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I opened it to find two plates of food already prepared. I uncovered them both and warmed the plates in the oven. She smiled when I kissed her face.
“You’re welcome.”
“So, tell me what I don’t know.”
“Simo went through a lot. Pops beat him for not being more like you.”
“You mean those slaps to the head?” I chuckled. “I got them too.”
“No, I mean the hospital visits, Beni.”
“I don’t remember that.” I checked the oven to see the cheese on the casserole melting. It looked damn good. Tuna casserole and garlic bread.
“You don’t remember Simo being away in the hospital?”
“Should I? We were boys and always into stuff. I know there were a few times he was bandaged up. I stint where he was bedridden, but not him in the hospital.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“He was jumped in school. They dislocated his shoulder. Blacked his eyes too, I think.”
I opened the oven and withdrew the plates. I sat at the table with a fork, and Martina came over with a bowl of salad. I frowned at it and she poured parmesan dressing on top and added croutons. Now she was talking.
“Are you trying to bribe my memories with food?” I smiled before taking a bite. My sister was going to make somebody a lucky fool. Meals like this? They’d need to work out everyday to keep healthy. I pointed at my plate with my fork unable to speak as I chewed.
“Good?” She asked.
“Mhm…” I went in for another before I’d even finished the first.
“Screw Simo over and it’ll be the last time that you eat here, Ami.”
“I’m not going to. You’re getting at something here and I’m listening. You want me to remember shit that I don’t. Spit it out already, Tina.”
“I told you. He took the brunt of everything. He wasn’t beat because he was hard headed. He wasn’t the typical Italian man and Pop made sure that he knew what the expectations were. You were. He didn’t get jumped, Pop and his men beat him. He was a boy, Beni. I’d never let Pop anywhere near my son if I had one.”
“He wasn’t the greatest father.” I shrugged. “He made mistakes. I’m not covering up for him, I’m saying there’s nothing I can do about it now.”
“But you can. You can make it right. Let Simo help you.”
“I told him he could. I know that you know stuff, Tina, but you’re overstepping. I always keep my word. Always. I need him closer because as we grow he’ll be a target. If something happens to me, I need him ready to take over. You both need to stay safe. Plus, that shit in the streets will eat him alive. I don’t want that for him.” I shook my head. “He needs to be good. When I eat, we all do. If I’m good, he should be, too.”
“Okay. What are you doing with Pop?” She asked.
“He’s in a penthouse and out of that cash-suck he was living in. After talking to a few people, I’m learned much more about his way of doing business. Sometimes it pays to show up and show out, but some of these gutter gigs he was doing didn’t help us with shit. Deals he set up didn’t add up or payoff. He lost more than he gained right before I took over. I think his goddamn demons were catching up to him.”
“He’s got more than you can ever believe. You need to remember that Simo has always been there for you. It’s time that you started looking out for him.” She pushed my shoulder and left the kitchen.
I dropped my fork on my plate no longer hungry. Martina had been much too vague for my liking. Whatever she knew, she wasn’t talking. That entire conversation had been a chose to have because she’d talked me in circles. Tidbits of information was given but nothing that told me anything worthwhile. Nothing that would explain why she avoided my father. Not a single reason why Massimo stayed away from me.
If she wasn’t going to talk, I knew who would. It may have not been her responsibility to tell me what was going on, but Massimo wasn’t going to get off that easily. Somebody better fucking talk or I’d forget that they were family and use other measures to get the truth out. I love them, but something bigger was going on. I hated lies and withheld information.
This seemed like it was something in the middle. Something Martina had deliberately called me for, but evaded. Massimo was the key. It was time that the two of us sat down and had a heart to heart.
ChapterSeven
SIMONE
Waking up to a tap on the door, the sun faded across the room and I knew that it was a hell of a lot later than I needed it to be. Searching for my phone, it was knocked onto the floor. At almost eight o’clock, I shuffled to get up. 8:16 to be exact. Sea legs prevented me from untangling myself and the knock on the door was insistent. Heavy thuds pounded and alarm skyrocketed my brain into overtime. I went to the door with a bat in hand, ready to let it swing.
