Early morning sunshine cast through Carla's study windows and onto her polished brown desk which was scattered with various papers, cups, pens, money, you name it.. The Madam was quite behind on her work considering all the chaos that has been surrounding her as of late that the study had become a subject of neglect.. As the smoke from the cigarette plumed around the room from the edge of the burning tobacco, Carla read her morning Newspaper and was shocked to find what was on the front page news.. More mobsters dead in New York, so the police claimed..

She let out a deep sigh before picking up the cup filled with whiskey and ice from her desk and swirled the contents before taking a small sip and placing it back down on the desk gracefully

"Such a shame, more life lost.." she said to herself with a dreary tone.. she thought of the woman Claire she had just met yesterday in the Eros' Lounge and wondered if she had been gun downed, her boss, Estarossa, was among the list of implicated 'mobsters' so it was only safe to assume..

Flipping the page, she found some more pleasant news in the the news of expanded business in Las Vegas, The Springfield Nuclear Plant, now that was something to marvel at.. Man's newest achievement was now going to be powering thousands of homes and business' throughout the city.. It wasn't until a abrupt phone call broke her away from her enjoyous morning..

"Hello this is Madam DiMarco speaking.." she said sternly into the phone

"Carla.. it's your brother Peter.. It's mamma..."

Her stomach dropped.. She hadn't heard her brother's voice in quite a few years since fleeing Philadelphia, it was amazing he even got this number, what was further troubling was him calling about their mother.. She had just about disowned her when she started dating her boyfriend and dead Mob Boss, Luis Patangeli, she only feared the worst of this..

"You need to come home." he said softly "Pop said come home...."

"I'll be on the next flight..."

Before anything else could be said, Carla hung up the phone and rushed out of her study yelling her son and Melvin's name in a distraught tone.. she hoped she didn't wake Akari sleeping down the hallway..

The flight was eerily quiet the entire way.. Carla could do nothing but sob as she thought of her mother.. Her brother hadn't exactly said what was wrong, but there could be only one reason for a phone call like this and she knew her mother was probably not in a good way.. Gino had never met his grandparents, infact, they didn't even know he existed and Carla also feared for how they would react to him being there, and also how he would take it all for being young..

As the plane landed on the tarmac, it quickly pulled into the terminal and docked so it could unload it's passengers and luggage.. Melvin quickly stood up from his seat and made sure that Carla was the first one to exit the plane as he blocked the way and ordered passengers to wait..

"After you, Madam." he said softly

Carla rushed off the plane, she couldn't seem to shake the anxious feeling that had dug itself deep into her chest.. Her brother Peter was waiting in the terminal for her and she quickly rushed over and hugged him in tears.. She let go and wiped the moisture from her eyes..

"It's so good to see you Petey, what's wrong with mamma... I didn't even ask on the phone I was so upset!" she questioned

"It's her heart, it's not doing good.. she had a stroke.." Pete replied somberly

Gino and Melvin finally made their way off the plane, Peter quickly shook Melvin's hand but was sort of not expecting Gino..

"So who is this young fellow? One of the help Carla?" Peter said with a chuckle

"No, that's my son Petey.. Gino.. your nephew..."

Peter's eyes widened when he realized that Gino was not only his nephew, but it meant he was the son to the late Godfather of Philadelphia, Luis Patangeli.. He quickly gave him a hug and stepped back..

"Well I'll be damned, you look just like your father kid.. well come on lets get over to the house and get some food in the both of ya.. no good standing here in this damned terminal all day..."

Pete said with a laugh before gesturing the group to follow him outside, Peter had moved up in the Gambino Family in New York.. When Carla last saw him, he was just a made man but now he was a Caporegime and had his own crew.. also a nice line of cash so it was no surprise he was being ferried around in a limo.. The group piled on into it and took off for the DiMarco residence in Little Italy..

Carla wasn't hungry for food, she found herself playing with the spaghetti noodles the entire time as she thought of her mother laying on her death bed at the hospital.. Her father was due to return any minute and she had an uneasy feeling about how he was gonna react to her.. Peter had scarfed down his entire plate, along with Melvin but they could eat anyday, anytime.. they were the 'dishwashers' of the family no doubt.. She put her fork down on the edge of the plate and leaned back in her seat as she let out a deep sigh and looked around the room, her son and brother were heavy in conversation and while things weren't the best of times, it was nice to see family with one another..

She let off a faint smile before turning her attention to the front door that had just become ajar.. Her father stepped through it and they both quickly made eye contact.. He smiled before shutting the door and hanging his coat on the rack next to the door.. Carla stood up and walked over and gave her father a slight embrace.. it was the first time she had hugged him in ten long years..

"Figlia mia, è così bello vederti." he said softly as he kissed her on the forehead

"Invecchi con la bellezza" he said with a smile as he stepped back and admired her beauty

"Sembra proprio mamma" Peter butted in with a smile

"I do not! mamma was way more beautiful at my age!" Carla said sternly

Her father chuckled and sat down to eat, he began to talk with Carla about all the things that had happened since she took off and left for Philadelphia, he was also very surprised and happy to know that he has a grandson.. Her mother always spoke of having grandchildren but all of her brothers had yet to marry, mainly because they were not the uh, best of looking men.. By the end of it all, things drew from happy to a bit more sad as everyone continued to come back to the original reason for this reunion.. They all sat in silence for some time before Peter turned to Carla and spoke softly

"Perhaps it's time we go visit Mamma.." Peter said finally breaking the silence 

Carla hadn't seen her mother in ten years.. ten long years.. this was not how she was expecting to come home.... She nodded and stood up from the living room chairs and followed her brother out of the house, this was going to be rough..

It was a short drive over to the hospital, or atleast it seemed that way for Carla.. all she could do was stare out the window and just think of all the wonderful things her mother had done for her growing up, and how horrible of a child she was for ignoring her the last ten years and keeping her grandchild away from her.. It was a shitty feeling that she didn't think she would ever feel, she wasn't the one who screamed and kicked her out of the house, or disowned her for the life she was living... but she still felt responsible for it all, if only she lived the life her mother wanted for her..

The car came to an abrupt stop as they had arrived at the hospital.. Overwhelming feelings of sadness, anxiety, and anger all came to her at once and she didn't know what to do.. Her brother opened the door and pulled her from the backseat and shut the door behind her.. The empty feeling was beginning to take over and she knew that she needed to stay strong for what she was about to see..

"Come on Carla.. Mom is waiting for us.."

Peter said as he pulled on her arm and tugged her towards the building.. She absolutely hated hospitals. The smells, the people, the staff.. it was just a shitty place and to make matters worse this is where her mother is spending the last of her days on this Earth.. All the emotions and thoughts were flowing now as she entered the building and began to really take it all in.. The nurse quickly lead them to the room when she saw Peter walj through the door..

Carla stopped dead in her tracks at the door when she glanced into the room and saw her mother laying in the hospital bed wired up to countless machines.. She burst into tears as she slowly approached the bedside and grabbed her mother's hand.. Her eyes opened and a faint smile was given off by her mother before she spoke..

"Ah bella figlia mia ... non piangere non sto soffrendo." her mother said softly as a tear formed

"Peter, di 'a tua sorella che deve essere forte per tutti noi ... è sempre stata forte." she said sternly to Peter before releasing Carla's hand and pushing herself up in the bed..

"I'm so sorry mamma.. I should have listened to you.. and been there for you more.. but I'm here now." Carla said somberly

"Don't be sorry, you're living your life.. just the way you want and that's all that matters.. I'm just happy to see you..."

Carla smiled and sat down next to her mother, the next few hours were quite long as they began to catch up.. ten long years was a long time to be away from anyone, especially your parents...

Carla abruptly awoke in the hospital chair, still by her mother's beside.. She was relieved to hear the snores and beeping of the machines.. She rose to her feet and yawned groggily and began to stretch our her aches and pains from sleeping in the tiny little chair.. Her brother Peter was snoring away in the corner, barely clinging to the newspaper that was slowly falling from his lap.. Her mother was still alive, but for how long was anyone's guess.. the stroke had done a real number on her heart and the doctors had only given her days to live... It had nearly been a week by this time..

She swiftly left the room and walked down the hallway to the phone booth on the wall and began to dial out.. The Eros club was still operating back in Los Angeles, and Akari was still bed ridden with a broken leg from their contract a few weeks ago..

"Yes it's me, just checking in-"

She was relieved to hear that things were quite slow, it was the first and only time Carla was actually happy to hear it and instructed her temporary manager to make sure that Akari was well taken care of. Her flight would be back home in a few days..

"Oh, and make sure none of the girls are fighting.. last thing I want to hear about..."

She smiled when she was re assured that everything was under control. She gracefully hung up the phone and returned to her mother's hospital room, bother her mother and Peter were snoring louder than ever now.. Seems she wouldn't be getting any more shut eye around here...

It was a few hours later when Carla's father and her son Gino came strolling into the room.. It was early in the morning and against Carla's wishes, her father brought Gino to the hospital anyways.. Gino had never met his grandparents, and it was a somber way to meet your grandmother, but late was better than never... He slowly approached the bed, but not before giving his mother a slight embrace and kiss on the cheek, and grabbed his grandma's hand and smiled..

"Nonna, sono io Gino .. Piacere di conoscerti finalmente" he spoke softly, she turned and smiled at him before slowly raising her hand and brushing his cheek

"Nipote, sei così bello .. la nonna è orgogliosa di te" she replied as she shed a tear

It was an overwhelmingly emotional moment for everyone who was present, A family finally reunited after so many years.. Carla could do nothing but sob as she felt responsible for the undoing.. If only she had went to college like her mother wanted.. The short lived moment would ensue with dramatic chaos as the machines began beeping radically.. The nurses stormed into the room and began shuffling the family to the side and some out of the room... It was the longest 3 minutes Carla had to endure in her 35 years of existence and when it drew to a close, the only sound that could be heard was the monotone beep of a flatlined machine... Her mother was dead...