Mobster's Angel (Mobster Series) (18 page)

“Sounds good.”  I smile at her. It’s one of my practiced ones. Two things run through my mind.  She didn’t do all this when Megan turned sixteen. And what does she have up her sleeve?  Mom in a good mood is never a good sign.  I should invite Vito and Ronnie: that would put a big black fly in the lily-white ointment.  “Is it okay if I invite some friends over?”

“Who?” she asks warily.

“Some friends from my study group.”

“That’s fine.”

*****

I look forward to class every day because I know I’m going to see Vito there. Today, I arrive a little bit earlier than usual.  Kirk is there.  I slip into my normal seat.

“You look happy today,” Kirk comments.  “Does it have to do with a certain someone?”

A grin crosses my face that I can’t control.  I shrug non-committally.

“Come on,” he entreats.

“If I tell you, I’d have to kill you.”  Kirk doesn’t find my joke too funny.  His face is pasty, and he looks like he’s going to throw up. He has definitely been asking around about Vito and Ronnie.

Ronnie plops down in a nearby seat.

“Where’s Vito?” I ask before I realize what I’m doing.

Ronnie puts his fingers up in air quotes.

Ah, mob stuff.

I’ve never given much thought to Vito’s role in the mafia.  I assume it’s pretty much like Antonio’s.  They seem to roll in the same fashion.

“What the matter with you?” Ronnie asks Kirk.

Kirk shakes his head and opens up his notebook.

“I was just kidding. Sheesh.”  Ronnie says, rolling his eyes. “Your birthday is right around the corner, isn’t it Kid?”  “Yes, it is.”

“How old you gonna be?”

“Sweet sixteen,” I say proudly.

“You’re only going to be sixteen?”  Kirk is amazed.  “You must be the youngest in the program.”

“I don’t know.  I never thought about it.”

“If you push yourself you could have your master’s at twenty-one.  Take summer classes and stuff.”

“That’s our Kid,” Ronnie praises, tapping me on the shoulder in a congratulating gesture.  “She’s a smart-ass...I mean smarty pants.”  He says, laughing.

“Too bad you’re not a
smart
-ass, you’re just an
ass
.”
“Oh… you’ve been hanging out with Vito way too much.  He’s corrupting you.”

“No. I think I could have come up with that one about you all by myself,” I say. Ronnie laughs it off.

Professor Elden comes in late.  She plops her stuff down on her desk and starts class.

I write two notes on scrap paper and hand them to Ronnie and Kirk.

B day party

8 Zinnio Street

1pm Saturday.

Ronnie reads it and gives me a thumbs up.  Kirk looks freakin’ scared.

The cleaning classes continue, making me miss my actual classes.  Specifically, the one with Erin in it.  It kills me because it’s my one chance to consistently see her. 

Today, we’re taking care of another mafia problem.  Some chooch who couldn’t pay.  Part of me feels bad, but the other part says don’t borrow what you can’t pay back.  You know what’s going to happen. When anyone approaches Mr. Delisi for money, the consequences of not making your payments in full and on time are clearly explained.  It’s an unwritten rulebook that is repeated before anyone takes any money.

This was a neat and clean hit.  The body was left for the family.  Afterward, Patrick takes me for a ride around the town that I’ve known since infancy.  He shows me where he takes care of things, where some supplies are stashed, and the best areas for drops after he whacks people.

“Her birthday is this week.”

“Yeah.” 

“I think she’d be sad if you didn’t go to her party.” 
Whoa!  Is he inviting me to their house?
Inside, I’m excited like a fuckin’ five year old waiting for a magician to perform, but I keep it together.

“When is it?”

“Saturday at one.”

“’Kay.  I’ll be there.”

“I don’t want any trouble.” Patrick warns.

“Why would there be trouble?”

“Connor is coming.”

“That piece of shit?!”  I raise my voice. I remember well what Erin said he did to her. Cheating on her – that bastard. Patrick looks at me out of the corner of his eye while he’s driving.  “I’ll behave,” I huff out and yield.

I’ve never been anywhere with Antonio’s parents.  I’ve only ever spoken to them briefly.  Since the engagement, my parents have gotten together with them to discuss the wedding and stuff.  They even went to the Delisi’s house for an engagement party while I was away in California at school.  Tonight, we’re all going out for my birthday.  I think it’s odd, but whatever. 

It’s Friday night, and I wonder if Vito is going to the fights.  I slip on a pair of nice jeans and a blouse.  I wrap a matching scarf around my neck.  I go easy on the black eye makeup.  I’ve been tapering it down lately. I run some gloss over my lips and I’m ready to go.

The restaurant is Italian.  There’s a big surprise.  A table is set in the back for eight.  Mr. and Mrs. Delisi come in.  Mrs. Delisi is carrying a powder pink bag with a huge rose bow tied around the handles. Antonio hugs and kisses Megan.  I notice my mother roll her eyes in annoyance.

“Hello,” Mrs. Delisi greets us.

“Hello, Diane.” My mother returns cordially.  My dad and Mr. Delisi stand off in a corner talking.

“Why don’t we have a seat?” Antonio suggests.  I walk towards the table, and I feel a presence behind me.  I turn and it’s Vito.

One of his rare magnetic smiles lights up his face as I gaze up at him.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hey.”

“I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Diane called me.”

I smile.  Mrs. Delisi is very perceptive.  I appreciate her intervening and inviting Vito to come.  My mom wouldn’t have done that.

The waiter comes over and everyone takes the hint that we should sit down.  My parents and the Delisis sit at one end of the table while I sit at the other end with Megan, Antonio, and Vito.  Seeing him tonight unexpectedly gives me a giddiness in my stomach.  I have on a smile that won’t leave my face, and I feel silly.  The whole situation is wonderfully surreal.

“Happy birthday,” Mrs. Delisi says to me from across the table.

“Thank you,” I return. She hands me the bag she carried in.

“I wasn’t sure what to get you.”

“Thank you for thinking of me.”  I open the bag and pull out a beautiful, soft white angora sweater.  “I love it.”

“I’m so glad.”  Mrs. Delisi is nice and has been wonderful to Megan. I’m glad she cares about me too.

Everyone is in their own conversations and examining the menu.  I hear bits and pieces of wedding talk from my mother and Mrs. Delisi.  Mr. Delisi is on his phone and my father is his typical quiet self. 

The waiter fills all of our water glasses and places wine goblets in front of everyone.

“I’m going with the veal,” Antonio says.

“I never get anything but chicken parm,” Megan offers.

“You should try something else,” Antonio suggests.

“No. I like it.” Megan puts her menu down and Antonio holds her hand in his.  He is so in love with my sister.

I sense Vito’s eyes on me while I read the choices.  I turn and look up at him.

“What are you thinking of having?” I ask him.

He looks at me for a moment, clearly pondering what to say. He has that warm, comforting look on his face again. “Does it matter?” he finally says.

I want to ask him what he means, but just then the waiter comes around to pour red wine in everyone’s goblets, including mine.

Mr. Delisi stands.  He holds his glass up high.

“Your daughter is my daughter.  And her sister is my daughter.  Our families have come together.  We share in the celebration of the little one’s birthday.”  He tips his glass to me.  “Happy birthday and
salud
.”  The table echoes
salud
and everyone takes a drink.

I look at Vito. I have a feeling I know what he meant anyway.

The O’
Neill’s kitchen is packed with people.  I feel uncomfortable. The house is filled with Irish people I don’t know.  I keep sticking my hand in my pocket to make sure the velvet box is still there. 

Her mom has decorated in all pink.  Paper plates, cups, napkins, and a cardboard banner that says sweet sixteen. Antonio comes over to me.

“How’s it going?”

“Good.”

Kirk comes in from the living room.  He must have just arrived. He's scared shitless of me, but I must be the only person he knows because he comes to stand beside me.  We nod, acknowledging each other.  He’s nervous.

“This is Kirk,” I say to Tonio.  “He’s in our Comp class.”

“Hey,” Tonio says.

Ronnie comes around the corner too.  Kirk is slightly pleased to see him.

“Hey,” he says.

A kid with reddish-blonde hair and freckles crosses the kitchen to the refrigerator. It’s Connor. 
My eyes narrow and I spring to approach him, aggravated Erin even has to be in the same house with this fucker.  Antonio stops me with a hand to my chest. 

“Don’t,” he says.  “He is still a friend of the family.”

I back off and leave the room, deciding it’s better for the kid’s health if I do. Antonio is coming around about Erin and me.  He’s been really cool about it, actually. 

I pass a few people and something brushes my arm.  The soft touch of a small hand comes from a hall closet.

“Psst.  Vito…” A tiny feminine voice whispers.

She tugs me inside and shuts the door.  The soft glow of the closet light illuminates Erin.  Before I know what I’m doing I pull her close to me, wrapping my arms around her
. I press my lips to her soft pink ones. My insides tighten and yell at me to take more.  She’s all I’ve ever wanted.  I run my fingers over her neck. Kissing her is sweeter than wine: a warming, mind-clouding fuck, and I haven’t even taken her clothes off. 
Shit!
  She has me… she controls me.

“Happy birthday,” I say pulling back, trying to reel in my self-control. 

Erin’s face is glowing.  Sixteen agrees with her.  I stick my hand in my pocket and put the small box in her hand and her smile deepens.

“You didn’t have to get me anything!  I got enough presents from you last year to last a lifetime of birthdays.”

“This is a new year,” I comment matter-of-factly.

Erin opens up the tiny box and reveals a pair of diamond and emerald earrings.

“They’re beautiful,” she gushes. “Thank you.”  Erin takes them out of the box to put them on. She slips on one, then the other.  “How do they look?”

I don’t answer her; I kiss her because I need more.

I compulsively look out my window, waiting for Vito.  Every time I see his slick black car my heart jumps.  My hand goes to my earlobe feeling the cool stones of the earrings he gave me last week at my birthday party.

I notice
someone parked across the street. It’s the same car I’ve seen all week.  It looks like someone is in it. My heart lurches in a different way, but I try my best to calm my nerves. Maybe the neighbors just got a new car. 

Before I can panic too much, the engine starts and
the car pulls away.  I guess it was nothing. 

A few seconds later, Vito’s car smoothly parks against the curb of my house.  I clap my hands together, giddy, and bolt out of my room.  I run to my white wool coat hanging on a kitchen chair.

“Where are you off to?” my mother asks.

“Vito’s here.  We’re going out.”  I slip my arms into the sleeves and pull my long black hair out of the collar.

“I don’t like you going out with him all the time.  He’s too old for you.”

“He’s more responsible and nicer than other people in my life.” I sound sarcastic, but it’s true.

“I’m going to speak to your father about this.”

“Go ahead,” I say.  I want to leave.  He hasn’t rung the bell yet.

“I don’t like your attitude.”

“Do you ever?” I ask bluntly, not letting her ruin my mood.  I’m not really interested in her response.

I walk to the door and head outside. I run down the steps and peek in the darkened windows of Vito’s car. Vito is on his cellphone.  That explains why he didn’t come to the door right away.  I reach for the handle and try open the car door.  It’s locked.

Vito’s door opens and he stands, still on his phone.  He comes around and opens the passenger door for me.

“I gotta go,” he tells whoever is on the line.  “Picking up Erin,” he adds.  “Yeah, I know.”

He presses the end button.  “I would have come to the door soon enough,” he says.