Chapter 33
33
D ebbie’s Place, Brooklyn, NY – 1949
“Oh my gosh. It’s perfect. Perfect for our little girl,” Debbie murmured, strolling around the room.
“I told you it’s a boy,” Matteo groaned. He walked over to the crib he and José had hauled in earlier, running a hand along the smooth wooden rail. Debbie stood beside him, beaming.
“Whatever you say, Papa ,” she teased, grinning. “I love it.”
She slipped an arm around his waist, leaning into him as they stood in the empty room—nothing but the crib and their shared silence. They stared at it like some lost treasure shipwrecked on a shore, out of place yet priceless.
“We’re really gonna be parents,” Matteo muttered.
“It’s really happening,” she agreed.
A beat passed. Then, quietly:
“You think I’ll fuck this kid up?” asked Matteo.
Debbie’s smile faltered. She looked up at him. “ What? ”
“Like my dad did me. Like his dad did to him.”
Her chest tightened. Tears glistened in his eyes, and for a heartbeat, she couldn’t breathe—fear locking her in place. Matteo never showed her this kind of fear.
“ No. ” She cupped his face, forcing his gaze down to hers. “We’re doing this together . And you—you’re gonna be the best father our baby could ever have.”
Matteo pulled her into a crushing hug. She rubbed his back, eyes shut, until his voice rumbled against her ear:
“Who’s the guy with Kathy?”
Debbie stiffened. She stepped back, frowning. “ What? ”
“You heard me.”
“Ely?” She waved a hand. “He’s in Mississippi now. Used to live in Harlem. Family friend—helped Kathy and Big Mama get here for the wedding, that’s all.” The words tumbled out too fast.
Matteo’s jaw twitched. His eyes narrowed on Debbie. “ Friend , huh? Man’s looking at her like she’s his.”
“ Stop. Ely’s a good person. And yeah, he’s protective—or did you forget your father ? This whole thing could get us killed , Matteo.”
“ Hey. ” He caught her chin. “I’m your man, right?”
She nodded, exhaling as his touch softened the tension.
“Nothing— nobody —is gonna hurt us. Got the old man warmed up already. Me and Melo? We got a plan. Two years tops, and I’m in his chair. King of New York. ” His grin was sharp, hungry. “And you? My queen. Ain’t nothing stopping us, baby.”
“I believe you,” Debbie whispered, melting into his kiss.
But as his lips met hers, his gaze flipped toward the door.
Something about Ely didn’t sit right with him, especially the way Ely looked at him when they met.
And Matteo always trusted his instincts.
* * *
“So this is Mama Stewarts?” Ely asked, looking around at all the interracial couples. Only white men with women of different races. His gaze returned to José. You come here too?”
“No. Never been before,” José said, staring down at his frozen Pepsi.
“Where is Mama Stewart?” Ely asked. “Kathy said she was always here to greet people.”
“Who knows, who cares. Say what you really want to say, or ask it anyway.” José huffed.
Ely frowned. “What?”
José stared at him.
Ely sat back. “Fine. Why would you do this? Why are the girls mixed up in this? Knowing that it could get us all killed, hell, it almost got Kathy killed once. And Debbie? You and I both know how much Chester loved her. I was with him last night. He’s all fucked up in the head thinking you stole his girl. No one can believe this lie you guys are selling.”
José glared at him. “Debbie was in trouble, asshole. The kind of trouble a friend doesn’t walk away from. Chester would have walked away from it, though, because you and I know both know he has gotten girls in trouble before and did nothing. You and I both know it. So stop the shit! Everybody knows I love her and would do anything for her.”
Ely glared. He looked across the restaurant once more. “None of us is perfect, but this feels wrong. These white boys are in here using these women. Then, they go back to their lives or wives—o ur women . I’m trying really hard to understand Kathy, but more and more, I realize I may never. This can’t be the life she wants. And I know it aint the fucking life she deserves.”
“That’s it. Isn’t it? You’re hanging around her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. For her to be yours. I knew how much Chester liked Debbie, but it was nothing compared to what you feel for Kathy.”
“So it’s my fault that Mafia boy convinced Kathy to run from her family and then have her thrown back down south? I planned it all because of my crush on her?” Ely asked.
“Don’t twist my words,” José sighed.
“Why are you really doing it, José? Truth time. Why?” Ely asked.
José looked up at him and then back down at his pop. He shrugged. “Let’s just say I have my reasons, too.” He then sighed. “I didn’t think the best of them either. I hated Matteo on sight. He’s a real piece of work. But then… like I said, Debbie got in trouble, and I saw it with my own eyes. The way he stepped up. It’s rare. It’s real. They belong together. If they do, so do Carmelo and Kathy.”
Ely put his head in his hands. He groaned. He then checked his watch. “What’s taking them so long?”
José glanced up.
Ely got up from the booth.
“Have a seat, man.”
“No. It’s time to go. It’s getting late, and I have to get them home before sunset.” Ely started toward the door. José jumped up and got in front of him. He put a hand to his chest. “Have a seat,” José said.
Ely blinked, confused, and then his eyes stretched. “Tell me you didn’t do it! Tell me! Fuck! I should never have brought them here!”
The patrons in the restaurant all turned and looked.
“Listen to me,” José whispered. This might be their goodbye. Let them have it. Fuck it man. Let ‘em have it, and she’ll be even more grateful to you. It’s what you want. For her to open her eyes. To see if it could never work? Right?”
Everyone sat silently in the diner, observing. Ely looked around and then back at José. He backed away, trapped. The damage was done. And he’d walked right into the trap.
* * *
Kathy couldn’t catch her breath. Carmelo had never been so determined with his passion before. She was pinned beneath him on the old booth seat. He was nearly trying to take her clothes off while touching her intimately and kissing.
“Slow down,” she pushed him back.
He blinked out of his lust-filled daze and looked into her eyes. They both stared at each other, panting. He lifted off her and stepped back, and Kathy saw his zipper was down. She was shocked. She sat up the booth that had no table and covered her breasts with her hand since the front of her shirt dress was open.
“The day of the wedding, we get married too,” Carmleo blushed and pulled up his zipper.
“Huh?” she blinked.
He nodded.
Kathy started to button the top part of her dress to cover the hickey he left near her breast. Her skirt went down. He had pushed it up to her waist, and his hand was in her panties. Her shy Romeo, who was too respectful and traumatized to even touch her below the waist in the basement, was changing. She could see a slight change to him. A hardening of him. And though she loved his devotion and desired him just as much as she had before, change scared her. She wanted sweet, innocent Carmelo always.
He paced away.
“I’ve worked it out.”
“Carmelo, we can’t?—”
He put up a hand. “José is dating a judge. After the celebration and party, Debbie and José will come back here for the honeymoon. Matteo and José have it arranged for them to have their own ceremony. José and his boyfriend will get married. And Matteo and Debbie will get married. José said his boyfriend will do it. Even bring marriage certificates to stamp.”
“Is that legal?”
“No, who cares. It is before the law and God.” Carmelo paused. “Then it will be our turn.”
“What?” Kathy said.
“You come too. Make up a reason. Let your father come and inspect this place. Do whatever. He can have a man outside all night, you know, I know how to hide. I’ll already be here, waiting.”
“Carmelo—”
“You get them to agree to let you and… that friend of yours, Ely, to come. Then we get married, too. Our own ceremony, too. Real vows, Kathy. The kind we can seal ourselves before God. Before…”
She blinked at him, knowing the rest of the sentence. “Before I have to go back?”
He paced even faster. “I can’t make it, so you can stay. You’re right. When Matteo and I started our plan to get even closer to my father, I learned that he has his eye on Harlem still, and he has his men regularly checking in on your father and seeing if you are back. This truce is shaky. We can’t do anything that risks your family. Not yet. But I am working on it. You believe me, right?”
“No,” Kathy looked down. “I don’t believe you can change any of this.”
Carmelo went to her. He got on his knees before her. “Oh yeah? Well, guess what. I told my Ma. I confessed it all to her. She knows.”
Kathy looked up again.
“She does, Kathy. And she’s learning to accept it. Matteo thought she’d go crazy, even do something crazy if she ever found out that we were in touch. She even knows that Debbie is pregnant. Don’t you see? This is possible. It’s hard, and it’s dangerous. And we can’t be kids about it anymore. We have to be smart. But the world is going to be different in time for us to be together.”
“If I go back to Mississippi, it will break my Mama’s heart. And my Pa wants me to…”
Carmelo’s brow lifted. “What?”
“Never mind,” she said.
He touched her face, making her look into his eyes. “Matteo and I have the same goal. To be free, to protect you and Debbie. Even if you stay, which I hope you will, we will have to deal with the reality that running isn’t the way. We need to fight back. And I’m going to stop my father. I know how now.”
“You want to get married?” she finally smiled.
“So badly. I dream about marrying you. In that hospital for months, every time I closed my eyes, you were there. I have a trunk filled with pictures I’ve drawn of you. I don’t wake up in the morning without hoping it was all a bad nightmare. Let’s do it. Before God. Just like we planned. With a real judge to make sure we say all the legal things. Then one day it will be legal and we’ll take that form to the courthouse with the state seal and make them honor it.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Carmelo asked.
“Okay!” she shouted.
Carmelo stood, pulled her out of the booth with no table, and swept her up in his embrace. She held on to him so tightly she feared she’d choke him. But he held her until all of her desperation eased.
“Look at them. Love birds,” Matteo spat.
Carmelo let go of Kathy and looked back. Debbie was grinning, arm locked around Matteo’s waist. Even now, it was hard for him to believe his brother and Debbie were real, in love, with a kid on the way.
“We’ve got to go! Ely will come back any minute,” Debbie said.
Kathy kissed Carmelo one last time. She grinned and wiped the lipstick from his face as best she could, but his mouth, chin, and neck were covered in her red kisses.
“I love you,” she said to him.
“I know. And I love you. Ti amo,” he said and kissed her hand.
“Kathy! Come. Now!” Debbie said, pushing Matteo off her and giggling. The girls sprinted to the door. Kathy looked back blew one final kiss and was gone.
Carmelo stood there staring at the closed door with his hands in his pockets. Matteo walked over and dropped his arm around his shoulder. Carmelo’s head lowered.
“She’s back. Guess you thought that would never happen. Huh?” Matteo asked.
“I still can’t believe it. I can smell her perfume still. She’s right, though,” Carmelo sighed. “It’s even harder now to be together. Her family is in danger. We have to be careful, Matteo.”
“No shit,” Matteo huffed. He walked around the empty space. An old building that used to be a diner with a home above. He looked around at all the work needed and the attention his efforts to fix and repair would bring. “I know the danger, trust me.”
“Can we do it. Can we kill Pa?” Carmelo asked.
“We have no choice,” Matteo said.
“And this Medalion. The one you told me about. She will give it to you. Mama Stewart? You sure, you positive? Cause I tell you, Matteo. I won’t hurt Kathy again. I’ll let her go first even if it kills me to do so. I won’t risk her life or her family like I did before. Never again.”
Matteo nodded. “I understand. Pa is supposed to meet us at Sal’s. He wants to see you warm up tonight. See how good you’re getting. We stick to the plan.”
Matteo gave him an encouraging smile. “Cheer up. We’re going to win this time. I promise.”
* * *
The drive back was silent. Ely didn’t— couldn’t —look at her. Debbie had done all the talking about the wedding, her voice a bright, oblivious hum from the backseat. They arrived just before sunset, the block alive with neighbors chatting on stoops, laughter weaving through the warm air. Kathy moved to the corner of Ely, but he vanished before she could speak, slipping into the shadows with Chester and his old crew.
The rejection stung. He tried to make her feel dirty and guilty. But the evening with her parents, the way their home breathed with joy again, left her fuller than she’d ever been.
Later, after Uncle Pete and her father cleared space in the basement for Ely to sleep, Kathy waited. She waited until the house stilled and her father’s snores rumbled from the sofa. She told her mother she was fetching water, then crept downstairs.
A single lamp glowed in the basement. Ely lay on the old sofa, magazine in hand, eyes wide awake.
“Hi,” she said.
He startled, gaze snapping up. She tightened her robe sash. A beat passed. Then he looked back at his magazine, jaw clenched.
“Can we talk?”
“No.”
“You’re angry.”
He exhaled through his nose. “What do you care?”
The words were a slap. She flinched.
“I told you your father could die. Did you care? Told you Bumpy and those Mafia vultures are watching. Did you care? Told you your family was finally healing—” His voice cracked. “Did you care ?”
Tears burned her eyes, but she held them back.
“See?” He flung the magazine aside. “I showed you another way. But this is what you want? Fine. Go. Just leave me out of it.”
She stood frozen, rejection like a knife between her ribs. But she wouldn’t cry. Wouldn’t beg.
“I didn’t plan it,” she said.
Ely ignored her. He picked up another magazine and reclined again to read it.
“But I’m glad I saw him.”
A page turned. Sharp. Deliberate.
“And you’re going to help me see him again.”
Ely barked a laugh. “The hell I will.”
“Here’s why you will.” She waited until his glare met hers, fury simmering in his eyes. “We agreed to end it. I’ll go back to Mississippi. No running, no fighting. But I need to see him one last time.”
“ Why? ”
“That’s my business. But you’ll help because I need to close doors in my heart—doors only Carmelo can shut. And if you refuse?” She leaned in. “I’ll go upstairs right now and tell Daddy everything about the letters, the phone calls, and your help. You won’t be his little hero anymore. And he won’t be so willing to marry me off to you either.”
Ely shot upright. “You threatening me?”
“ Yes. ” The word was a gunshot. “I’m done tiptoeing around your feelings— everyone’s feelings but mine. Done being treated like some scarlet woman, like I’m the one poisoning the world.”
“Kathy—”
“ No. Stop pretending. Stop acting like my friend, my savior. This was never about me . It was about you —your rules, your lessons, your desires . I never asked to be a teacher. Never asked to be dragged out of the fields to the washroom. I just wanted a friend . If you were one, you’d spend less time judging me and more time understanding.”
She turned and left, her pulse roaring in her ears. Upstairs, she paused by her father, mouth open, snoring loud enough to shake the walls. She kissed his forehead, smiling when he didn’t stir.
In the kitchen, she poured water with steady hands. Then she went upstairs, slid into bed beside her mother, curling close, breathing in the safety of home.
Life wasn’t perfect. She wasn’t perfect. Neither was Carmelo. Or Ely.
But for the first time since climbing that attic ladder and changing her world forever, she felt like she owned her own choices— her life, her heart. Not Carmelo’s. Not Ely’s. Not her parents’. And certainly not Don Cosimo Ricci’s.
Janey had taught her that.