Regina Maria Viacelli was born the only daughter to Joseph and Angelina Viacelli in the small village of Catania, Sicily. She was a beautiful child, celebrated by her parents even while strict Sicilian society placed all value in a male heir. At age five, Regina’s mother passed away from influenza. Joseph was devastated, but little Regina showed much strength at her young age and began working side by side with her father in the family winery and vineyards. She was educated by her aunt Rosa, who moved to Sicily from Palermo after Angelina’s death. She taught Regina to read, write, and speak English perfectly; and though the young Regina spent most of her days in the winery and vineyards, she learned the ancient and sacred art of fine Italian cooking as well.

Years went by. The winery grew, and so did Regina. She was not too tall, and not too short, with long, raven hair and olive green eyes. Her skin was perfectly tanned from her time in the fields, but still soft and voluptuous as a woman should be. Meanwhile, Joseph began to hire young men of the village to work in the vineyards and winery, as he was growing older. One of these young men, named Dante Aprile, found himself quite taken by the daughter of Joseph Viacelli. They became teenage sweethearts, but Joseph had other plans for his daughter. He had arranged a marriage between Regina and a man named Luca Rigallio, the son of a wealthy shop owner in Catania. Luca was known for being a drunk and a violent man, but Joseph felt that his wealth would assure Regina would be taken care of- and that was his only concern. Upon hearing the news, Dante and Regina were broken hearted, but they had no choice. Regina married Luca, who immediately began to beat her. Unable to bear the sight of Regina with another man, Dante quit his job at the vineyards and went to live with a cousin in America. There, he would begin his life in the underworld of the New York mafia.

Very soon after the wedding, Regina found that she was pregnant. One night, Dante received a hysterical call from Regina, who had been beaten and locked in a closet by her husband. Absolutely livid, Dante returned to Sicily with an associate and killed Luca. He took Regina back to New York and got her a job in a dress maker’s shop. Regina confessed to Dante that the babies (twins) she would soon have were Dante’s- and she knew this because Luca was impotent. The news thrilled Dante, and they planned to be married- but Dante’s boss sent him to Chicago, so plans were put on hold. Meanwhile, Regina had two boys- Gabriello and Jordano. After settling in Chicago, Dante arranged for Regina and the boys to join him. He was doing very well, and had ranked highly in the Sabatini crime family. Dante and Regina were married, and they moved into a beautiful, Victorian style home just outside of the city. Regina opened a restaurant that quickly gained notoriety as one of the finest Italian restaurants in all of Chicago.

Many happy years passed without major incident- but something terrible happened. Now in their early 20s, Gabe and Jordano had grown to be very different men. Gabriello had become a well-known and well-liked earner in the Sabatini family- for which Dante had been named Consigliere. Jordano, however, was much more hot-headed and immature, and had not been asked by Don Sabatini to do anything. Jealous of his brother’s advancement and angry at being ignored, Jordano began running with a street gang from another family. This family, the Vinzetti family, had long-running problems with the Sabatini organization; but because he had been kept out of the business, Jordano knew nothing of the rivalry. He became a very keen and quick thief, and then advanced into dealing drugs. Regina and the rest of his family rarely ever saw him. One night, an enforcer from the Vinzetti family grabbed Jordano to help him with a hit. Blinded by a lust for glory, Jordano went along with no question. They waited in a parked car at a four-way stop for their target. Finally, a black sedan rolled into the intersection. Before Jordano could stop anything, he realized the hit had been placed on Dante. The enforcer floors the gas and their car goes screeching into the intersection and smashes into Dante’s car- in which sat his mother, his brother, and Gabe’s girlfriend Sarah. Jordano and the Vinzetti soldier crawl from their car and run from the scene, assuming all passengers are dead. Emerging from the wreckage, Gabe fires two very well-aimed shots at the men running. Dante joins him and then kneel beside the bodies face-down in the street. Dante recognizes the Vinzetti soldier immediately, but Gabe’s realization is much more horrific. The bullet from his own gun had killed his brother.

Physical wounds healed, but the tragedy and sadness of what had happened lingered. Sabatini took the brazen action by the Vinzetti family as an act of war. The night Gabriello becomes Made, he, Dante, and Sabatini go to a resort in upstate New York to meet with Vinzetti. Only days after they left, Regina receives the news that a car explosion killed them all.

Left alone in a crime family wrecked by war, a bereaved Regina sells her beloved restaurant and moves back to Sicily to permenantly resume her place as the owner of the Viacelli Winery and Vineyards.

--------------------------

It had been almost seven years since Regina Viacelli had last seen American soil. Now, seven years later, it seems little had changed. Back home, the Viacelli Winery had gained world-wide notariaty, and she had hired young, smart people to run the business side of things. She had always felt something calling her back to the States.
 
Every year at Christmas, the family heads in the US all receive a crate of vintage wines from the Viacelli Winery and Vineyards- a traditional gift from Regina.  Recalling the Viacelli name from his time working for another family, Falcao contacts Regina to thank her for the gift.  They exchange a few phone conversations and letters, and eventually Regina expresses to him a desire to come back to the U.S. to expand the market for the Viacelli wines.  Falcao quickly volunteers to sponsor her return to the U.S, and even help her revive La Cucina. 

The time that had passed had done much to her, physically and emotionally, but she was still the same inside. It seemed, to Regina, that resurrecting the restaurant was the best way to keep alive the memories of her sons, Gabriello and Jordano, and her husband, Dante. Her goal would be to have the restaurant ready for opening the night of her 50th birthday- only a few months away.

too long . me no likey read long story

SINGERROURKE had finished reading the story and sat it down. Reginas life was remarkable. He was so impressed with the story she had lived through and all that has gone on. Her heart must be filled with so much pain. SINGERROURKE hangs the story up as one of his more favorite biographies of a mafioso. He wishes MS. Regina well on her adventures with Falcao in Las Vegas.

All the preperations had been made and finalized. In a file folder sitting on his desk, Falcao held the deeds to the old Black Chip Casino building a block from the main strip in Downtown Las Vegas, in the name of one, Regina M. Viacelli. Another deed, also bearing Regina's name, held ownership of a three-acre plot of land on the outskirts of Las Vegas. On the property sat a beautiful, sprawling two-story Mediiterranian-style home; complete with a pool and pool house, seperate guest quarters, and a two horse stable. Falcao sat leaned back in his plush, leather chair in his private office, reading over the itenerary for Saturday. Regina would arrive by charter flight from Sicily at 10 a.m., and he would meet her with a car and a few of his men to take her straight to the restaurant to observe the progress the contractors were making with the restaurant. Regina had insisted that she tend to business matters before seeing her new home. This was one of the things Falcao appreciated most about Regina- she had an exemplary work ethic. Bringing her to Las Vegas was going to be mutually beneficial, and he knew she would be a charm when business partners needed a little sweet-talking.

He finished a glass of Viacelli Cabernet that he'd poured to accompany his lunch. The oak undertones of the wine stirred his senses, and reminded him of the Winery on his visit to Sicily two months ago. Smiling, he sat the empty glass on the desk, replaced the itenerary in the file folder, and moved on to the other business of the day

It is with the greatest of pleasure and joy to see the Viacelli name once more on our shores. I salute you and your esteemed ancestors for their remarkable lives madam and I hope to soon be in touch with you myself. Perhaps once your business matters slow down a bit we can have lunch together, at your restaurant of course and with a bottle of your family's finest. Welcome back to these shores.