by Sienna Mynx
The only meager ounce of excitement she’s had were the stolen moments with Leo. He was pleasant and flirted a little but never enough for her to understand if he was even interested, or if she was. Add her mother to the mix and she was destined to boredom.
“Everything okay?” Cecilia asked her.
“Uhm, yeah, sure, can I help?” Belinda got up from her chair. Cecilia changed the diaper of one of the twins while the other hugged her leg crying.
“Actually it’s time for lunch, with the men all riled up I think I will give it to the kids here in the play room. Can you go to the kitchen and tell Ana? Then go upstairs to find Evie and have her brought down? That would be a big help.”
“I sure can!” Belinda nearly squealed. Before Cecilia could say another word she was out of that blasted playroom and walking fast. She stopped when two men ran past the foyer with guns. The sensible part of her brain warned her to turn around and go back. And then another ran past and confirmed it. Suddenly being brave felt very stupid.
Belinda remained cautious in her pursuit of them. The inside of Melanzana was as rowdy as the celebration outside. The staff rolled out barrels of liquor to offer up in celebration. Many men she passed or made eye contact with smiled or winked at her. Curious, Belinda found a window to look out of. There was a gathering of men singing and dancing in a circle with their arms locked around each other shoulders. A few of them wrestled or fought with each other. Some drag raced their motorbikes up and down the drive to Melanzana while others shot guns into the sky. It was all done in jubilation. Belinda laughed. She couldn’t help but feel charged with excitement too. She turned and hurried up the stairs instead of continuing her mission to the kitchen to deliver the request for Ana. She wanted to find Leo. She was certain he would be where he always was, a step behind Mirabella.
And she was right.
On the second floor in the hall Leo sat in a chair with a book in his hand. His head was bowed and he appeared fixated on the pages, unaware of his surroundings.
“Hey?”
Leo’s head jerked up.
“What you reading?” she asked as she approached.
Leo stood. He shoved the book into his back pocket then pulled down his shirt as if the cover would erase the scene from her memory.
“Can I do for you?” he asked.
“Do what?” she chuckled. She stopped before him. “Oh? You mean what can you do for me? Nothing really. I ah, was thinking... and ah.” Leo looked behind her and she could tell he was relieved they were alone. He ran his hand back over his head. He blinked and again didn’t smile. The way he asked the question with a stiff back and grimace seem odd. Although English was not a first language they were past awkwardness. And, as she told him often, she saved his life on that beach. They were closer than acquaintances now.
“I was looking for little Eve,” she quickly tossed at him. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“It’s no bother. She’s in room with her mother. They talk. I can tell Donna...”
“Why don’t you tell me what-chu reading instead?” Belinda wrapped her arms around his waist. He was so thrown by the embrace she reached around him to snatch the book from his back pocket, and did so quickly. She had it in her hand before he could stop her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her hard but not before she said the words aloud. “Da Italiano a Inglese.”
Leo took the book from her.
“What does that mean?”
“Means nothing. I should not read at work,” he said.
“Is it a translation book?”
He nodded and put the book into his pocket. She stared at him a moment and then looked to the closed door.
“You practicing your English huh? I told you, you can practice with me.”
Leo averted his gaze. He seemed uncomfortable. Belinda quickly worked on changing the subject. “So Giovanni is awake?”
Leo glanced to her again.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means things can go normal again,” Leo said.
“You’re happy about being normal?”
He nodded.
“Why aren’t you out there doing summersaults like the others then?” she chuckled.
He didn’t answer.
“Welp, I was just coming to say hi. If you are going to act all weird then I’ll go back down stairs.” She turned to leave and Leo grabbed her hand. She glanced back over her shoulder. He looked as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t decide on the words.
“What is it?”
“Lesson? Teach me.”
“How to speak English?” she asked.
“No. Write Inglese. For exam. I want lessons on how to write to pass test.”
“What test?”
Leo reached behind him and removed the book again. This time he took out the paper that was tucked in between the back sheets. He handed it to her. She couldn’t tell what it was for but she could see it was an application.
“School. Like you. I go to university,” Leo smiled.
“Why? You’re a gangster.”
Leo frowned. The side of his face wrinkled when he did.
“I mean, wow. But you have a cool job, working here. Right? Being all bad ass and stuff. Plus you belong to the family. That was your words.”
“I go to school and be a teacher. Later. When Boss says it’s okay. If Boss says it’s okay.”
Belinda eyes stretched. “A teacher? Out of all the jobs to have you want to be a teacher?”
“Si, a teacher.”
She was impressed. He explained he had to pass an entrance exam that had part of it in English. “Okay. Sure. I can help. I tutored so many people when I was in college,” she lied. “Some went on to be teachers.”
That seem to release all the tension between them. He took her hand and kissed it. Surprised by the sweet gesture Belinda gave him one of her own. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. The gesture landed on the side of his face with the most scarring. His eyes stretched. She drew back and gave him a brighter smile.
“Tonight we start lessons. Okay?”
“Stasera,” he agreed. “Grazie.”
“You’re welcome cutie patootie!” Belinda grinned and then hurried off.
She glanced back one last time and he was already staring at the paper for enrollment in his hand. So he didn’t want to live and die a bodyguard with a gun? He wanted to go to college. That felt cool.
***
Minnie was able to slip to her room unseen. She held the note tight in her hand. She breathed so hard by the time she secured the lock on her door, she had to sit down and practice capturing her breath. She didn’t want to betray Mirabella. But what else could she do?
She picked up the phone and dialed. And it was as she expected. The person answered in Italian. “Please. Hello. Ah, Ciao? My name is Minnie. I have to speak to Lorenzo. Please. Do you understand me? Lorenzo?”
The person responded in Italian.
“Lorenzo. Marietta. Battaglia. Lorenzo!”
The man sounded like he understood. She listened as he spoke to another person who sounded like a woman. And then Minnie heard the voices of several men. Minnie kept looking to the door. Mirabella could walk in at any moment. She felt the urgency and panic all at once. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.
“Hello?”
“Is this Lorenzo?”
“Who’s this?”
“My name is Minnie. I’m... Marietta’s aunt from America. I have a message for Lorenzo. Can I speak to him?”
“You can give me the message, Signora. I’ll share it.”
“Who are you?”
“What is the message?” the man asked and his toned hardened.
“Listen to me. This is about his baby. It’s very important. I need to give him the message directly. Please. I may not get a chance to do this again. I’m begging.”
The man went silent. He then said something in Italian to another. Minnie once again closed her eyes and held her
breath. If she hit another roadblock she was going to hang up and give up. But then a familiar voice answered.
“Hello?”
“Lorenzo?”
“Yes?”
“It’s Minnie! From America. Remember?”
“Minnie, how did you know...?”
“I’m in Sorrento now. Staying with Mirabella.”
“Where is my wife? What is going on? Is it the baby?”
“There’s been a lot of things happening. I had to call you for her.”
“Marietta? How is she?”
“Not good. Mirabella locked her away in the red house to the back of this big house. Villa something...”
“Villa Rosso?”
“Yes. She’s there. And she’s upset. Giovanni woke up from his coma. Mirabella says that Marietta shot him. Everyone here thinks she did.”
“Fuck!”
“Lorenzo, listen, I have to read you something.”
“How is she? Is she and the baby okay? Why are you calling and not her? Have they done anything?”
“Shhhhh, honey, stop. Okay? I have to read you something and I’m nervous as it is,.” Minnie fiddled with the letter. She captured the phone between her shoulder and her cheek. She unfolded the letter and tried to read.
Lo, hurry. Mirabella set a trap for us. She knows about everything. Even the gun. She is working with Tacchini. She said that she will...
Minnie paused and frowned. She thought the letter was a love letter. She soon realized it wasn’t.
“What does it say? Finish! What is it?”
Minnie didn’t know what to do. If she read it then would that make her a co-conspirator? Or had she become one as soon as she agreed to work with Marietta?
“Minnie! Finish the letter!”
...punish me for betraying her. She said she wants to commit me to a looney bin. Rocco is hurt, in the hospital. I think Dominic is in charge. If he is then he might know what we did, what we planned with Gambetta. I wouldn’t trust anyone, especially Armando. The family wants revenge. You have to get out of there, Lorenzo. Now. Get Catalina and leave. I’ll do my best to stall her, but if I can’t, then Minnie will be in contact. She’ll tell you where Mirabella sends me. Find a way to stay in touch with Minnie and I’ll make sure I’m ready for whatever you have planned. Come for me. Please. I might have this baby. Please hurry. I love you, sweetheart. I love you.
Minnie folded the letter. “That’s all it says.”
“How bad is she?” Lorenzo asked. “Physically?”
“Not well. She’s confined to bed. The doctors wanted her to go to the hospital, but Mirabella won’t let her. I’m doing my best to convince her.”
“Signora Minnie, listen to me. If our child dies it will destroy my wife. You have to convince Mirabella to let her sister go to the hospital. And when you do, I want you to call this number and tell them where she is. It’s friends of mine. This is the way you reach me. Understand?”
“Huh? Oh, uhm, I can’t get involved with no more of this...”
“You are our only hope. I don’t want trouble. I want my family. Please. Take down this number.”
Minnie got a pen and paper and wrote the number. “I have it.”
“Grazie. Don’t forget. Call the number the moment you know where she and the baby are in the hospital, you tell me.”
“But Mirabella...”
“You said Giovanni is awake. And he’s alert?”
“Yes.”
“Things will be different for Mirabella. My cousin is in charge now. He’ll move Marietta soon. Be ready to convince Mirabella to help Marietta.”
“She won’t listen.”
“She will when my cousin gets involved. Just do as I say. I’ll take care of the rest. And thank you for calling me. Tell Marie to hold on. I’m going to make sure everything is alright. Tell her I love her. Always.”
“I will.”
Carlo sat outside of the Secondigliano housing square. He watched the show from behind his sunglasses. The last of the Licciardi gang were rounded up and hauled into the back of polizia passenger vans. Two days of this and it didn’t feel right.
“We’re turning into rats,” Carlo grumbled.
“This was the best move. With the Licciardis down, the other clans will fall in line,” said Renaldo. “Things will return to normal.”
“Normal? What the fuck is normal about running to the polizia to rat on another clan boss?”
“That’s not the point. The Licciardis and Racchis took the risks. They were sloppy. This is their doing.” Renaldo countered.
“Fuck the excuses. We handle business by the law of the clan. We handle it Giovanni’s way. Not this bullshit. I respect Mirabella, but Giovanni is going to shit his bed when he hears of this. And what will you say? That you sat back on your dick and watched?”
Carlo and then Renaldo’s pagers went off. Carlo plucked his from his belt first. It was a code that requested a call back to Melanzana. He’d been itching to return home. It had been two days since he left Adara. Two days and he hadn’t spoken to her. He called Melanzana, but all he was ever told was she was not there, or gone on an errand with the Donna.
“Find a pay phone,” Carlo said.
“Wait,” Renaldo said. He reached in the glove compartment and removed a phone. Carlo frowned. “I got a mobile the other day. Kyra insists on it. She wants me to be able to call her and the baby.”
“Bullshit! She wants to keep tabs on you,” Carlo chuckled. “Let me see it. I’ve thought of getting one of these.”
Renaldo smiled. “You should.”
Carlo turned it on and dialed while he kept his eyes trained on the men being pushed and shoved toward the vans.
“Giovanni is awake.” Carlo shared.
“The boss is awake?”
“Time to head home. The boss is up and responding. Thank God! This dog sitting shit is over. We can get back on top of things!”
“Couldn’t he have woken up before we did this?” Renaldo mumbled. Carlo again looked to the brethren in the Camorristi being rounded up and arrested.
Carlo chuckled. “We don’t have that kind of luck.”
From the back of the villa Lorenzo heard the commotion. He wheeled his chair fast to the front. He bumped into the kid that had become his shadow.
“Che cosa c'è?” he asked.
“Non lo so? I dunno,” the boy said. Lorenzo had already gotten wind of the trouble in Castelmola. And he knew Catalina was caught in the crossfire. When he reached the front foyer he saw her first. And the relief allowed him to breathe again. If she was harmed in anyway he’d gut Mancini.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She rushed over and hugged him. He held her the best he could from his wheelchair.
“I think so, but... I don’t know... I don’t know where Armando is. He’s in trouble.”
The moment after the words escaped her Armando came in the door with his men soon after. Several of his men were also carrying their wounded. Armando gave orders to get the doctors there immediately. Gunshots couldn’t be tended too at the hospitals. It would draw too much attention.
Catalina shot up and turned in shock. “Armando? Mio Dio! You’re here? You scared me so bad.” Lorenzo frowned over the show of affection between them when she rushed into his arms. They’d been gone for more than two days and it made him sick to do nothing but watch. Even more puzzling was the diamond ring he saw sparkling on her finger.
“This was Gambetta.”
Armando glared at Lorenzo. “How do you know that?”
“They came for you? Didn’t they?” Lorenzo asked.
“Go upstairs, Catalina,” Armando said, and took a step toward Lorenzo.
“She stays. You both need to hear this. I got a call from Sorrento. Marietta is being held prisoner.”
“Prisoner? By who?” Catalina asked.
“Mirabella,” Lorenzo answered.
The two of them looked confused. And that was understandable. Nothing made muc
h sense anymore when it came to Mirabella. “She knows that Marietta shot Giovanni.”
“What?” Catalina gasped. “What did you say?”
“It was an accident. Calm yourself.”
“Say it again! Marietta shot my brother? She shot him! Did you know this?” she whirled on Armando.
“I suspected. I wasn’t sure.”
“And you didn’t tell me!”
“You didn’t ask me.”
“Bullshit! I did ask you! I asked you a hundred times! Two hundred times! And you!” she turned on Lorenzo. “Did you put the gun in her hand you fucking bastard!”
“It was never...”
“Don’t you dare lie!” she shouted until her voice went hoarse. She shook with rage. And Lorenzo noticed how Armando’s touch wasn’t rejected. All her anger was solely focused on him. And that pissed him off. Where was her fucking loyalty? He swallowed his own urge to remind her of who she was and tried to manage the situation.
“Marietta walked in on me and Giovanni. She saw him shoot me. He was going to kill me Catalina. There is no doubt about it. She panicked as any wife would. She shot him. And I tried to protect her because you and I both know what that means. She’s American. She’s impulsive. She would have never done it if Giovanni hadn’t cornered me. Now the family knows it. Dominic told me that if Giovanni dies so does Marietta and my baby!”
She charged at Lorenzo, screaming threats. Armando grabbed her by the waist and turned her from the attack. Lorenzo didn’t blink.
“There’s more important news. Giovanni is awake.”
“We know!” Catalina wept.
The plan had to be moved up. He had to get to his wife and he needed to take control. “Armando, this isn’t just war. It’s win or lose. The Gambettas are coming, and they’ll have the force of La Cosa Nostra and the authorities behind them.”
