Associates (17 page)

“Sure thing.”

Nico pat his cousin’s shoulder as he walked past. “I’m going. I’ll see you in Europe.”

“Yeah. Take care.”

“You too Rocky Balboa.” Nico laughed. Tony and Tiffany went with him.

Finally, polished black shoes exited the uneven grounds with a pair of black and white Vans footwear following close behind.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Maria opened the door and smiled at the sight of her son and guests.

“Holá mama.” Alfonzo kissed her cheek.

“It’s so good to see you, hijo,” a happy woman responded. They’d come for dinner and he brought along Emilio and Juanito. The other unknown visitor she learned was
another
family member. Sergio.

“I’m almost finished with dinner, please come in and make yourselves comfortable,” Maria said graciously and then scurried back to the kitchen.

Bruno stood when the men entered. The smells of spices wafted from the kitchen and the roaring shouts of revelry came from the large flat screen which undoubtedly he bet was a soccer match. Alfonzo snuck a look at the picture and sure enough, he was right. Spain versus Italy. Spain was leading.

“Buongiorno, Alfonzo, Emilio, Juanito y…?”

“Sergio.”

“Buongiorno Sergio.” Bruno noted and then sat again.

“Let’s talk Bruno,” Alfonzo stated foregoing the seating and waited for Bruno to stand again before leading the way to the basement for a private conversation. He’d noticed his mom’s worried expression as they passed the kitchen but she didn’t scold him and for once he was ecstatic.

Alfonzo flipped on the light switch when he reached the landing and strolled to the bar. Bruno took a seat on the stool and folded his hands on the counter. “What is this talk about?”

Alfonzo put a pair of glasses on tumblers and reached for his favorite rum. He poured, contemplating murdering Bruno and telling his mom he left. But she’d never believe it, anyway, he’d have to move the body outside or the remains would leave a horrid stench. Okay, get him drunk, so damn wasted he tumbles down the stairs. An accident, yeah, that’ll work, no, his mom would blame him, Alfonzo silently thought.

Shit
!

Alfonzo took a sip first and then spoke, “Buying shares in my company, what’s that about?”

“Ah,” Bruno smirked. His manicured fingers clasped the glass. “The stocks were a good price.”

“Why my company?”

“I am only investing in a worthy company.”

“Stop the bull-shit.”

Bruno drank. When the glass was empty he pushed it to Alfonzo as if he were the bartender. “Very good. There is a pattern I have seen in watching your company’s depreciation. Have you not seen it young Luzo?”

Alfonzo’s spine straightened. “What pattern?”

“Your legitimate holdings are suffering sabotage. The rumors, plummeting stock values are occurring almost in a linear pattern. They’re being alphabetically checked off.”

Alfonzo maintained a poker face. “And why do you care?”

Bruno reached inside of his pocket and placed a ring on the counter for Alfonzo to see. “Your father gave me this a very long time ago.”

Alfonzo saw the crest. He knew it well. “Why didn’t you say something instead of playing games with me?”

“Who do you think beat your Uncle at chest?”

The smile was genuine. “You, beat Uncle Alberti?”

“Often.”

“Are you serious about my mother, or are you playing games with her heart?”

“I am in love with your mother, young Luzo. Where your father failed you both I will not.”

“I don’t need a father, those days are gone.”

“But you do need an advisor, a Consigliere and that is what your father appointed me but I did not take the position, thus I never wore the ring.” He slipped it on his finger and his eyes bore into the younger man. “I wear the ring proudly now. My sons are in politics and keep me informed. Timpico meets with aristocrats who fund his campaign. Any one may be responsible for Alberti’s death.” He watched as Alfonzo poured more rum into his glass listening. “He may know who killed Alberti or it is just a ruse to flush you out. The anti-mafia speeches are not of his doing. He is only a mouthpiece for another who has orchestrated this unrest your brother faces in Sicily.” He drank the rum quickly without any ill effects. He was accustomed to spirits, both alcoholic and human. He watched and listened to the hearts of others and judged them accordingly. The ring from a friend he donned today, because unlike Luzo, in Alfonzo he saw a burning love for his woman and children. A family required a loving patriarch. Alberti died too soon. The young man still required his wisdom to navigate through the Italian wolves disguised in sheep clothing. “I will investigate further into the matter with your stocks. Until then I breathe life back to your companies. It is an honor to find a man with vision. Unfortunately, strife and murder prevails in the pursuit of power and wealth.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Have we concluded our talk, giovani Alfonzo. Are you satisfied of my intentions with your mother and of my loyalty?”

“Yes,” Alfonzo answered honestly.

“Bueno, I believe Maria may become anxious if we do not appear.”

Alfonzo nodded. “Yes, she will.”

      
   ~

“Yo, your mom is cool,” Sergio said as they walked down the concrete streets toward Domingo’s home.

Alfonzo was full. He’d eaten so damn much, he needed to burn the calories. Uptown there were always clubs and lounges open. He figured, what the hell, Sergio and Emilio were young, they should be able to keep up with the over thirty crowd. He’d gotten Domingo out of the house, and he was stoked to chill with Alfonzo before he left town.

The La Bamba Club on One Twenty Ninth Street and Lenox had a ladies free night every Monday and Alfonzo remembered the spot was always hopping with pretty chicas decked out in their finest. There were limited tables which was cool because it kept people on the dance floor. If Sergio had game, he’d snag a hot honey, rubber up and hit it in the bathroom. But, Alfonzo’s purpose of going wasn’t for any of that, nah, his motivation was altruistic, he only wanted to dance.

He nodded at Sergio’s statement as they neared the doors to the club. The music was pumping into the street. His feet moved to the beat, tuning out the talk of young men and their obsession with a group of ladies who emerged from a car, short skirts and legs.

Alfonzo held the door for the women and one chica blew him a kiss. “Gracias papi.”

Sergio smirked when Alfonzo winked at the chick and she blushed.
Damn, my cousin don’t have to do shit to get the ladies do he
?

Domingo pushed Alfonzo through the door. “Move your ass, I’m on a curfew. Teresa ‘aint feeling me hanging out all night primo. So I have to be home by two!”

The guys laughed, except for Emilio because he sympathized with Domingo. Jessica was also the demanding type, no lie.

The bouncer at the door gave Alfonzo a fist pump. “Yo, what’s up crazy motherfucker, I haven’t seen you around in a minute?”

“There’s nothing like Nuevo York, I always gotta’ come home from time to time!” Alfonzo slipped the dude a few bills exceeding the cover charge and the group was waved in.

As soon as they stepped inside the dimly lit club, the music was pumping and damn, nothing but hot ass women shaking their asses met Sergio. Alfonzo went straight to a chica, the baddest mamasita in the crowd and Sergio expected her to blow him off or something, but no, just like that his cousin was dancing with the woman and having a good time.

Sergio scanned the crowd as the other guys split up to do their own thing. He wasn’t accustomed to hanging out with other fellas and being among these fun guys made him realize what he’d been missing. Alfonzo wasn’t a bad dude. Shit, a matter-of-fact, he preferred his company over his mean ass Uncles who always looked about to shoot somebody. Yeah, he can get with this, he thought as he sauntered to a pair of girls about his age dancing together.

“Hey ladies, mind if a brother joins the runway?”

The cute one with red streaks in her hair smiled. “You think you can handle two of us?”

“Mami, bring it on.”

That was three hours ago and after some partying and drinks, Alfonzo and the guys waited outside for Sergio smoking weed. Of course, Alfonzo asked the bouncer to make sure he sent Sergio’s ass out the club in fifteen minutes, he figured that was more than enough time for the kid to hit it and leave.

Domingo always had the best shit, well, nah, not true. Those damn kids did. He was joking about it when he noticed a pair of blue uniforms turn the corner and look in their direction, undoubtedly because they smelled weed. “Fuck!”

“You get rid of that shit primo.” Domingo warned as the officers began to head in their direction.

Alfonzo snuffed out the bud with his fingers, and told Juanito and Emilio to go back in the club. Juanito was strapped and if the cops frisked his ass, they were going downtown. The bud was slipped in his mouth and swallowed after that. Domingo quickly lit a cigarette and passed it to Alfonzo, who he knew good and well didn’t smoke, but hell it’d cover the scent.

The officers neared eyeing the pair. One was a female cop, too petite to be on the beat at this time of night. The other was a male. They both had rookie exuding from their pores.

“Hey fellas, let me see some I.D please,” the female officer ordered when she halt in front of Alfonzo.

Alfonzo smirked, gripped the cigarette in his teeth. The smoke got in his eyes and he squint while raising his hands in the air. “Lo siento policia, you have to get it. I’m not reaching for shit. I don’t want to be another Amadou Diallo up in this bitch.”

Domingo laughed. The cop was so young, she probably never heard about Amadou Diallo. It was a case way back where an African brother was shot and killed in the vestibule of his apartment reaching for his wallet to show the policemen. The motherfucking cops got so scared; they opened fire numerous times killing the poor hardworking immigrant. Guys on the street, hustler and the working class people of color in the ‘hood continue to reference the incident, even today.

“Have it your way. Where is it?”

Alfonzo’s grin widened. He decided to have fun with the rookie. “Front right pocket mami. Be careful you don’t touch anything else hard.”

Her male partner stood with his hand close to his belt. He looked scared as hell as Alfonzo and Domingo chuckled.

The door to the club opened and Sergio came out laughing, took one look at the police officer and exclaimed, “Yo sis, what’s up, why you hassling our cousin?”

The rookie cop’s hand dropped before it touched Alfonzo’s pants.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Nico breathed a sigh of relief when the plane landed on the tarmac.

Sicily denoted home.

The time apart from his beloved Ari siphoned blood marrow from his bones. He missed the hell out of her and the boys. Sheesh, Sergio was a damn drain to be around. Hopefully, Alfonzo would rub off on the kid.

He stretched his legs and arms. Twelve and half hours cooped up on a plane, no matter how luxurious is the equivalent of being caged. Once he disembarked a car waited. Sophie had sent one of her men; bless the woman for her consideration. Most of his life he’d enjoyed the nomadic wanderings, but today he was a weary traveler and yearned for the familiarity of a woman who welcomed him to bed.

On the ride to Sophie’s, he thought about the tip he’d received. He’d check it out in a few days, but for now he needed to spend time with his family. Giuseppe was having troubles again. He was also another bane in the ass that required constant monitoring. Leave Giuseppe alone for too long and he’d set a torch to the city with unreasonableness.

Backpack in tow, midnight shadow and droopy eyes are what Ari saw going up the stairs when she emerged from the kitchen with a very late night snack. “Nico, oh my goodness!” she exclaimed and went to him and they hugged. The pie was carefully held away from his body so it wouldn’t get crushed. 

They went upstairs together and she filled him in on what he missed and he laughed as he undressed, watching her eat and talk from the edge of the bed. “Any day now, huh sweetheart, our girl is coming?”

“Um, she better hurry because I swear Sophie won’t have any food left.”

“She’ll buy more.”

“Um, well damn she can come to my house and cook any time she wants. That lady is a chef.”

Once Nico went and brushed his teeth, he returned to find her slapping the pillows and then she climbed in bed, sighed and rubbed her belly. “I’m fat.”

“Yes, you are. Fat and happy.”