Read Online The River Rolls On (Bellingwood Book 10) by Diane Greenwood Muir - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diane Greenwood Muir
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Eliseo came back out with a bag of carrots, she smiled at him in thanks, took it, and pulled a few out, placing them in Jon's, then Ray's hands. "This will cement your friendship forever."
"Polly, can I show you something back here?" Eliseo asked, touching her elbow.
"Sure. I'll be back in a minute, guys." She handed Ray the bag of carrots. "Here, make 'em go slow, though."
"What's up?" she asked, once they were in the donkey's stall.
"Are you sure about them?" he asked. "They look awfully pretty to be much of a threat to anyone, especially someone intent on kidnapping you."
Eliseo had seen her through several bad situations and she recognized his over-protectiveness. She put her hand on his forearm. "You have no idea what's under those shirts. Those boys grew up as thugs. Most of their buddies are Boston PD and they handle themselves well in most any situation. They're also one of just a few people in this town who know Joey enough to recognize him no matter what. And ... they're pissed off that he made it to Iowa without them knowing he was gone. Yeah. I'm sure."
"I would do anything for you, Polly. I just think it's odd that they've come all this way just to be your bodyguards."
"I think it's weird, too," she said in agreement. "But you don't know what it's like to be part of that family. Their mother scared me and I didn't grow up with her. She loves me as much as one of her own and I'm not at all surprised that they're here because she sent them. Everything you've ever heard about Italian mamas is true about her. She rules the roost and has a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong. Mama Renaldi ran that neighborhood and when Jon or Ray got in trouble, they had to deal with her before they dealt with those whom they had offended. It didn't stop them all the time, but they turned out pretty well."
"Not a life I understand," Eliseo said.
"Me either, but it was fun to watch it happen. The first time I was there for a meal, Jon reached across the table for the bowl of potatoes. In the flash of an eye, his mama's spoon connected with his forearm and he dropped his hand back into his lap. Very respectfully, he apologized to her, then to me and then asked for the potatoes to be passed to him. I thought I was going to die right there, but he wasn't embarrassed, she wasn't embarrassed and everyone else just moved on like it hadn't happened."
Eliseo chuckled. "I guess they've been well-trained."
"Yes they have," Polly agreed. "So we're good?"
"For now. I'll withhold judgment until I get to know them better."
"Eliseo! Uhhhh"
Polly and Eliseo stepped into the alleyway to see Jason standing at the door with his mouth open.
"Hi Jason," she said.
"Uh, hi Polly."
"Jason, these are two friends of mine from Boston. Jon and Ray Renaldi. Remember the two brothers who met me and Joey at the airport a couple of years ago? This is them."
He nodded and with wide eyes, approached the two men, who held their hands out.
"This is Jason Donovan. His mom is Sylvie. You'll meet his brother later."
Polly studied Jason as he greeted the two men. He was as tall as Jon and much thicker. It was surprising to see him this way. She saw him with new eyes. The boy just continued to grow.
"What were you in such a rush about?" Eliseo asked.
Jason handed him a piece of paper. "Look."
Eliseo opened it and then handed it to Polly.
"They want you to try out for football?" she asked.
"Mom has to sign it. Can you believe it?"
"That's going to take up a lot of your time," Eliseo said. "Are you ready for that?"
"I know. We have to talk about things. I won't be able to ride the bus and a bunch of other stuff. But it's pretty cool, don't you think?"
"It is," Eliseo said, putting his hand on Jason's back. The two walked to the back of the barn and then out to the pasture.
"I think they forgot about us," Polly said. "Sorry."
"No, that's cool. Football is a big deal," Ray said. "We both played in high school. Maybe we'll meet the horses
"Polly, can I show you something back here?" Eliseo asked, touching her elbow.
"Sure. I'll be back in a minute, guys." She handed Ray the bag of carrots. "Here, make 'em go slow, though."
"What's up?" she asked, once they were in the donkey's stall.
"Are you sure about them?" he asked. "They look awfully pretty to be much of a threat to anyone, especially someone intent on kidnapping you."
Eliseo had seen her through several bad situations and she recognized his over-protectiveness. She put her hand on his forearm. "You have no idea what's under those shirts. Those boys grew up as thugs. Most of their buddies are Boston PD and they handle themselves well in most any situation. They're also one of just a few people in this town who know Joey enough to recognize him no matter what. And ... they're pissed off that he made it to Iowa without them knowing he was gone. Yeah. I'm sure."
"I would do anything for you, Polly. I just think it's odd that they've come all this way just to be your bodyguards."
"I think it's weird, too," she said in agreement. "But you don't know what it's like to be part of that family. Their mother scared me and I didn't grow up with her. She loves me as much as one of her own and I'm not at all surprised that they're here because she sent them. Everything you've ever heard about Italian mamas is true about her. She rules the roost and has a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong. Mama Renaldi ran that neighborhood and when Jon or Ray got in trouble, they had to deal with her before they dealt with those whom they had offended. It didn't stop them all the time, but they turned out pretty well."
"Not a life I understand," Eliseo said.
"Me either, but it was fun to watch it happen. The first time I was there for a meal, Jon reached across the table for the bowl of potatoes. In the flash of an eye, his mama's spoon connected with his forearm and he dropped his hand back into his lap. Very respectfully, he apologized to her, then to me and then asked for the potatoes to be passed to him. I thought I was going to die right there, but he wasn't embarrassed, she wasn't embarrassed and everyone else just moved on like it hadn't happened."
Eliseo chuckled. "I guess they've been well-trained."
"Yes they have," Polly agreed. "So we're good?"
"For now. I'll withhold judgment until I get to know them better."
"Eliseo! Uhhhh"
Polly and Eliseo stepped into the alleyway to see Jason standing at the door with his mouth open.
"Hi Jason," she said.
"Uh, hi Polly."
"Jason, these are two friends of mine from Boston. Jon and Ray Renaldi. Remember the two brothers who met me and Joey at the airport a couple of years ago? This is them."
He nodded and with wide eyes, approached the two men, who held their hands out.
"This is Jason Donovan. His mom is Sylvie. You'll meet his brother later."
Polly studied Jason as he greeted the two men. He was as tall as Jon and much thicker. It was surprising to see him this way. She saw him with new eyes. The boy just continued to grow.
"What were you in such a rush about?" Eliseo asked.
Jason handed him a piece of paper. "Look."
Eliseo opened it and then handed it to Polly.
"They want you to try out for football?" she asked.
"Mom has to sign it. Can you believe it?"
"That's going to take up a lot of your time," Eliseo said. "Are you ready for that?"
"I know. We have to talk about things. I won't be able to ride the bus and a bunch of other stuff. But it's pretty cool, don't you think?"
"It is," Eliseo said, putting his hand on Jason's back. The two walked to the back of the barn and then out to the pasture.
"I think they forgot about us," Polly said. "Sorry."
"No, that's cool. Football is a big deal," Ray said. "We both played in high school. Maybe we'll meet the horses
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