No Love for the Wicked

by Tiana Laveen

  He and Nonna came slowly down the teal runner, which was carpeted with white rose petals. He led her so gently, looking at her with such love in his bright blue eyes. He looks amazing! His jet-black hair was combed impeccably, not a strand out of place, and his goatee was trimmed to perfection. His light tan skin practically glowed, and if she didn’t know him, she’d swear by his expression alone he’d been born for this role as husband. Everyone began to laugh when Nonna paused to wave to everyone in her beautiful teal and white gown, as if she were the main attraction in a parade.

  Aunt Bev rubbed Andrea’s back in a sweet, comforting way, and she felt compelled to rest her head on her aunt’s shoulder. Just like she used to do when she was a little girl. The woman slid a hand around her waist, kissed her cheek, then they both continued to spy.

  After Nonna was seated, Angelo went to stand by his groomsmen, first shaking each of their hands. The view seemed rather solemn, stiff, almost military-like, but oh, so sexy. After he was finished, he stood next to the minister.

  “All right,” Aunt Bev whispered as the music changed to Smokey Robinson’s, ‘Cruisin.’ “Come on, boys. It’s showtime.”

  Aunt Bev’s good friend, Janelle, had two twin grandsons who were at her home as much as her own grandchildren. Since Aunt Bev had insisted on helping to plan the wedding, when Andrea had told her that she wanted to try something unconventional regarding her walk down the aisle, her aunt had suggested that the two milk-chocolate-faced eight-year-old twins, Bryan and Benjamin, should be involved. They had thick, dark brown short afros, huge dimples, and smiles so bright they’d light up a room, and looked so adorable in their little black tuxedos with teal cummerbunds.

  They got into position: One little boy standing on each side of her, looping their tiny arms around hers. Aunt Bev gave her one final kiss on the cheek, handed her the bouquet, then pushed her out of the tent, into the blinding sunshine. Everyone was already on their feet, and every head turned her way.

  Andrea’s huge smile made her face hurt, but she didn’t care. The boys seemed a bit shy, so she paused, gave them each a kiss, and they loosened right up. She glanced in Angelo’s direction. He was looking at her as if she were the only woman in the garden, and his hands were pressed together, as if he were praying. She could hear people whispering, laughing, and loving the sight of her and the cute children. The perfect mood was set for what filled her heart. The flash of cameras began, and she was careful to not look directly into the light. Slowly, she reached her husband-to-be, and Reverend Parker gave some introductory remarks, thanking everyone for attending to witness their union.

  “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

  “We do!” the boys said at the same time, causing a ruckus of laughter. Then, the children skirted away to join their parents. The music transitioned to John Lennon’s, ‘Love,’ playing softly in the background. Winona took her colorful wildflower bouquet from her hands, and she stood next to Angelo to begin their wedding vows.

  They had decided to stick to the traditional format for the wedding. The vows they’d made with their hearts, and the words and promises shared behind closed doors, were equally important.

  “I, Andrea Ellison, take you, Angelo Ferrari, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to love and cherish you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer, or poorer, for better, or worse, and forsaking all others, keep myself only unto you, for so long as we both shall live.”

  Angelo repeated the same words, then Andrea picked up a golden bowl that sat off to the side, and stood before him. This was one deviation from tradition that she’d insisted upon. And she hadn’t told Angelo in advance. She looked into her man’s eyes and fell in love all over again. Reaching into the bowl, she pulled out a square of chocolate.

  “The creation of mankind began with dirt. Soil. The Earth. We were molded out of clay, in His image.” She motioned for Angelo to open his mouth, then placed the chocolate on his tongue. He smiled as he chewed, then swallowed. “Man was created, and he was given brawn, strength, and the ability to provide protection.” She dabbed her finger into a few grains of salt, then slipped her finger in his mouth. He clasped her wrist gently and sucked on the digit for far too long as he stared deeply into her eyes. Someone cleared their throat noisily, breaking the trance and causing another uproar of laughter.

  “God added a woman, and she was sweet and grounding,” She sprinkled a pinch of cinnamon and vanilla along his tongue. Lastly, she lifted the lid off a small glass that sat in the bowl, and presented a taste of tea, steeped with red rose petals and a dash of milk. He sipped it, then handed it back. “And the man and woman became one, and their love grew even stronger, day by day. They joined under the sun, kissed beneath the stars, and made love below the dark, velvet moon.”

  “Whew, chile!” someone screamed, causing another uproar of giggles. She heard her Aunt Bev’s husky laughter. Soon, they exchanged rings. She slid the gold and diamond band down Angelo’s long finger, and he placed her matching band down hers.

  “You may seal this union with a kiss!” Angelo intertwined their fingers and looked down at her as if he wanted to fuck and fight all night. Her insides stirred, and her cheeks heated with all the dirty thoughts filling her head. I can’t wait until tonight! There was so much love, possessiveness, and lust in his eyes, she turned into melted butter. He cocked his head to the right, lifted her chin, and kissed her with burning passion. As she closed her eyes, she could hear the cheering and feel the rice being thrown in their direction. The minister called out over the boisterous attendees.

  “I want to say in closing, a scripture. Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate!”

  “Amen!” reverberated from the large crowd.

  “Without further ado, it is my great honor and privilege to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ferrari!”

  When she looked into his eyes, she fought hard to fight her emotions, to not cry. But she failed. His eyes sheened, and she released a solitary tear. He hugged her tight, and she hugged him back with the same vigor, never wanting to let go.

  ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. —1 Corinthians 13:4-5

  P.S. Even of the wrongs of the formerly corrupt and depraved. For there IS love for the wicked, too…

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The Witch Jumped over the Black Velvet Moon

  Rule 24: Son, I’m not going to be here forever. Neither are you. So, while you’re still alive, live life to the fullest. Follow your dreams. You’ve got what it takes. Believe in yourself. I may be the cause of nightmares, but always remember, killers have dreams, too.

  … A few years later

  “Sure… sure. It’ll be here next week on Monday, Frank. It’s all taken care of. Even threw in some nice floor mats for ya.”

  “That’s what I like to hear!” The man chuckled, thrilled to be receiving his new white Chevrolet Cavalier.

  “You bet. See ya then.” Angelo hung up the phone and absently played with his wedding band as he looked down at some papers on his desk. A few moments later, he made another call to the reception desk of his car dealership: ‘Lap of Luxury Motorcar Company.’

  “Mandy, I’m going to get ready to head out.” He smoothed out his blood red tie and traveled his gaze over the plush blue carpet in his office, then the few white Greek and Italian statue replicas. Some said his décor was gaudy, but he didn’t give a shit. He liked it.

  “Okay, Mr. Ferrari. Do you want me to sign off on the purchase orders on your behalf? There are two carburetors coming in, too, but Harvey still needs your approval.”

  “Yeah, if I missed any, sign off on them.” He lit a cigarette. “I’ve already seen the paperwork, but then that meeting got started and I needed to weigh in. You be good, call me if ya need to. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
>
  “Okay, Mr. Ferrari, enjoy the rest of your day.”

  “You too. Oh, one more thing. If a Mrs. Monroe comes in later today, her paperwork is in my office, top left drawer. She got approved for a payment plan. Owen got her squared away but wanted me to take a look first since she had a bankruptcy a few years back.”

  “Sure thing.”

  He disconnected the call, got to his feet, and put his blazer on. Grabbing his suitcase, he peeked at the framed photo of his beautiful wife, on their wedding day, then stepped out of the building. It was a bit windy outside, but still fairly warm. He made his way to his black Jaguar XJ6, which reminded him of wet licorice, the way it shined so. Tossing his briefcase in the passenger’s seat, he put on his dark sunglasses and turned on the radio. On the new hits station, Hall and Oates’ ‘Out of Touch’ was on the air. He drove on, passing a few restaurants and gas stations, then jumped on I-878.

  He made it over to Seneca Avenue and pulled up to a small shop in a strip mall area. After finding a good parking spot, he fed the meter and beat a path into the ‘Velvet Moon and Little Star’ shop. The door chimed when he went in to find his gorgeous wife, wearing a dark red sweater, a clear star shaped pendant, and her thick hair parted on one side, tucked behind one ear. She was on the phone behind the long oakwood counter, and a few patrons were browsing the wares inside. She smiled at him and waved.

  Smokey Robison’s ‘Cruisin’ greeted him in the sweet-smelling store. That was their song. Every time he heard it, he thought of her.

  “Yes, we are having a sale next week, you read that correctly…” She went on to explain to whoever she was talking on the phone with. He spotted his two-year-old son crawling around on the floor in his white overalls, playing with way too many toys than he needed, most of them cars and trucks, his latest obsession. He snuck up on the busy child, so adorable with a head full of messy black curls and bright eyes.

  “Gotcha!”

  He grabbed the little boy who looked momentarily startled, then started giggling his head off.

  “Daddy!” the boy cooed. “Look, Mommy! Daddy!”

  “I know, baby. Daddy paid us a visit!” Andrea said as she hung up the phone.

  He kissed little Angelo’s forehead, holding him close for a little while, then placed him back down on the fluffy children’s floor mat with the alphabet written all over it in bright colors. Andrea hugged him and he gave her a lingering kiss, enjoying the moment.

  “I love when you surprise me like this, Angelo.” He held her around the waist. “You’re a workaholic. But I’m so proud of you.”

  “Business been good today?”

  “So-so.” She shrugged. “Tuesdays are always slow, but it’s been peaceful. I want you to smell this new essential oil scent I created today. It smells sooo good, Angelo.”

  “I can’t wait.” He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “It’s been a few days… I’m backed up. Ya got me starvin’ here. Tonight, after dinner, when the boy is asleep, I figure I can munch your carpet, get some head, then shoot my wad inside ya, and—”

  “Angelo!” She slapped his arm and reared back, as if she were truly appalled. He laughed when he caught her smile. “You are so nasty!”

  A customer approached the register with a basket full of things. He slid his hands in his pockets and waited as she went to ring up the sale, then sat down on the floor with his little boy.

  “Vrooom!” He picked up one of the toy trucks and made it barrel down the mat. His precious kid started to clap, then snatched the vehicle back, feeling rather possessive.

  “That’s a nice car, too. Hey, which one is your favorite?”

  The boy looked about, as if serious consideration was required – just as his mother often did. The toddler pointed to a bright red Camaro.

  “That one.”

  “Good choice, son.”

  Angelo Jr.’s personality reminded him of Andrea; they acted so much alike, and he loved it. One thing the little one did have of his, besides being a splitting image of him physically at the same age, only with a deeper tan and light brownish-gray eyes versus his blue ones, was his fearlessness. It got his child in trouble quite a bit, but the little boy was never afraid to try new things, take a risk in order to learn how the world works. As he played with his son on the floor, having a damn good time moving the toys around, making silly noises and tickling him to the point that his face turned red, his thoughts drifted.

  Life had been at times perplexing, but oh so good. Andrea had left her job after they discovered she was pregnant with their first child. She was now doing her readings away from their home, some place safe, and she had a steady group of customers who enjoyed perusing her small store for homemade soaps, balms, incense, candles, niche books, and jewelry. She brought their son with her to work, and he even had his own playroom in the back, but typically enjoyed being out front with her and the patrons, unless it was nap time. She was an excellent mother – loving, doting, caring, with a good amount of discipline paired with kindness. They planned to have more children soon, and he couldn’t wait to grow their family. In fact, she’d announced that her cycle was late, and she had a doctor’s appointment to find out if she was having his second child. They both believed she was pregnant, and he’d been on cloud nine ever since she told him of her suspicions.

  Another customer came into the store, and he greeted the lady and her child on behalf of Andrea who was now ringing up another customer.

  Then, the phone rang.

  “Hold on, buddy. Daddy’s gonna jump in and help your mommy for a second.” He patted his child’s head, got to his feet, and grabbed the cordless phone. “Velvet Moon, what can I do ya for?”

  “Angelo…” she chastised under her breath, making him laugh. She hated how he answered the phone.

  “Oh, hold on a sec.” It was for him anyway. He headed to the back area furnished with a television on a stand, a VCR, and an answering machine, along with a cot for their son, colorful children’s books, more toys, and some of his favorite snacks and foods on a little table. “Hey, Fred. How’s it going? So, what’s the problem?”

  Fred worked as a restaurant manager in Manhattan, and was doing well for himself. His marriage to Katie had fallen apart, but he and his ex-wife shared custody of the kids, and he seemed to be getting back on his feet. He also had plans to attend cooking school. Fred was trying to get his life together; that was all he could ask of him.

  “Oh, there’s no problem, Casper, but uh, just wanted ya to know that someone got a hold of Tony’s killer and turned him inside out. I just heard about it. The guy’s name was Ira, I believe, and I tell ya, the police said they’d never seen nothin’ like it.”

  Angelo put his hand on his waist and grinned.

  “Ya don’t say?” Tony had been murdered the prior year. He was getting big up the food chain, had come into a lot of money, and had a top-notch group of fellas who did hits like nobody’s business. Competition was steep, and someone didn’t like how he was ruling the roost. When Angelo got the news that his pal was killed, that special rage he’d hoped was dead inside of him had resurfaced…

  “So, yeah, just wanted ya to know that they got him. I uh… couldn’t help but think, ya know, that the way it happened kinda reminded me of you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, nobody saw nothin’. It happened so fast. One minute the guy was breathing, the next he was dead, face down, in his own blood. I mean, it was in broad daylight. Nobody was faster than you. Nobody got in and out like you. Since ya hung up ya hat, no one still has come close. So, I just gotta know, did ya… did ya do it, Casper?”

  Angelo smiled, studying his son’s toy puppy he’d named Rolo, and shook his head.

  “Nah, I don’t know anything about it. I can say this though, Fred: May Tony rest in peace. Now, he can relax, knowin’ that someone took care of whoever couldn’t control their fuckin’ weak ass emotions, and let jealousy lead ’em to make a bad choice. Only one thing to rem
ember, man. Killers have dreams, too.” And then, he ended the call. He stood there for a spell, thinking about the conversation. He knew Fred would understand. When he said the word, ‘dream’ it had become synonymous with ‘code of the streets.’ Some shit you just kept to yourself. No matter what. Angelo smoothed out his tie, lit a cigarette, and looked out the back window where deliveries were made. He leaned against the glass, watching traffic.

  It’s crazy… what a difference a few years make.

  Nonna’s been doing really well. I should stop by today, bring her some food. She’s got a new friend, a lady named Agnes she plays cards with. She loves being a great grandmother to my son now, too. She wants me and Andrea to hurry up and have more children because she says she doesn’t have much time left.

  The thought of his grandmother being gone broke his heart, but he knew one day it would happen, and he’d have to prepare for the inevitable. His mother had gotten remarried and moved out of state. She’d tried to speak to him several times after the wedding. She’d even showed up at the reception. Andrea had made him promise to not start a scene, so he’d let it go, but he couldn’t allow her into his life. She was toxic. A snake. A piranha trying to hold on to someone who no longer existed.

  She’d never shown any remorse, never took responsibility, and though Andrea refused to confirm it, he knew that his mother had in fact called her lover that fateful day, which had resulted in his father’s death. The last time he’d seen his mother, he’d said, “I don’t forgive you for how you treated me and my brothers and sisters. I don’t forgive you for what you did to my father, either. I’m going to try, but today is not that day…”