Awakening the Mobster (12 page)

Antonio puts his arm around me and squeezes. Deep images of roaring flames invade my mind. The explosion resonates and twists in dancing pictures.

I lean down and kiss my sister on her forehead. Vito takes Erin’s hand. Antonio follows behind me and kisses her too.

Antonio whispers to me, “She’s gonna be okay.”

We gather in the hallway by Erin’s door.

“How you doing, man?” Antonio asks Vito.

“It didn’t hurt until
Nurse Cratchit
pointed it out,” he says.

“I’m going to call Pop. She needs a private room somewhere in the hospital away from everyone. I’m gonna see if Pop has any guys around here he can call in a favor to.”

Antonio calls his father and briefly tells him what he needs. Vito goes to the cafeteria for coffees. A few orderlies and other hospital staff shuffle in and out of Erin’s room while we wait. After about twenty minutes, Erin’s bed is rolled out of the emergency room she was in to the fourth floor. We ride in the elevator with her.

At the very end of the hall, they put her in a huge room. There is a couch and two chairs with a small refrigerator. It is decorated totally different than the rest of the hospital rooms we saw. It is like they mixed a lounge area and a hospital room.

Vito finds us on the fourth floor. He’s carrying coffees in a tray in one hand and a vase of purple flowers in the other. He places them on the coffee table in front of me.

“They’re beautiful,” I say. “Maybe we should put them on the table by her bed.”

Fussing is the only thing I know to do. I have flattened the blankets out on the bed. I organized her rolling tray with a water pitcher, tissues, and the remote for the T.V. Erin is sleeping soundly. Her leg is now perched on a stack of pillows to keep it elevated instead of from the ceiling.

I haven’t paid much attention to what Antonio has been talking on the phone about. I thought he might have been talking to a car dealer. He discussed price and delivery.

I move the flowers and sip my coffee. Vito lies down on his stomach on the couch and scrunches a pillow under his head. He takes his gun and stuffs it under the pillow.

“You in pain?” I ask him, softly.

“Yeah, my back is starting to sting.”

“Maybe I should go and get that prescription filled,” I suggest. Antonio waves a finger at me and mouths the word
no
. He is still on the phone.

From my view near the doorway to Erin’s room, I see patients and nurses in the hallway all turning to look at the huge dark complexioned men coming towards us. They stride in the same confident and intimidating way that Antonio and Vito do.
Oh yeah, they’re mob.

They stop inches from the door and peek in. Antonio’s face fills with recognition and he smiles.

“I gotta go. Make sure they are here by Tuesday,” he says and ends the call.

I step back towards my sister’s bed, unsure about these guys.

“Hey, Carlo,” Antonio says, and slaps henchman one, Carlo, in a hug. Glad that Antonio knows these guys, I relax a little. But I get the feeling that we can’t trust anyone. Vito gets up and hugs Carlo, too.

“Whoa, easy
paesan
,” Vito says. “I got a mess of burns on my back.” Carlo backs away.

“I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve seen you guys,” Carlo says. “Remember the time you came up behind Sister Mary and tugged her habit down,” he says to Vito. You scared the shit out of her.” Carlo laughs. “Father Gio made you clean the church for a month.”

I look at Vito. “Are you serious?” I say disbelieving. Antonio, Vito, and Carlo are laughing it up.

“Hey Carlo, this is my girlfriend, Megan,” Antonio says pulling me to him.

“Eh, I see you found a nice Italian girl,” Carlo jokes. “Pleasure to meet you, Megan. These guys treating you right?” he asks. “Because if they’re not...” he trails off.

Antonio gives Carlo a playful jab. “This is Adolfo,” Carlo says introducing the other guy. Adolfo is standing hands crossed watching the scene of old friends catching up. He’s tall and expressionless. He is wearing his sunglasses inside, playing scary henchman number two perfectly.

A deep
hello
rumbles out of him. He turns and stands by the door facing the filled hallway of intrigued onlookers. He spreads his legs slightly and crosses his hands in front of him again.
Oh, yeah, bodyguard.

Carlo sits down in one of the chairs, and Vito lies back down on the couch. Antonio gestures for me to sit in the other chair. He leans against it.

“Adolfo!” Carlo calls out, and Adolfo shuts the door. “So, Antonio, what can we do for you?” Carlo says switching to all business.

“Megan’s sister has to stay here a couple of days, and Vito’s been hurt. I need some extra eyes and ears on these girls.”

“So that’s the princess in the bed?” Carlo asks.

“My sister,” I say, interjecting. Carlo gets up and walks to the side of the bed. I bristle with protectiveness. I go over there too. Antonio follows.

“What happened?” Carlo asks.

Antonio puts his hand on my back before I can say a word.

“She fell,” he says.

Vito is watching every move Carlo makes. I think he might not trust these guys either.

“If you could stay here with Vito and Megan that would really help me out.”

“Sure, no problem,” Carlo says. “I think Adolfo and I can handle that.

Antonio pulls me aside. “Listen. I have to go take care of some things. Stay here with Carlo and Vito. Don’t leave to go anywhere in the hospital without someone.”

“Vito needs his medicine,” I remind him.

“I know. I’m going to send Adolfo downstairs to the pharmacy to get it.”

“Be careful. And call me. I want to know your safe,” I say, wrapping my arms around his waist, and leaning my head against his chest.

“I will. I’ll call you.” He puts his hands on my cheeks and kisses me. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I return.

Antonio says good-bye to Vito and shakes hands with Carlo. He opens the door and speaks to Adolfo. Then he is gone.

My cell phone rings. It’s Troy.

“Hello.”

“Meg? Where are you guys?”

“We ran into some problems,” I tell him.

“Problems? What kind of problems? Are you okay?”

“I can’t tell you, but we’re all alive.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Troy gets heated.

“Tell me where you are right now, Meg. I’m coming there.” Carlo shakes his head at me. “Troy, I wish I could, but I can’t. We’re okay.” I try to reassure him.

“Meg, this is getting out of control.”

“You’re right,” I tell him. He is right. Things are crazy, and Erin is lying in a hospital. I glance at my listless sister who looks small and helpless.

“Jake and I can come and get you guys,” Troy says. “I want to help.”

“Troy, I will definitely call if we need you. Thank you so much. You’re friendship means more to me than I can tell you.

“Where’s Antonio?” he asks.

“He had some things to do. Vito is with us.”

“Meg? Tell Antonio I will do anything he needs. Be careful...” Troy says hesitantly.

“I will. Bye,” I feel empty when I hang up.

Adolfo comes back with the medicine for Vito. Vito pops a pill in his mouth dry.
Yuck!
I gag thinking about it.

A nurse comes in and changes a bag on my sister’s intravenous. Erin has not stirred or opened her eyes since I saw her shaking in Vito’s arms.

“Excuse me, nurse?” I say.

“Yes?” she asks politely.

“Is she going to wake up soon?”

“It is hard to tell. We gave her a strong sleep and pain medicine. I’m her nurse till eleven. I’m Brenda. If you need anything, let me know.”

“Thank you.” The nurse leaves.

Adolfo assumes his position again outside the door. Not only did he bring Vito’s medicine, but some snacks, a novel, and a deck of cards.

“Hey, Vito,” Carlo says. “How about a little friendly poker?”

“Nah, man. I’m going to try to get some sleep. My back is killing me.”

Vito hasn’t moved from the couch. He has been drifting in and out since Erin was moved up here.

“How about you, little lady? How about a nice game of cards?”

“Uh, okay,” I respond. I want something to keep my mind busy, or I’m going to fix the blankets on Erin’s bed a million more times.

“What’ll it be?” Carlo asks, shuffling the cards with his long dark fingers. We sit opposite each other with the coffee table between us.

“Whatever you want?” I say.

“Do you know how to play poker?” he asks, defying gravity by flipping the cards around in the air, so that they look like a waterfall.

“No.”

“How about blackjack?”

“Yeah, that’s twenty-one right?”

“Sure is,” he says giving me a wink. He deals the cards. “I’ve never seen anyone with Tonio before. You must be really special.” I blush at his words.

“Tonio is known as a loner in a lot of ways. He is very loyal,” he continues. “Are you gonna stay or do you want a hit?” I bend my cards so I can read the face down one.

My cards total fifteen, so I say, “Hit me.”

Carlo throws down a five for me and a three for him. I now have twenty. “Stay,” I say.

Carlo flips out another card for himself. An eight. He shakes his head. “Flip um.”

Carlo is over twenty-one. He swipes the cards off the table and deals again.

“So, you and Antonio used to be close?” I ask, checking out my cards.

“I used to hang out with these guys when I lived in Palmetto. My pop
acquired an interest
in a casino in Chicago, so we moved here.”

He emphasized the word acquired. I notice that many times Antonio and his friends, and even his father, use formal words that allude to whatever they’re talking about as unlawful.

I win another hand, and Carlo scoops up the cards and deals a third time.

“How did you meet him?” Carlo asks.

“We go to high school together. I live in Palmetto.”

“Figures Antonio would be
taken
with the only
medigan
in Palmetto.” He shakes his head and checks his cards. Vito’s light snoring gets louder. I look over my shoulder and check on my sister. She is still out, sleeping soundly. I want to protest that I’m not the only one. My friend Raven isn’t Italian, but my phone rings. It’s Antonio.

“Hi,” I say relieved.

“How are things going there, honey? How’s Erin?”

“Still sleeping,” I say.

“Is that normal?” he asks.

“Yeah, I asked the nurse. She said that they don’t know when she’ll wake.”

“And Vito?” Antonio asks.

“Snoring...” I roll my eyes at Carlo and glance over at Vito. “...loudly,” I finish. Carlo laughs.

“Let me talk to Carlo,” Antonio says.

I can’t hear what is being said, but Carlo answers with yes. He listens for a minute, then says bye. He hands the phone back to me.

“Antonio?” I say, making sure he is still on the line.

“Yeah. Try to get some sleep. Don’t let Carlo keep you up playing cards. He’s addicted to it, and he sucks at it,” Antonio says chuckling.

“Okay. Love you.”

“Love you too. I’ll see you soon. Bye.”

“Bye.” And I end the call.

Chapter 15

Mamaluke (mama-luk): something foolish

Antonio:

I hated leaving them. Megan’s sister and Vito both hurt. But I had to. I hope I can trust Carlo and his guy Adolfo. I haven’t seen him in years. Time changes people.

I picked up Troy after I left the suite where I filled up the luggage, packed up the kitchen, and moved it to the car. I would have picked up Troy first to make him help me, but I wasn’t sure what I would find. No point in putting him in harm’s way if I didn’t have to.

“What the hell?” Troy exclaims looking at his friend’s car.

“There was a hail storm.” Troy walks around the car in disbelief.

“Hail?! Was the hail on fire? Holy Shit!” he shouts.

“Don’t worry. I’m buying this guy a new car. It’ll be here on Tuesday.”

“What did ya do to my car? There is a huge dent in the front,” he asks incredulously.

“I’ll get it fixed for you.”

Troy stands there, shaking his head. “I just talked to Megan. She wouldn’t tell me where she is. She sounds scared.”

I wish I didn’t hear that shit. I don’t like her being scared. Not that it’s not warranted, I just don’t like it.

We transfer all our stuff to Troy’s car and return the borrowed car to a very stunned freshman. I tell him his new car will be here on Tuesday, a brand new Ford Taurus. I got the kid’s cell phone number to make sure he gets it.

Troy drove me in his recently dented car to Hertz. I rent another SUV, a Suburban.

After Troy leaves me, I get a call from Patrick.

“Hello,” I say.

“I’m at the airport. Pick me up,” he says and hangs up.

Okay... Surprise visit from the Cleaner, great!

I drive to the airport where we started this journey and grab a smoke outside the automatic doors before making my way to the arrival gates. Airport security is flanking both sides of the area. I’m careful not to walk too close to any metal detectors. My gun is secured in the waistband of my jeans.

Passengers flock to their loved ones and baggage claims. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. Patrick saunters with the crowd, keeping pace but not appearing to be rushing. He is just naturally fast. He is carrying a large duffle bag and a rigid expression.

“Let’s go,” Patrick says, and I fall into step with him. He doesn’t say anything else until we get outside. I’m going to need some supplies.”

Supplies are weapons and whatever he needs to chop up people into little pieces to make them disappear.

Inside the parking garage of the airport, I click the doors to unlock and I walk around to the driver’s side.

Thoomp, thoomp!

Something stings my leg. I automatically reach down to see what it is. A bee is the first thing to come to mind, but it’s a dart. A tranquilizer dart. I yank it out. My body becomes numb and I hit the door of car. I crash to the cement, paralyzed. I hear a thump from the other side of the vehicle and people running. Then, darkness consumes me.