Page 14 of Fall
5
Antonio
I lean forward in the leather button-back armchair at one end of Romano’s central office, bracing for the news he has for us. He’s called his mother into this meeting too, so it must be big. He never involves her in anything unless it’s coming down fromthefamiglia. Nonna Romano’s first cousin, Mauro Xanto is the big boss. The top guy.The boss of everything, she would say if you asked her. He runs his global operation from Calabria. Which goes to show that even my boss has to answer to someone for his actions.
Nonna Romano sits silently, her eyes fixed on the grounds and Olympic sized pool at the back of the Romano property. She hasn't saida word since she sat down. I follow her gaze toward the two-party decorating staff outside. One is holding a tall ladder while the other hangs a string of lights in a criss-cross pattern over the pool. It's such a waste, because we won't have the numbers that were on the original plan for tonight. Natalia and the guests will be lucky to look outside, let alone enjoy the temporary decor. The bosshas already given strict instructions to keep everyone indoors and leave all blinds closed, just in case.
In case of what exactly, I still don’t know.
But we’re about to find out.
Romano steps out of his private side office, his aging dog, Lupo tottering at his side. It’s a tiny room no larger than one of the walk-in closets in the massive house, a space that no one but himis allowed to enter. His face is drawn, emotionless, and his gray eyes have never been darker. When he lowers into his swivel chair and laces the fingers of each hand together, head cast downward, there’s no doubt in my mind that something has gone horribly wrong.
“Tell us, son. What happened?” Nonna Romano says after a brief pause. Her voice is tired and weak, yet her tone commands asmuch respect as always.
The boss takes a heavy breath and looks up. He places his elbows on the marble office desk in front of him and rests his chin on his interlaced hands. “It’s Cousin Prisco on Papa’s side… he broke ranks. He went against Mauro on a private arms deal he was supposed to broker.”
She makes a clicking sound with her tongue and shakes her head with disapproval, thenreaches into the handbag she carries around twenty-four seven, even when she’s here at home. “Oh my God. That boy never listens. Your papa couldn’t keep him in line either. What did Mauro do about it?”
The boss turns to me. “Arrangements are in the works. Natalia, Nonna and I are going to Argentina for a few months. We’re flying out in three days. I’m going to leave you here in charge ofmy affairs until we’re safe.”
“Safe from what?” Nonna Romano asks before the update has a chance to sink in.
"Cousin Prisco's dead, Mama," he breathes out in a strained voice, as though each word is harder to form than the last.
“What? No, no, no… no.Dio Mio." She can hardly hold back her agitation as she grips the side of the armchair tightly, steadying her body. "Why didn'tMauro come to me first? I could've talked some sense into the boy's head. He's stubborn, but he listens to me... Why did no one talk to me?"
The boss shakes his head, somber. “I don’t know, Mama. I don’t know.”
She releases the armrest of the chair and pulls out a neatly folded handkerchief from her bag. “You father’s brother will not stand for this.” The way her voice cracks istelling, and when she dabs one corner of the hemmed square of fabric onto the inside of each eye, I know the news has hit her hard. “What did Mauro say to you? I need to talk to him before this becomes a war.”
“It’s too late for that, Mama,” the boss informs her.
“What did Mauro say?” she repeats the question. “Tell me what he said.”
“The Romanos are no longer under his protectionunless I resume the deal on Prisco’s behalf. I turned him down. We’re not in that business anymore.”
“Dio Mio… Dio Mio, Paolo! Why did you refuse him? Your father, God rest his soul… he would never refuse an order from the top.”
The boss turns to me. "Listen to me, son. I'm not one to give lectures, but what's happening with Mauro is the kind of thing I like to call a teachable moment.This business has changed. Every shop under Mauro has to operate according to what's accepted practice. And here in America, well, we're nothing like the mob in the old country. They can still pull a big score in some lawless third world shithole corner of the planet where presidents are still drug lords and kingpins. We can't do that shit here and stay alive. So yes, Mauro might see us asweak and floundering. The idea that we've adapted with the times and made our holdings legal makes the big bosses mad as hell. The margins are smaller. We have to work at it, you know? But the boss, he'd be happy to see us continue along like the animals we once were. Half of my job today is justifying what we do here."
"I understand what you're saying, boss, and I agree," I tell him. Iknow exactly what he means. Drug and gun running don't work as a long game in America. If Romano had continued the kind of operation he inherited, he'd probably be in jail, or dead by now.
“Good.” He turns back to Nonna Romano again. “I won’t let anyone in my organization touch that deal,” he stresses, defiant.
His mother stuffs her hankie into her bag again and pushes off the armrests,getting to her feet. She reaches for her walking cane, and instead of using it to support her body, she points it at the boss. “I am not going to let you destroy your papa’s legacy. I won’t stand by and wait for Mauro to take out every member of his family. One of your father’s brothers will step up. Do not speak to Mauro again. I will talk to him now. Do you understand me, boy?”
“You don’tneed this headache, Mama. I’ll take care of t—” he starts, but Nonna Romano crashes the end of her cane down on the tabletop with a force I didn’t expect.
"No! Listen to me, boy. I am still your mother, and I said I will talk to Mauro. I am going to fix this. You hear me? I don't want to hear another word from you on this."
It’s near impossible for me to keep my focus on the twoof them as they continue to argue. The boss is leaving the country? With Natalia and his mother?
And he’s leaving me in charge of his entire operation?
I sit up in the armchair, straightening out the knot that’s formed at the base of my chest. This news has twisted up my insides. No matter how I look at it, it’s bigger than I expected.
Everything’s about to change.
