Tom listened to the news on his way to his mother’s house. The markets were taking something called an emergency holiday. The talking heads all agreed that this was a good idea. They would let the dust settle over the weekend and see what happened on Monday. The traffic was very light, and as he passed the first gas station, Tom could see why. It seemed like everybody and his brother were waiting in line at the pumps. Tom checked his gas gauge and was happy to see that it was half full. Later, he would wish that he had seen it as being half empty.
Tom arrived at the construction site and saw that many of the contractors had pulled up stakes. The roofers and siding guys were long gone, replaced by painters and landscapers and floor installers. Tom walked inside and saw Sam doing trim work in the kitchen. He was his jovial self, cracking jokes and telling his little stories, never losing a beat when it came to his work. Tom told him that Marie was out at the house and Sam got a good laugh out of it. “I know she’s your aunt, Fat Tommy,” he said, “but she’s just an old war horse and I hate her guts. You keep an eye on her. I wouldn’t trust her alone in my house.”
Tom thought about that as he went to find Chona. He found her in one of the upstairs bedrooms, measuring a door and shaking her head. “We’ll never get a queen-sized box spring in here,” she said. “We’re going to have to go with a twin.”
Tom shrugged. “Whatever works,” he said. “Shari won’t be out until this afternoon. She’s not feeling well.”
“Join the club. I lost my ass yesterday.”
Tom followed Chona around for the next twenty minutes, approving last minute changes, amazed at how much had been done in such a short amount of time. The house was beautiful. What he knew about interior designing would fit into a thimble, but he could see that Chona and Shari had created a masterpiece. The house had great character, but would his mother see it? Tom hoped so.
Outside, Tom watched as young men and women worked in the yard. Plants and bushes were being planted and black dirt was being raked into place. As men worked on the automatic sprinkler system, pallets of sod were being unloaded from a truck. Tom wanted to be happy, but he just wasn’t feeling it.
“Hey Fat Tommy,” called a familiar voice. “Hey!”
Tom turned to see his two cousins, Lumpy and Crazy Steve Calizzi. The brothers stood on the sidewalk behind the yellow tape and motioned for him to walk over. Both men wore clean white t-shirts over dirty blue jeans. Under his breath, Tom groaned, but he put on a smile and walked over to them.
“Oh my God,” said Lumpy. “Will you just look at that place? You know, Fat Tommy, you’re making the rest of us look bad. Ma wants to know when me and Steve are gonna build her a mansion.”
“Yeah,” agreed Steve, “she’s crazier than I am.”
“That sure is some crib,” continued Lumpy. “It must have set you back a few bucks, huh?”
Tom scratched his head, knowing full-well where this was going. “Yeah, it sure did.”
Crazy Steve nodded. “You’re a good man, Tommy. Just like your old man, you’re the best.”
The two brothers were nearly identical, except in size. Lumpy was tall with a pot-belly, where Steve was short and skinny as a rail. Both men had wavy, jet-black hair and both wore their toothiest of smiles. Like sharks, thought Tom. “So, try to keep it quiet. Ma doesn’t know that we rebuilt her house. We want it to be a surprise.”
Lumpy nodded his head, vigorously. “Oh, we’ll keep it a secret, won’t we, Stevie?”
“Our lips are sealed.”
“So Tommy,” said Lumpy, putting a long arm over Tom’s shoulder, “I been trying to call you, but you never answer the phone. What’s up with that?”
“Yeah,” agreed Steve, “what’s up with that? You too busy to talk with your own family?”
“Look around you. Does it look like I’ve been busy?”
The brothers looked around and both of them shrugged. “I guess so,” said Lumpy. “But you should never be too busy to talk to your family. Did you see what happened on the news, yesterday? That hit us hard, man. Stevie and I both lost our jobs.”
“Oh yeah?” asked Tom. “I didn’t know you guys were working?”
“It was only a temporary job, but it was the only jobs we had.”
Steve crossed his arms. “That’s right,” he said. “And seeing how you seem to be rolling in money, we were hoping to hit you up for a loan. You know us, Tommy, we’re good for it.”
Lumpy turned to glare at Steve; he then returned his attention to Tom. “We’re in a really tight spot. Mom doesn’t know how she’s going to be able to afford the house payment. Her lumbago is really bad, the poor woman, and she can’t hardly work no more. And the electric company is threatening to shut off the power. She sent us out here to talk to you. I know you’ll do the right thing.”
“That’s right,” said Steve. “Because we’re family and families look out for each other.”
“How much are we talking about?”
Lumpy stared up at the new roof. “I dunno, ten, maybe twenty grand?”
Tom laughed at that, remembering the last thing that Marie had said to him, last night. “Even if I did have the money,” he began, “which I don’t, do you think I’d borrow it to either of you? I’ve loaned both of you guys money and you never pay me back.”
“But this is different,” said Lumpy.
“Yeah,” said Steve, “this is for our ma.”
“How is it different? I’d never get my money back. Guys, we spent all we had on this place. I’m sorry, but my answer is no. We don’t have any money.”
“How about just a grand?” asked Lumpy, undeterred. “Don’t try and tell us that you ain’t got that much.”
Steve raised his chin to Tom. “Yeah, I bet you carry that much around in your wallet for walkin’ around money.”
“I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. I just haven’t got it.”
Lumpy lowered his voice. “How about a hundred bucks?”
Tom shook his head.
“What the hell is going on out here?” asked Sam, who suddenly appeared behind Tom. “Why, you worthless bums, I ought to punch the both of ya in the mouth. You both been spongin’ off your poor ma for your whole lives. Go out and get a damn job and leave Tommy alone. Now, get the hell outta here.”
“But Uncle Sammy,” said Lumpy.
“Don’t you Uncle Sammy me. You’re both grown men. Why don’t you start acting like it? Go on, leave Tommy alone. He’s got big enough problems without you two goons shakin’ him down. Go, now, before I wipe the street with ya.”
“Twenty bucks?” asked Lumpy. “Stevie’s car is on empty.”
Sam reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He fished out two twenties and he flung them down onto the sidewalk. He then grabbed Tom by the shoulder. “Chona sent me out to find you. Come on.”
“Thanks, Uncle Sammy,” said Crazy Steve.
“You stay away from those guys,” said Sam, leading Tom into the house. “They’re no good and they ain’t ever been any good.”
Tom nodded and snuck a look over his shoulder, but his cousins were gone. He was happy that Sam had bailed him out. His wallet was empty, except for the charge cards, and he knew that Lumpy and Steve never would have believed that. When he was younger, his older cousins had beaten him up on several occasions. That threat still hung in the air, and the Calizzi brothers never let him forget it.
Chona was in the living room. She pointed at the fireplace as Sam went back to trimming out the windows. “Do you see that?” she asked.
Tom stepped in for a closer look. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be looking for.”
Chona shook her head and gave him an exasperated look. “The brickwork, it’s crooked. I warned those guys that this would happen. They were working too fast.”
Tom now saw what Chona meant by that, but he hardly thought it was noticeable. “They were doing the best they could,” he said. “Just let it go. I’ll sign off on it.”
&nb
sp; Chona let out a big breath and smiled. “Thank you,” she said. “Most of my clients would throw a fit over something like this. I’m glad you understand how things work when you’re under the gun. If we had more time, I’d have them rip this thing down and start over.”
Tom rested his hand on the mantle. “Chona,” he said, “I think you’ve done a wonderful job. The house is absolutely beautiful.”
Chona’s smile widened. “Thank you, Tom. I just love it. I’ll bet your mom is going to be so happy.”
“She had better be.”
“Come on, there’s one more little flub in the master bath. There’s a gap in the tile and we filled it with grout. I just want you to be aware of it.”
Tom followed along, noticing how Sam’s eyes followed Chona as they left the room. He smiled to himself. Chona was single and perhaps ten years younger than Sam. He found that he could picture them, together.
Upstairs, they found themselves alone. The rooms were finished and they were only waiting for furniture. Chona quickly showed Tom the spot in question and he shook his head. He could see nothing and he said as much. “Seriously,” he said, “everything looks great.”
Chona popped her head out the bathroom door and she then she ducked back inside. She gave him an odd look and suddenly he was sure she was going to try and kiss him. Tom backed up a step. “Tell me about your uncle. I know that he’s made mistakes and that he’s paid the price for them. I just need to know, can he be trusted?”
Tom had been right and he smiled. Sam wasn’t his uncle, but over the past week he had started seeing him as one. “Absolutely,” said Tom, I’d trust him with my life. “Sam is a great guy and he’s put his past behind him. He says that he’s found God and I happen to believe him. He’s a changed man.”
Chona smiled and nodded her head. “He spent the night over at my house, last night. I’ve never met a man like him.”
Tom laughed at that. “Why, that old dog,” he said.
“Old dog? That’s a laugh. I practically had to beg him to come over. And then I practically had to beg him to go to sleep. The man just keeps going and going and going.”
Tom held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t want to hear any of that personal stuff. So, you two had a nice time, huh?”
Chona held her hands to her chest and spun around. “I can’t remember having a better night. I’m just a little worried about his past. You understand where I’m coming from, don’t you?”
“I do understand, but I’m telling you that he’s on the straight and narrow. He really is a great guy and my guess is that he’ll make you very happy.”
“He’s already done that. Thanks Tommy, can I call you that? You should know that Sam thinks the world of you.”
Tom smiled and nodded his head. “The feeling is mutual. I’m happy for you both.”
“Thank you. I’m trying to get him to come with me down to Rochester. I have a lot of work lined up down there and would like to get started on it. He said he’s thinking about it, but I think he was waiting for me to talk to you.”
“Hey, you both have my approval, if it matters.”
Chona grinned and she wrapped her arms around Tom and gave him a big squeeze. They continued on with the tour and Tom found that he couldn’t stop smiling. Whatever happened in the outside world, he was in love and nothing could change that. He hoped that Sam and Chona could experience that same sense of ultimate security. Their match seemed to have been made in heaven and Tom found himself praying that everything worked out.
Chapter 12
With the late morning sun baking down on them, they stood on the patio and watched Shari drive away; neither woman had showered, and both dressed in yesterday’s clothes. “I thought the bitch would never leave,” said Marie.
“I know,” agreed Doris. “Do you see what I mean about her? She acts like she’s better than everybody else. She hardly said two words to me, all morning. God, I can’t stand her.”
“Come on, let’s get going. I want to get inside there before she decides to come back.”
“No, we’d better give her a few minutes. She might do just that.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s have a smoke and then we’ll go.”
They had already smoked nearly a full pack between them, but Doris nodded her head. She was nervous and excited. She lit her cigarette and puffed, greedily. “Remind me, there is a box of latex cleaning gloves under the kitchen sink. I think we should wear them. What do you think?”
Marie nodded her big head. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. They’re going to blame Sam, if they ever find out, but we should be careful. I thought you said you took some stuff out of this house.”
“I did take some stuff, but that bitch has so much stuff that it’ll probably take her weeks to notice.”
“Yeah, she sure has a lot of stuff. Some people have all the luck.”
Doris didn’t reply, she walked up to the glass patio door and stared into the dining room. “That’s funny,” she said, “the lights just went out.” She tossed her cigarette to the ground and opened the door. Marie followed her. Doris began flipping switches, but nothing happened. “The power must be out. That’s weird, isn’t it? It must have stormed in the cities.”
“Are you kidding me? That’s great! I got to thinking about something when I was doing my business, what if these are old alarm codes?”
Doris screwed up her face, but then she nodded. “You’re right, how would we know?”
“With the power off, the codes don’t matter. Let’s get our asses in gear, sister.”
“The gloves, I have to grab the gloves!”
A moment later, the women were waddling at warp speed in the direction of the big house. Wearing their pink cleaning gloves, Doris carried her canvas bag and Marie carried a crow bar she had found in the garage. Breathless, they nearly collapsed on the front steps. “I’ve got to quit smoking,” said Marie. “Those things are killing me.”
“Shut up and give me those keys,” wheezed Doris. “We don’t know when Shari and Tom will be back.”
Marie dug in her pocket and handed Doris the ring of keys. One at a time, Doris tried jamming them into the lock. “Let me do it,” grunted Marie.
“I know how to put a key into a door. Oh my God, what if these are the wrong keys? I was so sure they were the keys to this place.”
Marie was about to say something, but she watched as the last key sank home and turned easily in the lock. “Bingo!” she cried.
There were two locks on the big wooden door and the key fit both locks. Tentatively, Doris pushed the door open and she waited for the alarms to sound. When none did, she turned to Marie and the women hugged. Inside, the house was dark and forbidding. A pungent smell wafted out to greet them. “Maybe we should go back for a flashlight,” said Doris.
“Like hell,” said Marie. “If we need light, I’m sure we can find some candles. Come on, sister, let’s get in there.”
And the two women stepped into the darkness.
As the paint and stain dried, the furniture movers were busy turning Doris’ house into a home. With the clock ticking down, Chona ordered all hands on deck, including Tom, and they began unloading the orange moving trailer. The big ticket items went inside first and then they formed a human chain and shuttled in the smaller things. Tom had soon worked up a sweat and an appetite. Clouds had moved in and the morning had turned hot and humid. When the trailer was empty, Tom walked toward the house to see if there was anything he could do to help. He was tired, but he was more excited to see this huge undertaking completed. There were still cupboards to stock and drawers to fill. “Have you seen Sam?” asked Shari, from over his shoulder.
Tom spun around and smiled. “There you are,” he said, giving Shari a quick kiss. “You just missed out on all of the fun.”
“I saw that. Look, I need to talk to Sam. Have you seen him?”
“He’s inside the house. Come on, we’ll go and find him.”
“No, I can
find him. I need to talk to him… alone.”
Tom gave Shari a puzzled look and he shrugged his shoulders. “What’s going on?”
Shari gave Tom a half-hearted smile and brushed her hand in his direction. “Nothing to worry about, honey,” she said. “I just need to see him. Wait out here, okay?”
Tom took a step back and let Shari pass. He knew something was wrong, but he had no idea what it might possibly be. He watched her as she disappeared into the house. The joy he had been feeling only a moment ago had vanished, and it had been replaced by a dark sense of foreboding.
Shari whisked into the house, her mind a blur of dark thoughts and ugly scenarios. She found Sam and Chona up in the master bedroom, kissing, and Shari took a step back and covered her mouth. Sam held Chona in his arms and offered Shari a smile. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag,” he said. “We was gonna tell you, tonight, wasn’t we Chona?”
Chona was also smiling as she nodded her head. “Don’t ask me how this happened,” she said. “This is so not like me, but I’m certainly not complaining. Sam and I are moving down to my home in Rochester. We’ll be leaving after we button things up.”
“I still can’t believe it,” said Sam. “Am I the luckiest guy on the planet… or what?”
“I’m the luckiest girl on the planet,” said Chona, and then she buried her head in his shoulder. Slowly, she pulled away. “Okay, I’ve got to make a few calls. We’re on the home-stretch now. What do you think, Shari?”
“Everything looks great and let me be the first to congratulate you both. I’m so happy for you guys. Chona, would you mind giving me a few minutes alone with Sam. I need to talk to him about something.”
Chona was already on her way out the door. “No problem,” she said. “I’ll close the door and make sure you two have some privacy. Sam, when you’re done, will you join me in the kitchen?”
“I sure will… honeybuns.”
Chona closed the door and Shari and Sam squared off in the freshly painted bedroom. Plastic from the new box spring and mattress lay shredded on the new carpeting. Shari stepped across the plastic to stand in front of Sam. “I want it back,” she said.
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