Affirmation (12 page)

“To hell with this!” He exclaimed and took off his shirt and shoved it inside his bag and then sat on the side of the road to call his sister.

“What, Serge, I’m working?”

“I
’m calling to see how my baby sis is doing.
”

“You have a lot of nerve. I swear if you weren’t my brother I’d lock your ass up!”

Sergio frowned at the anger coming through the phone, “I apologized ten times.”

“Mom’s life insurance was
meant
fo
r
both of us, you selfish bastard and you used it on what, a new car
,
clothes
and your schemes
?
But, you know
what;
I hope you choke on the money. I have a job
and I’m not so desperate I have to swindle people for money, including family
!”

The line went dead and Sergio shook his head
.
“Damn!”

Sergio stood and wiped the dirt from the seat of his pants and resumed his walk filled with remorse.
One day he’d make it
right with his sis. Yeah, she’d get every dime of what he took and then some,
real soon.

                           ****

The reception was underway. Guests streamed to the table to congratulate the newlyweds. Alfonzo leaned over to clasp Raul’s hand. He hadn’t seen the dude in a while and it was cool having his old crew together. He was taken aback for a minute when he saw the woman at his buddy’s side.

Xenia bent and gave Alfonzo a kiss on the lips
that brought an instant scowl from Selange, “Are you serious?”

Alfonzo wiped the lipstick from his mouth, “Not cool Xenia.”

The woman laughed
.
“That’s how we do, tú sabe?”

“Well Xenia, how will you like it if I bitch-slapped your ass?”
His enraged wife responded as she
leapt
to her feet.
Amelda
and
Lucia
were
up from their table to run in
tervention
before Selange
deliver
ed
on
the threat.

Alfonzo gripped his wife’s wrist as she sought to pass, “Babe, come on
, take a seat.
Today’s not about drama and shit.
”

Amelda and Lucia promptly escort
ed
the woman away and Raul apologized to the couple, “Sorry about that Alfonzo and Selange. Xenia plays too much.”

“You’re damn right she does!” Selange hissed as she tried to calm down and not make a scene in front of the other guests.

Alfonzo nodded as Selange returned to her seat and cut her eyes in Xenia’s direction. He fixed Raul a cautionary look, “Tell
Xenia
to chill with the games, it was funny back in the day, but this is the present and what she did
is
disrespectful, alright bro?”

“Sí, lo siento.”

Giuseppe was laughing. “You should
have
let
my sister-in-law
slap
her
,
”
h
e said when Raul retreated.

“
For once we agree on something G
iuseppe
,
” Selange
responded
between clenched teeth.

“
D
on’t incite
a riot
.”
Alfonzo
advised
his brother who was on his third glass of Patrón
. He
took his wife’
s hand.
“You okay
, babe
?”

“I’m fine
,
” Selange
answered
, still watching the b
razen
woman. But her frown became a sly smile when Crystalia
accidently
spilled her drink on the
bitch
and ruined her d
ress. Fake apologies spewed from
Crystalia
as Xenia dabbed at her clothes.
The playful
mouth
twisted in disbelief
. She caught a glimpse of the bride’s steely gaze and
her
smirk
and
decip
hered
Selange’s telepathic message,
‘
Act up again hussy and
I’ll ruin more than that Ninety-Nine Cent Store
dress
!’

The tension cooled when a pretty woman clad in a sequined dress entered the tent followed by a suited guy. There were gasps and loud whoops from the youngsters when they recognized who she was. This was Kiki, one of the hottest singers
whose music was at the top of
the charts
. She waved at the tables and stepped on to the makeshift stage with the band and said something to the musicians. When she turned to face the wedding party, she had a movie star smile. “How’s everyone doing?”

Selange poked Alfonzo
.
“You’re full of surprises today.”

He leaned over and took her hand
.
“You’re welcome.”

Kiki waved at the newlyweds with the microphone, “Mister and Missus Diaz, congratulations and it’s an honor to perform for you guys today.”

Selange nodded graciously. The past was forgiven; she had Alfonzo and Kiki didn’t.

“I’ve written a song for the couple,” she pointed to the guitarist and he began strumming, “
this is entitled, I’ve Found Paradise.”

Alfonzo led Selange to the center of the dance floor and took her waist and everyone applauded. This was their first dance and as Kiki began belting the sultry lyrics, Selange smiled. The singer had super talent. Kiki did her thing.

“Like it?” Alfonzo asked as they swayed in step.

Her
hands
moved from his shoulders to his neck, “She’s good.”

The song was theirs
; it was beautiful p
oetry set to music
.
Selange
placed
her cheek on Alfonzo’s chest
and inhaled. She felt his heart pounding and smelled his
wonderful cologne. She was happy and the silent tears were a sign of her joy.

Kiki sung her heart out and the words struck home.

‘…you came into my life,

Calmed the pain and strife,

Gave me what I need…
Ooooh
baby,

Your love has set me
free
,

It’s paradise I’ve found –my soul’s become unbound,

I’ve found paradise forever in your arms,

…
Ooooh
-
Ooooh
-ooh baby…’

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

Lou discreetly exited the festivities after a guard informed him of an unexpected visitor. He walked briskly to the guest house where he found Sergio sitting in the living room with his designer duffle bag and arrogance. The men guarding him stepped to the side, giving Lou space. He sighed and squared his shoulders
.
"What are you doing here?"

Sergio stood, "I need to speak with Alfonzo."

"He's busy. Can't you tell?"

"It's urgent," Sergio replied and then his eyes traveled from the Capo's face to the door. The man who entered gave Sergio a cold chill. The blue eyes were trained in his direction like a heat seeking missile. Sergio unconsciously stepped backward upon the man's approach. Lou recognized fear in the youth’s eyes and glanced over his shoulder, only to find the source of it. Giuseppe, goddamn. He’s the last person he wanted involved in this. Eversince, he learned Alfonzo was his brother; the man took on the role of the older sibling with a vengeance. Giuseppe was far less reasonable than Alfonzo and might kill the kid.

"Sergio…Sergio…Sergio
, w
hy am I not surprised?" Giuseppe spat.

Sergio noticed the tailored suit did not contain the Sicilian’s massive frame. If anything, the brute looked more intimidating. He resembled a caged beast, eager to burst from its restraint. The nervous sensation did not subside and he tried to calm it with levity, "What's up Geo, digging the suit?"

Sergio's bruised eye and disheveled clothes were not lost on Giuseppe. He answered in a controlled bass, "The sky is up, punk. You bring trouble to my brother's door and expect a warm welcome on his wedding day. What are you an imbecile?"

"I um…you know…um," Sergio stuttered.  He didn’t like the way his cousin eye-balled him. Frankly, he became uncomfortable under the glare. Whenever Sergio got dissed, he grew larger balls, and refused to cower to
anyone. “I'm family, like it or not. I have a right to be here. I’m not here to see you anyway; I’m here to talk to Alfonzo, feel me, son?"

A smirk didn't change the angry glint, "Son?"

“I forgot you speak Italian.
I think you say figlio. Is that right?”

Giuseppe scoffed and cocked his head sideways. The sinister smile inching across the chiseled face was in response to the perverse joke. He looked down at his polished shoes, thinking what a shame he must blacken the
cazzo’s
other eye and spill blood on a day reserved for peace. The bride and groom were in the midst of a dance. They were smiling and happy and Giuseppe planned to ensure it stayed that way.

Sergio’s surly attitude heightened Giuseppe’s ire. The punk lacked respect and Giuseppe’s rage traveled straight to his fist. He cracked the insolent bastard in the face and Giuseppe’s
phony
smile disappeared. Sergio crumpled onto the sofa. “I will teach you about respeta, figlio!”

Sergio moaned and held his eye. It burned like hell.

Giuseppe pointed
a finger
, “
Stand him up,
ora
!”

Lou stood his ground, he didn’t take orders from Giuseppe, but the other men did
and followed without question
.

Sergio was
brought upright to face the large muscular dude.
“Shit, come on
Giuseppe
. Is this how you treat a relative?”

“
Relative
…humph…respect and loyalty
ties
family
and blood relatives do not mean shit to me, cazzo
.
In mi famiglia we will bleed
for each other and
even the women will shed blood to protect
their
clan
.” Giuseppe
slowly
removed his jacket and thrust it aside
. He concentrated on unhooking the diamond
cufflinks
and when done, put them in his pocket and casually rolled
up his sleeves.

Sergio noticed the thick ring
adorned with a
crest.
Swords, he believed and something else. He couldn’t see too
well
. The ring was thick and to Sergio resembled a brass knuckle.
The
vertical scar on Giuseppe’s
forearm
indicated h
e
wasn’t a stranger to fights,
which is an activity
Sergio
avoided
. “
Look, whatever I said to disrespect you, cuz, we can talk about it, right?” He looked
over his shoulder at the men holding him and back at Giuseppe, “If you don’t want to talk, this should at least be a fair fight.”

Giuseppe nodded and the men stepped away from the youth, “
Sí
, sono d'accordo.”

“
D
oes that mean you’re
willing
to talk
?”

“I said I agree
,
to a fair fight
.”
Giuseppe replied and stepped forward. “
You,
must e
arn a place in this family
. You have yet to
ble
e
d.” He cracked his knuckles loudly and snarled
.
“Today, stronzo, your first lesson will be respeta and how to properly address
a Don
, capisce?”

Sergio
balled his hands into fists
and Giuseppe
was quick to
throw
the first blow. The punch landed directly on Sergio’s
hungry
stomach
and he bent
over coughing uncontrollably.