by E. R. Fallon
“Billy, you have to promise, or I won’t say.”
He sighed. “All right,” he said after a moment.
"After Vito married my mother, soon after, he attacked me," she said quietly.
"You were just a kid," Billy said, distraught. "Did he...do anything to you?"
"He tried to. He was very aggressive."
“That’s terrible,” Billy said. “Makes me want to kill the bastard.”
Camille sat near him on the couch and she looked at him and touched his arm. “Please, don’t. That will only make things worse.”
“I’ve known Vito forever, and I can’t believe he’d do such a thing, but I believe you, Camille.” He tried to hug her, but she stopped him because she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to let go, and she didn’t want him to get the wrong impression.
Instead, she thanked him for his support. That had been one of the things she’d liked most about Billy, that he’d always supported her, no matter what.
“Does your man know?” Billy asked her. “What’s he going to do about it?” he said, as if Johnny had no other choice but to avenge her.
“That’s not your business, Billy.”
“All right.” Billy paused and looked at her and touched his forehead. “Is he the type of guy to do something about it?”
“Yes, he is,” she replied.
“I don’t think I can ever look at Vito the same way,” Billy said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to do something about it?”
“I’m sure.” She paused. “Do you want coffee?”
Billy shook his head. “I don’t think I can drink right now after hearing what you just told me. My stomach doesn’t feel good.”
Camille nodded and decided she didn’t really want any either.
“It wasn’t just Vito who convinced the boss, you know,” Billy suddenly said.
Camille looked at him earnestly. “What do you mean?”
“I helped convince him.”
Camille started to rise from the couch then changed her mind. “But I thought you didn’t want to work with me? You told me that.”
“I didn’t at first, then I decided that I had to help you.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m still in love with you. You can’t say you’re surprised to hear that.”
“Billy, I’m in love with Johnny,” she said gently, because she could see that his heart was in the right place.
“I know about his father and yours,” Billy said.
That made Camille rise. “How?
“So, you already know,” Billy said, as if he’d been testing her. “I found out while we were seeing each other.”
“And you never said anything? How did you find out?”
“This guy, some old-time gangster, told me when he was drunk.”
“How could you keep that from me?” Camille asked, and she didn’t know whether she should slap him or cry.
“I wanted to protect you. You put your father on such a pedestal, and I didn’t want to tarnish that. Besides, I didn’t know whether the guy was talking nonsense, but now I can see that it is true. I must admit, after you told me you were seeing someone, and after I found out who he was, I thought about telling you that I would tell him the truth, to make you come back to me.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Camille said, unable to control her anger and shaking her finger at him.
“I know, it’s terrible of me, but I thought about it.”
Camille considered throwing him out, then Billy said, “I thought about doing it, but knew I never would because I’m not that kind of guy.”
“I don’t like that you kept such a secret from me. I’m disappointed in you,” Camille said.
Billy apologized. “And I’m sorry I was against working with you at first.”
“That’s all right, you came around.”
“And while we were seeing each other and you got sick,” he said, and she knew he meant her depression. “I’m sorry I didn’t handle it better. I should have.”
“It’s all right, Billy, that was a long time ago. I’d forgotten about it.”
“Still, it was wrong of me. You needed me, and I wasn’t there for you,” he said, because emotionally he hadn’t been. “I still love you, Camille. Go out with me.” He rose and rubbed her hand.
“Billy,” Camille said, pulling away, but she had to smile. “I can’t. I already told you I’m seeing someone else, and I’m in love with him.”
Billy looked at her and shrugged. “I know, but I had to try.”
Then someone disturbing occurred to her. “Billy,” she told him. “Now that you know who Johnny is, you have to promise me that you’ll leave him alone,” she said because she was well-versed in Billy’s jealous streak.
“You really love him, don’t you?” Billy said, looking at her. “I have to admit I’m disappointed. But, okay, I’ll leave him alone. You don’t have to worry.”
“Thanks, Billy.”
After a moment, he asked, “Does your mother know about what your stepfather did?”
Camille shook her head.
“Are you going to tell her?” Billy asked.
“I promised Vito I wouldn’t if he helped me.”
“You still have the power to do so if you want to, you know.”
Initially, she had wanted to, but now she had second thoughts. She wanted to ask Billy his opinion but knew it was a decision she’d have to make for herself. Camille saw Billy out the door.
Less than an hour later, she’d made her decision. She would go see her mother and tell her the truth. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t.
The hour was perfect, since Vito would be at the café, and she would have her mother all alone. Camille knew that she didn’t have much time, as Vito would go home from the café eventually, so she quickly showered and dressed, and left her apartment. She raced outside and toward her mother’s building and saw Violet walking toward the still-smoldering ruins of McBurney’s in the distance. She didn’t feel like a confrontation with Violet right then, and besides, she didn’t have the time for one, so she ducked out of the way and walked faster. She glanced over her shoulder once, and Violet didn’t seem to have noticed her, and if she had, she was ignoring her.
24
Camille reached her mother’s building, entered, and knocked on her mother’s door. She heard her mother’s footfall.
“Who is it?” her mother started to ask through the door then she must have looked through the eyehole because she opened the door. “Camille,” she said. “What a surprise.” She smiled. “Is everything all right? Not that you can’t just stop by to see me, of course.”
Not wanting to have the conversation out in the hallway, Camille said to her mother, “Actually, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“You have me worried, honey.”
“Let’s talk inside. Okay?” Camille said to her mother.
She wiped her feet on the doormat, entered and her mother closed the door.
“Vito isn’t here, is he?” Camille suddenly asked, though she didn’t believe he was.
“No, he’s at the café, as usual. Did you want him to be here?”
“No, no,” Camille said.
She walked with her mother into the kitchen and they sat at the table. There was a vase with bright red flowers in the center, and Camille touched them, and they felt soft.
“I just made a fresh pot of coffee, if you’d like some,” Sheila said.
“Thanks, I’ll have a cup.”
Her mother smiled as she rose and prepared the coffee. She seemed to enjoy doing things for Camille, and Camille didn’t know if this was genuine or because her mother felt she had to act that way.
Sheila returned to the table and set a steaming cup in front of Camille. She’d already put a little milk in it, like she knew Camille preferred. She sat down across from her with her own cup and touched Camille’s hand across the table.
“Whatever
it is, sweetheart, you can tell me.”
Camille decided to give her the good news first.
“I’m working with the Russians now,” she told her mother. “They’ve agreed to a partnership.”
“That’s wonderful.” Her mother squeezed her hand. “I’m so proud of you. If anyone could build a partnership with them, I knew it could be you. They’re tough, and none of the other Irish have worked with them before. You have your father’s sense for business.” Then Sheila chuckled to herself. “That Violet must be very angry, with her pub in ruins, her mother in jail, and you in full bloom.”
“Did Vito tell you the Alfonsis have agreed to work with me?” Camille asked.
“He might have mentioned it,” Sheila said with a smile. She got up and hugged Camille. “Your father would have been proud of you as well. You’re carrying on in his spirit.”
Some daughters might have thought it odd that their mothers encouraged them to be gangsters, but in the O’Brien house that’s just the way it was.
Sheila sat down and looked at her. “Now, what did you want to tell me?”
For a moment, Camille lost her courage and almost said, ‘It’s nothing, never mind.’ Then she said, “It’s about something that happened a long time ago.” She paused. “This is hard for me to say,” she said, searching for the right words to use to break her mother’s heart. “It happened a long time ago, and I never told you.”
“Camille, tell me,” her mother urged, and she reached for and held Camille’s hand.
“Not long after you married Vito,” Camille began the story. “He attacked me one night when you were at your cousin’s and he and I were watching television.”
Her mother became silent and Camille was suddenly worried her mother wouldn’t believe her.
She needn’t have been concerned, however. “Oh my, Camille. I’m so sorry. I never knew. Why didn’t you tell me?” Her mother spoke as though she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, yet she believed it.
“I was just a teenager. I didn’t want to upset you.”
Sheila squeezed Camille’s hand. “Honey, you should have told me. I wouldn’t have been upset with you, it’s him I’m upset with.”
“I also didn’t know if you’d believe me. You do, right?”
“I believe you because I know you, and I know you’re an honest person. You’re my daughter, and I trust you.”
“And Vito?”
“I love Vito, but, this, I can’t forgive. You must have been terrified.” Her mother’s voice shook with anger.
“I must admit that this secret is how I got him to help me win over the Alfonsis,” Camille said.
“You blackmailed him?” Sheila asked, but she didn’t seem shocked.
Camille nodded.
“You’re a clever girl,” her mother said.
“What’s going to happen now?” Camille asked after a while.
“If I had known, I would have thrown him out and called the police. I wish you had told me.”
“I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to hurt you.” Camille paused. “So, what’s going to happen now?” she asked anxiously.
“I don’t think I can live with him, but most of the money in our marriage belongs to him. Your father left me with not very much.”
“I know that. You’re really going to stay with him because he’s got money?” Camille asked, hurt, but she wouldn’t rush to judgement before she heard her mother’s reply. “I can help you out financially, you know.”
“I don’t want you to have to do that, sweetheart. No, of course I won’t stay with him. But I must figure out what I’m going to do. After what he did to you, he owes us something, both of us, and I’m going to make sure we get it.”
“He helped me out with the Alfonsis, so I already got what I wanted.”
“He still owes us money,” Sheila said. “I’m going to make him give us half of everything he has, or else I’ll smear him all over town.”
It took a lot of gumption for Camille’s mother to take on one of the city’s most powerful mobsters, and she admired her mother.
“One of the reasons I didn’t say anything was because of who he is,” Camille told Sheila. “Back then, when I was just a kid, I was afraid of what he could do to me.”
“Don’t be afraid of him.”
“I’m not anymore,” Camille said with confidence. “Are you going to toss him out when he gets home?”
“I’m going to, yes, but I’m not sure when I’ll do it.”
“Are you going to tell him what I told you?” Camille asked, panicking. “I don’t want to give him the chance to retaliate against me.” She considered the consequences of her actions. Would Vito convince the Alfonsis to no longer work with her, so soon after she’d won them over? She hadn’t thought about that before she told her mother because she’d been so overcome with emotion. Now, she almost wished she hadn’t said anything. What good could come of it? Her mother’s heart was broken, and the deal with the Alfonsi family might be off.
“He wouldn’t dare,” Sheila said.
“He might.”
“If Joe Alfonsi wants to work with you, then he wants to work with you. Vito doesn’t have enough power to outvote him.”
“Yeah, but he might convince him not to work with me.”
“Sweetheart, I can’t stay with Vito and pretend like nothing happened, not after what you told me,” Sheila said, as though she could tell what Camille was thinking.
“I know that,” Camille said, then forcing herself to be numb because she somewhat regretted her decision to tell her mother, she said, “Whatever happens, happens. I’ll just have to lose the Alfonsis, if that’s what happens.”
Sheila squeezed her hand again. “You won’t lose them. If he dares to retaliate against you, then we’ll tell the whole city, we’ll ruin his reputation,” she tried to reassure Camille.
Camille wasn’t as confident as her mother. She finished her coffee and left the apartment before Vito returned, still not sure what her mother could ultimately do about Vito.
The next evening Camille had arranged to meet Johnny for a drink at a local bar, where she planned to tell him what Lucille had said about their fathers. She knew that it might mean the end of their love, but she couldn’t really be with someone and be dishonest.
When she left her apartment, Vito confronted her in the street. He looked unshaven, his shirt was untucked, and he reeked of booze. Tears shone in his eyes, and the sight of them shocked Camille because she had never seen him cry before. She didn’t feel like speaking to him, for she imagined her mother had thrown him out, and she tried crossing the street, but he wouldn’t let her walk around him.
“You’re a backstabbing bitch,” he told her in a voice that wasn’t loud enough to draw outside attention to them but was loud enough to make her jump.
Camille often used sarcasm to protect herself and did so in that situation. “Tell me something I don’t already know.”
“Your mother, she kicked me out of my home,” Vito told her. “You promised me you wouldn’t say nothing if I helped you. Well, guess what, little girl, I’m gonna make sure the boss stays away from you. You can kiss your chance to work with us goodbye.”
Camille had already comprehended it could come to that, and although she cared deeply, she couldn’t let him see that. “Fine, but just remember, my mother and I will tell everyone in the city what you did. Think about how your reputation will suffer. Everyone in this neighborhood thinks you’re a gangster with a heart of gold, but if they know the truth, they’ll think you’re a creep.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Even if I wouldn’t, do you really think that my mother wouldn’t?” Camille asked him as they stood on the sidewalk, merely a step apart from each other.
Vito seemed to be recalling Sheila’s aggression. “You bitch,” he said. “Both you and your mother, you bitches!” He’d raised his voice, and people started to take notice and stared at them. “You
r mother kicked me out,” he repeated. “She’s gonna get half of my money, maybe more. You ruined my life!” he yelled at her.
Camille simply shrugged. Then she looked straight at him. “You better stay the hell away from me and my mother. Your threats don’t scare me. Old man Alfonsi does what he wants, so we’ll see if he still wants to work with me, and if he wants to, then there’s nothing you can do about it.” She spoke so forcefully that spit flew out of her mouth and landed near Vito’s eye.
He wiped the moisture away and glared at her, but he didn’t say anything in reply, and Camille knew she’d won.
She left Vito standing in the street, and although he had delayed her in meeting Johnny, she went to a payphone instead of the bar.
She’d been given a number to use to reach Joe Alfonsi, and she rang him up. Despite believing that Vito wouldn’t say anything to him because of her threat, she still needed to tell Joe what had happened so he wouldn’t be surprised if he found out—she’d heard he disliked surprises.
One of Joe’s handlers answered, and Camille explained who she was.
“One second,” the man said, and then there was silence as she waited for the sound of the boss’s voice.
She heard Joe Alfonsi’s baritone. “Hello?”
“It’s Camille O’Brien.”
“Camille, it’s wonderful to finally speak with you. Vito has told me a lot about you. I met your father once or twice and was very sorry when he died. He was a good man.”
Camille thanked him.
“What’s going on, Camille?” Joe asked, and straightaway she realized he wasn’t the type of man to exchange unending pleasantries with her.
Camille breathed out then explained what Vito had done when she was a girl and what he had just threatened her with.
“I don’t want this to change our relationship,” she told the boss.
“You’re worried that since you’re on the outs with Vito, I’ll listen to him and won’t want to work with you?”
“Yes,” she replied. Although she wasn’t sure whether Vito would try to undermine her relationship with the Alfonsi family, she wanted to be the first to discuss it with the boss, just in case.
“I don’t jump because Vito says so,” the boss replied. “In fact, he’s got to listen to me,” he said with a chuckle. “I like your honesty, Camille, and I believe you are something special. Thank you for telling me these things. Someday you and I will meet, and I look forward to that moment.”