29 — Prospects
October 30, 1938
The sun was well on the rise as Carmine stepped out of the hospital, the new stitches in his formerly good shoulder itching. His Harlequin costume was rolled up under his arm, and for all that Mama would have chided him, he didn't feel so bad standing on the pavement in just an undershirt and old, worn-hemmed trousers.
He was debating whether to seek a cab or just hoof it home when he felt a familiar, gentle hand at his elbow.
"Nato," Carmine said as he turned.
His eldest brother's face was swollen-looking, and pale but for the red rims of the eyes.
"Desto's dead," Renato choked out.
"Dom... Well, they're doin' surgery. Papa... Papa collapsed after we got here. Heart attack. Little one."
"Oh, Jesus, I..."
Carmine's effort to rush back into the hospital was halted by Renato's hand, still on his elbow, tightening its grip.
"Won't let you see 'im. They won't let hardly anyone see 'im just now. Uncle Batty and Cousin Leo are at his door."
"Good. That's... Nato, I..."
"C'mon," Renato shrugged, "I'll give ya a lift."
The brothers walked in silence to Renato's car, got in, then drove for a while, still in silence.
"You didn't tell me everything, did you?" Renato asked.
"What? I..."
"You didn't tell me everything! Now Desto's dead, Dom might die, Papa... Oh, Christ, Carmine. Christ."
"Told you what I could, Nato. What I knew."
"Like hell you did! Our family, most of 'em are back at that hospital, and you... You know, they shot Annunziatta too. Our baby sister. She... They said she'll be all right, just got her ribs, but..."
Renato's rage seemed to still, but then he let out a soul-sick groan.
"Those Farinos! Those Goddamn Farinos!"
Maybe now was the moment to spill everything, to tell Renato that even if the Farinos did have to do with the attack, Dom was in it with them. Renato would believe, because he knew as well as anyone how crazy Dom was, and how stupid, and...
"You let me down," Renato went on.
"You kept somethin' from me, Carmine. I know you did."
"Nato, I... Look, what..."
"Shut your trap! Shut your lousy, lying trap! You didn't tell me everything, and now we're in the soup."
The car pulled to a skidding halt along the side of the street. Carmine, memories of Papa smacking him for "backtalk" rising in his brain, found himself backing against the door.
Renato looked ready to kill.
"You never messed up like this, Carmine. Never. But now..."
For a tense while, Carmine stayed pressed back against the door, Renato leaning into his space, teeth bared. Finally, however, something broke, and Renato turned back to the wheel.
"Dom's out of commission for a while. I'm taking his guys, and I'm bumping him down the chain of command. I believe what you said, that this all started from someone in his crew. He should never've had a crew, except Papa worships him so. And you..."
Renato sighed.
"I'm taking your crew as well, but I'm not bumping you down the chain."
"Nato, I..."
"You're outta this family. I can't push Dom all the way out, since Papa and Mama'd never allow it, but you... Damn, little brother. I thought I could trust you."
"What... You can trust me, Nato! You can. Just..."
"No. No, Carmine. I can't take any chances. You're out. And I wan'cha outta the city too, at least a while. I don't wanna see or hear from you."
"Papa won't... A third of the plant's mine! Papa won't let you just take everything from..."
"I'll buy your third of the plant. I'll give you more than fair price, and I'll send the money to you wherever you want, so long as you get outta here."
A sudden thrill of indignation rose in Carmine's chest. He had tried to fix things, had tried to help, he had damn well saved Renato's life, and now he was out?
With a huff, Carmine opened the door and got out of the car.
"All right. I'll go. I'll fuckin' leave. But you'll miss me, Nato. You'll miss your only sane, adult brother."
"Where do I send your money?"
Carmine shrugged as best he could, feeling the bandages over his stitches rub inside his shirt.
"Don't care. You can send it to Hell, for all I care."
"Carmine..."
"No. You know what? Give it to Burt. He's good with money and figures, and he's not family. He can't disappoint you."
"Carmine? Carmine..."
He started off along the pavement, desperately wanting to scratch at his shoulder. He heard the car rolling along beside him, and when Renato called his name again, he turned back.
"Carmine, this is the way it's gotta be."
"Sure."
"Hey. Hey!"
"What? I gotta get outta town, remember?"
"Y'ain't my only sane brother, ya know? As far as I'm concerned, you're my only brother."
Renato gunned the engine, drove to the next intersection, and drove off into the morning. Carmine watched the car go, pondering his brother's words.
He was being sent away. He, who had only ever tried to do the best he could. He, who had always been reliable. The one Renato had never kept too close an eye on.
Suddenly, to Carmine, this little exile began to make sense. It hurt, but it made sense.
It was noon before he got home. Burt was at the door the instant he stepped inside, hugging him, worrying over him.
"I'm all right, I'm... Look, I'm fine."
"For all I knew, you were dead! Oh, Carmine, it's all over the news, your poor father's had a heart attack..."
"I know. I know."
Carmine rested against Burt for a while, the hurried into the bedroom. He struggled into a clean shirt, changed his trousers, and started to pack his green valise.
"What... Where are you off to?" Burt asked from the doorway.
"I... There's a lot goin' on. A lot of... There's trouble. I gotta go away for a while."
"Well I'll go too. We'll go somewhere quiet..."
"Burt, no."
The blond man stepped further into the room. There was still a hint of white makeup under his chin — it made Carmine smile.
"But I... We..."
"I gotta go alone, okay? But don't worry. It's only for a while. I'll... I don't know when, but I'll get back. And you'll be safe here."
"Safe? Who's safe anymore?"
Leaving the things on the bed, Carmine went and pulled Burt close again, kissing the top of his head, then deciding it wasn't enough.
"Try to be safe," he said, and sealed the words with a proper kiss.
Posted Oct 29, 2019, 7:27 AM UTC · edited