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Chapter Sixteen
Vito
Go Get Our Girls
I left Nicole in bed and dropped by the new apartment buildings close to downtown. When I pulled up to the building, I received a text from Enzo.
Enzo: Heard you got the military contract for the new Army recreational center.
Me: Yep. That’s all me!
Enzo: You the man now, huh?
Me: Just trying to be like you.
Enzo: Like me? That would be some big ass shoes and boxers to fill. Lol.
Me: Nah, for real. I’m just making them remember who we are like the old man wanted.
Enzo: Damn right. Everyone will know our name.
Me: I’m trying.
Enzo: Nah, you doing that shit, famiglia.
Me: Just a day in the life of a DeLuca.
Enzo: Keep it up, little cousin.
Me: You just had to throw little in there, huh?
Enzo: Yep. Stay safe, Vito.
Me: Will do! You too, big cousin.
That was as close as we would come to saying we loved each other, but there was nothing but love shared between my big cousin and me. I could only imagine the shit he was dealing with back home, but he never failed to take time out to encourage me. He didn’t know about the issue I was facing, searching for Desi.
I wanted him to focus on his transition into his role of the family Don. Enzo had some big shoes to fill. Not long ago, I had the privilege of dialing Don Ermano’s line and getting advice about anything. The weasel who stripped that right away had taken more than a Don from me. He had taken a piece of me off this earth.
Enzo had the privilege of getting revenge for his death by placing a bullet in his killer, a bullet blessed by none other than the Don. Enzo still wasn’t satisfied, and neither was I. We wouldn’t be until the root of the problem was solved.
Thinking about mi famiglia in my home country threatened to send me into a bout of depression. That would be good for no one. The world couldn’t handle me being depressed and not giving a fuck about anything or anybody. The outcome wouldn’t be good for anyone in my path.
I got out of the car and walked toward Ishmael’s temporary homestead. His girlfriend, Miracle, and his grandmother, Grandma Mildred, set up a temporary home in one of the finished buildings. Ishmael wanted his ladies close to him for the few weeks he would be in town overseeing the construction, so Grandma Mildred and Miracle had agreed to come with him.
I rang the doorbell and waited. “Hey, Grandma Mildred. How are you doing?” I grabbed her up into a bear hug when she answered. “You’re still looking good.”
“Hey, Vito! Come on in, honorary grandson. And you can stop buttering me up. You just saw me last month at my party,” she said, rubbing her hands down her apron. “I do look good, though, don’t I?” She chuckled with the same radiant glow she always carried.
“The best-looking grandma in the city,” I said.
She placed her hands on her hips. “Aw shucks. Let me find out I’m still fine.”
I laughed. “You are a really fine woman, indeed,” I complimented.
She waved me off. “I ain’t got time to fool with you. Let me get back in this kitchen. My chicken probably done started burning. Ishmael back there in the room, working on the computer.” She hurried off toward the kitchen.
I walked to the back of the apartment and found Ishmael sitting behind a computer desk in a bare guest bedroom except for the desk and chair.
