Page 52 of Twice
“Some people make a big deal. You know, hide a ring in the apple pie. That kind of thing.”
“Is that how you did it?”
“Me? Nah.” LaPorta chuckled. “My first wife orchestrated the whole event. Picked out the ring. Even picked out the box. Told me to give it to her at Christmas. Then she cried when she opened it. ‘Oh, Vince, it’s so beautiful!’ I don’t know. She liked to make a big production out of things.”
“Is that why you split up?”
“Yes and no. She was a pain.”
“And your second wife?”
“Well, that’s a whole diff—”
LaPorta stopped himself. What was he doing? His story didn’t matter. This notebook didn’t matter.Roulette scam. Two million dollars.He glanced at his watch. The police would be here any minute to take Alfie to jail.
“Look, pal. I don’t care what you read next. But if it doesn’t explain why we’re bothering with this notebook, you’re done.”
“It will,” Alfie said.
The Composition Book
We went to visit my grandmother not long after we got engaged. The nursing home was as I remembered it. But when Yaya was wheeled out, I was stunned at how much she had changed in a short time. She sat low in her chair, arms limp in her lap, her mouth slightly agape. Her beautiful hair, always full and youthful, was now matted back under a shower cap.
“Alfie,” she said. “I didn’t know... you were coming.”
“I called a couple days ago. Remember?”
“Oh, you did? I don’t... I’m ...”
She looked down and shook her head. I nudged Gianna, who was standing behind me.
“Yaya, this is Gianna.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “Oh. Gianna. Finally!”
She motioned for me to lean in.
“Let me jump back to this morning,” she whispered. “I’ll get cleaned up.”
“No, Yaya. You’re fine the way you are.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
She squeezed my hand, then raised her voice to Gianna.
“You are lovely,” she said.
“Thank you,” Gianna said. “Not as lovely as you.”
“Oh, my, well,” my grandmother said.
She turned to her orderly. “Go away,” she snapped.
He rolled his eyes but headed down the hall.
“So, Gianna,” my grandmother whispered, “you got any cigarettes?”
