Chapter 44
FRANCISCO
My head is swimming. I’d like nothing more than to step into the shower and afterward, indulge in some scotch like my son is doing. But I want to get Marlena squared away first. Having the doctor see to her brother is a good first step, but I’d feel better if she took care of herself as well.
Seeing her suffer isn’t something I’m prepared to do. I have contacts, and I have options. I just need to find one that fits the situation. After declaring my intention to fix things for her, I go downstairs to my office.
The house is still on high alert. No one’s drinking in the kitchen or playing video games in the den.
They’re all standing at attention, posted throughout the house ready for action.
Frankie is sitting on a couch in the living room staring at the wall.
The television is dark, and the glass of scotch is nowhere to be found.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Hmm?” he responds, tilting his head slowly toward me as if it weighs a thousand pounds.
“Go to sleep,” I say.
He sniffs, forcing his eyes open and then shut. He follows my instructions, getting up slowly and heading for the stairs. At least, one of my family members is taking care of themselves.
I watch him until he gets all the way to the top and disappears down the hallway. Then I turn right, glancing into the kitchen as I pass. Giovanni is sitting at the island, drinking. He looks similar to Frankie, except that he’s been through this before.
Our eyes meet, and Giovanni gives me a nod. I pass him by without comment. We’re on the same page, and nothing needs to be said. I know he’ll be okay, and that I don’t have to worry about chasing him to bed.
Inside my office, I’m comforted by the familiarity of the place. I remember how much I hate being stuck here day after day, working on monotonous things. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem so bad.
I put in a call to Carmine in Italy. He picks up on the third ring, and I can hear the noise of Bella’s restaurant in the background.
“Cousin!” Carmine salutes me.
“Hello,” I respond, dropping heavily into my seat.
“How was your flight?” he asks.
“Fine,” I say. “There’s been some developments.”
“Tell me,” he wonders.
“We were attacked by Andretti’s crew,” I say, not getting into the specifics. “Your men were a big help.”
“I’m glad,” Carmine replies.
“We managed to find Marlena’s brother, and he’s here now, but he’s got some medical complications,” I report, trying to keep any emotion out of my voice.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Carmine says. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes,” I respond, pleased that he’s opened the door for my request. “I don’t think it’s safe here for them at the moment. I’d like to put them on a plane and send them back to Italy.”
“Of course,” Carmine replies. “Marlena is always welcome here. And I’d like to meet her brother, my other missing cousin.”
I nod to myself, feeling a whole lot better now that I know Marlena has a safe place to go. “I’m going to send them back with a gift for you.”
“No need,” Carmine says.
“Come on,” I insist. “I want to thank you. What do you want from America?”
“How about a cheeseburger?” Carmine jokes.
“I’ll send a chef,” I say, upping the ante.
“Better not,” Carmine declares. “My sister would pitch a fit if there were any competition.”
I smile. “Alright then, I’ll think of something.”
We hang up, and I sit staring at my desk, not seeing any of the work waiting for me. My mind is a blur, and I know I won’t be doing any real business today. I check my calendar just to make sure there’s nothing pressing. A few texts later, and my schedule is clear.
I go to the kitchen to join Giovanni for a drink. He takes one look at me and pours a second glass. We don’t talk. We just sit there drinking in silence.
“Go to bed,” Giovanni suggests.
“I’m good,” I mutter.
“I’m not,” Giovanni says. He stands up and puts his glass in the sink. He doesn’t need to; we have a cleaning staff that will take care of things for him. But he’s contentious like that. “It won’t hurt to admit that you’re human.”
I laugh. He’s got me pegged. Here I am, trying to fix everything for everyone else and not paying any attention to myself, but I’ve got one more thing I have to do before I call it quits for the day. I have to make sure Marlena’s alright.
With a heavy sigh, I rise from my seat. On second thought, I pour myself two more fingers of scotch and down it in one gulp. Then I march upstairs to find my wife.
Marlena is still in the hallway. I wave her away from Brandon’s room. “Come on,” I say. “Time for a shower and then bed.”
“I can’t,” she replies.
“Yes, you can,” I insist. “The doctor will stay with him. He’ll let you know if anything changes.”
She glances at the door, debating whether to follow my lead. Finally, she exhales and troops across the hallway to her own suite. I feel like we should have a conversation about moving bedrooms. Now that we’re married and romantically involved, it seems only right that we should share a suite.
But I’m too tired to have that conversation now, not that it will matter now that I’ve put plans in place to keep her safe. So I let her go. She doesn’t look back before disappearing into her own room.
The next morning, I find Marlena in Brandon’s room. The doctor is asleep on the couch, and Marlena is sitting on the bed beside her brother. She’s reading a magazine, glancing frequently down at the sleeping man to her left.
I smile at her, crossing the room to kiss her good morning. She’s showered and changed, and the bruise on her cheek has gone from red to blue. It’s a reminder of how much I hate Andretti, and I renew my vow to kill him as soon as possible.
“We have to talk,” I begin, sitting down beside her.
She puts her magazine away, pulling her legs up to give me space. “The doctor says that he’s okay,” she answers the question I didn’t ask. “He just needs to sleep.”
“That’s good news,” I say.
“What did you want to talk about?” she wonders.
“I don’t think it’s safe here for either you or Brandon,” I explain. “So, I’d like you to go back to Italy.”
“Okay,” she answers despondently.
“I’ll stay here to take care of Andretti and Marcello,” I continue.
“You’re not coming with us?” Marlena asks, coming out of her fog long enough to realize that I’m suggesting we separate.
“No,” I say softly.
“But when will I see you again?” she persists.
“Marlena,” I respond, picking up her left hand and placing it in mine.
The ring she wears presses against my palm, reminding me of the promise we made to each other, the commitment we made out of necessity, not love.
“I know this isn’t something you ever wanted.
I would understand if you decide to leave when this is all over. ”
She looks at me like I’m speaking a foreign language. “Do you want me to leave?” she asks.
“No,” I say immediately. “But I thought that you were reconsidering.”
She opens her mouth to respond, and it feels like my entire future is hanging on her next words. But then her brother moans and shifts. She diverts her attention instantly, scooting closer to him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she calls his name.
I realize that I’m going to have to wait. Family comes first, and even though I’m dying to hear what she has to say, I know I can wait.
I get to my feet, deciding to give them some privacy. On my way out, I wake the doctor to let him know Brandon is stirring.