Chapter Eight

Calogero was thinking. He had been thinking so hard for so long that he had given himself a damn headache, and he didn't think it was the type that an aspirin could fix.

"Who in the world was that?" Vito had asked him on the walk to the apartment. But Calogero had told him he needed time to think.

He had hardly slept that night, but he'd stayed in his room so he didn't have to face any more of Vito's questions. This morning he'd made a coffee, and picked up his thought process right where he'd left off.

"Hey, C, quit moving around, you're gonna wear a hole in the floor."

Vito's words cut into his thoughts and for the first time, Calogero realised he'd been pacing the floor of the apartment. Vito was smoking from his position on the sofa, looking like he hadn't got a care in the world. If only he knew, Calogero thought darkly.

"So you gonna tell me what happened yesterday?"

Calogero had been debating it since last night. There was a good chance Vito wouldn't keep his mouth shut, even if he directly didn't tell Carmine. Not that Calogero had ruled out going to Carmine, but he certainly hadn't decided on it.

"You got a smoke?" Calogero caught the cigarette deftly as Vito tossed him one and lit it with shaking fingers. He inhaled as he studied Vito's tanned handsome profile. Vito had saved his ass. Twice in one day in fact, but he'd only known the guy five minutes. Sonny's voice in the back of his head said he should keep his mouth shut, that the kid was a live wire that his own uncle didn't trust, but who else did he have to talk to?

"That guy in the car yesterday, that was Manny Helnaz," he finally confessed.

It took Vito a few seconds to catch up, but suddenly he was mighty fucking interested, propping himself up on his elbows, his eyes wide.

"That sloppy Spic? That was Helnaz? He looks like a bum."

"That was him." Calogero finally sat down and looked at his roommate."That was him, and whatever's going on, Dante is in big trouble."

Vito snorted.

"You might as well kiss your friend goodbye. If Manny doesn't kill him, Carmine will."

"Why would he do that?"

"Why do you think? Because Dante knows the rules of the neighbourhood. You don't fraternise with any made guys not from your neighbourhood, and if they bother you, you see your boss. Dante made a fatal mistake."

"He's been like a big brother to me since I was a kid," Calogero said desperately. "The car that got totalled, the wreck Sonny pulled me out of? Dante's brother, Slick, was there. We went to Kindergarten together."

Vito shrugged, unimpressed.

"What's that gonna mean to Carmine?"

Calogero wanted to yell at him but he knew the guy was right. Carmine had no loyalty to some nobody from the neighbourhood who had disobeyed his orders. There was a good chance he would have Dante killed even if Calogero pleaded for his life.

"What if you talk to him? Explain the situation? You're his nephew?" Calogero asked.

Vito chuckled.

"Have you seen the two of us together? I am his least favourite person. If I beg for the guy's life, Carmine'll probably make sure to torture him first. And by the way, C. I'm not an Aquino. It's Vito Santelli."

"I remembered. It was just the fastest way to explain your connection" Something suddenly occurred to Calogero. "Didn't you say your father split on your mom? That Carmine had him killed? Why'd you get his name?"

"Ah, it's all very civilised when you knock up a gangster's sister and he doesn't approve. The brother makes him marry her, let's her keep her dignity- and then a few short months after the baby is born, kapow, guy has himself an accident."

"So you kept your Pop's name?"

"My Mom went back to Aquino a couple of years back. I mentioned doing the same to Carmine but he said 'You don't deserve to wear the name, ya jerk off.' Vito did a pretty good impression of Carmine and under other circumstances it might have been funny.

Calogero rubbed the back of his head tensely.

"Christ, Vito, what are we gonna do?"

"We?" Vito snorted. "When did this become a 'we' thing? I don't even know your buddy."

"You're right." Calogero sat down in an armchair. "I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

"This ain't your mess, C. Let Dante clean it up. You did him enough favours."

"Favours? Dragging him out that car has put a price tag on his head. This is my fault, Vito."

"It ain't your fault. But if you're intent on making it your fault, way I see it you only got yourself a couple of options. One, you go to Carmine…."

C met Vito's quick brown eyes, hoping against hope that his next suggestion was sensible.

"Or two, you have a sit down with Helnaz and try to negotiate."

Calogero nearly choked.

"Are you out of your mind? What leverage have I got to be negotiating?"

"You're Carmine's pet."

Calogero scowled at Vito.

"Oh, come on, everyone knows it. You're the little Chiwawa big bad Carmine has got a soft spot for. People like pets more than people."

"He doesn't like me. He inherited me."

"Okay, so you're the mangy mutt that belonged to his granny who he was forced to take in when she died. Either way, you got sway with him. And Helnaz must know it."

"This is insane," Calogero shook his head. "And what's even more insane is I'm considering it."

"The most insane thing of all is I'm considering going with you."

"Going with you where?"

The two of them jumped at the sound of Jane's voice, and she looked remorseful.

"Sorry, the door was open. Everything okay?" She stood uncertainly by the door until Vito waved her in dramatically.

"Sure, Doll, you're welcome any time. Come on in." He stood up as Jane made her way into the room, pointing from Jane to Calogero. "I'll give you two some space."

Calogero got to his feet to kiss her hello. His mind was racing as he thought about Dante and Manny Helnaz.

"Hey, you didn't say you were stopping by."

"I know. I hope it's okay?"

"Sure it is." He reached out and put his hand on the back of her head pulling her in to kiss her forehead.

"I- I wanted to talk to you about something," Jane said. "I been thinking-" He gestured for her to sit on the couch which she did. "I was thinking about telling my Mom about us."

Calogero was no longer distracted. He stared at her.

"You were?"

"Yeah. I mean…what you said the other day…I don't care about anybody accepting us but I do care what my family thinks. I know it means the world that Willie is okay with us."

"Willie isn't old school though…." Calogero said carefully. "This older generation, you know?"

He forced a laugh but Jane looked as though he'd slapped her.

"You don't want me to tell her now?"

"It's not that I don't want you to ever tell her, it's just….now is a bad time for us to have any more problems, you know? Seeing as I'm not seeing eye to eye with my dad?"

"I-I thought we could do this together…"Jane stammered.

"Jane, that's really sweet of ya." He brushed back a loose hair from her face. "It means a lot that you would do that for us, but just, hold off a little while, okay?"

Jesus Christ, he didn't need Jane's uncles hunting him down right now. He knew her father had passed away when she was a little girl and her mothers brothers had stepped in to help raise Jane and Willie.

"Okay." Jane looked defeated and Calogero couldn't blame her. But he could only handle one problem at a time.

"What you doing tonight?" He asked her, hoping to change the subject.

"Erica wanted me to go to Poe Park with her, but I said I was waiting on what you were doing."

"Poe park, huh? Why don't you hang out with Erica tonight and we'll do something tomorrow?" His voice was unnaturally light as he thought about the potential sit down with Manny Helnaz. There was no saying he would even make it to Sunday after tonight.

"Don't you want to do something with me tonight?" Her impossibly deep eyes were making it hard for him to stay focused. He took both her hands and put them to his lips to kiss them in turn.

"I do, Jane, I do. It's just I promised Vito I'd do something with him later."

Vito opened his bedroom door just then and Calogero realised he had been listening to every word.

"We can do that after, C. Don't be making your lady hate me before she's even got to know me."

Calogero wondered what the hell it was Vito was playing at. He knew this sit down was important. He scowled in his direction.

"So, you got a friend who wants to hang out tonight, huh?" Vito said.

Jane looked a little taken aback but she nodded anyway.

"Yeah, my best friend. Erica."

"She as pretty as you?"

Jane blushed and C's irritation lessened as he watched her. She has no idea how beautiful she was.

"Vito, stop it, you're embarrassing her."

"No offence intended. Has Erica got a beau so to speak?" Vito folded his arms as he leaned back on the window and suddenly Vito's motives became crystal clear.

"She doesn't, no." Jane was smiling a little, which meant she was interested in Vito's plans for a double date. Calogero thought the idea sucked.

"So how about we all hang out tonight and you and I can take care of that thing a little later, huh, C?"

WIth Jane and Vito looking at him, Calogero didn't feel like he had much of a choice.

"Yeah, sure, why not?" He said with very little enthusiasm.

Later, while Jane was in the bathroom, Calogero gestured in irritation at Vito.

"What are you trying to do to me? You wanna go on a double date right now? I feel like I'm gonna throw up" He hissed.

Vito shrugged.

"I've never been out with a black girl before."

"And we couldn't have dealt with this after Dante and possibly the two of us are killed?"

"C, man. You're not making no sense. How can we deal with me dating a black girl once I'm dead? And if I die tonight or tomorrow, I'd like the memory of a pretty girl on my arm, thank you very much. That okay with you? She is pretty, right?"

"Yeah, she's a nice girl." Calogero stopped complaining. He supposed Vito had saved him twice today and was still willing to back him up with Manny.

He forced a smile onto his face as Jane re-entered the room.

"So what time you wanna meet us there? We were gonna bring a picnic,"

"Sweet! Pretty girls and food? You two are the bets friends ever." Vito threw himself into an armchair and grinned up at him.

"What'll we bring?" C asked her, rolling his eyes behind Vito's back.

"Uh, just some cokes would be fine. And yourselves of course." She stepped in for another kiss,

"So what times good?"

"5pm?" Calogero offered.

"How about 6?" Jane said. I don't think Erica gets up until the afternoon on a Saturday."

"Smart girl, Vito said. "See you Jane, I can't wait to meet your friend.

"You behave yourself with Erica" Jane pointed at Vito teasingly and he held up his hands to demonstrate his innocence. Calogero got an embrace at the door.

"You sure everythings okay, Calogero? She said into his neck. "I kinda get the feeling you don't want to come to the park."

"Oh, hey! No…that is so far from the truth." He pulled her outside and the door to behind them. "I just worry that if it doesn't work with your friend than it might get awkward in here. I haven't known Vito that long."

"Well, she is my friend and I've decided he's harmless, Jane said. "Don't you worry ok? Who know, maybe the two of us will have another mixed couple we can hang out with.

The idea wasn't too bad actually and suddenly he had a newfound enthusiasm for this double date deal. First he would do this for Jane- and then he would take care of Manny Helnaz for Dante.

Piece of cake.