AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gaetano viewed the scene, his heart wrenching. Astonished parents threaded their way to their sons, and mothers burst into anguished tears at their boys’ condition. Still they scooped them up, hugged them, and covered them with kisses, reuniting as families.
Dante and Lucia gathered the boys from Palermo, telling them their reunion would come soon enough. Gaetano picked up Agostino, giving him a kiss on the cheek. The other boys clustered around Alfredo, grabbed his hands, and tugged his clothes, since he’d stopped trying to convince them he wasn’t a wizard, as they deserved a bit of magic.
The foursome made their way to Father Casagrandi, who greeted them with glee, spotting Gaetano. “How did you get the boys back? Didyoublow up Don Bruno’s villa?”
“No, Father.” Gaetano launched into the story, and when he was finished, Father Casagrandi hugged him, then tried to get the crowd’s attention.
“Everyone, listen to me, please!” Heads turned to Father Casagrandi, chatter subsided, and music stopped. “Allow me to introduce Gaetano, Dante, Lucia, and Alfredo! They freed our boys from Don Bruno’smine! They risked their lives to bring your sons home! Show them your gratitude, please!”
“Bravi!” “Thank you!” The townspeople burst into cheers and applause.
Gaetano beamed, Alfredo bowed, and Lucia kept her head down, hiding her face, which came off as modesty. Dante was thrilled to be with her again, but there was still no room for love in his vengeful heart.
He couldn’t wait to confront and kill Baron Zito.
His father.
His enemy.
Alfredo stood at the edgeof the celebratory crowd. He had been away from town for so long that he felt nervous around people, self-conscious in his long beard, scraggly hair, and old clothes.
“Alfredo.” Father Casagrandi came over with a smile. “Thank you for bringing home our boys.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You used to come to Mass with your wife, didn’t you? When I was a young priest?”
“Yes,” Alfredo answered, surprised. “How do you remember?”
“I just do. I also remember your goat cheese. The women said it was charmed. I couldn’t talk them out of it.”
“Neither could I.”
“It was delicious. They used to bring it to me.” Father Casagrandi patted his round tummy in his black cassock. “Do you still make it?”
“No.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. People said you moved away. Where to?”
“The foothills.”
“You know, if you came back to town, you could sell a lot of cheese. I miss it very much. In our old age, smaller pleasures assume greater importance, don’t you think?”
“Yes.” Alfredo had the same thought, every time he saw the sun rise.
“If you move back, I know a nice room you can rent. One of my parishioners needs a tenant.”
“I don’t have the money for rent.”
“If you sold cheese, you would. I could help you reestablish your business.”
Alfredo thought it was a kind offer and felt a twinge, thinking about making cheese again. He missed his daughters deeply, a loss made acute tonight, by the little boys doting on him. “Well, I’d have to go to Agrigento first, for some girls, and again, that costs money.”
“Okay, we can take up a collection, and put it together with a contribution from the church.”
“I would pay you back, with the proceeds from the cheese.”
“Okay.” Father Casagrandi cocked his head. “Will you consider it?”
