A/N: Onward, to more Racetrack! Oh and I was reading the last chappie and I
realized that instead of writing grandmother (Nonna) I wrote nine (Nona).
Uh.oops. I fixed it though. *Hangs head* My own grandmother's probably
rolling around in her grave.
Disclaimer: I own the pretty nail polish, but other than that, nothing.
~*~
The soles of my boots pounded on the unsteady wooden stairs leading up to the apartments, my heart mirroring their actions. I knew my way around this building the way I knew my way around a poker game. I could walk the halls in the dead of night, blindfolded, and end up wherever I wanted to go. And that just wasn't my overconfident, moments-before-a-game assurances talking.
Not stopping to knock, I threw my shoulder against the door of number sixteen, and ran inside. "Nonna!" I called, panic coursing through me. I was met by a girl, about my age, who looked scandalized. "Shhhhhhhhhh!" she commanded, "She's sleeping! Do you want to wake her up now?" Her expression shifted. "Who are you, anyway?" she asked, her furious scowl faltering slightly.
Her words washed over me like water off a duck's back. I couldn't go without answering, so I said hastily, "Racetrack.Nonna? Where is she?" extending my hand to the coat rack and giving my hat to the girl.
She raised an eyebrow skeptically. It didn't matter. I nodded to her, and squeezed past to what I knew was Nonna's room.
"Wait just a minute!" came a shrill voice from behind me. "You can't go in there, I don't even know who you are!"
I spun around on my heel, aggravated, and was shocked by what met my eyes. The man from the street burst suddenly through the door, panting. The girl was wielding a broom, looking terrified of me but steadily determined. Confused and panicked, I said loudly, "Where's Nonna?" earning a scowl from the girl and a gasp of breath from the man.
"Room on.right.Anthony.Higgins.Water..." he managed, before collapsing into a chair.
The girl seemed to understand. "Wait here Joseph, I'll be right back, um.Anthony, it's you? We've been waiting. Come, she's been asking for you." And with this she led the was to Nonna's room.
Damn slow people.
Nonna was lying on her bed with her eyes closed. The floorboards creaked when the girl walked on them and I didn't bother to tell her that they would. It never fails. Sure as a full house, Nonna opened her eyes and smiled when she saw me. "Anthony" she said happily in here creaky voice, tilted with accent and broken English.
"Heya, Nonna, how you been?" I asked quietly, walking over to her bed and kissing her cheek.
She looked mournfully up at me. "Ima no good, Anthony, Ima all worn out." She sighed. "No time to make food, you hungry?" Nonna looked up at me hopefully.
Though I usually gave in, today was different. "No Nonna, I'm fine. Really I am," I added when her face fell. "You've gotta get some rest, you hear?" She looked over my shoulder. For a second I thought she was delirious, seeing things, like. But then she said, "If you are hungry, Minna could make you something, eh?"
Wondering if Minna was a delusion, I said 'Sure, Nonna, sure" at the same time another voice said "Oh.right.of course."
I turned my head and realized the girl from before was standing in the doorway, looking timid and cautious, but at the same time, annoyed. Looking back at Nonna, I asked, "What happened, Nonna? You gonna be all right?"
She took my hand in her shaking one. "I'll be fine, Anthony, don't you worry, no. No worry." She smiled at me through the wrinkles on her face and I couldn't help but smile back. Someone cleared their throat. I turned around, and found that the girl was now leaning against the window frame. Frowning at her, I asked, "What, are the curtains in the wash?"
Nonna let out a small laugh, but quickly pressed her lips together. "Have you two.introduced?"
"Nah" I said, squeezing Nonna's hand. She smiled.
"Well, dear, this is Anthony-"
"Racetrack" I interrupted, frowning at the girl. Nonna was the only person alive allowed to call me by my real name. Minna looked at me like I was crazy, then frowned right back.
Nonna looked at me, and then said, "Also known as Racetrack. And Anthony, this is Minna-"
"Matilda" she interrupted, pressing her lips together. Who the hell took Matilda and turned it into Minna?
"Or.Matilda" said Nonna, looking between the two of us. "Minna, dear, how is Joseph?"
She sighed and answered, "He'll be okay, he was just tired from chasing him." She nodded at me.
I rolled my eyes and looked at Nonna, who said, "Have him tell Mr. Jenkins Ima fine, doing Ok. Gave him quite a scare," she said, looking at me.
'Matilda' didn't look as though she wanted to leave; she kept glancing at Nonna worriedly. But when she caught my eye, she wrinkled her nose and left.
I turned back to Nonna and pulled a chair up to her bedside. She stopped smiling the second I met her eyes. "What?" I demanded, in a voice louder than what it should have been. "What?" I asked again, quieter.
She shook her white-haired head and patted the seat of a chair by her bedside. "Sit."
"How have you been, Anthony?" she asked.
"I've been fine, look, Nonna, what's wrong? You gonna be okay?"
"Oh, Anthony, I'm old, no good. It was bound to happen, the doctor, he said my heart went out. He says I should be okay, here for you." She smiled at me as though it was all fine. "You have papers to sell, no? How about before you go you get something to eat?"
I grinned. Nonna never failed to offer anyone food. "Look, Nonna, I'm gonna stay here with you for a while, all right? I'll come back tomorrow, too. You need to get better."
The door opened, and the man from the street poked his head in. "Can I get you anything else, Mrs. Tortella?" he asked, trying to seem as though he'd just arrived.
Nonna smiled at him and answered "No, no Joseph, you rest, Ima fine." He left, and I turned to her. "Who's that, Nonna?"
"Joseph Jenkins, Mr. Jenkins' son. You remember the Jenkins, don't you Anthony?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's his son? How'd he get so.rich?"
Nonna laughed, but it quickly turned into a cough. I took a glass of water on her bedside table and raised it to her lips. After a moment, she smiled shakily at me and said "He joined a business after school, some new court business, you know." I stared. She sighed. "Well, I don't know what he does, business, you know, different in the New World. He did very well, Mr. Jenkins talks about his son all the time."
"And the girl?"
"Minna? Sweet little thing-"
I snorted.
Nonna smiled. "She lives with her aunt here. They moved in after you left. She has a rough time of it, I think. Still makes time to see me, God bless." She crossed herself and gazed fondly at the portrait of the Virgin Mother on her wall. "So, Anthony, you haven't been up here in.long time. Have you meet any nice Italian girl?"
I squeezed her little hand. "Nah, none yet Nonna." She looked disappointed, but smiled all the same. "Are you sure you're not hungry? Ima sorry I haven't had time to make you something."
"You need to rest Nonna, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."
She reached one hand up and squeezed my cheek between her thumb and forefinger. "Oh, my Poco Fedele, I worry about you."
I spent the rest of the day at Nonna's, avoiding Matilda and trying to keep Nonna in bed. She's a tough little Italian lady, and I'd trust her with my life, but I was worried as I made my way back to the Lodging House. It was late, and most of the boys were asleep. I was glad; I was safe from any questions and having to repeat my heartache. Boots nodded at me as I walked in, I guess he assumed I was at the tracks. I sighed and lay on my bed without changing. I squeezed the Miraculous Medal that Nonna gave me when I was little, and remembered her words.
"Hold this and remember me, Poco Fedele."
~*~ A/N: I promise I'll explain everyone in the next chapter! This one was getting long and my little brother was begging me to play checkers with him (I won, mwahaha) Anyway, tell me what you think. I'm a little nervous about this story. Nonna's starting to remind me a lot of my own grandmother.
Disclaimer: I own the pretty nail polish, but other than that, nothing.
~*~
The soles of my boots pounded on the unsteady wooden stairs leading up to the apartments, my heart mirroring their actions. I knew my way around this building the way I knew my way around a poker game. I could walk the halls in the dead of night, blindfolded, and end up wherever I wanted to go. And that just wasn't my overconfident, moments-before-a-game assurances talking.
Not stopping to knock, I threw my shoulder against the door of number sixteen, and ran inside. "Nonna!" I called, panic coursing through me. I was met by a girl, about my age, who looked scandalized. "Shhhhhhhhhh!" she commanded, "She's sleeping! Do you want to wake her up now?" Her expression shifted. "Who are you, anyway?" she asked, her furious scowl faltering slightly.
Her words washed over me like water off a duck's back. I couldn't go without answering, so I said hastily, "Racetrack.Nonna? Where is she?" extending my hand to the coat rack and giving my hat to the girl.
She raised an eyebrow skeptically. It didn't matter. I nodded to her, and squeezed past to what I knew was Nonna's room.
"Wait just a minute!" came a shrill voice from behind me. "You can't go in there, I don't even know who you are!"
I spun around on my heel, aggravated, and was shocked by what met my eyes. The man from the street burst suddenly through the door, panting. The girl was wielding a broom, looking terrified of me but steadily determined. Confused and panicked, I said loudly, "Where's Nonna?" earning a scowl from the girl and a gasp of breath from the man.
"Room on.right.Anthony.Higgins.Water..." he managed, before collapsing into a chair.
The girl seemed to understand. "Wait here Joseph, I'll be right back, um.Anthony, it's you? We've been waiting. Come, she's been asking for you." And with this she led the was to Nonna's room.
Damn slow people.
Nonna was lying on her bed with her eyes closed. The floorboards creaked when the girl walked on them and I didn't bother to tell her that they would. It never fails. Sure as a full house, Nonna opened her eyes and smiled when she saw me. "Anthony" she said happily in here creaky voice, tilted with accent and broken English.
"Heya, Nonna, how you been?" I asked quietly, walking over to her bed and kissing her cheek.
She looked mournfully up at me. "Ima no good, Anthony, Ima all worn out." She sighed. "No time to make food, you hungry?" Nonna looked up at me hopefully.
Though I usually gave in, today was different. "No Nonna, I'm fine. Really I am," I added when her face fell. "You've gotta get some rest, you hear?" She looked over my shoulder. For a second I thought she was delirious, seeing things, like. But then she said, "If you are hungry, Minna could make you something, eh?"
Wondering if Minna was a delusion, I said 'Sure, Nonna, sure" at the same time another voice said "Oh.right.of course."
I turned my head and realized the girl from before was standing in the doorway, looking timid and cautious, but at the same time, annoyed. Looking back at Nonna, I asked, "What happened, Nonna? You gonna be all right?"
She took my hand in her shaking one. "I'll be fine, Anthony, don't you worry, no. No worry." She smiled at me through the wrinkles on her face and I couldn't help but smile back. Someone cleared their throat. I turned around, and found that the girl was now leaning against the window frame. Frowning at her, I asked, "What, are the curtains in the wash?"
Nonna let out a small laugh, but quickly pressed her lips together. "Have you two.introduced?"
"Nah" I said, squeezing Nonna's hand. She smiled.
"Well, dear, this is Anthony-"
"Racetrack" I interrupted, frowning at the girl. Nonna was the only person alive allowed to call me by my real name. Minna looked at me like I was crazy, then frowned right back.
Nonna looked at me, and then said, "Also known as Racetrack. And Anthony, this is Minna-"
"Matilda" she interrupted, pressing her lips together. Who the hell took Matilda and turned it into Minna?
"Or.Matilda" said Nonna, looking between the two of us. "Minna, dear, how is Joseph?"
She sighed and answered, "He'll be okay, he was just tired from chasing him." She nodded at me.
I rolled my eyes and looked at Nonna, who said, "Have him tell Mr. Jenkins Ima fine, doing Ok. Gave him quite a scare," she said, looking at me.
'Matilda' didn't look as though she wanted to leave; she kept glancing at Nonna worriedly. But when she caught my eye, she wrinkled her nose and left.
I turned back to Nonna and pulled a chair up to her bedside. She stopped smiling the second I met her eyes. "What?" I demanded, in a voice louder than what it should have been. "What?" I asked again, quieter.
She shook her white-haired head and patted the seat of a chair by her bedside. "Sit."
"How have you been, Anthony?" she asked.
"I've been fine, look, Nonna, what's wrong? You gonna be okay?"
"Oh, Anthony, I'm old, no good. It was bound to happen, the doctor, he said my heart went out. He says I should be okay, here for you." She smiled at me as though it was all fine. "You have papers to sell, no? How about before you go you get something to eat?"
I grinned. Nonna never failed to offer anyone food. "Look, Nonna, I'm gonna stay here with you for a while, all right? I'll come back tomorrow, too. You need to get better."
The door opened, and the man from the street poked his head in. "Can I get you anything else, Mrs. Tortella?" he asked, trying to seem as though he'd just arrived.
Nonna smiled at him and answered "No, no Joseph, you rest, Ima fine." He left, and I turned to her. "Who's that, Nonna?"
"Joseph Jenkins, Mr. Jenkins' son. You remember the Jenkins, don't you Anthony?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's his son? How'd he get so.rich?"
Nonna laughed, but it quickly turned into a cough. I took a glass of water on her bedside table and raised it to her lips. After a moment, she smiled shakily at me and said "He joined a business after school, some new court business, you know." I stared. She sighed. "Well, I don't know what he does, business, you know, different in the New World. He did very well, Mr. Jenkins talks about his son all the time."
"And the girl?"
"Minna? Sweet little thing-"
I snorted.
Nonna smiled. "She lives with her aunt here. They moved in after you left. She has a rough time of it, I think. Still makes time to see me, God bless." She crossed herself and gazed fondly at the portrait of the Virgin Mother on her wall. "So, Anthony, you haven't been up here in.long time. Have you meet any nice Italian girl?"
I squeezed her little hand. "Nah, none yet Nonna." She looked disappointed, but smiled all the same. "Are you sure you're not hungry? Ima sorry I haven't had time to make you something."
"You need to rest Nonna, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."
She reached one hand up and squeezed my cheek between her thumb and forefinger. "Oh, my Poco Fedele, I worry about you."
I spent the rest of the day at Nonna's, avoiding Matilda and trying to keep Nonna in bed. She's a tough little Italian lady, and I'd trust her with my life, but I was worried as I made my way back to the Lodging House. It was late, and most of the boys were asleep. I was glad; I was safe from any questions and having to repeat my heartache. Boots nodded at me as I walked in, I guess he assumed I was at the tracks. I sighed and lay on my bed without changing. I squeezed the Miraculous Medal that Nonna gave me when I was little, and remembered her words.
"Hold this and remember me, Poco Fedele."
~*~ A/N: I promise I'll explain everyone in the next chapter! This one was getting long and my little brother was begging me to play checkers with him (I won, mwahaha) Anyway, tell me what you think. I'm a little nervous about this story. Nonna's starting to remind me a lot of my own grandmother.