Mrs Mariano: Part 1

by L Neil

  I look to Leo, who is seated similarly, also scrutinizing me.

  Raising an eyebrow, I ask. “Uh, what’s up?”

  It’s such a millennial thing to ask and I regret it immediately. Especially as my question is met with chuckles from both men.

  “You’re right,” Leo says, “she is a curious creature.”

  But I didn’t do anything.

  Frank’s flashes his teeth when he grins at me. “Baby, relax. I just wanted you two to meet.” He pulls a cigar out from the box on the table and offers one to me.

  I politely decline and then he offers one to Leo, who slowly reaches out for it, eyeing me.

  I feel like I’ve missed something, and I hope I’m not the butt of a joke because I really hate that.

  “I’ve seen you before,” I tell Leo, jutting my chin, “when I was a kid.”

  “I remember,” he replies coolly. “I always found myself wondering what your mother must have looked like because you certainly don’t take after Jimmy.”

  They light their cigars and lunch is brought in – an assortment of seafood and salads.

  Frank tells me to eat. He has been on my back all week about making sure that I at least try all my meals, ever since I made the mistake of telling him that I was watching my weight. He seemed genuinely baffled, asked me to explain why. After telling him that I just felt a little bit rounder than usual and would like to lose a few pounds, he said, “No fucking way. Baby, you’re perfect.”

  I’m aware that I’m slim but I used to be thinner, closer to Natalia’s size. I guess seeing her look so gorgeous at my reception made me feel that someone as powerful and wealthy as Frank should be paired with a supermodel. But I smiled and agreed, only to drop the topic.

  Now, using the silver tongs, I load some food onto my plate. After I take my first bite of salad, they also fill their plates and begin to crack open their lobsters.

  There is no way I could eat lobster without making a mess, so I didn’t serve myself any. They, however, seem quite accustomed to it. Figures.

  With the meat in his mouth and his eyes no longer upon me, Frank tells me about how Leo is his right-hand man. Coincidentally, he is sitting to Frank’s right, but I decide not to remark on that.

  He tells me that they have been friends since he moved to the U.S as a teen.

  “The family has a lot to thank Frankie and Frankie Senior for,” Leo says when he finishes eating his food.

  “There is not one of us who hasn’t prospered under their reign. Speaking of - you probably don’t know it yet, but Tony Rizzo – the fella helping you with the apartment – he won’t be charging you for his services.”

  I tilt my head at Frank, questioning without saying a word.

  “He’s right sweetheart. And Tony isn’t he only one who will refuse our payment for services and what-not.”

  I want to argue that we should pay, only because it feels wrong not to. But I won’t. It’s not my money anyhow.

  Although I don’t say anything, Frank must realise that I’m conflicted because he explains, “Don’t worry, Tony doesn’t need the money. He has well and truly been taken care of.”

  Leo adds, “It was...arranged years ago that Rizzo's business would be chosen above all others for work to be done throughout the city, on projects from...” he waves his hand to help him find the words, “fixing grandma’s toilet to renovating the Roosevelt.”

  Oh, I see – a good ol’ case of bribery. I suddenly don’t feel too bad about it, so long as Eddie gets paid.

  So basically, this apartment renovation is going to cost Frank next to nothing. He really is going to make a profit, not matter what I do with it.

  My phone buzzes on the table and I’m glad I had thought to place it face down. Could it be Sam already? Not wanting to draw attention to it, I back track and ask Leo, “You know that I’m renovating the apartment...what else do you know about me?”

  He looks to Frank and smiles. I can’t tell if he’s silently asking Frank what he can tell me or if there’s some other inside joke going on. But then his phone rings and he says, “Excuse me,” and leaves the room. Saved by the bell.

  I raise an eyebrow at Frank in question and he says, “He knows enough about you.”

  He swallows his mouthful and continues, “He is like the brother I never had, my most trusted confidant. Does this upset you?”

  “No,” I say, glad for his honesty. But something else does upset me - his visit to Luke.

  Don’t go there.

  Frank tells me to continue eating, that I’ve barely touched my plate. So bossy.

  As I pick up my fork, Leo ducks his head back in to a say that he’s gotta split, leaving the two of us alone.

  I’m surprised that Frank doesn’t pick up my phone to see who texted me since he’s not above invading my privacy and messing with my relationships.

  I have so many questions, but I can’t ask any of them. How is the Taxidermist connected to his business? Why can’t Sam know where Josh is? How could he sit here and pretend he isn’t a psychopath who sabotaged my only serious relationship?

  I look at him now, scooping the meat out of the lobster’s tail, so at ease in this stage of his life. He has everything he wants now, including me. And he got his hands dirty to get it all.

  I decide here and now that if Frank deserves to be happy, then so does his son.

  Needing to take my mind off it all, I ask, “What did Leo mean by “curious creature”?”

  He looks at me, bemused. “A part of your charm is that you don’t seem to realise how beautiful you are, how much you affect the men around you.”

  Pshhh.

  He squints at me, still puzzled. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

  I wait for him to elaborate but he doesn’t.

  We continue to eat our meals in silence. I notice that his mind drifts elsewhere and I get the feeling it’s about whatever business went on in his meeting earlier.

  I figure it’s safe to check my phone. It’s a text from an unknown number:

  Meet me at Molly’s at midday tomorrow. Do not reply to this text. Delete now.

  I delete the text and surprisingly, Frank doesn’t ask about it afterwards

  .

  CHAPTER 12

  Who’s Your Granddaddy?

  Manny joins me to add the finishing touches on the apartment. It’s a perfectly lazy Sunday so we spend a great deal of time mucking about, spontaneously painting each other like carefree children.

  Tony’s guys had already sanded back the window frames and panes and the four circular pillars. So painting is pretty much all that’s left to do.

  Our view through the large windows is mostly grey with those lingering storm clouds stretched across the sky as far as we can see. The rain is much heavier today and it periodically blasts against the paned glass as the wind changes direction.

  My ponytail is mostly undone now, and my clothing is covered in so much of the almost-black paint. I had started the day with baggy blue jeans and an oversized, white tee. Sadly, I will never be able to wear them again.

  I got Manny good though, not particularly aiming for his clothing.

  I can’t remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did when I got the paint in his nostril and he made funny snorting sounds to clear it out. Luckily, we thought to put mats down, so no stray drops have stained the new tiles.

  Now, he helps me up the ladder to paint the top of the pillars. Sure enough, he starts to shake it, making me screech.

  Dominic is suddenly inside, eyes wide. Shit. But his gun isn’t out – he only snarls at Manny and then leaves us again.

  “I’m sorry about that, I have no idea what his deal is.”

  Manny stands in front and below me as I curl my free arm around a rung on the ladder to keep steady.

  “I think I know,” he says quietly.

  “Why?” I ask, almost afraid to hear the answer. Is this the part where he tells me that Jimmy screwed Dominic over and he is prob
ably another enemy?

  “He’s Silvia's dad.”

  For a moment, I don’t react. Maybe I’m shocked? I don’t know. I think I was expecting something worse but also...I just can’t believe it.

  When Dominic was talking to Tony P, he referred to his granddaughter “Bella” and I never thought for a moment that he could be referring to my sweet little niece.

  “But Silvia is so...pretty,” I say, trying to come up with a reason why this can’t possibly be true.

  Manny chuckles and says, “Quiet, he might hear you.”

  If I wasn’t so taken aback, I would have laughed too.

  “But why does he hate us?” I ask.

  Manny sighs and sits on the floor, crossing his legs. “She was supposed to marry Donny Martin. They were engaged, I guess, except that he never asked her - it was just…expected. He had money and she was the most beautiful girl in the family, you know? Every guy wanted her.” It’s true.

  “And we met, and she fell for me and well, you know the rest.”

  “I guess I can understand why Dominic was upset. Us Gatti's are bad news - no thanks to Jimmy.”

  “Hel, please, I don’t think we should talk about dad. I know how you feel about him.”

  “He didn’t come to the reception.”

  There, I said it, something that I was trying to pretend didn’t bother me. Would I have actually enjoyed his company? No. But he is my father and also the reason behind all of this, so I guess I expected it.

  “Was he invited?” He asks, carefully.

  “Yeah.” I had seen his details on the invite list before Frank had the invitations sent out.

  After Manny tells me that it could have been because of the short notice, we get back to painting and the rest of the morning is a lot less playful.

  When we part ways, he pulls away in his pale blue ’67 fastback mustang and I climb into the back of the Mercedes, under the protection of Marty’s umbrella.

  I ask him to take me to Molly’s and scramble to think of an idea to keep Dominic out of the cafe.

  When we arrive, I squint through the tinted window of the shop and can’t see any sign of Sam among the customers.

  Dominic does his quick check and must assume that no one inside presents any danger as he comes back out and tells me, “You can go in.”

  I look at him for a moment. There are really no similarities between him and his daughter. Except maybe their hair colour. He grimaces at me as if to say, “What are you looking at?”

  Returning to the task at hand, I tell him, “Can you please call Frank and tell him that I’m eating lunch, that there’s no need for Vic to prepare anything for me?”

  I nod to the doors, suggesting that he take the call outside. “No one is going to jump me in the middle of a cafe.” I smile, not sarcastically at all.

  We both know that I could text my husband - that there is no need for anyone to call. However, I am counting on him to feel the same way as I do about wanting some space from each other.

  He pulls his phone out and heads outside, running through the rain to take shelter in the car.

  Phew.

  I scan over the customers in the store – there are about eight or nine of them – and still cannot spot Sam.

  Then a voice says, “Helena?”

  I spin to where the sound came from and it’s Stacey. She waves me over to the gate in the counter with wide eyes and whispers, “They’re out the back.” Ah. Sneaky.

  I follow her through the swinging cafe doors behind the counter and am greeted by both Sam and Eddie.

  Eddie is casually dressed in blue jeans and a black, long sleeved shirt.

  Sam is dressed impeccably in another tailor-made suit, navy blue this time.

  Stacey goes back through the doors to get back to work.

  “I don’t have much time,” I say quietly. “Eddie, you shouldn’t be here.”

  As Eddie opens his mouth to speak, Sam stops him with a hand on his chest. “It’s ok, he can stay. Tell me.”

  I hesitate for a moment but really, Dominic could be back at any time so I should just get on with it. Besides, it’s good news anyway.

  “Josh is...” I quickly glance at Eddie and then back to Sam, “okay. He’s fine.”

  Sam exhales a shaky breath and his eyebrows rise in the middle as though he is about to cry. He grabs me suddenly and hugs me tightly. “Thank you.”

  I decide to give him Josh's new number but to withhold the address. I feel bad enough going behind Frank’s back like this. Besides, if the phone call is successful, then perhaps Sam will get Josh’s address on his own.

  Sam gives me his number, telling me to add it to another contact in my phone so I put him under Silvia’s name. He warns me, “Don’t call me, only text and only if you are desperate, if you really need me.”

  “I won’t need to, but thanks. But umm, why not call?” I ask.

  He is very serious when he replies, “Because they can listen into calls. That message I sent you can’t be read after it’s deleted but any calls or texts you make will show on your bill. Do you understand?”

  I nod.

  “A-are you in danger?” Eddie asks, very concerned. For a moment, I had forgotten he was here.

  “No,” I reassure him. I look at Sam, pointedly, “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “Did you find out about Luke?” Sam asks, still as serious as ever.

  “Yeah, I…spoke to him,” I say casually, because it’s nothing he should be concerned over.

  “You called him?” Sam panics.

  “Yeah…shit,” I say with feeling. “I phoned his mother.”

  Sam takes one of my hands in his and looks me dead in the eyes. I had always wished that my green eyes were as light as his shade - it’s very pretty. The concern in them is...nice. I guess that maybe I was wrong about him.

  He says, “You’re going to have to tell Frank about it. If he hasn’t tapped your phone, the outgoing call will be brought to his attention.”

  “Is that even possible-

  “You’ll have to come up with some other reason for the call.”

  “I think we might be overreacting. I’m not even sure that it’s a big deal, what he did.”

  Eddie steps in close to use, “Helena, please – is everything okay? Can I-

  “He’s coming back,” Stacey rushes in.

  Shit.

  Eddie quickly says, “If you need anything, you can drop a message in to Stacey and she can pass it on.”

  We all look to her. She appears as scared as I feel about Dominic coming back, yet she has no idea what is going on. But she nods and quickly says, “Yes, whatever you need.”

  I leave the guys in the back and Stacey follows me closely but it’s too late - Dominic scowls at me and opens the counter gate, silently demanding that I remove myself from behind it.

  Quick, think of something.

  “Sorry Stacey, I should have told my friend here that you were showing me around.”

  I smile at her and continue, “If you could let me know when you have an opening again that would be wonderful. As I said, I don’t have experience but I’m a quick learner.”

  Her wide eyes return to normal as she realises what I’m doing. “Sure,” she says, “I’ll let you know. I’ve got your number.”

  When I return home, the wind howls and the rain is sideways, drenching the three of us – Dominic, Marty and myself – despite our umbrellas.

  With damp clothes and hair, I seek out Frank and find him in his study. “Fever” by La Lupe is playing from his laptop speakers.

  I can’t help but glance at the fireplace – and it doesn’t go unnoticed. But he won’t mention it unless I do.

  The diamond paned windows at his back are hammered by the rain and the darkness in the room adds to Frank’s already villainous appearance. He could be the most innocent, kindest person on the planet but that hairline, those eyebrows and that intense gaze will always make him look deliciously wicked.
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br />   He turns the volume down, stands from his seat at the desk, moves across the room and closes the door behind me. When he hovers closely at my back, I can’t help but feel like prey – his eyes are on me, his breaths deep and warm, caressing my skin.

  I am still covered in paint, in my baggy clothes. How is he so into me right now?