by SUE FINEMAN
Alex lay awake long after Charlie went to sleep. Her mind wouldn’t quiet down. She and Charlie had made love, and it was everything she wanted it to be, but she felt him pulling away again. Had watching that show about her family turned him off? Was he ashamed to be with her now? Mario called Papa to tell him to watch the show. Did he know the content of the show before it aired?
Papa was dying. He’d lived through this heart attack, but he wouldn’t be around much longer. Had he signed off on the deal to sell the food distribution division of the business? Would he live long enough to sell the cannery? What would happen to the business if he didn’t sell it before he died?
What would happen to her?
Her eyes filled with tears and spilled over, soaking her pillow.
<>
The next morning, Alex stood beside Papa’s hospital bed and stared at the pale old man lying quietly while machines blinked and beeped around him. Seeing him like this tore at her. Papa had bullied and controlled her for most of her life, but she knew he did it out of love.
Charlie stood behind her and wrapped his arm across her shoulders, giving her comfort and strength. Aunt Gina straightened Papa’s covers and fussed over him, but he didn’t stir.
The nurse came in and fiddled with the IV line. “The doctor is in the hospital, so he should be in soon. I’ll send him down to the waiting room to talk with you.”
The nurse obviously didn’t want them in the room. There were no chairs for visitors, and if something happened, they’d need to get to Papa quickly.
“We’re in the way here,” said Aunt Gina. “Let’s go out to the waiting room.”
Alex took Charlie’s hand and they walked down the hall together. Aunt Gina tagged along behind them. She hadn’t spoken to Charlie since they picked her up at the mansion this morning. Papa had said so many bad things about the Kane family over the years, she probably didn’t know what to say.
The doctor came in a few minutes later. He sat in the corner of the waiting room with them and gave them an update. “Your father is stable. He’s doing as well as we can expect given his age and physical condition, but his heart was weak before this episode, and now it’s significantly weaker.”
“Will he be able to come home?” Aunt Gina asked.
“We’ll see how he does in the next few days and then decide. If he does well today, we’ll move him to a private room. I’m sure he’ll be more comfortable there.”
Alex thanked the doctor. His beeper went off and he hurried from the room.
Aunt Gina cried. “I was supposed to be looking after him, and I let this happen.”
“It’s not your fault.” Mario was responsible for Papa’s heart attack. He not only knew about the television program, he told Papa to watch it. Mario had to know what that would do to Papa’s heart.
“If Papa comes home, I’ll hire private nurses to take care of him.”
Aunt Gina cocked her head. “Then you want me to move back to Sophia’s house?”
“No, I want you to stay right where you are. When Papa comes home, he’ll need all of us to boss around.” And he would boss them around. No matter how sick he was, Papa was still the head of the Porcini family. The man in charge.
After Charlie left to take Taylor’s clothes and teddy bear to his parents’ home, Aunt Gina said, “He’s a handsome one, but Alexandra, he’s a Kane. How could you?”
“He’s Taylor’s father, Aunt Gina.”
“Do you love him?”
Alex sighed deeply. “Yes, I love him.” No use denying it.
“Oh, Alexandra. Do you want to give your papa another heart attack?”
Alex stood and walked to the window overlooking the city. Aunt Gina followed. “We have to think of your papa now. Your love will have to wait.”
“No.” She turned to face her aunt. “Papa broke us apart seven years ago, and no matter how sick he is, I can’t let him do it again. My little girl needs her daddy, and I need Charlie.”
<>
Charlie returned an hour later. “Dad wants you to come to the house. He recorded the show last night, and he thinks we should watch it together.”
“What about Taylor?”
“Mom took her out to Billy’s house. Kayla is going to talk with her about her visions.”
“My mama had visions,” said Aunt Gina. “Some people thought she was crazy, but Mama said her mama had them, too, in the old country.”
Charlie took Alex’s hand and started to leave the room.
Aunt Gina said, “I’ll wait here.”
Charlie turned to her. “Please come with us.”
Aunt Gina grumbled, but she came along. And she watched the show. By the time it ended, her face had darkened with anger. She looked over at Donovan and asked, “Did you put them up to this?”
Donovan held up both hands. “I had nothing to do with it. If I had, they would have shown some of the good things Uncle Tony did for the city, and the reporter wouldn’t have implied an innocent victim caused her own attack. As for Vinnie’s gift to the city, I think it was a generous thing for him to do. We couldn’t find the funds in the city’s budget to replace the kids’ ball fields, but we’ll find the money to maintain them.”
“My papa loved baseball,” said Aunt Gina. She talked for several minutes about her father and about Vinnie carrying on the baseball tradition in the family. “Too bad Vinnie’s sons didn’t like baseball as much as Vinnie. But he still gives money for the kids in the poor part of town, so they can play.”
Donovan nodded. “My son, Billy, supports a team, too.”
Aunt Gina cocked her head. “The son who owns that fancy private school?”
“That’s the one. He wanted to play professional baseball, but he wrecked his knee in college, so he went into teaching. And Charlie coaches baseball every summer for the city.”
“Vinnie told me about that.”
“Tell us some of the things your father did for the city,” said Charlie.
As her aunt talked, Alex listened in wonder. Why hadn’t the reporter mentioned any of those things on the show? And why in the hell would she take Mario’s word for what happened that night at the Whippoorwill Inn? Mario wasn’t there.
<>
Hours later, after another visit to Papa in the hospital, a reporter intercepted Alex in the parking lot. “Miss Porcini, how is your father?”
“He’s doing better. Thanks for asking.”
“Do you have a comment about the documentary that recently aired?”
Two other reporters rushed over, microphones held out and cameras on. Alex knew she’d have to say something or they’d never leave her alone. So she took a deep breath and answered the best way she knew how.
“I didn’t know my grandfather. Tony Porcini died before I was born. I found it strange that the television program didn’t show any of the good things he did during his term as mayor. Today, my aunt reminded me of some of those things.
“Tony Porcini fought to get 911 service for the citizens of River Valley even though at the time most people didn’t think it was worth the cost. In the first month, two lives were saved as a direct result of that service. And last month, a 911 call saved my life.
“Tony Porcini doubled the number of police officers on the street, changed the fire department from mostly volunteer to professionally trained firefighters, and added seven parks. He also brought several new businesses to the city, which not only added jobs, they added tax revenue to provide funding for the expanded police and fire departments.
“Tony Porcini campaigned for Ohio State to open another campus here, and he brought three community colleges to River Valley during his term as mayor.
“Tony Porcini loved baseball. He convinced the owners of a minor league baseball team to bring that team to River Valley, and he personally bought a section of seats every year, so disadvantaged kids could watch the home games for free.
“Tony Porcini was a loving husband and father who arranged his work schedule so
he could be at every one of his sons’ little league games. Over the years, my father has spoken fondly of those days.
“Vinnie Porcini didn’t have to give anything to the city. He’s an eighty-year-old man with a bad heart who wanted to do something nice for the kids before he died. He wanted to give other fathers the opportunity to watch their kids play baseball, as his father watched his games when he was growing up. But he knew that wouldn’t happen unless the kids had a place to play ball, so he donated a piece of land worth over two million dollars and added another half-million in cash for equipment and maintenance. For the kids to play baseball.
“Instead of thanking him for his generous gift, an irresponsible reporter dug up all the dirt she could find about my family. In doing so, she caused my father to have a heart attack. Yes, he did something foolish thirty years ago, but he served his time. Was that the only thing this reporter could find to say about Vinnie Porcini? What about the three million dollar gift to the hospital after his mother died? What about the baseball uniforms and equipment he furnished every year for the past forty years to a bunch of disadvantaged kids who wanted to play baseball? Don’t those things count more than a stupid mistake he made thirty years ago?”
One of the reporters asked, “Are you saying we should overlook the bad things Uncle Tony did and discount your father’s crime?”
“No. I’m saying there’s good and bad in everyone, and if you’re going to do a television show about a family, it should have some balance. Show the good things, too.”
The reporter nodded. “Fair enough. What about the video of you in Mexico?”
She knew they’d bring that up. Alex wanted to kill Mario for giving that reporter a copy of the video, but as Charlie would say, she couldn’t undo what was already done. “During my first year of college, I went to Mexico for spring break with a bunch of college friends. Someone gave me something to drink, and I don’t remember anything else about that night. But one of the students had brought a video camera and put several clips on the Internet, including one of me dancing topless in a bar. When I saw it, I was mortified. The student took it off the Internet when I asked, but someone obviously kept a copy.”
“What about the attack?” another reporter asked. “How did that happen? Was Scott Higgins your lover?”
“No!” God, no! “My brothers introduced me to him the day before he attacked me. I spent two hours with him and my brothers talking about business. He was not my lover. I barely knew the man. Our meeting was about business, nothing more.
“I didn’t expect to see Scott Higgins at the motel. And I really didn’t expect him to force his way into my room and attempt to rape me. When I fought back, he hit me so hard I passed out. If not for my daughter calling 911, I would have died that night.
“The police not only caught Higgins, he confessed to attacking me.”
The reporters all shouted questions, but Alex shook her head. She wasn’t answering any more questions.
“The next time someone decides to do a program like this, I hope they have sense enough to do some research first. Interview the people involved. Get your facts straight before suggesting that a victim of a violent crime deserved to be attacked. For years, women have been reluctant to report a rape. Now I understand why. If someone you loved was brutally attacked, how would you feel if an irresponsible reporter suggested she brought on the attack herself?”
Alex touched the scars on her face, a constant reminder of the vicious attack.
After the police caught her attacker and he confessed, she thought it was finally over. But Mario wouldn’t let it die. If the prosecutor wanted to charge him with something, family or not, she’d testify against him. Papa wouldn’t like it, but he’d have to live with it, because this time, she wouldn’t back down.
<>
Someone was talking to Vinnie and he struggled to bring himself out of the fog. Where was he? Who were those people talking? Something beeped and he pried his eyes open far enough to see people dressed in white and green standing beside his bed. He tried to talk, but his throat was dry and raspy. A woman held up a cup with a straw, and he drank a couple swallows of tepid water.
“Vinnie, you’re in the hospital,” said Vinnie’s cardiologist. “You had an episode with your heart last night.”
“Heart attack?”
“Yes, a heart attack.”
“My sons?”
The doctor glanced at the nurse, and she shook her head. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon. Your daughter and your sister were here earlier. They’ll be back this evening.”
“How bad?”
“Bad enough to keep you here a few days. I know you don’t like the hospital, Vinnie, but it’s necessary.”
“Okay.” The doctor didn’t sound very convincing, and Vinnie was so weak he couldn’t lift his head off the pillow. He knew his heart wouldn’t last much longer, but he couldn’t die yet, not until he took care of the business and made peace with his sons.
<>
Charlie dropped Gina off at Vinnie’s house and then drove Alex out to the farm. “You were great with those reporters.”
“I wish Aunt Gina had said something, but she’s camera shy.”
“What will your brother do if those reporters find out who sent Higgins to the motel?”
“He’ll deny it, of course. He’ll twist it around and make it look like I sleep with every man in sight. It’ll bring more bad publicity to the family, and Papa’s heart can’t handle any more.”
Alex couldn’t handle much more either. She’s been holding herself together pretty well, considering, but Charlie knew she was worried about Vinnie.
He wondered what would happen to the Porcini family when the old man died.
Chapter Sixteen
After a pleasant dinner at Billy and Kayla’s house with Charlie’s family, Alex and Charlie drove back to the hospital to visit Papa. They’d moved him to a private room, and he was awake.
“Alexandra, you came.”
“Charlie brought me last night and earlier today, but you were sleeping.”
Papa glanced at the foot of the bed, where Charlie stood.
Charlie said, “Gina was here earlier. I told her we’d bring her back in the morning. She’s worried about you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Everybody’s worried.” Papa looked back at Alex. “Have you talked with the boys?”
“No. I saw Mario here last night, but I didn’t talk with him.”
He sighed deeply. “It’s time to make peace.”
“Yes, it is.” If Mario and Antonio didn’t make peace with Papa now, they might never get the chance. His lips were blue, and when she took his hand, he didn’t have the same strong grip. She blinked back tears. There would be a time to cry, but this wasn’t it.
“Alexandra, I need your help getting the business settled.”
“Okay. Have you signed off on the deal with Dominic?”
“No. Call him and tell him what’s going on, then call Bernie and have him get the papers ready. If Dominic doesn’t want the cannery, I’ll give it away. After what the boys did, I don’t want them to have it.”
“I’ll take care of it, Papa.” Alex understood. Papa wanted to make peace with his sons, but he didn’t want them to get their hands on the business again. As for making peace, she didn’t care if she never saw either of them again. Especially Mario.
“Go call them now, while I talk with Charlie.”
Alex looked over at Charlie, eyebrows raised, and he shrugged. She grabbed her purse off the wide windowsill and walked down toward the waiting room, wondering why Papa wanted to talk with Charlie.
Vinnie stared at the Kane kid. His daughter was right about one thing. If his name wasn’t Kane, Vinnie wouldn’t feel so strongly about him. But he was a Kane, his enemy’s son. He was also Taylor’s father, which complicated matters.
Charlie moved to the side of the bed. “If you want to tell me to stay away from Alex—”
“Don’t hurt
her again or I’ll come back to haunt you. Capisci?”
“If that means do I understand, yeah, I understand. Does this mean you approve of her being with me?”
“I don’t want my daughter shacking up with any man, especially you. If you love her, marry her. If you don’t, then stay the hell away from her.”
The kid actually had the good sense to look surprised. “You’d give us your blessing?”
Vinnie grumbled under his breath. He’d rather have his daughter with anyone else than a Kane, but he knew she still loved him. He saw it in her eyes every time she looked at him. “Hell, no, you don’t have my ‘blessing,’ but I won’t stand in her way if that’s what she wants. Treat her with respect and love, and don’t let her forget me.”
“Vinnie, I doubt anyone who knows you will ever forget you.”
Vinnie nodded. “Be good to Taylor. She’s a good kid. She sees things like my mother used to.”
“I know. I wish I’d known her from the beginning.”
“Yeah, that was a mistake.” Vinnie nearly choked on the words. He didn’t like to admit he was wrong about anything, but he was wrong about keeping Taylor from her daddy. The kid would need a strong man to guide her, and Charlie Kane was a strong man. Any other man would have backed away from Alex by now, but he’d stayed and helped her through her recovery. Charlie didn’t look at Alexandra as if she was a scarred woman. He gazed at her as if she was still beautiful.
“Alexandra will need plastic surgery on her face,” said Vinnie. “Make sure she gets it.”
Charlie nodded.
Alexandra walked back into the room and his private talk with the Kane kid was over. They probably wouldn’t have another chance to talk, but that was okay. Vinnie had said what he needed to say. If his daughter wanted this man, if she loved this man, he wouldn’t stand in the way. But he didn’t want her shacking up with any man. They’d either get married or break up.
“Dominic is on his way to the hospital, and Bernie said he had the papers ready. He needs to make some copies and then he’ll be here.”