Read Online Mobster's Girl by Amy Rachiele - Free Book Online Page B

congregation. Why did I agree to this? My hands
start sweating immediately. I shower and dress in long black
palazzo pants, the ones that look like a dress but are really
pants, and a pink chiffon shirt. I hear my Dad moving the Harp out
the door as I come into the kitchen. Mom is holding the door for
him. It’s a good thing my Dad is really strong. The Harp is
heavy.
    “It is a real honor that Father Giovanni
asked you to play.” My mother says to me like I don’t know
this.
    “Yes, it is.”
    “You need to do your best for him and the
Lord.”
    “Yes, Mom.”
    “I think you should wear your hair up, it
looks more respectful than hanging down. You look almost wild.
Can’t you do something about that?”
    “Yes, Mom.” I pass Erin on the stairs.
    “Where’re you going? I thought we were
leaving.” Erin asks.
    “Yeah, well, I have to fix my hair.” I say
aggravated. I twist it up in a clip and rush back to the
kitchen.
    “Ahhh, much better,” My mother says, “softer.
Very nice.”
    Wow! Praise from my mother.
    In front of the church, people are on the
steps mingling. My father opens the back of our mini-van to get out
the Harp. I am just opening my door when I see two people stroll
over towards us. The morning sun blinds me.
    “Can we help you with that, Sir?” One of them
asks. I step out on to the curb and it’s Antonio and Vito . Holy
Crap!
    “That would be great boys, thank you.” My dad
says very civilly. Antonio smiles at me in his charcoal gray suit
that looks lip-smacking on him. My face heats when I think of him
kissing me last night. The deliciously tight clenches my stomach
made with him so close. Ugh, it was sooo good. My father starts to
give them instructions on how to move and carry the harp. My hands
shake as I follow Antonio, Vito, and my father up the big steps to
the church entrance.
    Antonio:
    So this is her harp. It’s awesome. Vito and I
very carefully carry it to the altar. Mr. O’Neill helps us to stand
it up just right. Megan and her family sit in one of the first
rows. I smile at her as I pass by to go sit farther back with my
friends. She looks stunning in pink. My parents are sitting with
the Ferretti’s on the other side of the church.
    Vito and I make the sign of the cross and
slip in the pew to sit with Louie and Ronnie.
    “So how was last night?” I ask Louie. He
looks at me funny. As if to say, ‘what the hell are you talking
about?’ “Uh, Raven.” I say.
    “Oh, yeah-she’s cool.” He starts to say more
but Dino Prazzo slides into the pew right behind us with Maria and
some of her other cousins. I hear Dino talking to Glenn Prazzo, a
junior at our school.
    “Hi Tony.” Maria says in my ear as she leans
in to me from behind.
    “Hi, Maria,” I don’t turn around when I say
it. I look at Vito out of the corner of my eye and he’s rolling
his.
    Maria doesn’t get a chance to say anything
more because we all rise as the organ begins to play. Dino and
Glenn are still whispering. I want to turn around and tell them to
shut the hell up when Father Giovanni calls Megan to the altar.
    “We have a very special treat during today’s
Mass. Miss. Megan O’Neill is going to play Ave Maria on the harp
for us.”
    Megan gracefully walks to the altar, makes
the sign of the cross, and gently slides behind the harp. Dino
comments viciously saying,
    “Wow, I‘d like to be that harp, sitting
between her legs… I’d rather put my face between her…” I am moving
before I even distinguish my fist colliding with Dino’s face. There
is an audible, GASP! from the church-goers and I hear my
mother yell,
    “Antonio!”
    Vito grabs my arm to stop me from winding my
arm back again to smash Dino’s face a second time. Ronnie is
blocking me from jumping over the bench. I am lethal. Dino’s
cousins are shocked. Maria is yelling something to me. Dino’s lying
on the bench. Ronnie and Vito push me out of the pew. I hear Louie
trailing behind stopping Maria from following.