Vale held his mother’s accusing glare. “I don’t remember,” he said without so much as a tremor in his voice.
“Your brother remembers,” the quiet storm in Athena’s eyes made the violet orbs that much more brilliant. “What were you trying to insinuate by giving him this? It would be bad if you lie to my face again, boy,” she interjected when Vale opened his mouth to respond.
Vale bristled only slightly then. “I thought he’d get a kick out of seeing his name in the paper like that-”
The rest of the young man’s response was interrupted by the cracking slap his mother put to his cheek.
“Ma!” Humphrey swallowed and bowed his head when Athena fixed him with an acidic look.
“I’ll get to you soon,” she told her oldest and then turned back to her youngest. “What were you trying to insinuate?”
“It’s what he’s into!” Face flushed and streaked by tears, Vale leveled reddened eyes on his mother. “Your precious Stone is a gay blade, a fag! He’s the liar, not me!”
“So you give this to him to...what? Make him tell you the so-called truth?” Athena moved closer to Vale as he shuddered emotionally. “What does this accomplish, boy? What?! Except that your brother would be shamed right alongside your father and our business-our livelihood.”
Vale blinked as if the truth had struck another physical blow.
“Hear me now. Both of you,” Athena commanded, her still beautiful face more captivating in the wake of her rage. “We’ll all be under the same roof soon for The Assumption dinner. This garbage,” she wadded the page and smushed it into the crook of Vale’s neck, “has no place there. If I see it or hear about it, you will regret it young one.”
“And you,” she aimed a finger in Humphrey’s direction. “I will hold you responsible. You’ll see to it that he makes no further mistakes. I don’t want anything turning Stone’s mind to this filth. He needs to focus on his future-the kind of man he needs to be. I’ll make him see that if it’s the last thing I do. Anyone gets in my way, they may find their bright future at Tesano considerably dimmer.”
With that said, Athena turned on the heels of her stylish pumps and stalked from the room.
Vale didn’t move until the office door closed behind his mother. Stiffly, he went to stare broodingly from the tall windows of the corner suite. His breathing was just beginning to steady when he felt the blow to the back of his head.
“Idiot!” Humphrey snarled close to his brother’s ear.
Vale trembled, the insult hurting more than the hit.
“The last thing I need is her looking over my shoulder,” Humphrey raged. “I need to be invisible now, Vay and you’re fucking that up!”
“I’ll fix it,” Vale didn’t turn to face his brother, only sniffled while continuing to glare past the windows. “I’ll fix everything,” he promised.
~61~
Assumption Day~ August 15
1969 had already been quite a year, from the sentencing of Sirhan Sirhan after being convicted of murdering Senator Robert F. Kennedy to President Nixon’s announcing the withdrawal of 25,000 troops from Vietnam in June followed by the Stonewall Riots in New York later that month. August 1969 was proving to be no different. The horrific murders in California during a two night rampage that claimed the lives of an actress and her unborn child had shaken the country to its core.
Athena was as stunned by that news as anyone else. It made her responsibilities for the rest of the week all the more exhausting. She’d managed somehow. For now, it was done. She remained in the car after shutting down the engine and observed the incessant tapping of her fingers to the steering wheel. Early that morning, she had driven back from Ogdensburg in the upstate. There, she had gotten Rosella Campagnone settled in the home of Franco and Bianca Marsala. The couple had been friends to Athena since the early days when she and Liam were new to Bleecker Street.
Unlike most of the acquaintances she and her husband made in those days, Athena considered Frank and Bia her friends exclusively. She hadn’t known when she first met them, that the couple was skilled in gynecological matters. Athena understood the reason for that when she learned of the brothel the Marsalas kept just outside the city-away from the judgmental eyes of their Bleecker Street neighbors.
Now, in their mid 60s, the couple had hung up their hats as brothel-keeps and devoted their know-how to women’s health. Those who knew more about their services would label them abortionists.
To some, it may have seemed unorthodox to have people like the Marsalas assist a young woman in the birth of her child. Athena couldn’t think of a more suitable arrangement. She could be assured that Rosella would be well cared for during her pregnancy.
And once the baby arrived? The silent query caused her heart to lurch.
There would be nothing to fear from the girl’s parents. Delia and Rubius Campagnone were thinking of little else just then, other than how proud they were of their daughter’s accomplishments. The news that Rosella would have to spend almost a year from home, was a small price to pay for the ultimate outcome of the girl having a place of notoriety inside the Tesano organization. The last thing either of the elder Campagnones would want was for it to be known that their daughter had been away having a child out of wedlock.
Out of wedlock...Athena rested on the seat and mulled over the idea for several moments. Stone still had no idea of the baby. For the moment, Rosella was content to let Athena be the one to discuss the matter with him. If the girl grew impatient...
Athena shook that away. Rosella Campagnone wasn’t a threat in the slightest. If only her husband were as easy to control, Athena mused. Liam could know nothing of the child until she was ready for him to. Still, if Stone decided to do right by Rosella and the child, he would surely tell his father. Again, Athena mentally blocked the possibility. She would manage that problem when the time came.
Right now, there were quite literally, bigger fish to fry. The Assumption meal was upon her. Thankfully, the menu was complete and the dishes had been prepared since the previous afternoon. Her staff was top notch, yet she wasn’t willing to put all her trust in that ideal.
Athena left the car in the wide gravel drive. One of the grounds staff would see to parking it. She cleared her belongings from the two day trip and took the petunia-lined pathway that led to the eastern portion of the estate where her garden was located. Lovely, she thought while passing through.
It was especially important for that to be the case today. Gabriel told them he was bringing a girl home and wanted everything to be extra special. The fact that Gabriel himself made the request, told Athena it was serious. She would ensure the day was nothing less than momentous.
Laughter pricked her ears just after she’d taken the short flight of stone steps down to the path that led to the flower beds. Ever the perfectionist, the idea of the housestaff at play when there was work to be done, had her grimacing. Quickening her pace, she expected to find a gaggle of maids slacking off. The young women in her garden weren’t the maids she had expected to find. Sadly, that did nothing to improve her mood given the inappropriate...assortment of them. Not to mention the fact that they were all gathered around her husband.
~~~
“Does Pop even know the effect he has on women?” Pitch watched the girls, including his own, hanging onto Liam Tesano’s every word.
“He’ll never tell,” Roman sighed, loving the sight of Imani throwing back her head to laugh at something his dad had said.
“I don’t think he’s got a clue,” Aaron grinned while shaking his head at the sight of Rena walking arm in arm with his father. “That’s what keeps the women intrigued.”
A commotion in the hallway outside the parlor, abruptly shattered the laughter stirring between the brothers.
“Carla? Carla?! Chi sono quelle ragazze niel mio giardino?!”
“Ah fuck...” Roman murmured at the sound of his mother’s words to the downstairs maid.
“Scuse, Signora-”
