Bella
I smiled when I exited the bank. The stipend payment arrived in my account on time. It was a profitable arrangement. Who else would receive four grand per month to sit on their ass? I know the payments would stop when I passed away. There was another clause in the contract, but I couldn't recall the details. I lost the papers during the move to Angie's home.
It didn't matter. The company would continue to transfer the funds until I die. Angie thinks I draw off a pension from her father-in-law. Pfft. The man didn't have a pension. He drank away his savings or spent them on his mistresses. We tried to get the vineyard by Anthony getting Maria Ferrari pregnant. Maria and her daughter died during childbirth. It was a shame. We had a viable plan to kill the other Testa women and take over the vineyard. My father-in-law was disappointed when our plan failed. Anna and her husband, Carlo, banned us to the states. She offered the money to remove our family from the property.
I cursed her and her children's children. The woman was easy to manipulate. Maybe manipulate was the wrong word. Generous? Hmm. That might be the word. I had to think of the correct American slang. Doormat. Yes, that was the right word.
It was a shame Anna didn't lose the property during the war. The vineyard and winery produced wine desired by neighbouring countries. No doubt it kept the company afloat, while many others had failed, or got overtaken by the military.
"Is everything okay?" Angie asked.
"Yes. The pension payment got deposited into my account," I replied. Angie raised an eyebrow. I knew she didn't believe me, but I didn't care. The arrangement was none of her business.
"How do you get so much every month?" Angie asked. It wasn't the first time she had asked.
"Inflation," I replied. Angie rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. My bank account had a healthy balance. Living in Angie's home was unnecessary, but why would I want to own a house? The maintenance and cleaning would drive me crazy. My arrangement with Angie was ideal. She accepted a few hundred dollars each month for groceries, so I didn't have to clean.
I passed Angie the money she needed for groceries. She had to refinance the house to help pay for Joe's court fees. I told Angie to sue Valerie for the cash, but the divorce decree was ironclad. Valerie didn't owe Angie a dime. I would visit Valerie to force her to pay. Angie shouldn't have to pay for the sins of her son.
"Where are you going?" Angie asked when I walked past the car.
"To visit Valerie," I replied.
"We got banned from contact with the family," Angie reminded me. I waved her away, then got into the cab I had called.
The driver arrived at Frank Plum's old home, where Valerie lived with the girls. I paid him the fare without adding a tip. He grumbled, then I gave him the eye. The man wisely drove away.
I knocked on the door. A woman answered the door. She wore a pretty blue blouse with dark grey trousers. "I'm here to visit my granddaughters," I announced.
"They don't live here," the woman replied. I glared at her. She rolled her eyes. "Are you looking for Valerie Plum?"
"Yes," I snapped.
"She moved a few weeks ago. I'm afraid she didn't leave a forwarding address. Maybe her mother knows where to find her?" the woman asked.
"Her mother died," I grumbled.
"Oh. I'm sorry I can't help you. Good day," she said, then closed the door in my face. Valerie moved away without notifying the family? Why? It wasn't like Valerie to leave without telling someone where she planned to go. Did she tell Isabelle? I wondered if I could speak to my other granddaughter and ask.
My phone rang inside my purse. I squinted my eyes as I searched for the offensive item. It was an unknown caller, but I answered the call. "I don't know where Valerie and the girls moved, so don't bother harassing me," Isabelle said, then hung up. I looked around, wondering how she knew. The sign in the window of Helen Plum's old house showed it was secured by Rangeman. One of the thugs contacted my granddaughter.
I walked the two blocks home. Angie wasn't at the house. She must be shopping for groceries. It didn't matter. I had my house keys. While walking up the steps, I noticed a window containing streaks. I shook my head and entered the house.
Below the kitchen sink, I found the window cleaner. I grabbed the newsprint from the recycling bin. It took thirty minutes to remove the marks from the window. I went outside to check my handiwork. "Perfect," I mumbled.
Angie got home a few minutes later. She grabbed the paper towels and window spray. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"Removing the streaks from the front window. I ran out of paper towels," Angie replied. I shook my head and swore in Italian. "You don't need to cuss at me. How did you clean it?"
"Newsprint," I replied, then unpacked the grocery bags to prepare dinner. Angie left me to my task. The Roma tomatoes weren't ripe enough for the sauce. I sighed and continued to prepare the marinara.
The sauce simmered on the stove as I prepared the filling for the large pasta shells. I browned the ground sausage and ground beef with diced onions and garlic. After draining the meat, I dumped it into a mixing bowl. I chopped mushrooms, spinach and peppers. They got tossed into the frypan to sauté. It didn't take long to stuff the shells and drown them in cheese and marinara.
I left the kitchen to grab something. "What am I looking for?" I mumbled.
"What are you doing?" Angie asked when I kept retracing my steps.
"I came, I saw, I forgot what I was doing, retraced my steps, got distracted on my way back, have no idea what's going on, and now I have to pee," I replied. Angie looked at me, then burst out laughing.
She was stirring the marinara when I returned to the kitchen. "Did you remember what you were hoping to find?" Angie asked.
"No. It will come to me eventually," I replied.
"I couldn't find riper tomatoes. It seems you made these ones work," Angie said. I waved off her praise. An underripe tomato wouldn't affect my marinara.
Angie and I discussed the gossip in the Burg. She mentioned that Terry Gilman got shot by her uncle Vito. "Grizoli loved Terry like a daughter. He would not murder her," I snapped. "Why do you believe those lies?"
"It's what everyone is saying, mother," Angie replied. "There has to be some truth in the rumours."
"Terry's dead. That's the truth. Vito shooting the gun? Not likely. I'm sure someone would know the story. Call Edna. She would know," I suggested. Angie scoffed.
I went to the living room to turn on the news. The news anchor announced that Terry Gilman was shot through the windshield of her Uncle Vito's car as they drove home from the Trenton Police Department. "Miss Gilman got charged earlier yesterday evening after shooting a pregnant woman outside Club Tango. She got arrested at the scene. The pregnant woman wishes to remain anonymous to protect her family. Reports indicate the woman wore Kevlar, protecting her from dying. She sustained some bruises but expected to make a full recovery." I turned off the television when she reported other news.
Terry Gilman tried to kill Stephanie Manoso. Was she nuts? I shook my head. It was likely one of the Rangeman thugs who shot Terry. I recalled Joseph telling me they had snipers inside the building. "Oh," Angie said. "It wasn't Vito."
"I never thought it was," I reminded her.
"Who did Terry shoot?" Angie asked.
"Stephanie," I replied. The woman was pregnant. I wondered if I could get my hands on a gun to kill the woman myself.
"Whatever you're thinking, drop it," Angie snapped. "Leave Stephanie alone. Joseph is already spending a lifetime in prison. Isabelle lives with Stephanie. Don't take away the only mother she has."
What got into Angie? "I thought you wanted Isabelle living with us. Wasn't that our goal?" I asked.
"It used to be. Isabelle is living with the best person. She's a lot like her mother," Angie replied. "Stephanie would know how to keep her safe."
I rolled my eyes, then returned to the kitchen to finish making dinner. My daughter-in-law knows nothing about Isabelle. She would toe the line if I were allowed to raise her. It wouldn't take much to get Isabelle away from her guard dogs.
Angie and I lived in peaceful harmony, though we disagreed regarding Isabelle. I wanted the girl in our home, while Angie reminded me to leave her with the thugs.
A month later, I needed to visit the mall. I had to purchase nightgowns and underwear. Mine wore thin and torn. "Angie, can you take me to the bank?" I asked. It was perfect timing since my money should have arrived the previous day.
"Sure, mother. Give me a few minutes to change," Angie replied. She returned thirty minutes later, wearing a pretty dress. It was unusual for her to change from her daily routine. What was Angie doing?
"Why are you dressed in your Sunday best?" I asked.
"Oh. I have a meeting with the bank manager. We can visit the mall after my appointment," she replied. I grabbed my purse and met Angie beside the car.
Angie drove to the bank. She smoothed her dress when she exited the car. I pulled my purse closer to my side and followed her through the doors. "Hello, Mrs. Morelli. How can I help you today?" Jan asked, speaking Italian. She knew I preferred my mother tongue.
"I wish to withdraw two-hundred dollars from my account," I replied. Jan opened my account to access the funds. When she gave me the receipt to sign, I paused. The balance was less than last month. I scowled at the paper.
"Is something wrong, Mrs. Morelli?" Jan asked.
"Could you print a list of my account activity?" I asked.
"Sure," she replied. It didn't take long for her to pass me the paper from the printer. I looked at the deposits. Only my social security got deposited. "Mrs. Morelli? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I snapped, then turned away. I never received my payment from the Testas.
Angie met me a few minutes later. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. "Are you ready to shop?" she asked.
"I want to go home," I replied. Angie nodded and took us home. I called my nephew to enquire about the contract.
Stephanie
Priceless. Vince and I had watched the live-action of Bella, learning she didn't receive the monthly stipend. Her face paled when she read the statement. Bella's free ride had ended. "You realize we have to put more protection on you and Isabelle, right?" Vince asked.
"I'm aware. Isabelle and I have already selected our guards," I replied. Vince raised an eyebrow. "Manny, Junior, Binkie and Zip are watching Isabelle. Ram and Hal would replace Zip and Binkie when they return. By the way, what is taking them so long? I expected them home two weeks ago."
"Bureaucratic bullshit," Vince replied. "Call your father. He'll get to the bottom of it."
"Nope. I'll wait for Carlos to come home once the top brass finished interrogating the team," I replied. Vince shook his head. "Don't you dare ask him."
Vince held up his hands in defeat. "I would never think about crossing you, boss," Vince replied. "You gave Santos extra monitor shifts when he pissed you off."
"And don't forget it," I added before bursting into laughter. "When does Luigi move?"
"He should be driving the moving truck as we speak," Vince replied while checking his watch. "Jeanne Ellen offered him a room."
I snorted. "More like half her bed," I mumbled. "Hang on. My extension lit up." I kissed Vince's cheek, then went into Ranger's office. "Yo."
"Hey, boss. I have Bella Morelli here to see you," Cal replied. I rolled my eyes. She was the last person I wanted to see.
"Send her to conference room one. I'll meet you there once I grab Marco from his office," I replied. "Tank, Lester, you're with me." The men followed me onto the elevator. I grinned when it stopped on the second floor. Marco and Hector filed inside, making the space feel infinitely smaller.
"You're past the morning sickness, right?" Lester asked.
"If I'm not, you'll be the first to know, Santos," I sarcastically replied, pulling him to stand in front of me. I haven't thrown up in weeks, but I wasn't going to tell Lester.
Tank shook his head as he silently laughed. He knew my game. I extended my fist for him to bump. "What are we expecting?" Marco asked.
"Bella to demand I reinstate the stipend," I replied. "Check her for weapons." Hector nodded. He slipped out of the elevator as the doors opened.
We heard Bella curse Hector as he searched her for guns. Bella shakily handed Hector her purse when I arrived. He opened it, then removed the gun from inside. "Hot," Hector said.
"You brought an illegal weapon into my building?" I asked. Bella glared at me and cursed my unborn child. She spoke Italian, not realizing I understood her hateful words. I squinted and said, "Your type of voodoo won't work on me. It would rebound on you and your family. Be careful where you tread."
Bella gasped in shock. "You speak Italian?"
"Yes. I always spoke Italian. Had Helen never told you?" I asked, speaking English.
"Why did you cut my monthly payment?" Bella asked.
"Ah. You learned I had the power to take it all away. Why should I support you for the rest of your miserable life? What have you ever done to deserve it?" I countered.
"Your grandmother Anna gave it to me out of the kindness of her heart. She wanted me to live comfortably after she stole my father-in-law's vineyard," Bella replied. I bent over laughing. "What is so funny?" she demanded.
"Marco?" He knew what I wanted him to do. Marco dropped the file folder onto the table. Bella sat down to view the photographs inside. He had one picture of the entire document, then three to show specific areas enlarged. I tapped on the one with the land owner's name. "Whose name is on the property deed?" I demanded.
"Adriana Testa and Alessandro Testa," she reluctantly replied.
"When was the land purchased?" I asked. She read the date. Her hands shook as she continued to read when the property deed transferred to the next Testa woman. "Where does it say the vineyard belonged to a Morelli?"
"It doesn't," Bella said defeatedly. "Why did Anna give us money?"
"To leave because your husband raped her sister, who died during childbirth. Grandma Anna didn't want your husband to harm more of her family in an attempt to steal the vineyard. She wanted you far away from her family," I calmly replied.
"My father-in-law lied to us. He made us do unspeakable things to take the vineyard," Bella said.
"Why did you bring a gun today?" I asked.
"To get Isabelle back," she replied. I shook my head.
"Bella, it's time for you to go. Leave Isabelle and me alone. Valerie left town because your precious Burg bitch friends ran her out of Trenton. They made life unbearable for Angie and Mary Alice. The girls were innocent. However, that didn't matter to the Burg. I hope you're proud of yourself. You will never receive a penny from the Testa vineyards. The arrangement between you and my great-grandmother should not have continued. What would the neighbours think if this story somehow got released to the press?" I wondered.
I tilted my head side to side, waiting for her to take the bait. "You would never defile the Morelli name," Bella claimed. I grinned at the woman.
"Your son did that on his own. However, I uncovered enough skeletons in your closet to make your bones rattle. Stay away from my family. You have been warned," I said, then left the room. Vince and Hector followed me.
We returned to my office. I mean, Ranger's office. Zero arrived with a pint of Cherry Garcia and a spoon. "Thanks," I mumbled.
Facing Bella exhausted me. I told Tank I was taking a few hours to sleep. He promised to watch the business as I knew he would. Vince accompanied me to the seventh floor. "You don't have to keep me company," I said, yawning.
"I know, but I want to," he replied. I nodded, then leaned against him.
"You need to spend time with Lotte and Ryan," I added.
"She understands." I knew Lester took over at 1 am for Vince to spend the night with Lotte. She had moved into his house with Ryan. It wasn't right for him to stay with me. I lived inside Rangeman. The men were only a phone call away. "I'll watch television," Vince said when we arrived at my apartment.
I had the best dream. Carlos was making love to me. I woke up screaming his name. "Babe, are you awake?" I opened my eyes.
"Carlos?"
"Did you have a sex dream?" he asked. I blushed.
"What took so long to come home?" I asked.
"Bureaucratic bullshit," he replied. I glared at him until he added, "They wanted me to sign on for another five years. I still have a few years on my contract."
"So why are they wanting you to add more to the term?"
"It doesn't matter. I refused the offer," he replied. "I have more news. The offered me a training position to complete my contract. I train out of Fort Benning for three months."
"Oh? What would I do while you're training?" I wondered.
"You and Isabelle will be with me. I refused to train outside of the summer months. You'll be without me for a few weeks in June and August. The rest of the time, we'll be together," he replied. I could live with those terms.
Carlos and I made love until I fell asleep. I woke up several hours later as he kissed my baby bump. "My appointment is tomorrow," I whispered. Carlos lovingly looked at me.
"I can't wait to see my little man." Neither could I, Batman.