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“I suppose what’s done is done.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “How old are you?”
“Seventeen.”
“She’ll be eighteen in a few months.” Mom stood taller next to me.
“Where are you going to school?”
“Midtown High,” Mom answered for me. “Mr. Alfera was kind enough to give us a recommendation.”
“Is that so?” Signoria Vittoria inhaled deeply. After a beat, she opened her clutch purse and retrieved a business card. “I cannot imagine you have discussed your husband’s business dealings with your ten-year-olds.”
The ten-year-olds. I supposed she meant my twin brothers.
“But Aurora is old enough to understand.”
“She is, but of course we haven’t said anything.” Mom gripped my arm to warn me not to say a word. “She knows nothing.”
“Well, if she’s going to Midtown High, she needs to know.” She shook her head. “She’ll need to sign a non-disclosure agreement.” At this point, she was talking mostly to herself as she dialed a number on her phone. “Charles. I need papers drawn for the Vitali family.” She met my gaze. “They have a daughter.” She waited another moment, then ended the call.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, and then winced, when Mom dug her fingernails into my arm.
And now I knew without a doubt that Dad was involved in something shady. I was somewhat okay with illegal. Dad sold used luxury cars back in Las Vegas. I always had a sense that not all of those vehicles were his to sell. But looking at Signoria Vittoria with her designer clothes and Prada shoes and all those diamonds around her neck, I could only assume Dad was in over his head on this one—way over.
“Michael Alfera personally asked me to introduce you to our circle. Children tend to complicate things. But I will handle things as we discussed.” She handed Mom the business card clutched between her fingers. “Do call my interior designer to assist you with the apartment. I’ll be at the Chanel store at four. Make sure you’re there with your daughter.”
I stepped back when Signoria Vittoria strode in our direction and headed toward the front door. The lock clicked behind her, and I practically spun around to face Mom. “What is going on, Mom? I mean, is she for real? She looks like she stepped out of one of those mafia movies, like the Sopranos. Omigod. What did Dad do?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged. “I guess she didn’t like our sectional. What do you think?”
In truth, the sofa with the chunky armrests and wooden legs and matching end tables clashed with the modern architecture and tall windows of the apartment. Our stuff belonged in a cheap motel, not in a high-rise in the Upper East Side. Not that I knew a lot about decor, but even the coffee shop two blocks down had nicer furniture than this.
“Don’t change the subject, Mom.”
“I will tell you everything. But you heard Signoria Vittoria. You need to sign the NDA first. I promise, it’s nothing bad. Come on, Rory, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We finally get to have everything we want.” She squealed and hugged me. “You get to go to an elite school that pretty much guarantees you’ll get accepted to Columbia too. Isn’t that what you always wanted?”
Yeah, Mom was right. Columbia had always been my dream. This move to the city could make all of that become a reality. But dreams were rarely what they seemed. I was old enough to know that. “The dragon lady scares me.”
“Yeah, me too. But you heard what she said. She’s here to help us get introduced into their circle. Now, go get ready, so we can meet her at four. I have a call to make.” She wiggled the business card in front of me with the biggest smile I’d ever seen on her face.
Money did that to her. The promise of more money was how Dad always talked her into doing just about anything. Like being nice to rich people at the casinos so she could walk out of there with their car keys, the one time she slept with Dad’s boss because Dad asked, or moving cross country to New York City.
“Mom, there’s no way this thing can end well for us.”
“You think too much.” She kissed my cheek. “We’re doing this for you and your brothers. So you can have a better life. Don’t throw it away.”
“Maybe it’s not too late. Give Michael Alfera whatever money Dad took from him and let’s go home. We don’t belong here, Mom. This world isn’t for us.”
Mom blew out a breath and took both my hands in hers. “We promised your dad we would give this place a chance. Wear something nice, so we can sign Signoria Vittoria’s papers, and then, after you hear all the details, you can decide if you want to stay.”
“Wait. You’re letting me choose?” I raised both eyebrows in surprise.
“Yes. Of course.”
“Mom, I’m not leaving without you and the twins.” I rubbed my temple as various scenarios flitted through my mind.
Dad wasn’t a bad guy. He just had terrible business sense. Easy money was always his end game. And his friends were the worst. They knew just how to manipulate him into making bad deals on their behalf, which usually ended with him losing more money.
“There you go thinking the worst of your dad.” Mom shook her head.
