by S. W. Frank
The maitre’d welcomed Giuseppe with a smile and a hearty, “Buongiorno Signore Dichenzo and Signora.”
Giuseppe nodded and soon they whisked away to a private table, where the manager appeared to personally greet his esteemed guests and recommend the course of the day. Complimentary wine bread and cheeses came in record time before they ordered and when the manager scurried away to supervise the meal, Giuseppe poured more wine and smiled at his donna. “The food here is delizioso.”
Amid the warm and friendly atmosphere, the tension which existed earlier dissolved. They were in the heart of old Palermo, where long-standing traditions inspired conviviality. It was easy to relax in such an environment and she smiled across the table in his direction watching the color of his eyes as he talked about his love of food, told stories of his youth and laughed at fond memories. “My giovani cugini are much like me bella, they are boys exercising no restraint. Soon the world will seek to shackle them and I see no harm in letting them be free.”
“Too much freedom isn’t good either.”
Giuseppe slid back as the waiter took away their unfinished appetizers and placed a large plate filled with ballotines warm rabbit with pistachios on mesclun salad, redcurrants and reduced balsamic in front of her and for Giuseppe the razor fresh pasta with a ragout of quail and asparagus. For some reason she felt gluttonous seeing the oversize portions on her plate compared to his and said, “Let’s switch.”
“Too much?”
“Yes. Way too much.”
He took a fork and knife and scooped half a section from the rectangular plate onto his and chuckled. “Usually you eat with gusto. Did you eat before I came?”
“No, I’m trying to lose this baby fat.”
“I love your body.”
“You like tits and ass; of course you’ll love a big woman.”
“That is true,” he commented and began eating.
Shanda found she really enjoyed his company. He knew when to shut up and not force conversation. Men who are comfortable in their skin will allow silence to exist without a compulsion to fill it due their inadequacies. No, Giuseppe was a very secure man and compared to every guy she dated he stood atop the list.
She took a sip of wine and decided to share her own stories. “My dad ran the house like he ran the precinct. My mom marched along to whatever he said. My brother was so glad to be gone; he used to say now he could breathe without the rules.”
“And you?”
She shrugged. “He stopped seeing me as Shanda. I use to be his baby girl. We’d go do things together, Chucky Cheese, do laser tag, but when the promotions started it was rare he had time for me and when he did it wasn’t like I was his little girl anymore.”
Giuseppe noticed the tug at the corner of her lip. “Do you miss your famiglia, bella?”
“Not really. I miss what we were like when I was a kid.”
“Have you invited your famiglia to the christening?”
“I tried.”
The glass was to his lips, perched to drink, and he paused to ask, “And?”
“My mom said there’s no way they’d condone what I’m doing.”
Giuseppe downed the wine and sat the glass down. “And your brother, what does he say?”
“He loves me, but he’s co-signing with my parents. He doesn’t approve either.”
This saddened Giuseppe. “I am sorry bella.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“But it is.”
The topic of family was put on the shelf for the remainder of the evening, replaced by talk of their son and his sleeping pattern shift. They were congenial parents out for a much needed break. The pleasurable dinner softened her more toward Giuseppe. His smile told Shanda, he enjoyed the dinner as well.
Shanda was stuffed and the wine, oh the wine had begun to take hold and she had to clutch his arm when it was time to leave to walk straight. They exited the door into the refreshing night air. It brought her alert.
They were flanked by his guards immediately and she did not see the couple strolling in the direction of the eatery until the man spoke Giuseppe’s name.
“I see you have moved on quickly Giuseppe,” Paolo, Geovonna’s brother said as he glared at Giuseppe and his new woman with contempt.
“I am sorry for your loss Paolo.”
Paolo spit on the ground. “Save your sympathies. If not for you and your family my sister and father would be alive.”
Giuseppe’s eyes narrowed. Paolo spoke too boldly in front of the women. His insolence set Giuseppe afire. “Cazzo!”
When Giuseppe released Shanda, she stood there and crossed her arms. Yeah, it was about to go down. She’d been around enough dudes to know when tensions escalated to a fight. Whatever the skinny guy said to set Giuseppe off had to be personal. She hoped Giuseppe kicked his smug ass for the slight. Who the fuck spits on the pavement, anyway? Didn’t the idiot sort of ask for a beat down when he did that?
The guards formed a circle to close the couple in. The woman with Paolo looked frightened and she shrieked when Giuseppe snatched Paolo forward by the throat and punched him in the gut several times until he wheezed.
“Be thankful you are grieving and I take pity on you Paolo. Speak to me in such a way again and I will cut you from your balls up to your chin!”
The man stumbled back and his lady friend caught him before he fell.
Shanda shrugged, oh well, ‘don’t start no shit, there won’t be no shit’ was the motto where she came from. Apparently, Giuseppe came from the same place.
“I apologize bella,” he said, as his arm encircled her waist to escort her to the car.
“For what?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The work permits were posted conspicuously as per the NYC DOB on the makeshift wood fences standing over seven feet surrounding the huge construction site. Not far away, the Brooklyn Bridge loomed and even closer stood the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Southwest was the Metrotech Center, hub of the Fire Department Emergency Medical Services headquarters, the CUNY College and other places Alfonzo hadn’t visited in a while.
The GC and LEED Project Manager were looking at blue-prints spread out on a wood drafting board as work crews moved gravel and men erected beams. The 200,000-sq.-ft. facility would include a gaming area with table games and 2,000 slot machines, casino administration offices and five dining venues, using environmentally friendly materials.
They were in the construction stage of the project, the beams and major supports were in place, but a noticeable delay, not due to inclement weather but human resource issues were a controllable variable. He knew what the problem was about and came down to resolve the conflict, personally.
He saw colorful faces hard at work and paler ones goofing off near a lunch truck as his clean shoes stepped across dirt. With Juanito at his side he neared the head guys, looking for his foreman in the unfamiliar faces and spotted the company’s uniform and vest.
“Hey, how’s it looking?” Alfonzo asked as he came up behind the two men.
The GC spun around. “Mr. Diaz, hello, how are you?”
“I’m good,” Alfonzo said affably as they shook hands.
The Project Manager Matt stepped forward to shake his boss’ hand. “Good morning Alfonzo.”
“What’s the delay Matt?” Alfonzo asked his employee after the formalities.
“The subcontractor’s guys are unqualified. They’re messing up on simple tasks and thank goodness we caught them before any inspectors did or we’d have a problem. But it’s costing us money and set us back from meeting our projected dates. I figured you better come down and handle it because the supervisor and I already got into it in front of the guys.”
Alfonzo nodded. “Whe
re can I find him?”
“Ray is over there in the brown shirt and white hard hart.”
Alfonzo’s shoes stepped casually over the sediment. The calm, smooth glide and expensive suit got the worker’s attention. The big boss was on site. The men engaged in work continued and those who’d taken unsanctioned breaks with their cigarettes and coffee tossed them away.
The company guys received a nod and a, “What’s up?” from their employer, because they knew him as a reasonable man. Whatever, the media or anyone else said about Alfonzo Diaz’ associates or his ties to organized crime, he treated his employees damn good and it showed in their salaries.
“Cugino!”
Alfonzo halt and turned to see Nico accompanied by Sergio, another man and a woman. He’d gotten his message, but he wasn’t expecting the entourage. “Holá, que paso primo?”
Nico spoke in Spanish as was Alfonzo’s cue to do, “I have to leave soon, but there’s a problem which requires smoothing over.”
A desolate breath escaped. “Let me take care of something here first and we’ll talk.”
Nico nodded and told the trio to wait there and he followed in Alfonzo’s footsteps.
Ray had his back turned talking to one of his guys near the lunch truck with a pay loader moving on the sidelines when Alfonzo approached. When the worker Ray talked to went silent and made an excuse to leave. Ray turned around and saw Alfonzo. “Morning, how are you Mr. Diaz?” The stubby Italian exclaimed with a too familiar smile as if they were friends.
Nico and Juanito flanked Alfonzo. “Are your guys licensed?”
Ray detected the agitation in Alfonzo’s tone and immediately jumped in defense. “All my guys have been doing this type of work longer than any of them Mexicans or blacks on site. Hell yeah, they’re licensed!”
“I don’t need you to point out any of the worker’s nationality Ray; I don’t give a shit about that. The only thing I’m concerned with is -are they licensed, experienced and can they handle the job. I saw a lot of your guys on a break when I arrived. Those Africans, Antarcticans, Australians, Eurasians, North Americans, and South Americans as you point out are working and not sitting on their asses on my dime. Have I left out any continent of people you’d like to mention or did I cover the bases?” Alfonzo seethed as he fucked with the racist. He waited for the asshole to say, yeah, that’s only six continents, so he could enlighten the idiot, America teaches seven, however other countries teach six. Many scientists also refer to six where Europe and Asia are combined, since they're one solid geologic landmass, hence Eurasia. The jackass didn’t catch it, many uninformed people usually didn’t.
“Come on, we’re Italians you and me. My guys have been working sixteen hour days on this project; a break here and there isn’t nothing big every now and then.”
Nico kept his eyes on Ray. They never moved from his face.
“It is when my motherfucking money’s involved. I want you and your guys off the premises.”
“We have a contract.”
“The shit’s paper. I burned it.” Ray shifted and Nico took a step forward, but Alfonzo gestured for Nico to halt. Instead, Alfonzo walked to Ray. He had inches, youth and muscle over the man, whereas Ray had flab, mouth and false courage. "You've spoken your prejudices. You believe the Italian part of me abolishes who I am and fosters kinship with a piece of shit like you. Be careful who you disclose your contempt. I've inherited everything you loathe, and what you loathe feeds your family.”
Alfonzo’s fist collided with the heavy man’s face and he careened into the food cart. There was complete silence from the once active construction grounds as men stopped and craned their heads to watch.
Ray used the truck’s exterior to help him up. Alfonzo socked him again and the punch made the sound of a whip against loose skin. Ray’s mouth kissed the dirt. “The way I see it, your scorn is why you're impoverished and ignorant. Now stand the fuck up before I get angry and cap your ass!"
Tiffany squeezed Tony’s hand as they observed the entire incident. Sergio of course laughed. “Yo, you gotta’ excuse my family, they sought of crazy. That’s my cousin Alfonzo.”
The men went back to work when security escorted Ray and his people from the premises. Tony watched the suited man with the blue eyes. His demeanor was all business. His smile as he shook hands with workers, genuine and the way he strode toward them, proud. Tony had seen the guy on TV, newspapers, internet, you name it. Wealthy, connected and alleged to be an International Crime Lord. He’d grown-up in New York and a city dude just like Tony. There’s times when you can read men, see beyond their actions and completely understand the motivation. Alfonzo dealt with guys in the fashion they behaved.
“Holá Tony, how you doing, I’m Alfonzo?” Alfonzo said shaking Tony’s hand when he finally got around to the trio. Nico filled him in and it seemed Tony was an upstanding guy. Also, from the background check Nico did, it appeared he could use a bit of good fortune for a change.
“Hello. Nice to meet you, this here’s my lady, Tiffany.”
“Holá Tiffany,” Alfonzo said shaking the soft small hand.
Tiffany met the intensity of Alfonzo’s ocular jewel’s full on. “Hi.”
Alfonzo frowned at his cousin. “Always stirring up shit Sergio aren’t you?”
“Trouble always finds me, cuz.”
Alfonzo shook his head. “I’m relieving Nico of babysitting your ass. Today you hang with me.” Then he waved Matt over and asked him for a business card which he passed to Tony. “Tomorrow morning, eight o’clock sharp, meet my Project Manager Matt here at the main office. Bring your ID. The company can use another draftsman. The salary will be low seventies, but it’s a nine to five, in your line of expertise and…” he smiled at Tiffany and she grinned. “The gorgeous lady I’m sure prefers her man’s hands remain clean.”
Tony nodded. How the man knew of his trade was an easy deduction and he didn’t bother to ask. Instead, he took the card. “Thanks, that’s very generous Mr. Diaz.”
“You’re welcome. Nico’s going to take you back to your car; you won’t have any problems as long as you don’t revisit the past and keep it in the rearview mirror, comprende?”
“Sure do.”
“Alright,” Alfonzo said and then turned to Matt. “I’ll be in the office today, any more problems with the subcontractors I want to know about it immediately.”
“Sure thing.”
Nico pat his cousin’s shoulder as he walked past. “I’m going. I’ll see you in Europe.”
“Yeah. Take care.”
“You too Rocky Balboa.” Nico laughed. Tony and Tiffany went with him.
Finally, polished black shoes exited the uneven grounds with a pair of black and white Vans footwear following close behind.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Maria opened the door and smiled at the sight of her son and guests.
“Holá mama.” Alfonzo kissed her cheek.
“It’s so good to see you, hijo,” a happy woman responded. They’d come for dinner and he brought along Emilio and Juanito. The other unknown visitor she learned was another family member. Sergio.
“I’m almost finished with dinner, please come in and make yourselves comfortable,” Maria said graciously and then scurried back to the kitchen.
Bruno stood when the men entered. The smells of spices wafted from the kitchen and the roaring shouts of revelry came from the large flat screen which undoubtedly he bet was a soccer match. Alfonzo snuck a look at the picture and sure enough, he was right. Spain versus Italy. Spain was leading.
“Buongiorno, Alfonzo, Emilio, Juanito y…?”
“Se
rgio.”
“Buongiorno Sergio.” Bruno noted and then sat again.
“Let’s talk Bruno,” Alfonzo stated foregoing the seating and waited for Bruno to stand again before leading the way to the basement for a private conversation. He’d noticed his mom’s worried expression as they passed the kitchen but she didn’t scold him and for once he was ecstatic.
Alfonzo flipped on the light switch when he reached the landing and strolled to the bar. Bruno took a seat on the stool and folded his hands on the counter. “What is this talk about?”
Alfonzo put a pair of glasses on tumblers and reached for his favorite rum. He poured, contemplating murdering Bruno and telling his mom he left. But she’d never believe it, anyway, he’d have to move the body outside or the remains would leave a horrid stench. Okay, get him drunk, so damn wasted he tumbles down the stairs. An accident, yeah, that’ll work, no, his mom would blame him, Alfonzo silently thought.
Shit!
Alfonzo took a sip first and then spoke, “Buying shares in my company, what’s that about?”
“Ah,” Bruno smirked. His manicured fingers clasped the glass. “The stocks were a good price.”
“Why my company?”
“I am only investing in a worthy company.”
“Stop the bull-shit.”
Bruno drank. When the glass was empty he pushed it to Alfonzo as if he were the bartender. “Very good. There is a pattern I have seen in watching your company’s depreciation. Have you not seen it young Luzo?”
Alfonzo’s spine straightened. “What pattern?”
“Your legitimate holdings are suffering sabotage. The rumors and plummeting stock values are occurring almost in a linear pattern. They’re being alphabetically checked off.”
Alfonzo maintained a poker face. “And why do you care?”
Bruno reached inside of his pocket and placed a ring on the counter for Alfonzo to see. “Your father gave me this a very long time ago.”
Alfonzo saw the crest. He knew it well. “Why didn’t you say something instead of playing games with me?”