13. Aria
13
ARIA
T ito's staff prepared the food and coffee for my brunch, but I order them away before Mom and Melody arrive at the door. I answer it myself and feel overwhelmed with emotion as they step into his ultra-modern home. Melody is wowed. I can see it in her expression. But Mom's only focus is on my face, which holds a broad and genuine smile. I'm so happy to see them.
" Mia cara ," Mom purrs as she wraps me in her arms. Melody steps into the entryway and shuts the door behind herself, waiting for her chance to hug me. When Mom finally lets go, I squeeze my younger sister's scrawny body in my arms.
"Gosh, I miss girl talks," I tell her, and she snickers.
"You can tell me all the details when Mom uses the toilet." She holds me back and looks into my eyes. "You look happy."
"To see you…" I pull away, not wanting my true emotion to well up and burst out. I've been more tired than usual, and it's beginning to make me emotional at times. I take her hand and pull her deeper into the house. "Come on, I have things set up out back."
Mom follows behind us as we weave down the hallway through the dining room, into the kitchen, and out through the back door. The sun beats down on the patio, but the large umbrella shades the table and food spread on it, offering enough break from the sun to shelter our conversation too.
"Oh, Aria, this looks so delicious. Mr. Ramiro's staff have done a fabulous job." Mom pulls out a chair and sits, placing her purse on her lap as she reaches for the lid of one of the trays laid out. I agree with her. I couldn't have done it better myself. Just looking at the colorful spread makes my stomach rumble and turn.
Melody chooses to sit next to Mom with me across from them. We chat about the beautiful weather as we load our plates down with fruits and brioche. The tiny puff pastries are topped with sliced strawberries, and they even put juice and coffee out. I am hungrier than I thought I was, so much so that I feel a little nauseous.
"So, you've been married for a month now. Is it as bad as you thought?" Melody breaks the ice with the hard questions, but I've prepared my answer ahead of time.
When we first discussed the arrangement six weeks ago, I had so many emotions about it. Emotions I wasn't able to hide well or put away, except in my father's presence. Mom and Melody tried hard to console me, but it was impossible not to complain and let them know how much I hated what was happening. Now, a month into the agreement, I've managed to make peace with it, but only because I know it will be short lived and I will emerge a victor.
"It's exactly as Mom said." Putting a slice of pineapple into my mouth, I chew carefully but give them an expression of calm surrender. After swallowing, I say, "In time, things will grow and change, maybe to respect and fondness. We'll see."
Melody snickers as she chews and Mom looks at her with curiosity. "What are you laughing at?"
"What she means to say is that the sex is bangin'." My younger sister has to hide her chuckles behind a hand when Mom glares at her. My cheeks start to burn, and I shove more pineapple into my mouth to hide my embarrassment. That's the sort of topic we'd discuss when Mom uses the facilities, not while she's sitting here.
"Melody Anne Peralta, that's enough of that." Mom scolds her and then changes the subject. "Dear, I'm so proud of you for seeing this through. I just knew you'd settle in after a while and see that it isn't as bad as you think. Mr. Ramiro is such a wonderful man. I've heard such good things about him. I imagine his son is just as incredible." She picks up her coffee and sips it, then scrunches her nose and sets it back down. I watch her doctor it up and decide it's time to change the subject to something I'm more interested in.
"How is Dad doing? The business?" The entire point of my marrying Tito is so he will help my father fix what's been going wrong in their financial situation. I want to know how that's going, whether Tito is upholding his end of the bargain. After overhearing how he plans to move in on Dad's territory, I'm not convinced this was the best idea.
"Oh, honey, it's so good." Mom stirs the doctored coffee and smiles so politely you'd think she was a nun. She really is good at adapting to whatever circumstance she's been put in. No wonder her marriage to my father turned out to be such a success. "Tito has made so many positive changes already, and things are really turning around. Your father is finally at peace, though Jasper doesn’t seem to be taking it quite so well." She sighs. "But he'll come around too."
Positive changes? Tito is making changes now, not just giving Dad money? I didn’t know this was a thing, which means he has to have gone to my father to make more arrangements behind my back. My insides are raging but my exterior remains calm. It has to. I can't let Mom see how upset I am. I know she'll only report back to Dad, and he'll come snooping around. I need him to see me as happy and willing. I can't make his heart ache any more than it already does.
"Changes?" I ask as I spread a pat of butter on a slice of bread.
"Oh, yes, dear. Tito and your father are merging everything. We've already brought back half the staff we laid off previously, and when we get a month or so more under our belt, we're certain things will be flourishing again. In one year's time, we believe we can separate from the Ramiro family and be self-sustaining."
Mom sounds so assured of everything, and Melody looks content enough, but I see the apprehension in her eyes too. I feel the need to warn them, but Mom only sees the world through rose-colored lenses. When things are good she only sees the good, and when things are bad, she only sees the potential for change. Inwardly, I groan and take a bite of my toast and wish I could fade into thin air and hover over Tito right now, see what he's plotting next.
The back door opens and Carlos walks out. He has a thermos in his hand and a scowl on his face. Mom and Melody look up at him, and Melody blushes. I can see she thinks he's attractive, but he's a married man and she has no chance.
"Aria, can we talk?" he asks, and though I'm enjoying brunch with my family, I welcome the excuse to step away before my inner thoughts come out and give away my bitterness toward this whole situation.
"I'll be right back," I tell them, standing and leaving my napkin on the table. I follow Carlos into the house through the back door and down the hall into the kitchen. I don’t know what he wants, but I hope to God he's decided to listen to me and help me. If Tito merged everything with Dad's businesses, it's only a matter of time before he sinks them and takes over.
"What is it?" I ask him the instant we're in the dining room, far enough away from either end of the house where no one can hear us unless they're standing right outside the door.
Carlos walks over and glances in the hallway, then turns and slurps from his coffee thermos. "I'm in. Tell me what to do." His thick brows nearly touch in the middle, his expression so stern it's scary.
"What do you mean, you're in?" I need to make sure he understands what we’re doing here. What I need him to do. If Tito finds out I'm working in concert with his brother to bring him down and make Carlos the leader, not only will it void our agreement, giving Tito full control of my father's organization, but I'm certain he'll kill me. Men like him don't mess around.
"I want my father to see that I'm the rightful leader of this family, not my brother, and I want it now." He stalks toward me and squares his broad shoulders. His barrel chest intimidates me. This man could crush me himself if he doesn’t like what I say.
"And you trust that I can deliver this for you?" I ask, playing the part. He's eating out of my hand now. It's exactly how I want it to be. I could care less whether Carlos is the leader. I just want Tito out of my life and for my father to be happy and whole. I know I'm playing with fire. Maybe I want to be burned. Maybe I have a death wish.
"It's been two weeks since I did what you said with my businesses, and things are turning around. You had no reason to give me that advice or help, but you did. I think you're smarter than my brother gives you credit for. I think you will be able to help me show my father how foolish Tito is and make me the leader of this family the way it's supposed to be."
I don't know the next step right now, but Carlos is on board and that's all I need. Together, we will make him look like the god of this family and their dying father will have no choice but to give the blessing to him and not his brother. Sure, Tito is already in charge of a lot of things, but so is Carlos. And there is nothing that says Donatello can't change his will at any moment.
"Good. Well, we have a lot of work to do then, but getting your businesses with your cousins secured is a good first step. I'll need you to give me anything you can on Tito. Dig up dirt, his weaknesses, the mistakes he's made in the past that would point to his being less than productive or loyal." I tap my finger against my lip and look up at him. "And let me get a plan together. We're going to do this."
Carlos sets the thermos down on the island and leans on it, his hip resting against the marble. "I want to make it clear to you that I won't harm him. Humiliating him is one thing, taking leadership another, but I'm his blood. I won't see him get hurt." The tone of his voice shakes me to my core. I don't intend to harm Tito, but if it happens, it happens. Still, with this threat, I'm sobered.
"Of course," I tell him as I turn to walk back out to the patio. "No harm, just humiliation. And when it's done, my father keeps his businesses and Tito is your gopher. Everyone wins." I try to keep the edge to my tone, but my voice cracks. I hope he doesn't hear it, but if he does, he says nothing.
When I step out the back door, Mom is in tears, her phone pressed to her ear. Melody is collecting their things. The half-empty plates of food still sit on the table, and I don't know what's happening. Mom looks devastated and distraught. She's sobbing so hard, she's having a difficult time breathing. I rush to her, but Melody pulls me back.
"What's going on? What happened?" My heart is racing and my hands shake with adrenaline. Whatever it is it can't be good, and whatever it is, I get the feeling that Melody doesn't know either.
"I don't know. Mom got a call from Uncle Matt." Melody clutches Mom's purse as they start to move toward the back door. I move ahead of them, getting the door as Mom lowers the phone.
"What is it, Mom?" I ask, and Melody mutters the same question. Both of us are on high alert, needing to understand her pain. If it's affecting her this way, it will affect us too.
"It's Jasper…" she blubs. "My God, he's dead. Someone…" She heaves out a sob, and through very broken stutter-breathed words, I learn my brother has been murdered in cold blood, a car bomb under the driver's seat of his car this morning before work.
My heart stops dead and I know what's happened. Tito found out it was Jasper. He's retaliated for his drug deal gone wrong, and this is my fault. It's all my fault.
Melody and I explode into tears, going with Mom out the front of the house and into her awaiting car. I have to be with my family at a time like this, though nothing will lift the weight of guilt now pressing down on my chest. What have I done? And what has Tito done? He deserves so much more than just humiliation.