But he had me all wrong. If he took her away from us, I would be pleased. She had this compulsion to look after us and it would always affect any relationship she had. I wanted better for her, to be able to leave us. We would never lose contact but for her to be a wife, a mother, to have a normal life was all I ever wanted for her. There was no chance of that for Travis and I, so if one of us could, then great.
On the day he proposed, Carlo came to see me to talk about the wedding. I found this disrespectful to Joe and told him so. That conversation should have been with the father of the bride, not me. It also showed how uneasy he was about me. It was my first insight into how far I had come but how I was still viewed as the head of this family, which was something I didn’t want.
I’d met with Joe that night, our weekly meetings still continued although he had no official say, but I valued his opinion and I treasured the relationship we had. I didn’t tell him Carlo had come to me, I wouldn’t hurt him that way. To an Italian, to know his daughter’s prospective husband had overlooked him would be a huge insult. We chatted late into the night. It was good to be able to spend that time with him, he had been so important in my life, but he was getting old and poorly. I was also grateful that over the years I had learnt his language. As he got older he became increasingly Italian, reverted to his native tongue more often than speaking in English.
Evelyn joined us, she told her father about the proposal and like me, he was pleased for her. To see her face light up as she spoke about Carlo saddened me, not that it showed. I didn’t believe I would ever feel that way about someone, I simply didn’t have the ability to. We talked about wedding plans, she wanted Travis and I involved as much as possible but I drew the line at her having brides-men.
A day or so after Evelyn had agreed to marry Carlo though, I started to see the stress in her face. I would often ask her if everything was okay but she would lie and tell me all was fine. I had to bide my time, she would tell me what was bothering her when she wanted to. It became known a couple of weeks later. She had come to visit me at work, something she did regularly and brought me lunch to make sure I ate.
“Hi, are you busy?” she said, popping her head around the door.
I would always have time for her, she knew that. She sat, opened her bag, she had made sandwiches for us and while she ate, she said, “I’ve broken it off with Carlo, I thought I would tell you first.”
“Why, Ev? I thought you loved him?” I said.
“I don’t think I ever really did, Robert, and I love you and Travis more,” she said sadly.
“But you’ll still see us,” I replied, confused.
“He wants me to choose, you boys or him and I can’t do that,” she said quietly.
“What the fuck does he mean, choose between us?” I replied, anger building up in me.
“Rob, please, don’t get angry. No matter what man I meet, they have to share me with you. It’s my choice and he isn’t strong enough to do that.”
I looked at her and my heart broke. There was such a bond between us, it would take a special person to accept that, I understood, but it made me feel guilty.
“Please don’t be sad for me, Rob, I’m not. It’s the right thing to do. I want to spend my life with you guys and if he’s not the right person to accept that, then to marry him would be wrong,” she told me.
I went to see Carlo later that day, he worked with his father, selling cars. I’d thought him a little sleazy and this was proven right when I watched him slouched over the desk of the receptionist, she was giggling and tossing her hair at him. He was loving it. He and Evelyn had only broken up that day, he could have least shown some sadness. I strode across the room, catching his eye immediately.
“Carlo, I would like to have a word,” I said, carrying on past him to a vacant office.
“What can I do for you, Robert?” he asked, closing the door behind us.
“I would like to know what went on with you and Evelyn. She told me something I found a little disturbing earlier today.”
“What can I say, she broke it off,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. However, he did look a little uncomfortable.
“And why was that Carlo? What caused her to change her mind?” I asked.
“Erm, well, perhaps you should ask her,” he stammered.
“I have. She told me that you asked her to choose, you or us. I take it you don’t love her enough to accept she has family?” I stated.
He had the grace to look away.
“Clearly you don’t, so why propose in the first place?” I asked.
“Look, Rob, we’re both guys right. She’s a great girl and all that, she would have made a great wife but I wanted her to talk to you, she wouldn’t. I could be a great asset to you.”
This threw me somewhat.
“My name is Robert, only those close to me can call me Rob,” I said, understanding now what had gone on.
“So, let me get this straight. You dated Evelyn because you thought it was your way in to the family and our business. When she refused to speak to me, your retaliation was to ask her to choose between you and us. You used her.”
He didn’t need to answer, and as I walked slowly towards him, he shuffled from foot to foot.
“If I hear that you have been in contact with her, even a nod across the street, I’ll come for you,” I said.
He looked down at his shuffling feet.
“Do you understand what I just said?” I asked.
He nodded.
What hurt the most was the realisation that the people around me could get used and hurt as a way to get to me. Whether it be, like Carlo, they simply wanted to work for me, or maybe because they wanted to get to me. I would have to be careful, I would have to protect those closest to me so that could never happen again. I arranged a security team, everyone we met with would be vetted, to see what their motives were. Maybe it was overkill but Travis and I had enemies, the whole team did, but I had not banked on Evelyn being used.
I was devastated for her, although she had called off the farce of a wedding, I thought she had been in love with him, she thought he had loved her too. That was always going to be a problem and something I would have to think hard about. Perhaps the answer was to push Evelyn away a little, break the connection so that she was free to go, to choose a man over us. The thought that she was so tied to me and Travis that she did not have the freedom she deserved, upset me greatly.
“Trav, we need to talk,” I said as I got back in the car.
I told him what had happened, what Carlo’s real intentions were and I confessed to being upset about it. He turned in his seat to face me.
“Rob, look at you, look at what you’ve become, what you’ve achieved. People are in awe of you and sadly neither of us will ever be able to shake off the lifestyle we’ve led. There are always going to be people that want to get close to you and they’ll use whatever, whoever they can, to do that,” he said.
“It’s wrong, Trav. Why should Ev not have a life beyond us? It’s not fair on her,” I replied.
“Bro, if anything, you’ll have more enemies now than before. By becoming legit, we’re all vulnerable, there will always be someone from the past who has enough knowledge to damage us,” he said.
“Mmm, maybe we need to step up security a bit.”
What I didn’t say was that I felt there was no hope for me, probably not for Travis either, to have a normal life, a normal relationship, get married, have kids. I could have lived that through Evelyn, watched her have the life I wanted and enjoy it that way.
Instead, every person we got close to, Evelyn got close to, I would now always question their motives. I found it hard to trust people at the best of times and that just made it worse.
****
The businesses were doing well. We had spent a great deal of money on renovating the apartment blocks, especially the ones in Columbia Heights. The state were installing a new subway, the whole area was having a makeover and it allowe
d us to attract better tenants, higher rentals. Construction was up, we had developments in New York starting soon and I would make the trip out there to meet with the teams as the projects progressed. Doing anything in New York was a little harder than Washington, I was to have a meeting with the Gioletti family. As much as I was not prepared to have involvement with any other crime family, they could cause me problems if I didn’t have them on side.
The Gioletti’s were an old family and connected to Joe, and I had no doubt they still had activities in crime, although much of what they did was legal. However, the development I was planning was in the middle of their territory, so to speak. So, to enable smooth progress, it was a matter of meet, show a little respect and hopefully we would have no problems.
Paul, Travis and I took the short flight and made our way to New York City. First I wanted to see the site, understand the neighbourhood, get a feel for who would be affected by what we were doing. At that time property was booming, development was in progress all over the state and we wanted a piece of the action. Travis was uncomfortable though, this had been his home town. I had talked to him about getting in contact with his family, his dad was long dead but his mother was still alive. He would have none of it, he was still bitter and he felt his mother had done nothing to try to stop what happened to him, his brothers and sister and I could relate to that.
We were met at the site by Massimo Gioletti and his guys. Although now well in his fifties, he was still an imposing man. He stood in silence for a moment or two, sizing me up. I stood my ground, I held his gaze and once that was over, he greeted me warmly.
“Massimo, thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” I said, offering him my respect.
“Robert, it’s good to finally meet you too. Now tell me, how is Guiseppi? My father and he were great friends, years ago back in Chicago,” he told me.
“He’s doing okay, his heart’s not so good and he has cancer, but he’s enjoying his retirement. He sends his regards to you and your family,” I replied.
The two of us walked around the site and I detailed what we wanted to do, how we would also be willing to spend a little on the neighbourhood. We would create a park area for the children of the families who would eventually live here. He nodded his approval.
“I wanted to meet with you Massimo, out of respect to you and your family, but not for your approval. I want to ensure that Vassago will be able to complete this development without any issues, without any disruption. I am not in the game of bribes, back handers or favours, that style has long past. I have an opportunity here and I want it completed,” I said gently.
He looked at me.
“You’re a new breed, Robert, Guiseppi should be proud of you. I’ve heard a lot about you over the years. It’s a shame I don’t have anyone of your calibre here, in New York,” he laughed.
“I hear your son, Luca, is doing well for you.”
“Ah, Luca, he fills his head with the old days, perhaps watches too many movies,” he replied with a laugh.
“Do you still fight?” he asked.
“Only for fun and generally with Travis,” I replied.
“I watched one of your fights once, you were very angry if I remember,” he said with a chuckle.
“Probably. I was angry a lot back then.”
“And not now?” he enquired.
“Only when the need arises, Massimo.”
“It’s been good to follow your progress, Robert. You have done well for your family, for Guiseppi. I don’t foresee any problems with your development. Perhaps, in the future, we may have a joint project,” he said.
“Thank you, I have enjoyed our talk.”
The comment about following my progress was his way of letting me know he had been keeping an eye on my business, especially in New York. I understood because, when we decided to build there, we had done the same. As for any future projects, well, that would depend.
I shook his hand, he pulled me into a hug, kissed both my cheeks and I left for home, deal done. He knew where I stood and I thanked him for his time. It was with a little sadness that I learnt a couple of years later that Massimo had been arrested, many charges placed against him for his earlier lifestyle and he would probably spend the rest of his days in prison.
****
“Hi, Joe, how are you today?” I asked as I arrived at his home. I wanted to let him know what had happened in Manhattan.
“Rob, come and sit with me,” he wheezed.
I had noticed how frail he had become over the past couple of months and I worried for him. He had been to the doctors, had test after test until cancer had been diagnosed. He was now nearing his seventies and Evelyn still fussed over him every day.
“Massimo sends his regards, he told me you and his father went back a long way.”
He chuckled. “That we did, Rob. Do you want me to tell you about it?”
All Joe had was his garden, his daughters and his memories. I liked to sit with him and listen to his life story and when he talked about Italy, I vowed I would visit his village one day and experience his culture.
“Carmine Gioletti and I were friends from the village, we were about the same age although he died some time ago. When I arrived in Chicago he was already there, a member of a gang called the Outfit and I worked with him. He was a good man, I learnt a lot from him and he and I stayed friends. Trouble was, I didn’t want any part of the drugs and that was where they earned much of their money. I didn’t like the way the family was heading and he understood that. Did you know my wife, Maria, was his first cousin?” he asked.
No, I hadn’t. The two families were obviously more connected than I thought. It would have been because of that connection that Massimo returned the respect I had shown him.
“I met her back home, her family lived near mine. She was the most beautiful thing I had laid eyes on and I fell in love with her, instantly. I will tell you this, Robert. I fought hard to get her, she had a real independent streak, but I won in the end. I got the greatest prize, Maria and then three children. It’s all a man should ever want, the love of a good woman,” he said, his eyes glazing over with the memory.
“You will experience it one day, Rob, and it will change your life. To feel that depth of love from someone is a wonderful thing. Now, help me up, I’ve had enough talk of love, I want to walk and you can tell me about this building project.”
We walked for a bit around his garden, I held his arm as he struggled, wincing in pain every now and again. He was a stubborn old fool, he had refused any treatment, not that it would cure him but it might have alleviated some of the pain he was clearly in.
“I told Massimo that I was not there for his permission, just assurance the project would not have any disruptions,” I said.
Joe laughed, coughing at the same time. “I bet he was impressed with that.”
“Funnily enough, he was okay with it. I don’t want to be connected, Joe, we’ve moved on. All I want is for this project to get off the ground and make money.”
“Rob, you put too much importance on making money,” he said, waving my hand away as I tried to help him walk.
“With money, Joe, comes respect and that’s all I want. For people to respect me.”
“And they do, already. They also still fear you. I have ears, I still listen and you want to keep that, one day you might need it. You say you want no part of the old ways but, Robert, you’re wrong. The old ways, the people still in that life will always be on the fringes of your new one, you will never break completely free,” he warned me.
“It’s not something that I want though,” I replied.
He stopped walking, resting one hand on the back of a bench before turning to me.
“No matter where you were born, Robert, our way of life, it’s in here,” he said, his fingers tapping against my chest above my heart.
“I’ve no doubt you are at least part Italian, look at you. Even as a part bred, Robert, you live and breathe Italy, I brought
you up to lover her. You don’t escape her because you want to,” he said.
I had learnt a long time ago that Joe believed Italy and the Cosa Nostra as one and the same, as did many of the older generation brought up in that life. It wasn’t a lifestyle choice, for many it was, simply, the only way of life.
“You are my son, Robert, and I am proud of you, of what you are. Be proud as well,” he said.
****
I got a call, around midnight, a week later from Evelyn, she was asking for me to come urgently. Joe had taken a turn for the worse over the previous couple of days. Travis and I sped through the night and arrived at his house. He was in his bed, propped up with pillows and now a very frail man. The three of us sat and I took his hand in mine, his skin was so paper thin and so very cold. His eyes were closed and his breathing raspy.
“Ev, I don’t think he has long, make any calls you need to,” I said.
The doctor and a priest arrived. I had time for the doctor but not for the priest, another one who couldn’t meet my eyes. The doctor listened to his heart, took his blood pressure and sadly shook his head at me. No, he didn’t have long at all. We made him comfortable and everyone, except me, prayed for him, for his soul. As much as it pained me, I couldn’t pray for him because I didn’t believe in his God. I watched as Evelyn mumbled her words, her fingers playing with the cross that hung around her neck.
I felt the most gentle squeeze on my hand from him. His eyes had stayed closed but he knew I was there, and then he went, slipped away and out of pain, to his beloved Maria.
We sat with him for a little while and I held Evelyn to me, letting her cry, stroking her hair and trying to soothe her. I watched tears fall from Travis’s eyes and I felt numb. I couldn’t cry and for the first time in my life, I wanted to. I wanted to feel those tears leave my eyes, roll down my cheeks but I couldn’t make them come, I was totally unable to. I had loved this man like a father and now he too, had left me.
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