He pouted.

"Poor Zio Wah-wah," Arianna said then looked at her phone and up to him in fright. "Forget I said that. I totally didn't say that. You didn't hear it did you Zio?" she looked at Carlo.

"Hear what?" he chuckled shrugging.

"Go and do the countdown with your brothers and sisters, Arianna," Josh frowned at her trying to keep a straight face. "You're not so grown up you can't help them believe in a little magic. None of you are." He frowned at the girls gathered in the room. All of the girls she had been sitting with Arianna left the room and went back outside rapidly, making the two men laugh.

"So this minute isn't just a minute is it?" Josh looked at Carlo.

"Depends on the interrogation," he replied walking up the wide staircase with Josh.

"So D. tells me you're okay with him fucking your wife," he said conversationally as they continued walking making Josh take a misstep and almost fall.

"It's a bit more complicated than that but for the moment let's just say I am," Josh said carefully. "He's been in love with her for a long time."

"I see, and she feels the same?" Carlo asked curiously.

"Yes," Josh said knowing she loved him but didn't believe she was in love with him. He followed Carlo into what used to be their shared bedroom noting the new king-sized bed and the pretty but masculine makeover the room had received.

"So there's a trundle bed under there just in case you ever need it," Carlo grinned. "I'm not gonna spoon you when you sleep over."

"I make a pretty good big spoon," Josh said pulling himself up to his full height. "I'm the taller after all."

"Alright," Carlo said running his fingers through his hair. Josh had seen Dante do this often enough lately that he knew something big was coming. "Here's what I know," he sat on the edge of his bed looking up at Josh. "Or at least what I think I know," he grinned. "Everyone treats me like the family idiot except you so don't start now, deal?"

"Deal," Josh said without hesitation. He'd shared a room and lifetime of secrets with this man.

"Tables changing over the holidays. True?"

"True" Josh confirmed.

"You and Dante will be Chair and Oracle. True?"

"True but we expect opposition," Josh confirmed.

"Romey?" he asked.

"Romey and Carmen," Josh confirmed. "Though I think my wife has just pulled off the biggest coup this family has ever seen." He let himself laugh. "It was pretty damn amazing, even Romey's kids love her right now. She is poised to be the Mother of all with no help from me or D."

"Yeah, Ang and I talked about it this morning, we love her and her subtle suggestions. We only saw what she was doing when it was too late to stop that train rolling into the station," he chuckled, "Not that we would have, it beats any prank Ang has ever pulled. Carmen didn't know what hit her. The whole afternoon Peri had made her feel like she was the expert in charge. Arianna's speech was Ang's idea. You should thank him when this all goes down."

"I will," Josh said, "So you would support me if Romey challenged?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Carlo shook his head. "I've got your back. I just needed you to tell me. I always had your back do you know how many times Ben and I came to blows over how Nik treated you. You don't get it, do you? I've always been your biggest ally in this family. In all honesty, I'm jealous of D. right now," he admitted.

"Who was it I came to every time I fell apart," Josh sad equally seriously.

"So give me the run down what exactly is going on tomorrow and who knows what?" Carlo sat back.

Josh gave him a synopsis of everything he knew about the future table and what he believed his siblings knew. He also told him about his trip to Canberra and Nik's involvement in Lio's death and what would happen to her. He realised he needed Carlo to be closer, much closer than he was.

"Right I need two things," Carlo said in a business-like fashion. "First, I want your house, not the new one you built but the old one you left as a guest house. I'm going to bring Louisa to Papa in the new year, and I would like yours and Peri's support to send her to the Battaglia, so she doesn't have to do the trial with Papa. I can't stomach that, and I don't want hers or my children's authenticity called into question. She can do it I have every faith in her."

"Done," Josh said.

"Second, when Romey challenges, don't fight me when I interject," he didn't explain further. "I need you to trust me."

"Done," Josh said. "You know you and I need to have a conversation with Dante now. I won't keep secrets from him anymore," he said carefully.

"Yeah but if you're smart now, you will stay closer to me than ever and deflect attention away from D. the assumption is that he is traumatised after Lio's death and that you and Peri are looking after him. Keep disappearing with me and you deflect that. I may even kiss that wife of yours more times than is seemly for a brother-in-law."

"Yeah better let me give her a heads-up about that," Josh laughed. "She's already fucking D. I don't want her to think she has to lay on her back for the whole family."

"Fair enough, you let her know, and I'll take it from there. Romey will have noticed we've gone. Let's make a bit of show about returning," he grinned. At that moment Josh loved Carlo more than he ever had. They had always had a close and unique relationship, and he felt as if his brother had just lifted a huge weight off his shoulders.

"Just so you know, Ang feels the same way I do, and we think Ben will feel nothing but relief," Carlo said echoing Josh and Dante's thoughts about Ben. They'd missed the Santa countdown and returned as the last of the nannies were leading the bored looking teens and tweens away from the concert area.

"Better go find your wife because I'm gonna go have a quick chat to D and then hold her on my lap and kiss her a lot tonight," Carlo laughed loudly and wandered off into the crowd. "He's gonna hate that!"

Josh turned and walked behind the house to his cottage expecting to find both Peri and Dante putting the babies to bed. He filled Dante in briefly on what had occurred with Carlo and asked him to trust them. He sent him to see Carlo to the cottage. Then he took Peri in his arms congratulated her on her success and told her that he had asked Arianna to do the first song that they had planned to sing together.