Chapter 55
The glass conservatory is full of hothouse plants, like an indoor rainforest. The colors and light make it feel like another world from the house.
After the police and the EMTs have all finally left, this is where Esther ushers the Fortuna brothers back to. Alessio is the one Esther is concerned for. Me, too. He seemed to take the news philosophically, though.
When Bruno heard, he sputtered, “Jago?” but he stifled the laugh when he saw Alessio’s hollow eyes. Carlo barely reacted. He looks as if he’d just heard an unusually dull weather forecast.
His eyes flicked rapidly to Alessio, then to Bruno.
Since then, I saw him calculating. Anticipating.
They all were.
When we sit down at last with steadying drinks in our hands, Alessio asks Esther, “Will you stay, take charge of the family business?”
“Me?” She sounds shocked. “Not at any price. No, I’m going back to Italy in the next day or so. I’m missing the food too much.”
And that’s not all, I suspect. While I was there with her, I had a hunch that that Esther’s island life gives her a few more comforts and joys than she confessed to me.
She says, “I do love this house. I always did. But I can’t sleep here tonight. The memories are too loud and raw.” Esther says, “I’ll check into a hotel and I’ll see you all here for breakfast.” She’s taking out her phone as she says, “Wait, you lost your housekeeper. Maybe you should join me for breakfast at the hotel.”
“Bruno and I can make breakfast, Mom. We’re really quite grown up.”
Bruno nods enthusiastically. “Alessio is a demented rag doll in the kitchen, but that’s okay. We’ll fix his eggs.”
Alessio sounds weary, but he says, “I’ll make you French toast like you never had. You’ll think you died and went to heaven.”
“Well, alright then. If you’re sure? I’ll see you here at,” Esther looks across all our faces. Twice. A smile is lighting up behind her eyes. “Shall we say ten?”
The men nod, but Esther says, “Come on, don’t put yourselves through it. You know how fussy I am about my food. Come and have breakfast in the hotel. I’ll get a room at the the Delano Plaza.”
We all walk with her to the door. As she opens it, she turns to Carlo, “Did you find the thing alright?”
He smiles and pats his pocket. “Right where you said it would be.”
She smiles and lets out a sigh. “Thank heaven Giuseppe never found that.”