by Sienna Mynx
"Heads up," Giovanni said, and the laughter stopped.
Lorenzo’s gaze swiveled to the approaching man. "I see him."
"Cutter wants to talk to you," the tall man barked.
Giovanni looked to Lorenzo and then the man. "If he wants to have a conversation then tell him not to send his pet, and sit down here with me as a man."
The request knocked the man’s head back. His eyes stretched. Apparently, he was convinced that his height and muscle alone was all the convincing needed. Giovanni looked up at him with an expectant glare. Robert patted his son’s arm. Both of them got up from the little bar table and stepped away. Clyde turned up his beer and stared at the peanuts in the brown bowl on the table. Lorenzo sat silent.
The man gave a nod and turned and went back to his master. Apparently, no one made a move unless Cutter said so. The chatter inside the bar began to ease to whispered murmurs. Cutter conversed for a few moments and then came out of the booth. He approached.
"Clyde, I think Lorenzo and I can handle this. Why don’t you go to the bar."
"You family," Clyde said and sipped his beer. "I've seen bigger battles than this."
Giovanni glanced over to Clyde, and their eyes met. He smiled. They were family. And family never leaves family standing alone. Funny how that law was valid in every aspect of life. Even here in rural America.
The empty chair before Giovanni was the one Cutter turned and straddled. He smiled at Giovanni. "Giovanni, I don't think we met properly. Welcome to Apple Grove." Cutter extended his hand to offer him a friendly shake. Giovanni didn’t offer his exchange. Cutter glanced over to Clyde who met his stare. He lowered his hand. "Here in America, it's polite to shake a man's hand when offered."
Giovanni didn’t respond. He wasn’t going to be baited. He only wanted to hear what Cutter had to say. Wanted to know if his instincts about the man were right.
"Heard a lot about you. The man who Mirabella Ellison married. That was big news here after we found out she was alive. Big news. Press, came. Even a helicopter was flying over town taking pictures. Big news."
"Why would it matter to you who she married?" Clyde asked.
"Why?" Cutter laughed. "Clyde, you know why. Didn't you tell our guest who I was? Or did Mia fill him in?"
Clyde set his beer down. "Now listen here, Cutter. We came here for a beer. Not some of your bullshit." Cutter ignored Clyde. He glared at Giovanni. Lorenzo rocked back on two legs of his chair as if bored he glanced to the sports event on the television.
“Something wrong with our beer?” Cutter asked Giovanni. Lorenzo gaze returned to him. Giovanni maintained his stare. The beer the waitress gave him sat on the table untouched. Cutter chuckled. “Does this motherfucker speak English?”
"I speak English fine." Giovanni leaned forward so he could look into Cutter's eyes. "Why don't you tell me what it is you’ve got to say about my wife?" Giovanni asked.
Cutter smiled. He glanced to Lorenzo who was now frozen and staring at him. Cutter didn't appear as brave as he did before. Giovanni saw him blink. When a man blinked it was all, he needed to know. Cutter glanced back to the table where his men sat. They immediately came out fo the booth and approached. Cutter's bravery returned. The men stood behind him.
“She was mine,” Cutter said loud enough for the bar to hear. “First. Do you know what that means? Young tender was mine first. You got my leftovers.”
A few men in the bar laughed.
“Oh yea baby, Mia was timid but eager to please me. We had many good times."
Giovanni’s jaw twitched. It was the only outpour of emotion from him. He was in a different country. In a bar filled with men, he didn't own. He could take the bottle on the table break and cut his Cutters throat before the two men drew the guns they had tucked in the back of their pants. But that would be a headache he didn't need.
Cutter chuckled because men like him knew their opponent. He knew insulting Mirabella to Giovanni’s face would be the knife to turn in Giovanni’s gut. So Cutter leaned in and continued. "You know in these parts men know the best girl to have is a preacher's daughter. Biggest freak in the bed. Except your wife was a little more. She's a baby killer."
The entire bar went silent. Cutter stared at him. "She killed my kid. Thought I didn't know. And when I confronted her about it and she put on the tears. Pretended to be confused and scared. Then she kills her grandfather. Yeah. Him too. He showed up at the farmhouse and caught me two seconds from strangling her fucking throat. Tried to stop me. But I made her confess. Tell him what she did. That she was a murdering bitch. And the old man fell over. Dropped to his knees right there on the spot. Took him a couple of weeks to die, though. And she just walked away. Cashed out on that money he had for her and left before his body cold in the ground."
Lorenzo made a move and Giovanni cut his gaze to him and ordered him to remain still. Lorenzo jaw clenched, but he remained seated. Clyde looked like the vein in the center of his forehead would burst. He too was close to a rage filled explosion.
“We’re done here,” Giovanni announced. Clyde stood first. He dropped money on the table. Cutter laughed. Hard gusts of laughter hurled at Giovanni as he and his cousin stood.
"Aren't you supposed to be some big time Mafia guy out of Italy? Real scary. Fuck off, you piece of shit! Take that baby killer with you and get the fuck out of my town. Motherfucker!"
Giovanni cast his gaze over his shoulder at Cutter, who grinned.
"Tell Mia I'll come over and remind her what a real man gives. Goes down better than that pink stick of yours!"
The men inside of the bar roared with laughter. Lorenzo made to go for Cutter. Giovanni through up his hand and stopped his cousin. "Get in the car. Now."
"Gio? Che palle! Let’s..."
“I have what I needed cousin. We leave now.”
“What? What do you have?”
Giovanni smiled. “A reason to kill Cutter.”
Lorenzo grunted and did as he was told. All three men got inside the car.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t bring you to be disrespected like that. In front of the whole town. I’m sorry,” Clyde said.
“It happens. This is Cutter’s town. I’m a big boy I can handle it," Giovanni said.
“But... what he said I mean it’s true. You are some kind of Mafia guy? Right?”
“There is no such thing as the Mafia. Not where I come from. Just families that protect each other. And we’re family. Right?”
Clyde smiled. “Yeah, we are."
"Va bene, I am not here to cause trouble. I only wanted to meet my wife's family. There is no problem," Giovanni said.
"You’re pretty cool. When I first met you. Well, you gave the impression of a no-nonsense kind of guy. Took class not to punch Cutter in the face.”
Giovanni smiled. “Yea, I’m a classy guy.”
Lorenzo chuckled from the backseat.
***
"Man, Cutter! You so crazy." Jerome laughed. He hit the dashboard with his fist.
"You see the look on that motherfucker's face?" Evan asked. "He looked like he would explode or shit his pants."
"Nah, he looks like he was gonna cry," Jerome laughed.
Cutter rode in the back seat. Evan was behind the wheel, and Jerome rode shotgun. They were both loyal employees and good students of his. He'd make Jerome into a prize fighter soon enough. Everyone said it. And he knew the young bloods looked up to him to be a tough guy. A bad ass. The truth was he felt like shit. Hurting her through her husband wasn't as gratifying as he first thought. Who he really needed to see and bring to their knees was Mia. The pain when she left had turned to hatred over the years, and then one day he turned on the television and learned she had died. The hatred in his heart melted to regret and grief.
Mirabella was the only woman, girl, whatever, he ever loved, and losing her hurt as much today as it ever it did. Now she was alive, with children, living a life that he had offered her. It was like an emotional rollercoaster, and he was
the only passenger.
If he could put his hands around her throat, he would squeeze until the last of her disappeared. But in his heart, he knew that wouldn't be the case. If he put his hands around her throat, he would only do so to keep her still so she could tell him the answers he’d ben seeking since he lost her. Did she ever care about him and the kid she murdered? Did she ever think of him and their child at all? Did she ever love him?
Answers he would never have.
“Keep driving,” Cutter said.
“Boss?” Jerome answered.
“Back to Norfolk. Get me the fuck out of this town.”
"Right. Whatever you say, boss."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Brotherhood
Apple Grove, Virginia
“Papa! Push faster! Faster!” Eve squealed. Her little cousin clapped her hands and cheered for her. Gladys had allowed the girl to spend the night so Eve could have more time with her playmate. Eve sat inside the donut hole of the black empty tire with her feet dangling out of one side and the rest of her body on the other side. Giovanni caught the tire and stopped it from swaying.
"Aaw!"
"Share it with your cugina," he said.
"Okay!" Eve grinned.
Giovanni put the little girl inside the tire with Eve. They both gruipped it. He made sure the children were secure and could hold the handmade rope handles that were punctured inside the tire.
“Hold on lucciola,” he said.
“We will!”
Giovanni began to spin the tire slowly and then gave it a gentle push. His heart raced even after taking such care. But his daughter had the spirit of a daredevil.
“Yaaaay!” Eve cheered with delight.
The little girl named Maven squealed as well. Giovanni stepped back and smiled. Eve wore blue jean shorts a bright pink shirt. Her curly blondish-brown locks were captured in a ponytail by a matching pink ribbon. The top of her head was a crown of curls that glistened in the sun. She was growing so fast. He wished there was a way to slow the process down. He missed the baby with the cherry red pacifer.
“Looks like she and her cousin are having a good time,” Mirabella said. She handed him a glass of water. Giovanni accepted the offering with a smile. It was hotter today than the others. He had large sweat stains under his arms. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
“I used to do this when I was her age. My Me-Ma would be so upset. But granddaddy made it secure. He told me once that Me-Ma used to be upset when my mother swung on it too. I could spin all day.”
“So, three generations of Ellison women have ridden on this swing?” he asked.
“That’s right. Three generations,” Mirabella repeated with a smile.
“I’ll have the boys tie a tire to the tree out near villa Rosso. It’s perfect and there’s more shade.” He sipped the water and watched Gianni chase Gino in the grass several feet away. The boys could run in circles for hours if left to it. But under this sun it didn’t seem wise.
“Is it me or is it hotter today?” he asked.
“It’s hot. August in Apple Grove can be brutal. It’ll cool off after five,” she said. I turned on the AC unit inside. It’s almost time for lunch.
He finished the water and handed her the glass. He walked over and spun Eve and Maven once more to their delight. This time a little faster.
“So you got in late last night. You didn’t wake me up,” Mirabella said.
“You look beautiful when you sleep,” he glanced back at her. “Didn’t want to disturb you. Besides, I was horny. Too many kids in the bed to make that a possibility.”
“I waited for you. Where did you go?”
He stepped back so Eve had enough room to swing and spin. “A bar called Larry’s. Had a pint and then left. Oh, met your cousin Robert and his son Bobby.”
“Oh? And, um, is that all?”
Giovanni glanced over to her. “Why?”
“It’s a small town Gio. I got a call from Minnie this morning. Everyone’s talking about Cutter and... what happened.”
“Are they? What are they saying?”
“That Cutter tried to get a rise out of you. That he mentioned me. Called me names. Said you were a fraud and not some Mafia guy.”
“I’m not a Mafia guy. La Camorra is my clan,” he winked.
“You think this is funny?” she frowned.
“Cutter has a sharp tongue. He wags it like a woman. Real men don’t have to do so much talking.” Giovanni stepped forward and stop the tire from spinning. He gave it a push instead. The girls cheered.
“It’s not like you to tolerate disrespect. You walked out of the bar and said nothing? I find that... well hard to believe. I guess that was for me too?”
“Bella? The man means nothing. He tried to get a rise out of me. He failed. Forget about it,” Giovanni shrugged.
She grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. “Are you going to forget about it? We’re only here for a few more days. It took a lot to get you and Lorenzo travel Visa’s. We need to be careful.”
He grabbed her by the waist. She dropped the glass and screamed as he heaved her up and over his shoulder. “Look Eve! Look at mommy spin!”
Giovanni spun around several times with a screaming Mirabella. He had to stop to keep from being dizzy. She beat her fists against his back and he brought her down but kept her close. She anchored her arms around his neck and held on so her feet didn’t reach the ground and then she kissed him. A sweet loving kiss before she let go.
"I'm on my best behavior, Bella. I walked out of that bar and so did Cutter--alive. It’s over. Nothing to worry about. Your husband isn't some Mafia guy? He's just a businessman who wanted to have a beer in a local bar. That's the story they are telling. Right?”
She smiled. She hugged his waist and squeezed. “Right! Grazie Giovanni!”
Eve stopped swinging. She jumped down from the tire and fell on her bum. Giovanni and Mirabella watched as their baby girl tried to stand and walk but held her hands out before and swayed side to side. “I feel funny!”
“You’re dizzy baby,” Mirabella said.
“Dizzy!” Eve cheered and fell again, this time to her knees. She laughed and laughed. “Did you see me! Did you!”
"Yes, I did, sweetie."
The boys ran over to the tire and both tried to climb. Giovanni started toward his sons when he saw a car driving toward the farm. He watched the visitor as he drove up the long road to the farmhouse.
“I wonder who that is?” Mirabella asked.
“Not sure,” he said. Giovanni paused. The face behind the driver’s wheel became clearer. He smiled. Mirabella picked up Gino and grabbed Gianni’s hand. She turned to walk away.
“Bella wait. It’s Henry!” Giovanni said. Giovanni walked over to the car. His cousin got out and slammed the door. He wore dark sunglasses that covered his blue eyes. He had a red beard that connected to his long sideburns and red hair. Still, he looked the same to him.
“Giovanni!” he said. The men embraced. “It’s really you. How long has it been? Seven, eight years?”
“Five years Henry,” Giovanni said.
“Ah, and this is the wife?” Henry removed his sunglasses. Mirabella walked over with the children. “You are more beautiful than your pictures. I’m Henry. Nice to meet you.”
“I know who you are. Welcome. I’m so glad we can finally meet.”
“And who is this?” he asked. Gino drew back at first. Henry smiled and extended his hands. Gino went to his distant cousin without complaint. “Hi there little man. I got a son your age.”
“You do?” Giovanni frowned.
“Yeah, big little bugger just like you.”
“I didn’t know,” Giovanni said.
“We have a lot of catching up to do.”
***
“Lorenzo! Come here!” Marietta said.
They had stayed in bed most of the morning. She fixed him something to eat and returned to bed with him. All they di
d was talk and look through the photo albums Minnie left behind. He told her she should play the album but she wasn’t sure she could handle it yet. Yes, she’d been waiting all her life to know her family. But having her dream become a reality was much more than she could hope for. She hadn’t even told Mirabella about the album and diary.
It was close to lunch and they emerged to find the family outside. She had intended to start working on lunch when she heard a door close. She walked over to the window and saw a tall man with red hair and a beard holding Gino.
“Who is he?”
“Motherfucker!” Lorenzo groaned from behind her. Marietta glanced back at her husband. “That is Giovanni’s cousin from Ireland. Haven’t seen him in years. Didn’t know Giovanni called him.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
Lorenzo frowned.
“You’re acting weird? Is something wrong?”
“No. Just don’t like the motherfucker,” Lorenzo grunted. “I’ll get dressed.”
“You are dressed!” she called after him. Lorenzo bounded back upstairs. Marietta glanced back out of the window. The man was handsome. And when he and the family started toward the porch she could see he had the striking blue eyes that Giovanni and the kids had. They definitely could be related.
***
“Come in!” Mirabella said and opened the door for the kids to go outside.
"In a minute, let us catch up first," Giovanni said and sat on the porch seat.
“Something to drink Henry?” Mirabella offered.
“Water would be fine,” he said.
She smiled and nodded then went inside. Giovanni was grateful the sun wasn’t facing the porch. It felt much cooler where they sat.
“She’s a beautiful woman Gio,” Henry said and sat down. “How is she?”
“Better. This trip has made her stronger.”
Giovanni had shared his problems with Henry months ago. Cutting off Lorenzo and Dominic had given very few options when it came to confiding in someone. Though he and Henry hadn’t seen each other in years they never lost contact. The truth was Henry never lost contact with him.
