you guys are going to make Carlo crazy!”
“Carlo’s at Sophie’s.”
“Well, that’s a relief!”
“I’m not leaving without him, girl. Would you let Alfonzo steal your children?”
“Shanda, listen to me on this. Do not push Giuseppe’s buttons. Call Sophie.” There was a brief pause followed by a long sigh before Selange said. “Sophie’s his mother and she’ll talk sense into Giuseppe.”
“Selange, I don’t need her help, I need your man’s. She’ll side with him, anyway. Mothers are like that. Right now I’m an outsider on Giuseppe’s turf and none of these people have my back.”
“Damn Shanda, Sophie’s a professional swimmer , grab hold to her. She’ll be your lifeguard. You’re panicking and going about things wrong. The women there will to help you but you have to stop being stubborn; it’ll cause you to drown.”
There was pounding on the door and Shanda spoke urgently into the phone. “He’s banging on the door but I’m not coming out.”
“He’ll break the thing, if you don’t.” Selange warned. The damage to Sophie’s home when he learned about Luzo remained fresh in her mind. Giuseppe’s anger required a mother’s touch to douse. Selange feared for her friend, and being at a distance didn’t help.
The heavy thuds came again with shouting which received Shanda’s response. “Not until you keep your promise and let me leave here with my baby, asshole !”
“I promised you were free to go. I never mentioned the bambino!”
“Yes, you did liar !”
“I did not lie. You hear things in your mind; open the door!”
Shanda spoke to her friend. “See, this motherfucker’s crazy!”
“Shanda, I’ll call and speak to Giuseppe and calm him down. Take off the bitch-face, drop the animosity and open the door when he’s talking in a normal tone. Then act like an adult and communicate without the name-calling before this escalates, do you hear me?”
Shanda sucked her teeth. “Whatever lion tamer, calm the beast down first and I’ll chill.”
“Good!”
Giuseppe’s cell hummed in his pocket and when he brandished it in his hand and saw the caller’s name he chuckled. Ah, his donna called Selange the Savior. How adorable, the ‘Shanda troublemaker sought a sneak attack. Strategic brilliance. “Buongiorno.”
“Hello favorite brother-in-law.”
“Is there another brother-in-law I have yet to meet, bella?”
“Maybe.”
He smirked because with his biological father, anything was possible. “You have called because you miss me, eh?”
“Of course. Expect a birthday present soon. Too bad you’re not coming to visit so we can celebrate. The kids would love to see their funny Uncle.”
“You are coming for Carlo’s christening, no?”
“I’m the godmother, damn straight I’ll be there. By the way, are you making a contribution to the charity?”
“No, you are rich. Take your husband’s money.”
“Cheapskate!”
“You are having a fundraiser, you will do well.” He laughed. “The foolish people dazzled by your smile will pay to see it, not me, I’ve seen it enough.”
“Are you finished making fun of me?”
“Ah, not quite, seduttrice.”
Selange broached the purpose of her call. “ Don Cognato, ho bisogno di un favore.”
Giuseppe chuckled. Ah, sí, he liked Selange and found her humorous. Sal must have taught her a bit of Italian because she resorted to his language to ask a favor. Smart woman had also given deference to his status which exhibited her respect, despite her husband’s influence being greater.
Giuseppe could not bypass an opportunity to poke more fun at his brother’s wife, whom he considered a charmer of men. “A favor, hmmm. I have yet to recover from the previous one in which I nearly died. ”
“No you didn’t almost die silly, besides I didn’t ask you to come along, you volunteered.”
“No,” he said. “Your memory is short.”
“Wow, you’re really getting pleasure from this aren’t
“Carlo’s at Sophie’s.”
“Well, that’s a relief!”
“I’m not leaving without him, girl. Would you let Alfonzo steal your children?”
“Shanda, listen to me on this. Do not push Giuseppe’s buttons. Call Sophie.” There was a brief pause followed by a long sigh before Selange said. “Sophie’s his mother and she’ll talk sense into Giuseppe.”
“Selange, I don’t need her help, I need your man’s. She’ll side with him, anyway. Mothers are like that. Right now I’m an outsider on Giuseppe’s turf and none of these people have my back.”
“Damn Shanda, Sophie’s a professional swimmer , grab hold to her. She’ll be your lifeguard. You’re panicking and going about things wrong. The women there will to help you but you have to stop being stubborn; it’ll cause you to drown.”
There was pounding on the door and Shanda spoke urgently into the phone. “He’s banging on the door but I’m not coming out.”
“He’ll break the thing, if you don’t.” Selange warned. The damage to Sophie’s home when he learned about Luzo remained fresh in her mind. Giuseppe’s anger required a mother’s touch to douse. Selange feared for her friend, and being at a distance didn’t help.
The heavy thuds came again with shouting which received Shanda’s response. “Not until you keep your promise and let me leave here with my baby, asshole !”
“I promised you were free to go. I never mentioned the bambino!”
“Yes, you did liar !”
“I did not lie. You hear things in your mind; open the door!”
Shanda spoke to her friend. “See, this motherfucker’s crazy!”
“Shanda, I’ll call and speak to Giuseppe and calm him down. Take off the bitch-face, drop the animosity and open the door when he’s talking in a normal tone. Then act like an adult and communicate without the name-calling before this escalates, do you hear me?”
Shanda sucked her teeth. “Whatever lion tamer, calm the beast down first and I’ll chill.”
“Good!”
Giuseppe’s cell hummed in his pocket and when he brandished it in his hand and saw the caller’s name he chuckled. Ah, his donna called Selange the Savior. How adorable, the ‘Shanda troublemaker sought a sneak attack. Strategic brilliance. “Buongiorno.”
“Hello favorite brother-in-law.”
“Is there another brother-in-law I have yet to meet, bella?”
“Maybe.”
He smirked because with his biological father, anything was possible. “You have called because you miss me, eh?”
“Of course. Expect a birthday present soon. Too bad you’re not coming to visit so we can celebrate. The kids would love to see their funny Uncle.”
“You are coming for Carlo’s christening, no?”
“I’m the godmother, damn straight I’ll be there. By the way, are you making a contribution to the charity?”
“No, you are rich. Take your husband’s money.”
“Cheapskate!”
“You are having a fundraiser, you will do well.” He laughed. “The foolish people dazzled by your smile will pay to see it, not me, I’ve seen it enough.”
“Are you finished making fun of me?”
“Ah, not quite, seduttrice.”
Selange broached the purpose of her call. “ Don Cognato, ho bisogno di un favore.”
Giuseppe chuckled. Ah, sí, he liked Selange and found her humorous. Sal must have taught her a bit of Italian because she resorted to his language to ask a favor. Smart woman had also given deference to his status which exhibited her respect, despite her husband’s influence being greater.
Giuseppe could not bypass an opportunity to poke more fun at his brother’s wife, whom he considered a charmer of men. “A favor, hmmm. I have yet to recover from the previous one in which I nearly died. ”
“No you didn’t almost die silly, besides I didn’t ask you to come along, you volunteered.”
“No,” he said. “Your memory is short.”
“Wow, you’re really getting pleasure from this aren’t
Similar Books
