by Shay Savage
“Oh, hunny.” Jessie sits heavily in the kitchen chair. She fans her face, though it’s not hot in here. “I always worry about you young girls. He’s a bit older than you, isn’t he?”
“No, he isn’t. We’re the same age.”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter.” She sighs. “It’s not like you aren’t consenting adults and all that, but things are different these days. When I was a girl in this town, no one even dreamed of such a thing.”
“You’re being very vague, Jessie. I have no idea what you’re talking about. You said I should be careful with Nate, but I have no idea why.”
“Why? Well, the jealousy, of course! I saw how those other women were looking at you when you were standing with him. I can’t imagine what they must be saying!”
My mouth drops open, and my eyes probably look like they’re trying to jump from their sockets. Jealous? Of me and Nate?
“I…I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Not thought about it!” Jessie laughs heartily. “Girl, those ladies are absolutely beside themselves. With you on his arm, Nate Orso is officially off the market for the first time in history! Before, there was always a chance, and now they know there isn’t.”
I shake my head. I have no idea how I’m supposed to respond to this information.
“Richest single man in town!” Jessie says. “And hot as a tin roof to boot!” She laughs. “I can still say that. I might be old, but I’m not dead yet! They never did have a chance though. I think if any of the girls in town interested him in the slightest, he would have grabbed one of them up long before now. Not like it used to be, I guess.”
“How did it used to be?”
“Back in the day, the Orsos—and the Ramsays, too, for that matter—never had a relationship with someone from town. Rosa Orso came from Chicago originally, and her mother came from New York—from an Irish family. That created a bit of a stir. Rosa was related to one of the big Chicago families, rumor has it. The older Orso brother who died so horribly last year, he was engaged to a woman in Seattle. I think they might have even been betrothed! I know that woman Antony Orso was dating a few years back was run right out of town when she got knocked up. It was quite the scandal! Those families always marry each other, not outsiders.”
“You make them sound like royalty.”
“Aren’t they, though? I know you’re young, but you aren’t blind.”
“Well, yes, I’ve seen the way Nate’s treated. But what did you mean by ‘those families’? Which families?”
“Well, you know…Italians. Italians from certain families.” Jessie laughs and waves her hands around in the air a bit, which doesn’t seem to indicate anything. “Though I suppose there are Irish families, too. There’s history to back that up already. You’re Irish, aren’t you? All that beautiful red hair!”
“Um, a bit. Scots, too.” I think about this for a moment. Yes, Aunt Ginny had been both Irish and Scottish, but me? “Honestly, I don’t know for sure.”
“Well, we’re all a bit like that, aren’t we? I mean, take my family—aside from the obvious, I’ve got Spanish and some Native American in me! And my dearly departed husband was English and white as a sheet!” She laughs.
She continues on, but I’m no longer listening. Those Italian families. A plethora of movies about crime lords, the mobs in Chicago during prohibition, and most anything Edward G. Robinson was ever in scroll past my mind’s eye like a DIY video set just a little too fast to keep up with the information.
Is Jessie saying that the Orsos are a…a crime family?
How many times have I asked Nate about his work only to be met with vague answers and misdirection? Anytime business is mentioned in my presence, Nate and Antony sequester themselves from the group to deal with it. What about all the family deaths—including Nate’s father though he has yet to mention anything about it? I wouldn’t even know his father was dead if it weren’t for Nora. And what kind of business has an emergency so late in the night, causing Nate to rush out instead of staying with me? To top it off, he still hasn’t called me today.
It all makes sense now. I understand the reverence and fear of the people around us every time we go out. I know why Nate walks ahead, ignoring any line of people, and is immediately ushered to the best table, the best seat, the best view. I know why he’s brought a bottle of the best wine—on the house, of course. It’s too much for a simple real estate mogul—even a really good one.
No one in the family has an actual job. From what Nate has said, they all have very expensive hobbies—from cars to boats to traveling abroad just to get that perfect picture with the Pyramids of Giza in the background—but no defined work titles. Even Antony and his law degree doesn’t seem to actually practice any law.
It all makes perfect sense now. Whatever the Orso family does, it’s not entirely legal. Sure, the real estate part of it is undoubtedly profitable, but there’s more to it than that. I’d heard bits and pieces of Nate’s hushed phone calls with Antony, none of which seemed to relate to real estate, and he’d always brush it off if I asked him about it. If it were all legitimate, Nate wouldn’t feel the need to change the subject.
Nate and Antony have both referenced business associates in Chicago, Seattle, and New York. When I asked about who they were, Nate replied with, “No one you need to concern yourself with.”
Nate is a gangster.
A generous, sweet, handsome gangster.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
“What?” I haven’t heard anything Jessie has said for the last few minutes, and now she’s asking me a question.
“Did you enjoy your time with Nate yesterday?”
For the briefest moment, I think she means did I enjoy the sex, but then I realize she’s asking about the festival.
“It was wonderful!” I say with what has to look like a fake smile. I can’t think about the festival now—my head is churning. “Um, I’d never had maple sugar candy before. Oh, and the fireworks were incredible!”
“Next weekend it will be even bigger,” Jessie says. “More fireworks, more food, more music. I love the maple syrup festival! Now, hunny, tell me everything.”
“Everything?” I take a deep breath and try to concentrate on something other than images of Nate carrying a violin case and wearing a fedora. “Everything about what?”
“About you and Nate, of course! Are things getting serious with you two? Have you been to their house?”
“Yes, I’ve been to the house a few times now. They have family dinners every week.”
“Oh, wow! I had no idea! Tell me all about it!”
“Well, we eat,” I say with a chuckle, “and then usually play pool. Once we watched a movie in their home theatre.”
“Hmm.” Jessie seems disappointed.
“What?”
“I have to be honest with you, hunny,” she says. “I’m under a lot of pressure here.”
“Pressure?”
“The ladies at the salon want to know if it’s serious, you see. I told you about Sally, didn’t I? You should let her do your nails, dear. Anyway, they figured out that you are my neighbor—I didn’t tell them, I swear—and they want all the dirt. So, you give me some dirt I can share so I can get them off my back!”
“Dirt?”
“Oh, nothing too personal, of course! Just whatever you’d like to tell.”
“Um…” I have no idea what to say, and I tell her this.
“Tell me all about the house! That should appease them.”
I give her a brief description, focusing mainly on the antique furniture. This seems to satisfy her a bit.
“Now, between just the two of us, is it serious?”
“I…” I remember the feeling of his hands on my bare skin, his rhythmic movements, and the sound he made when he…
“Ha! I can see it is!”
I look away, clearly red as a rose.
“So, any plans for the future?”
“The future?”
>
“Well, I can see you aren’t wearing a ring,” Jessie says, “and if he’d given you one, it would be major news around here. Do you think he will?”
“I…I have no idea, Jessie. I mean, we’ve only been dating for a few weeks. It would be a little soon to be thinking that far ahead.”
“Yes, well, different times.” Jessie shrugs. “I know I’m only in my fifties, but I do think it was easier back then. My mama was married at sixteen, and she’d only known my daddy a month or two before they were married. I know what you’re thinking, but it wasn’t a shotgun wedding or anything like that. My oldest brother wasn’t born until more than a year later…”
As Jessie starts in on another monologue, my stomach rolls over as I try to process the information I’m only starting to put together. All the quiet phone calls, all the whispers, all the time Nate gave someone a harsh stare in my presence, immediately silencing them with a glance.
Jessie said I wasn’t blind, but I clearly have been.
“Does he like it?”
I blink a couple of times, trying to focus as I realize she’s asked me a question.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Does Nate like the quilt I made for you?”
“Yes, actually. He does.”
“I knew it!” Jessie laughs so hard she snorts, then laughs some more about that. A moment later, she jumps up and says she’d better go before she has an accident, and I’m left alone again.
I get up slowly and pour myself a glass of water. I stare out the window as my mind continues to race. Is the whole east side, west side conflict all about a mob war of some kind? Is that really a thing? I thought organized crime was purely a big city issue, and the thought never occurred to me that such things could exist in a small town like Cascade Falls. And if my hunch is right, it’s not just one organization but two.
How many romance books have I read involving the mafia? I’d never considered those stories to be anything but pure fiction, and now I feel like I’ve been plopped right into the middle of one. The fair damsel, clueless as to her lover’s nighttime activities…
What about the vampire novels?
I shudder.
Outside, I see a bit of a commotion. I stand on my toes to be able to see better and notice that the car that always parks near the fire hydrant is now surrounded by three men. They pull the driver out of the car and hold him up against the rear door. His back is to me, but he looks vaguely familiar though I don’t recognize the other two men. I know I’ve never been able to see the driver’s face through the tinted car windows, but I feel like I’ve seen him before.
A van, also black, drives up beside the car next to the fire hydrant, and the man is ushered into the back while one of the other men gets into the car next to the hydrant. Both vehicles are driven off rapidly.
What did I just witness?
I hadn’t been able to hear anything through the window, but this obviously isn’t right. Was that man just abducted? I glance at my phone, wondering if I should report it.
If Nate is a gangster, does that mean the police are in on it, too? Are they on his…payroll or whatever? Is Nate somehow involved in this?
“It’s the east side,” I whisper aloud. “The Orso side. That means he has to know about it.” My throat tightens up, and I have to swallow past the lump. “What’s happening, Vee? What have I gotten myself into?”
I sit down slowly and reach for my phone though I have no idea what I’m going to do with it—call 911 and report suspicious activity? What will I even say? When I give them my name, will they immediately know who I am and that I’m dating Nate? Will that make them more likely to show up or less likely?
I shiver. My hands are starting to sweat. None of my muscles want to obey any commands, and I can’t move at all. I just sit there and sit there until my phone suddenly dings in my hand, startling me from my trance.
Nate O: Sorry I haven’t managed to call today. Working late tonight. I’ll have to get back to you after work tomorrow. Hope you’ve had a wonderful day!
My hands shake as I try to reply. I have no idea what to say. I’d have to understand my own thoughts to form any kind of words to go with them, and I simply don’t.
“Stick with the basics.”
I’ve hand an intersting day. I’ll tak to you tomorrow. Gnight Nate.
I can’t even manage to fix the typos before I hit send.
The following morning, I get up like a zombie. I shower and dress, try to force coffee and a bagel down my throat, and head to my car, still in a daze. I pull out of the parking lot, immediately noticing the absence of the black car that had been sitting there for quite some time now. The fire hydrant is clear of obstructions, and the firefighters of Cascade Falls can continue their fine work, should they be needed.
Does the fire department service both the east and west side of Cascade Falls, or do they let one side of it burn?
I shudder for the hundredth time since yesterday’s chat with Jessie.
I continue to work in a fugue state, checking the tapped trees for any sign of distress and marking with chalk all those that are no longer producing sap so the tap can be removed. I finish at the top of the hill overlooking the sugar shack. I see a couple of workers nearby, checking the fires and cleaning up a bit of trash left over from the weekend.
Closing my eyes, I remember Nate’s gentle touch on my arm as we walked over these trails, both this past weekend and previously. I remember his warm lips on mine and the taste of maple sugar in his mouth as his tongue caressed mine. I remember the dark, intense look in his eyes when our bodies came together.
Another shudder runs through me, but it is not of the same kind.
“I don’t care,” I whisper aloud. “I don’t care what his business is.”
All my muscles relax at the thought, and I can breathe normally again. My steps are lighter as I head back down the hillside, checking the last few trees. I’m even smiling when I head back to the office to turn in my paperwork and clock out.
“Hello, Cherry.”
I jump, startled by my boss’s voice.
“Oh! Hi, Melissa! I didn’t see you there.”
I hadn’t seen much of Melissa at all, really, and I’d been glad of that. After hearing Nora’s account of their ordeal, I was afraid I’d say something about it accidentally.
“It is my office,” she says curtly. “Did you finish the trees on the hill today?”
“I did. I should be able to knock out the rest before the end of the day tomorrow.”
“Good. When you do, come see me. We need to figure out a plan for you the rest of the spring so you can still get enough hours in here.”
I’ll spend the whole time biting my tongue.
“All right.” I give her what I hope is a friendly smile, but she’s already turned away from me and closed her office door.
I head home, my mind at least momentarily filled with concern about my job. My initial tasks have nearly been completed, and I’m not sure what I’ll be doing once the collection of maple sap for the syrup plant is complete. Will I be out of a job?
“No, I doubt Nate will let them just get rid of me.” What once would have annoyed me suddenly feels a little different. There is no way Melissa will just cut my hours or fire me because there isn’t enough work to do—she can’t. She can’t fire me because I’m the crime lord’s girlfriend, and I’m a little…happy about it?
I’m protected.
I walk into the apartment, chewing on my lip and scrunching up my face at the idea.
“Aunt Ginny would be horrified.” I open my mouth, planning to discuss all my recent revelations with Vee, but my phone dings before I even make it to the kitchen. I dig around in my purse until I find it.
Nate O: Are you done with work?
“That’s weirdly blunt.” I narrow my eyes at the phone. No “How was your day?” or “My Cherice” has been included, and I suddenly feel tense again.
Yes. I just got home. What�
�s up?
Barely a second passes before I get a reply.
Nate O: Come to the house please
Why?
Nate O: Need to talk
About?
Nate O: Just get over here.
Chapter 16—Catholic Guilt
This is it. Tonight, Cherry will come to my house and meet my family for the first time. This is a crucial step to solidify my hold over Cherry, using her need for a family connection to my advantage. If all goes well tonight, she will be sure to agree to marry me when the time comes.
I take a deep breath and look at everyone gathered for our family meeting.
“What’s the status of the restaurant?” I ask Antony.
“Pretty well taken care of,” my cousin tells me. “Word is out. No one will go there anymore.”
“Good.” I stifle the smile that tries to creep over my face. “Is that everything?”
Kate looks over her notes before she rattles off a few more numbers. Pops leans against the wall, near the giant portrait he had commissioned for himself a few years ago, and yawns. I glare over at him, but he doesn’t pay any attention to me.
“That should cover it all,” Kate finally says.
“Good. Now, the last order of business is a little more personal.” I look around the room. “Cherry is coming to dinner tonight. I expect everyone to be welcoming, obviously, but also make sure you avoid any talk about business. Family stuff is fine, but she doesn’t know what all we’re into, and I want to make sure that by the time she understands, it’s not going to be an issue.”
“How the hell are you going to do that?” Antony asks.
“He thinks she’ll be too hopelessly head over heels for him to care,” Nora says, snickering. “Blinded by love, right Nataniele?”
“Something like that.” The first meeting she attends in weeks, and she has offered nothing but sarcasm the whole time.
“Buy her a new car,” Antony says. “That piece of shit she drives is an eyesore.”
“That’s not what she wants.” I stand up and stretch my aching back as I wonder if I need to replace Pops’ chair. “Cherry has no family and no friends to speak of. I don’t need to give her trinkets. I need to give her a place where she feels like she belongs, and you’re going to give that to her. Be friendly. Include her in everything, and for fuck’s sake, don’t talk about business!”