Giovanni

by Dominique Butler

  “Come in," I say.

  The door opens to Mike walking into my office, closing my door. “Hey," I said, looking at Mike, he had a cut under his left eye, busted lip and a knot on his forehead.

  "Camille, do you have a few minutes to talk," he asks.

  Giovanni gonna be mad, but I really want to see what he wants to say to me, I thought. “Yea, I got few," I tell him.

  Mike walks closer to my desk, “I’m sorry about last night I didn't mean to show up at your home like that," he said I just shook my head. “Sometimes I don't know my limits and last night was one of those nights. I really like you, Camilla, I would like for us to go on a date," said Mike.

  We stay quiet for a minute "thanks for apologizing, but after seeing that side of you, I don't think that we can date," I tell him.

  Mike looks a little taken back from what I said to him, "are you saying that because Ricci is claiming you," said, Mike, I immediately got up from my chair.

  " No, it's the fact that you let Amy damn near fucked you in front of my office, and you damn near broke into my house last night," I tell him.

  " I know for a fact that those two guys last night work for Ricci," said Mike pointing at me, " you must be fucking him. That's why you don't want to be with me," he said.

  I just laugh at him “didn’t I just tell you why I don't want to go out with you," I said, putting my hands on my hips. Mike just looks at me.

  “Ricci said you are his making a claim like that on you for everyone to hear loud and clear," said Mike.

  "Also, everyone heard Rossi put a claim on me too; let's get this straight. There's no way I'll date you, and I'm not gonna lose my job over prison dick, so if you're done, you can leave," I tell him.

  Mike looks angry at me then walks out of my office damn near stomping his feet like he's a child. Good thing that we never dated from the way I'm seeing his personality now shows a different man than I thought he was. I finished up the paperwork that I started before I went to go see Ricci; it seems that I'm getting loaded with more Italians on my workload. I got Donovan and Demetric. They both got caught with unregistered weapons while driving. They aren't gonna do significant time, but they will do a couple of months and pay a fine.

  I grab their files and Sean's, knowing I need to visit him to see how he's holding up. I get on the elevator heading underground, my phone rings I pull it out to see my dad calling me what this man wants I thought. “Hello," I answer.

  “Camille, this is Tammy," my dad's wife said.

  “Hey, Tammy," I said, stepping off the elevator.

  "Mille, I know you're at work, but can you think about coming down to Atlanta for the family reunion next week," ask Tammy.

  “I’ll think about it," I tell her to get her off the phone.

  “Thank you have a good day," say, Tammy before she hangs up I put my phone in my pocket, I walk up to one of the guards that I never meet before

  “Hey," I said to the guard standing by the entrance of the cells.

  “Hey how can I help you," he said looking me up and down

  “I’m looking for inmate 20457," I tell him.

  He grabs the clipboard hanging from the wall behind, looking down. “Sean Martin," he said.

  "Yes," I said.

  “Follow me," he tells me we walk down this dime lit hall with metal doors on all the rooms. It smells like mildew. The more we walk the hall, we made it halfway down when the guard stops and opens the door. “You got 15 minutes," the guard said, closing the door. I walk into the room to see Sean sitting in the corner of the room.

  “Hey, Sean," I said. He looks up at me, taking a few minutes to actually see my face since it's so dark in the cell.

  “Hey Officer Smith, I would offer you a seat, but as you see, there's nothing in here but a toilet," said Sean.

  “I see, so you only have a couple of days here, but we’re moving you from block A to block D," I tell him. Sean just shakes his head " are you still going to be working in the kitchen," I ask him.

  “I might. Depending on how it goes in Block D," he said.

  “Okay, just stay your ass out of trouble," I tell him.

  "Don't know about that one," he tells me with a little chuckle. I knock on the door, the guard to open it after a minute the door open, letting me out, “Have a good day, Mrs. Ricci," said Sean. I stand there stuns for a minute about what he said but finally moving caught up with the guard.

  I get on the elevator, going to block B when Mike gets on the elevator. We say nothing to each as coworkers get on and off. He walks up to grab my arm, pulling out his gun " don't yell or move to fast we gonna go see your little boyfriend," he says. We get off the elevator walking to the living quarters to see a few inmates around since it’s about 1 o'clock most of the inmates are working or outside.

  “Kevin," says Mike

  “Yes," Kevin said walking towards us

  “Do you know where Ricci is," he asks,

  “I think he's outside," said Kevin.

  “Can you go get him and bring him to the office," said Mike.

  “Yes," said Kevin walking away from us. Mike grabs my arm, leading me to the office by the elevators.

  “So why are you doing this," I ask him before he pushes me into the room I caught myself before I could run into a chair. I steadied myself dropping the files on the desk then turned to Mike, “what was that for," I ask. He never said a word just stare at me being a fucking creep.

  A few minutes later, the door opens. Giovanni walks in with Kevin behind him. “You need me to stand outside the door," he asks.

  “No, we're fine," said Mike with his one hand behind his back. Giovanni looks between both of us then starts sliding himself in my direction. A couple of seconds after Kevin leaves, Mike pulls his gun out from behind him. “Ricci, I need for you to call your father," Mike said, pulling out his cell phone, throwing it at Giovanni. Giovanni catches it looks up at Mike.

  “What’s going on," he asks.

  "You know what's this about now, call your dad," Mike said.

  “I’ll call him after you let Officer Smith go," said Giovanni trying to negotiate.

  "No, she'll go get guards," said Mike. Mike started waving the gun back and forth between Giovanni and me, making me run my ass behind Giovanni, not trying to get shot.

  Giovanni looks back at me, not saying a word, then started putting the number on the phone.

  "Put it on speakerphone," Mike said. The phone starts rings for a couple of minutes

  "How you get this number," a grumpy man's voice answers.

  "Papa, it's me," Gio says.

  "Why are you calling me from this number," Giovanni's dad asks.

  Mike walks up to Giovanni, grabbing the phone out of his hand. “Mr. Ricci," said Mike.

  "Who is this," Mr. Ricci ask.

  "That doesn't matter, but I'm here to talk about combining the Ferrari and Ricci families," said Mike.

  On the other end of the phone, you heard was a burst of deep laughter, " you must be what's the phrase you Americans us. You must be pulling my leg," said Mr. Ricci as he continues laughing, Mike's face scrunches up as Mr. Ricci keeps laughing at what he said.

  “I’m not playing Mr. Ricci I have your son here with a gun pointed to his head," Mike said. Mr. Ricci stops laughing instantly. “Now that I have your full attention, I need the merger of both families to happen now," said Mike.

  “I don't know why you're talking to me when you have the head of the family right in front of you," said Mr. Ricci. Mike looks up to Giovanni, dropping the phone run into our direction. Giovanni pushes me out the way, making me hit the wall.

  Chapter 6

  I get up off the floor as fast as I can to see Mike on top of Giovanni, with both of them fighting for the gun. I run over to them, punching Mike in the face making his head turn the other side but not moving off of Giovanni. He turns to me so fast, smacking me in the face with the gun causing my head to turn to the side, and I drop to the floor.

&nb
sp; I look up to see Giovanna punching Mike in the face, but Mike throws himself on top of Giovanni, causing both of them rolling on the ground out of nowhere the gun fires off. I stand up frozen in place as neither of them not moving. I get up running in their direction, pulling them apart from each other. I look at Giovanni, seeing that he got shot in his chest. I take my jacket off, pressing it to his wound.

  " We have gunshots fired on block A.Lockdown all floors," calls out a guard from the intercom. I get pulled by my hair off the floor " get the fuck off my hair, " I tell Mike. He pulls me to the door, he cracks it open then pull us out into the hallway.

  " Now, if you don't come with me, your gonna be shot up like your boyfriend back there," he said, pointing the gun in my back. Mike pulls my arm as we walk to the elevator he presses the button, but it didn't light up " shit they got it locked already," he said. " Come on," he said, dragging me to the stairwell. He opens the door to see three guards running up the steps.

  He pulls us out of the stairwell running to the other side of the hallway, but we're stopped when guards come out of the separate staircase. I look up to see D and Tisha coming our way " hey, did you hear the gunshots," Tisha ask when she got close to us.

  " No, we just got done talking to an inmate when we got the call that it went down," Mike said. Tisha looks at him then turns her eyes to me. I didn't speak a word to her, but the plea in my eyes must have said something to her cause Tisha grabs me trying to pull me to her, but I didn't move.

  Tisha yanks me to her again, but I still don't move. She raises her eyebrow at me then turns to Mike. "Why are you holding her. We need to find out who's shooting up here," Tisha said.

  " An inmate was shot in the conference room," someone said through the walkie-talkie. Mike instantly moves the gun from my back and points it at Tisha.

  " Now back the fuck up," he said to her, waving the gun around. " Mike, just put the gun down," D said, trying to approach him.

  " Your ass get any closer, and I'll shoot you," he said, taking steps back " now we're gonna go down these steps if anyone follows us, then she’d going to get shot," Mike said. For a minute, everybody freezes for a minute Mike started walking backward down the stairs while holding the gun to everyone.

  " Come on," he said, pulling my arm while he runs down the steps I ran full force with him down the steps. As we turn onto the landing of the stairwell, I put all my strength into knocking him down.

  We roll down at least two flights of stairs. I hit my head two times on the concrete steps. I'm stretched out on the steps with my head pounding, arm, and leg hurting. I close my eyes, trying to get rid of the headache " get up," I hear a man's voice. I open my eyes, seeing Mike leaning on the railing with blood dripping from a cut on his head " get up," he said again. I tried pushing myself up, but I couldn't.

  I hear footsteps in the stairwell moving towards us, causing my headache gets worse. Mike grabs my hair, causing me to scream at the top of my lungs. " Shut up and get up before I drag you," he said. I tried again to get up, but Mike yanks me by my hair, pulling my face first down the steps.

  I put my hands in front of my face " Mike stop," a man yells. Mike didn't respond. He picks me up, placing me directly in front of him. " Now everyone backs up, or I'm going to kill her," Mike said. I open my eyes to see that on both ends of the stairwell, we were surrounded by guards.

  " Now let officer Smith go, then we'll lower our weapons," James said. I look at James damn near pleading for my life. James looks at me then nods his. I jab my elbow in Mike's side, causing him to loosen his grip on me, then I headbutted him and dropped to the floor.

  After that, all I heard was shots being fired for a few minutes," stop," someone yells. I stay lying on the ground with my hands over my head. " Camille," I heard someone say over the throbbing of my head. I still did not move until I heard Tisha’s voice calling me.

  " Camille get up I have to see how bad you're hurt," she said. I peek my head up to see Tisha in front of me with others around me. " Let's get you up," Tisha said, grabs one of my arms, and another guard grabs my other arm.

  " The ambulance is here," someone said on the walkie-talkie. " Send one to the conference room on block A, we need another on the stairwell and a body bag," said James. As I'm standing on my shaky legs, I can feel the pain in my body come back tenfold. " Mille, you'll be okay. I'll be with you the whole way," Tisha said. I just shake my head, not able to form a sentence.

  Just as my legs were about to give out, the paramedic shows up, " we need you to get on the gurney," the paramedic said. I took the paramedics and D to put me on the gurney since I didn't have any strength to get on it they strap me up started walking down the rest of the step out the side of the building.

  I get in the ambulance the paramedic start trying to stop the bleeding from some of my cuts " Miss. Smith, how are you feeling," ask the paramedic I just look at him, not saying nothing. I look over at Tisha to see her on the phone talk to one person after the other the paramedic put an IV in my hand then started taking my blood pressure and pulse.

  By the time we got to the hospital, my eyes were one blink away from being close. "Your family is on the way up here," Tisha said I just shook my head a little. They picked me up out the ambulance headed into the hospital we make it inside for me to see Giovanni being rushed to the back with blood everywhere. I look over at Tisha " I'll see how's he doing," she said to me before I closed my eyes.

  I woke up to an irritating beeping noise that would not go away no matter how much I move. I open my eyes then close them back again from the brightness of the room I open them again, to see that I'm in a strange place. I look around the room to seeing that I'm in a hospital.

  It took me a minute to remember why I was in the hospital because of that crazy-ass Mike; that bitch Amy must have planned this thinking that Giovanni's dad would have agreed to the marriage, I thought. I must have sat in thought for a while since I didn't hear no one come in the room

  "Camille," someone calls my name. I look up to see Tisha standing by the side of my bed. I tried to say hey by my voice is so dry that it starts to crack, " let me get you some water," she said. Walking to the little table across the room, she pours me a cup of water, then someone knocks on the door " who is it," Tisha asks.

  " Doctor Brooks," a man said, coming in. " Good morning Mrs. Smith," he told me. I just smile and shake my head as Tisha hands me a cup of water. I drink it so fast that I ended up choking a bit " slow down it's not going anywhere," said the doctor I just shake my head.

  " Mrs. Smith, from looking at your chart, you have a deep cut on your forehead, bruising on your arms and back, but the thing that I'm more worried about is your left leg," he said. "Why," I ask.

  " Your left leg has a greenstick fracture on the femur," said he, that would explain why it was so hard for me to get up after I fell, I thought. " We're gonna put you on light duty at work that means no constant standing only if needed. You'll have a leg brace to wear constantly, and you must elevate your leg," said the doctor I shake my head.

  " How long would it take to heal," I ask. " The most will be about four weeks but can heal in two to three I'll like for you to make an appointment in two weeks after you leave to see how it's healing," said Doctor Brooks.

  He continues looking at my chart, " you have minor bruising and swelling, but besides that, you look good," he said I shake my head. " Have a good day, Miss. Smith," said the doctor before leaving the room. " How are you feeling," Tisha ask. I thought for a minute, " don't know just felt like what happened was unreal," I said.

  Tisha shakes her head " Giovanni is doing good," Tisha tells me. I look up to her for a minute forgetting about him " what happens I know he got shot, and there was a lot of blood," I said." The bullet was a couple of centimeters from his heart, so they had to do surgery and give him a blood transfusion, but now he's doing fine," Tisha said.

  " That's good when can I see him," I ask Tisha as soon as she was about to respond the door open
s and in walks my family. Tammy comes rushing to my side, " oh baby, how are you," she asks. " I'm good," I tell her.

  I look up from her to see my dad walk in standing at the foot of my bed, staring at me " did they caught the motherfucker that did this to you," he asked. " Yes," I tell him he shakes his head, then set their bags by the chairs in my room.

  " Little sis," I hear I look up to see Chris, my older brother walking towards me. " Hey," I say while he gives me a hug, then right behind him are the twins, Brandon and Brandi. My stomach started gurgling " we'll go get you something from the cafeteria," said Tammy taking the twins with her, " so who did this," ask Chris.

  " Another CO at the prison," I say. "Does it have something to do with Ricci being in there," dad asks. "Yes," I said. " Camille, he's dangerous. You can't be connected to him," dad said. This gonna go well, I thought "until he leaves the prison, I'll being seeing him 2 to 3 times a week," I tell dad.

  "Shit, what the fuck are you thinking," Chris said. He's about to be on my case " look, this shit will blow over. There is nothing between us just me being his CO," I said, lying through my teeth.

  If I can get Giovanni to lose interest in me somehow, then it will I thought " that better be all it is," dad said. Tisha looks over in my direction, side-eyeing me knowing I'm lying " I'll go to your apartment and you some clothes," Tisha said. " thank you, and do you mind feeding Star," I ask.

  " No, I'll see you in a bit," she tells me before she leaves the room, " Mille. Ricci can be an asset to us, or he can destroy us. We don't want you getting involved with him romantically and causing damage to what we have going on," Chris said.

  " Look, I know what he can do to y'all, but it's not like that," I say, dad, turns to me to say something, but the door opens. Tammy and the twins walk in carrying containers of food " here we go I know you are starving with them giving you this nasty hospital food," Tammy said.

  I just smile at her grabbing the container she hands me I open it to see eggs, home fries, bacon and some toast I dug right in " slow down it’s not going anywhere," Brandon said. I look at him " I know you ain't talking eating all them s' mores then puking in the car," I say, causing everyone to laugh. Brandon sat there with his lips poking out and arms folded under his chest, being the brat that he is. "I was 12 that doesn't count," he said, pouting.