City in the Middle

by Colleen Green

  Darlene pulled up next to us, stopped, and rolled down her window. “Amber, oh my god!” She stared at us with her mouth open. “You must have been right next to it when it happened! You guys look awful. Please let me take you to the hospital. Get in.”

  “Thanks.” I exhaled, relieved that we had found a ride out of there.

  Fiona looked at me. “My car… I should drive it. I’ll meet you there.”

  “No way. You’re hurt.” I shook my head. “Leave it. Get in!” I opened the car door and motioned for her to enter. Everyone got in. I shut the door, and we drove away from the nightmare.

  I looked at Leo. His skin had regained some color, a positive sign. Next to me was Fiona. She had a vacant look in her eyes and was bleeding from the shattered glass embedded in her face. She seemed to be going into some sort of delayed shock. Her face looked pale and washed out.

  Watching the blood drip down her face was too much to handle. I wiped it away with my hand, sobbing. Darlene handed me a tissue from the front seat. I took it and gently dabbed the blood from Fiona’s face, being careful not to touch any of the embedded glass.

  When I was done, my face was wet from the tears that wouldn’t stop. Darlene handed over more Kleenex. I put my head into them and cried uncontrollably. I was having a delayed reaction to the trauma too. Earlier, I had to be in control to get us out of there, but I needed to sit back and truly take in what had happened and just how devastating it was. I bawled until we pulled up to the emergency room.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  I awoke to my head throbbing. I looked at the alarm clock and saw that it was 1 p.m. I sat up to get migraine medicine, and the pain increased. It felt like sharp needles dug into my eye sockets. Damn rum and Coke! I went to the bathroom and took the meds.

  On the way back to bed, I passed Fiona’s room. Her door was shut, but I could hear snoring. At least one of us was getting some rest.

  Damn Leo for causing me to get drunk so I could work up the courage to fuck him. Oh, Leo! I remembered how incredible he looked last night.

  Without warning, it was replaced by the memory of Fiona’s shirt splattered with blood. I froze. Leaning against my bedroom doorway, I shut my eyes briefly to try to erase the ghastly image. It worked, so I continued to my bed. With each step, other bits and pieces of my drunken night came back. Quick memories flashed before me like a strobe light. They were jumbled and confusing. Oh God, I vomited into his convertible. Then I remembered sitting on Leo’s lap and feeling him get hard.

  I went back to bed and curled up in the fetal position. Gripping my body pillow in between my legs, I prayed for sleep to come. Even though it was afternoon, I couldn’t function with that pounding headache. I planned to ask Fiona some questions when I could manage to get out of bed. I had to know what happened the night before, no matter how humiliating it would be. I heard Fiona crying before I fell asleep. I wasn’t sure if I was hearing her from her bedroom or beginning to dream.

  Two hours later, I woke up with a clear head but parched. I went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. When I shut the door, I saw a note on it:

  Amber,

  I am meeting Leo and Cam at the corner diner. If you feel up to it, join us.

  Fiona

  I smiled. Perfect. I can talk to them there.

  I took a hot, steamy shower. The heat cascaded over my aching body and eased the tension, therapeutic after such a rough night. I wanted to get to the diner before they left, but that would mean turning the water off sooner than I would like. Eventually, I shut it off and continued getting ready. I brushed my teeth, got dressed, and threw my hair up in a ponytail.

  I arrived at the diner and spotted Fiona and Leo right away. They looked like they were recovering from a night of hard-core partying. Fiona’s greasy-looking bedhead shined beneath the bright lights. The layers were unkempt, sticking out in chunks that probably defied whatever attempt she made to fix it. Her eye shadow was faded and eyeliner slightly smeared. Obviously, she had climbed out of bed and rushed to leave the apartment, which must have been rough after a night like that. Even my brief memories were disturbing enough to know that whatever had happened was far from pleasant.

  As I approached them, I noticed that her face was spotted with tiny red marks. What the hell is that from? She had a half-eaten turkey sandwich and fries that looked untouched. Across from her, Leo had dark circles under his eyes and was sipping a big cup of joe. His red eyes made him look strung out. I didn’t know if it was from crying or lack of sleep or both. Beside him was a plate with crumbs, and an empty coffee cup sat where I presumed Cam had been.

  I sat down next to Fiona. “Where’s Cam?”

  “You just missed him,” Leo said in a monotone voice, staring into his cup. “He left a few minutes ago.”

  I put my forearms on the table and leaned over. Leo softly gripped his coffee mug. I put my hand on top of Leo’s hand. He looked at me. I asked, “What the hell happened last night?”

  Leo looked at Fiona for a second. “Should I tell her, or do you want to?” He dropped his gaze back toward the coffee. The evenness in his voice left me wondering about his emotional state. Could Leo still be in shock over the trauma of last night? Or has he gone numb to it as a coping mechanism? I gently squeezed his hand and let it go. Fiona failed to respond, staring blankly at Leo.

  “Well somebody’s got to tell me.” I looked at Fiona. “All I remember is bits and pieces, and they aren’t playing out in order.”

  She held eye contact then looked down and muttered, “Once I say it, you will never be able to forget it.”

  “I know, but tell me.”

  She sighed. “Maybe you should start with what you know”—she shifted her downward gaze to me—“and I’ll fill in the blanks.”

  “All right. I know all three of us endured something so horrendous that it splattered you and Leo with blood. I remember flirting with you,” I said, looking at Leo. “I remember a hospital. I’m not sure of anything else.”

  “No sounds?” Her eyes widened. “I can’t believe you would forget that sound.”

  “Her mind must have blocked it from her memory.” Leo pushed his cup toward the waitress, who refilled it. “I wish I could block it from mine, along with the horrific visual.”

  Fiona asked me, “Do you know why my face is ruined?”

  I studied it, searching my mind for any clue. “No, but it will heal, won’t it?”

  “Maybe or maybe not. I’ll have little scars.” She touched it and cringed as her fingers swept over the slight marks. “It’s from the shards of glass that sprayed me. They came from the windshield of Leo’s car when…” Her lower lip trembled. Fiona wept softly into my shoulder. I stroked her hair, trying to calm her.

  “I’ll finish the story,” Leo offered while I gave Fiona a side hug. “What happened was on every local newscast this morning. They showed my demolished car.” He poured creamer into his coffee with an unsteady hand. Unable to make eye contact, as if in a trance and reliving the past, he stirred the black coffee until it turned light brown. “That delusional tramp killed Marta over a vicious lie.” He choked back tears.

  I gently stopped his hand with my own. He looked at me with moist eyes ready to burst. “Maybe, I would understand better if you started at the beginning,” I explained. “I’m sorry to ask you to retell it, but I need to know.” I wiped a tear from his check with my hand. He held it and kissed it.

  “Remember those women fighting at the club?”

  “Kind of. I guess.”

  “Cam called this morning. When he went to find Enzo to get a ride home last night, he practically witnessed Adrianna shoving Marta off the roof.”

  “How awful.” I shivered at the thought of walking in on a murder.

  “It is, but why did you say ‘practically’?” Fiona asked.

  “Cam followed Enzo, Adrianna, and Marta behind a sectioned-off area that was being remodeled.”

  “Is Enzo Adrianna’s man?” I felt bad for
interrupting him as he got the horrible details over with, but I needed to know who we were talking about.

  “Yeah. Cam saw the shadow of Adrianna shoving Marta off the roof. Enzo told Cam that Marta stumbled and fell off the roof.” He pounded the table with his fist. “Fucking liar.”

  “God, Leo, I’m so sorry.”

  “Adrianna, that psychotic druggie! She pushed Marta off the roof! Adrianna must have lost her mind to think Marta had been fucking her man. No way. No fucking way! Marta was a devoted wife to Tony. I’ve been a friend to both of them since we were kids. Growing up, we were like the three musketeers. I don’t know who put that idea into her head. Maybe the drugs were making her paranoid. The worst part is she is going to get away with killing her!” Leo twisted his napkin as if he were twisting Adrianna’s neck. He pressed his lips into a thin line and tore the napkin apart. His white knuckles slammed onto the table. “Marta is dead!”

  I wanted to give him hope that justice would be served. “I’m sure all the witnesses at the bar told the police Adrianna killed Marta. Didn’t Cam tell the cops what he saw?”

  “Yeah, he did.” He slumped back into the booth. “But Cam said no one else was in the sectioned-off area where it happened.”

  “No witnesses.”

  “Just one. Adrianna’s man, and he probably told the cops the same lie he told Cam.”

  I frowned, knowing this turn of events was upsetting to Leo. “Surely, Marta’s family will sue Adrianna.”

  “Adrianna is from New York and engaged to a Jersey man. Her family has connections. Marta’s family won’t want to soil that deal by taking Adrianna to court. That marriage equals more money for the Jersey crew. That murderer is not going to do time.” His voice cracked as he blinked and allowed the tears building in his eyes to escape and roll down his face. Talking about it seemed to help his emotions finally come pouring out. “She didn’t deserve that. I can’t get the image of her mangled body out of my head. I can’t imagine what Tony is going through.”

  My stomach churned with disgust. Leo’s description brought it all back. I remembered the ground shaking and a loud booming sound, followed by glass jetting out all around us. Leo’s shirt had been splattered with blood.

  I knew what the sound was and why Fiona wouldn’t allow me to turn around. Marta had crashed onto Leo’s car after Adrianna pushed her off the roof.

  I was glad Fiona had prevented me from turning around and seeing the horror. They had seen the worst of it. No wonder Leo was distraught and Fiona wasn’t able to pull herself together enough to shower. Fiona began to sit up after nestling into my shoulder for several minutes.

  I readjusted my sitting position as her warmth faded. “You guys saved me from seeing all of that, so now I’m going to repay that favor and help you get through this. I promise.”

  “I know you will,” Fiona said, turning her lips slightly upward. “When you see Darlene, please tell her thanks for taking us to the hospital then home.”

  “Was she there the whole time?”

  “No, she drove by after Marta”—she looked at Leo, who stared at the torn napkin with a woeful look in his eyes—“well, you know.”

  I nodded.

  She continued, “She offered to take us to the hospital. We got in her car and went there.”

  I threw enough money down on the table to cover the bill and got up. I rubbed Leo’s shoulder. “Come on, you’re coming back home with us. You can crash on my bed for a while. You look like you need some rest before going home.”

  He got up and put on his jacket. Fiona did the same. We had been through quite the ordeal. Since we survived it together, I felt closer to Fiona and Leo. Walking in the same direction, it seemed like I didn’t have to say a word to them to know exactly what they felt.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  A few days later, Leo, Cam, and I rode together to Marta’s parents’ house after Marta’s funeral. Cam drove us there. I sat in the back with Leo, holding his hand. Leo sat with glazed eyes. His nose was red from blowing it. He had held back the waterworks until we got in the car. Cam seemed less emotional than his brother, or maybe he mourned differently. He drove, concentrating on the road and occasionally looking in the rearview mirror at his brother. When Leo’s tears began, Cam was ready, and he handed a pack of tissues back to us.

  Cam pulled into the long driveway and found a spot next to a black SUV. “I’m going inside,” Cam said. “Leo, you can stay with Amber until you’re ready.”

  Leo nodded.

  Leo took a deep breath and exhaled deeply as Cam got out of the car. Leo turned to me. “I can’t thank you enough for being here.”

  “Of course.” I scooted closer to him.

  “Marta was a dear friend. She was like a little sister to me.” He looked right through me, his mind elsewhere. “Her husband must be going through living hell right now.” He wiped away his tears, and his eyes seemed to focus on me as he became more aware of his surroundings. Then he looked away, as if ashamed of his sorrow.

  I lifted his chin until his eyes met mine. I kissed him gently on the lips and hugged him. “I’m so sorry. Maybe we should just sit here. You don’t have to go in there.”

  He pulled back with a slight smile. “You’re sweet, but I should at least talk to Tony,” he said. “He needs his friends and family. And I need to see Marta’s parents. They must be devastated. They lost their daughter. I don’t know if they knew she was pregnant. For their sake, I hope not.” He took another deep breath then patted my knee. “Let’s get this over with.”

  We went inside the mansion. The large foyer and great room were filled with relatives and friends, all of whom were dressed in black. The women wore dresses or skirts and blouses. Most of them wore designer fashion. It gave them a polished look. The men wore suits or semiformal attire. Leo wore a button-down shirt and tie with black dress pants. My black dress was appropriate.

  We went into the kitchen, where there was an array of appetizers and pasta with marinara sauce that smelled delicious. People sat around the large table and ate. Others walked around with small plates.

  Leo said, “There’s Tony.” He took my hand and led us to him.

  Tony was standing with a drink in his hand, leaning on the corner wall with slumped shoulders. He had stubble on his cheeks and dark circles under his eyes, and his tie was loosened. Several people stopped to talk to him, and he looked at them and muttered.

  Leo waited until Tony was alone then released my hand and hugged Tony tightly, ending the hug with a hard pat on the back. “It’s a tragedy.”

  Tony looked down. “I can’t believe she’s gone. I keep thinking that I’m going to see her again. How am I supposed to go on without her?” I could barely hear his weak voice.

  Leo squeezed Tony’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Tony, so fucking sorry.” Tony loosened his tie more and slid down the wall. Leo sat next to him in the hallway.

  Tony put his drink down and rested his head in his palms. “I kept dreaming about her last night. I didn’t want to wake up.”

  My heart sank. He was lost without her. Leo needed time alone with his friend. “I’ll be back,” I said to Leo.

  I walked outside to avoid introducing myself to Marta’s family, and to give Leo more time with his friend. I saw an older man, who I assumed was Marta’s father, standing by the mailbox and smoking with another man. He had been shaking hands, hugging, and thanking people for coming when we had entered the house. When the other man turned slightly, I recognized him as Alberto Bugiardini.

  Alberto handed a stuffed envelope to Marta’s father. It was a fast action and concealed in the confined space of a hug. I only saw it because I was standing above them in the driveway and at the right angle.

  Did he just give him a ton of cash? What else could it be?

  Alberto made eye contact with me. I looked away with the feeling that I wasn’t supposed to witness that. Did Alberto just try to do damage control by giving the father of the deceased money for his loss of h
is daughter? If he had, then I didn’t know whether it was worse to give the money or to accept it. I took out my cell phone and faced the other direction, acting like I was talking to someone. Then I went inside.

  I pondered what I saw as I looked for Leo. Could Adrianna’s last name be Bugiardini? According to the newspapers, Alberto was a mob boss. Was he paying cash to Marta’s family for Adrianna’s sin of murder? It could have been a way to keep the peace between the families and ensure Marta’s family wouldn’t seek revenge and whack Adrianna. Leo had said that Marta’s family wouldn’t do anything to prevent Adrianna from marring the Jersey man, Enzo.

  Still, Marta was their daughter—their pregnant daughter—and Cam saw Adrianna’s shadow push Marta’s shadow before Marta fell off the roof. Did Marta’s family hear the lie that Marta stumbled and fell off the roof? Did they believe it? Was Leo right—would Marta’s family let the almighty dollar and family business take precedence over seeking vengeance by killing Adrianna?

  Leo walked my direction with Cam following him. I was glad they were heading out the door, because contemplating the mafia drama was making my head spin. I wanted to go home. I needed to sit down, but not there. I needed to go somewhere away from criminals. Am I getting too close to Leo, who has mob connections? Fiona is dating Cam, his twin. I like living in New York, but how can I stay here when I have friends who know the mafia? How can I feel safe?

  During the ride home, I kept thinking about Alberto giving Marta’s father the envelope. “Who is Adrianna’s father?” I asked Leo.

  “Alberto Bugiardini.” His eyes narrowed as he said the name.

  Cam looked back at his brother in the rearview mirror. “Motherfucking Bugiardini.”

  Chapter 9

  As we continued to Manhattan, I wondered how many members of the Bugiardini family were connected to the pub or my friends. Does Alberto have siblings? How many kids does he have?