Emilio’s jaw tightened. “We’re not gangsters like that Capone.”
“Some see Italians as nothing else,” Liam argued. “I don’t want that label staining everything I do or those around me.”
“Li, you do realize that violence is sometimes necessary? If you don’t, little brother, I’m afraid you’re in for quite the awakening. If we could depend on the police for justice, we would, but we can’t. That was an unfortunate fact in the old country as well.”
“I know that, Em. I agree that the cowards who took our parents needed to pay,” Liam leaned across the table, suddenly fixing his brother with hard, knowing eyes. “Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it?”
Emilio smiled broadly. “You are a smart one. Alright,” he spread his hands. “Yes, I did. Few things compare to how good vengeance feels, but the feeling is fleeting and easily addictive. The addiction must be constantly fed. Thankfully, I’m not addicted.”
“And our brothers?”
Emilio’s lip twisted. “There’s a place for savagery in this business, Liam. So long as there is a firm hand on its reins, it can be tolerated.” He raised his cup to propose another toast.
Liam grinned, shook his head. “My point is, not all Italians are gangsters,” he touched his cup to Emilio’s. “Not all Americans are monsters, like the one Athena met in that hallway. I don’t want a hundred innocents cut down to get to one monster.”
“Accept our help, Li.” Emilio sobered to urge his point. “It’s security for your business, our sister-in-law and the child she carries. The Tesano she carries. What happened to her last night can never happen again.”
Liam rested back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. “She wants to move.”
“Do you fault her?” humor laced Emilio’s query.
“I don’t fault her, but she doesn’t realize that won’t solve anything.”
“Do you plan to live in that apartment forever, little brother?”
“The flashier we live, the more we invite trouble.”
“So you’ll deny yourself the fruits of your labor?”
“For a time,” Liam waved off the matter. “Things are at a standstill now anyway with the war raging. As for enjoying the fruits of my labor,” he sighed. “There’s more to it than that. Where we live isn’t just home, it’s our business. The people who live and work here have as much right to safety as we do.”
“Agreed, but what does keeping your staff safe have to do with where you live?”
Liam fixed his brother with an exasperated look. “If we leave because we don’t feel safe, what’s to keep them from leaving?”
“You can’t save everyone, Li.”
“I’m trying to first save my business, Em. I can’t afford to lose my staff. They’ll be even more valuable once the factory’s operational.”
“You’ve got a lot on your plate, little brother.”
“You have no idea.”
“Well, I can’t help you solve that but I can take some of the other things off your mind. Don’t let your worry over what we do, stop you from taking what we’re offering.” Focus on your business, I’ll keep you apprised of the moves we make.”
Emilio extended a hand. After a moment, Liam accepted the gesture. “Don’t make me regret this,” he said.
~10~
As the end of a tumultuous year drew to a close, there was time for celebration. Liam and Athena celebrated the birth of their first son. Humphrey Emilio Tesano was born on a snowy afternoon two weeks before Christmas. The newborn’s wails were so throaty, Nandi proclaimed Humphrey would be a man to command respect and get it.
While the newest Tesano’s parents doted on him, they weren’t so starry-eyed that they neglected the duties of their business. Liam’s shipping contacts were proving to be as good as their word. Slowly, the Tesano Textiles factory was taking shape. Liam was still having fabrics stored elsewhere while equipment was delivered to the factory after hours under the cover of darkness and the watchful eye of the newly formed Tesano Textiles security squad. It was an achingly slow process that could take the factory years to reach its potential. Still, Liam believed the process would promise security for both his business and the people who helped him run it.
The five story apartment building in Brooklyn was fully occupied by Tesano Textiles employees and their families. Production had nearly doubled with shipments being delivered in town by truck and abroad via Liam’s still modest but consistently growing fleet of ships.
Time was proving to be a fruitful ally in more than business. Two years later, in the summer of 1941, the Tesano family grew by one with the birth of a second son Aaron Dante Tesano.
***
In spring the following year, Liam was approached by the apartment building superintendent with an offer to purchase from the owners. Liam accepted. With the entire building now under the Tesano Textiles umbrella, Liam set his sights on other similar buildings for the purposes of clothing manufacture, food service and of course, residential occupancy.
The heart of the burgeoning Tesano empire, however, still remained at the modest 5th floor walk-up.
Athena despised it all. Naturally, the rewards of the work were treasures and she didn’t hate how they had come by those rewards. Somewhere along the way though, she’d lost interest in being so close to the front lines of the operation. Perhaps it was the rearing of two small boys that overshadowed her interest.
Aaron was an infant which presented its own set of challenges. Humphrey, almost three, was a lovable terror but a terror just the same. Energetic and curious, he enjoyed his toys and having his parents read to him from the funny pages almost as much as he enjoyed peeking in on the work of the seamstresses and product packers that worked in the building.
Still, it was no place for a child. Most days, Athena divided her time between wrangling her precocious first born and finishing paperwork. The apartment of the building’s former superintendent had become the business's main office and was situated opposite the Tesano’s apartment on the top floor.
It was a busy, fulfilling life and Athena felt smothered by it. She craved a change, but knew it’d do no good to appeal to her husband on the matter. Liam had it all working in his favor. Work and family were in close proximity and so were their most valued employees. Athena believed she was the only one going insane from the exhausting sameness of it all. Liam wasn’t completely oblivious to his wife’s plight, though. It seemed there was still one last undiscovered place on their homefront.
~~~
“Li...oh...oh no...” Athena blinked away the fresh tears clinging to her lashes as her hands came up to cover her mouth in a show of happiness and surprise.
“I know you’ve missed having one,” Liam spread his arms to indicate the transformation of their building rooftop into a garden. Vines and boxes of straw and soil were all that were present to provide a bit of decoration, however.
Athena thought it was perfect.
