Say Ye (9 page)

Voices followed the clunk of car doors and Gianni and Joe entered, Carlo and Uncle Enzo close behind. They all greeted each other with hellos and hugs and Lita settled into her new comfortable warm feeling. This was her family.

“Joe, Gianni, how about some help with the ‘queing?” Carlo asked as he picked up a pan of marinated chicken. He kissed Sophia, who stood at the sink washing and drying romaine lettuce for Caesar Salad. Gianni and Joe looked at each other, as if waiting for something.

“Go help your uncle,” Uncle Enzo said to Gianni, who smiled at Lita before he shrugged and walked out. He had Lorenzo’s smile, a little sexy and mischievous. Lita turned and got down the wooden salad bowl.

“Need help with anything?” Joe asked her.

Uncle Enzo walked into the foyer to answer the doorbell’s peal, muted under the talk and laughter echoing in from the back yard.

“There’s a bowl of pasta salad in the fridge you could take out.”

“So, Grandpa Enzo says you like cooking?” Joe pulled out the salad and stood waiting for her to lead the way.

“I do. What about you? Have any hobbies?”

“I wouldn’t call cooking for this family a hobby.” They laughed. “Work keeps me busy. Otherwise, movies, concerts, clubs, and all that. Just the usual. Been to the beach yet this summer?” He followed her into the dining room to set the food out.

“Only once last month. It’s not really hot enough unless you go down to Santa Cruz or something. I don’t have a car, so I don’t go that far.”

“I could take you if you want,” he said as they reentered the kitchen.

Lita faced him. He smiled at her, his dad’s smile, kind and open. Nothing of Lorenzo in him.

“If you have time, thanks.” Maybe here, with these people, she could learn to truly trust.

“Sure,” he said.

They turned then to greet Vincente and his grandpop Vittorio, Uncle Enzo’s older brother, and, a few minutes later, Celeste and her family. Soon Lita was surrounded, chatting and laughing with Joe, Gianni, Vincente, and the D’Angelo boys. Joe remained friendly, Gianni was a flirt, Vincente strong and observant, Frankie D’Angelo a tease, and his younger brother Michael sweet. She liked being surrounded by men, good men who made her feel secure and comfortable.

The doorbell rang again. She peeked between Vincente and Michael’s shoulders. It was only Janice and an attractive man, maybe in his early forties, wearing a gorgeous grey suit, like Danny Kaye’s in “White Christmas.” Lita watched as they greeted everyone, wondering at the slight frowns of Uncle Enzo and Vittorio.

“Break it up, fellas,” Janice said, pushing Gianni. “You look like Lita’s personal entourage. She the little princess?”

Lita crossed her arms, her mind spinning.

“Better a princess than an old--” Gianni said.

“Rhymes with witch?” Janice’s friend said.

They laughed, except Lita, Michael, and Vincente. Michael and Vincente walked away while Janice introduced Lita to her friend, Paolo Francis.

“Princess, meet the Queen,” Janice finished before chuckling. Paolo tweaked her ear.

“I love your suit,” Lita said. Since she couldn’t think of a witty remark, she ignored Janice’s comment.

“Thanks, Nordstrom. I work there as a buyer. Your dress is fabulous,” he said, fingering the blue linen. Lita smiled.

“Oh lord. Come on, nephews,” Janice said to Joe and Gianni. “Fashion divas. Show me the wine.”

Lita and Paolo laughed and continued their talk until dinner.

Sitting at the table, Lita almost choked on her bite of salad when the doorbell rang. But it was only Lee who followed Carlo into the dining room, apologizing for being late. He kissed Lita on the top of her head before sliding into the empty seat beside her, the seat she’d imagined Lorenzo in. Prickles of guilt pestered her. Lee joining them was great, just what she’d hoped.

“I don’t suppose you’ve spoken to Lorenzo?” Uncle Enzo asked him.

Lita strained to hear over the five other conversations around the table.

“Yes, he’s busy packing. He told me he’d already said goodbye.”

Lita placed her fork on her plate and sipped her water.

“I suppose he did,” Uncle Enzo said. He glanced at Lita, who wanted to pour the water on her head, she felt so hot.

Instead, she sat, rearranging the food on her plate, hoping it would look like she’d eaten more than she had, waiting for the moment she could escape to the kitchen to help with the dishes. But apparently Lorenzo hadn’t lied to Emma that Thanksgiving two years before--all the men except Uncle Enzo and Vittorio cleaned up while everyone else went into the living room.

When Carlo and Joe brought out coffee and dessert, Lita’s entourage settled in again. Lee soon joined them, edging ever closer to Lita. She glanced at him and wondered at his frown and crossed arms, so unlike his usual easy posture and smile. Then Uncle Enzo called Gianni and Joe into his study while Frankie, Michael, and Vincente moved off, talking about the Giants.

“Something going on?” Lita asked her brother.

“Just worried about you,” he said. He put his arm around her shoulder and walked her into the foyer.

“I’m fine. You know how great everyone here is. This is…” she stopped, realizing saying this was the family she’d always wanted might hurt Lee, who had been her only real family before now.

“I know, what you’ve always wanted. I just want you to be careful. You give yourself away so easily, you’re bound to get hurt.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I’m not as trusting as you think. Is there some reason…I mean, I thought you loved…” She didn’t want to say his name.

“Sure, I do, but you’re my baby sister.” He hugged her. “Let’s go grab a cookie before Janice eats them all.”

“Okay,” she said. She laughed. Janice could pack it away, though it never showed. Must be nice to eat whatever you wanted and not get pudgy. Lita would never know.

7

Two months and Lita still didn’t feel settled. She smoothed her skirt and twisted her foot around. She didn’t know what they meant. She sat and tried to listen to Janice and Uncle Enzo explain all the parts of her father’s estate and Uncle Enzo’s plan to put his house in her name, a sort of living trust. She didn’t understand all the legal terms, but Lee sat with her and summed it up.

“Once you sign all these papers, you’ll be set for life, as long as you’re careful and don’t trust the wrong people.” Lee kept saying that these last two months, ever since she’d moved into Uncle Enzo’s. He didn’t understand that Lita needed to believe in goodness, that life was full of miracles.

“Not much chance of that. I have all of you to help me,” Lita said. She smiled at Uncle Enzo and Lee and even at a grimacing Janice. Lita was used to her sour faces after the last two months of family dinners, though Janice had only shown up twice. “Now I can finally get you a good Christmas present,” she said to Lee.

“Sending me to Hawaii?”

“I would.”

“Just kidding. I like all the homemade gifts you’ve given me. Don’t change.”

“I won’t.” Lita hugged everyone, even Janice. “How about dinner at Nick’s later this week?”

“Only if I get to return the favor for your birthday.”

Lita nodded as she and Uncle Enzo walked Lee and Janice to the front door.

Lita felt so grateful for her new home and family. She didn’t see her mother, Aunt Cass, or Emma anymore, but she still had Lee and now Uncle Enzo and all the DeGrazias and D’Angelos. Though there were some problems between the families—rumors of old arguments and betrayals--and she didn’t think Celeste’s son liked Uncle Enzo much.

She smiled as she looked at Uncle Enzo, glad he and Celeste were, sort of, dating. She guessed they loved each other. That was the missing piece for Lita.

“Going out with Jim D’Angelo again?” Uncle Enzo asked as they went into the kitchen.

“No, no one seems to ask me out more than once. I guess it’s just as well.” Joe’s cousin Jim was strong and silent, an extreme example of the D’Angelo men, who were all tough, determined, and protective. But Jim intimidated her, unlike his cousins Joe, Frankie, and Michael.

Lita filled the tea kettle in the deep sink. “Are you taking Celeste out?” Lita’s heart wasn’t in dating—it was still with Lorenzo. But he’d remained in Italy, never talking to her when he called Uncle Enzo, never answering her letters.

“No, and she’ll be leaving for a cruise with her friend from church later in the week. Mrs. Matthews won a trip for two and is taking Celeste.”

“That’s nice. Celeste told me she’s never had a real vacation.” Lita placed the kettle on the stove and watched the bluish flames flicker against the metal bottom.

“Yes, she deserves it.”

“But you’ll miss her.” She walked to Uncle Enzo.

“You’re getting to know me too well,” he said. He kissed her forehead and a contented warmth suffused her limbs.

“Have you heard from Lorenzo?” She destroyed her own contentment.

“Yes.” Uncle Enzo didn’t look happy anymore. “Maybe he’ll be back for Thanksgiving.”

“Maybe?” Her hand moved to her throat. She hadn’t realized how hopeful she’d been for Lorenzo’s return.

“Or he might want me to have Pete send all his things there.”

Lita turned and busied herself by rearranging the organized refrigerator. She wouldn’t upset Uncle Enzo by showing him how deeply she cared for Lorenzo.

“He’s not sure. Or rather he is sure, but…”

“He’s sure he wants to stay in Italy?” Lita stood as she pulled some salad makings and chicken out.

“He believes it would be best.” Uncle Enzo tapped his fingers on the table.

“For who?”

“Why don’t you call him?”

“I’ll make dinner now.” Lita set her mouth in a determined line and grabbed the salad bowl.

Uncle Enzo shook his head but didn’t say anything else. Lita prepared dinner in silence.

***

Lita never did get to take Lee to dinner at Nick’s, she caught the flu. Sophia moved in for a week so she could take care of Uncle Enzo and Lita. Her new friend Joanna came over and apologized, saying she should have warned Lita about the danger of volunteering in her second grade classroom--newbies often got sick until they built up immunity to the surfeit of germs. Lita laughed, though that was before her fever set in again and she couldn’t recall much, the days blended together.

She remembered Sophia brought her homemade chicken broth or cream of rice, wiped her brow with a cool cloth, and read her magazines and books when she felt mostly better. She changed Lita’s sheets and gave her medicine. No one had ever done all those things for her before. Lee used to heat a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup for her when she was little and caught a cold, but she usually had to take care of herself. Lita grew almost jealous of Joe and Janetta; she wished Sophia was her mother.

As she lay in bed one night, the cool October breeze ruffling the cotton curtains of her room, she stared at the ceiling. A hairline crack marred the otherwise smooth shell pink surface. If she could get over Lorenzo and fall in love with Joe, Sophia could be her mother. Of course, that was assuming Joe would cooperate. Lita shivered as she got up to shut the window. Too bad Uncle Enzo couldn’t arrange it all. He would like to, she was sure.

Once she was well again, Lita made an effort to flirt with Joe at every gathering, which at first seemed only to succeed in eliciting jealous looks from Gianni. She sat next to Joe at the table, made his favorite foods, Sophia and Carlo invited her to dinner at their house too, when they knew Joe would be there, which was often as he worked with his dad at DeGrazia Distribution. Lita liked him and she could tell he liked her, but she believed, for them both, it was only as friends. Except, when she went dancing with him and a group of his friends on his birthday and wore her little black dress, she saw he might feel more than friendship, as he gave her several admiring looks.

As he drove her home, he glanced at her several times, but was silent. When he pulled into the driveway at Uncle Enzo’s, Lita waited. She thought he might kiss her. She leaned back in her seat and shut her eyes.