Page 39 of Wish I Were Here
“We know her name. And Catherine’s birth date and place of birth. She was born here in Pittsburgh, but we don’t even know what hospital.”
It’s almost nothing. “Can you work with that?” I ask.
Uncle Vito stares at me. “I can work with anything.” He turns to the guy on his left. “What do you think? Start with hospital records?”
Left guy nods. “That’s what I’d do.”
“Can you hack in?”
“Sure. But—” Left Guy assesses me. “Thirtyish years ago, records weren’t kept electronically. Everything’s going to be in paper files in a basement somewhere.”
Uncle Vito nods. “We need Fabrizio.”
“Agreed.”
“Okay.” Uncle Vito picks up his cards and reclines in his chair. “Text me the info and give me two days.”
I lean into Luca, my body heavy with relief. I have no idea who Fabrizio is, or how he’s going to dig up what I need. But Uncle Vito seems like the kind of guy who, if he wants information, gets information. “Oh, thank you so much.”
“Now let me finish my card game.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks, Uncle Vito,” Luca says, and we turn to head back through the beaded curtain.
“Hey, Luca.” Uncle Vito’s sharp voice stops us. “Go visit your ma once in a while, will you?”
“Yes, sir,” Luca calls behind him. Under his breath, he mutters to me, “I go every Sunday.”
Back out in the bar, Barbara shoos a couple away from our stools so we can sit down again. She sets two more shots in front of us, and I quickly swallow mine.
“Do you think Uncle Vito would have really cut off my dad’s hand if I’d wanted him to?”
“You know, I don’t know.” Luca scrunches his brow. “He’s offered a couple of times, but I’ve never taken him up on it.” I can’t tell if he’s joking or not. I decide not to dig deeper.
“And you really think this guy—Fabrizio—will help me find something about my mother?”
Luca nods. “Fab’s a good guy. He’ll know what to do.”
“Another Morelli, I suppose?”
“Second cousin.”
I try to imagine what it would be like to be a part of a family who are all willing to help each other out like the Morellis. I’ve never needed to cut someone’s hand off, but maybe it would be comforting to know the option were open to me. To know that people were willing to go to bat for me. My gaze lifts to Luca’s. Sort of the way he’s going to bat for me.
Whyishe helping me like this? He keeps introducing me as his friend, but until today, we never spent any timetogether, and we barely even talked. Is this whole situation just something to amuse him? A distraction from the front desk?
Well, even if I’m just entertainment for him, I’m grateful. “Thanks for your help with this, Luca. You definitely don’t have to be doing all this for me.”
“Sure I do.” He waves a dismissive hand. “It’s no big deal. I’m just trying to get you back to solving all the world’s numerical problems. Someone needs to do it, and it’s certainly not going to be me.”
“You’re not a fan of math?”
“I have to admit, I can’t see the appeal. But I see whyyoulike it.”
“Really? And why’s that?”
“Math adds up and makes sense. You just have to follow the rules, and it will come through for you. You can count on it.” He pauses. “Unlike, oh… being a clown.”
