Forbidden love for a Barkley
Part Forty:
"Jarrod's Plan, part 8: The List; I'm going with You"
Upon showing up to Jarrod's office, seeing the interaction between Violet and him, and waiting in the private office plus being asked if he was sure he was ready, Paulie started to tell Santo's story at long last. Well, just the first part that revealed the fateful incident & lie that would eventually lead up to his lynching only to stop due to the pain being as fresh now as it was when it happened which in turn made it difficult to tell the story and feel as if the old wounds were being ripped open just having to relive it. Truth be told, Paulie didn't want to tell the stories of Emilio and Santo's deaths nor did he want to relive the horrors and trauma all over again, but he knew it had to happen in order to get the truth out and let what actually happened in both cases be known. In the case of Emilio, the man was murdered in broad daylight while trying to protect his granddaughter Serafina from creeps who were also bigots. In the case of Santo, within five weeks after the murder of Emilio plus the funeral & burial, this man was lynched for a crime that never even happened. He was lynched based on a lie and bigotry. Both men had their lives cut short for the sake of bigotry/intolerance. Nobody wanted to open up old wounds or relive the horrors and trauma, but it had to be done. Not only for the sake of justice or letting the truth about both cases be known, but so the people of Stockton would know: a) exactly what happened versus what may have been told by certain parties, b) who Emilio and Santo Mangano really were, c) what bigotry, lies, and intolerance could do and how it can tear families apart, and d) how to be accepting and to peacefully co-exist, especially with those who are different. Like the old saying goes: God made us in his likeness and image. Plus, not only was re-educating part of the reason the truth needed to be told and justice needed to be served, but Paulie, Carmine, and their family wanted Santo's name to be cleared once and for all, so he could rest in peace & for his and Emilio's killers to be brought to justice and be held accountable for their crimes. Anyways, while was busy composing himself, Violet interrupted the moment to inform Jarrod that there was a man there looking for Paulie. Much to everybody's surprise, mainly Jarrod's, the man was Carmine and by the look on his face, he was all but thrilled to be there. Annoyed, Paulie went right up to his brother and the two had an exchange. Violet, being fluent in Italian herself, joined into the conversation, hoping to maybe convince the Mangano patriarch to go into Jarrod's private office and hear him out. Paulie was impressed by Violet being fluent in the Italian language while Carmine was disgusted that she was "serving the white man", even calling her "the white man's trophy" to which the secretary told him she was anything, but a servant or trophy. That she was Jarrod's secretary and in her words: "damn proud of it". Carmine would say he was "sorry that she was fooled" which she denied and in so many words, made a shot directed at him, saying that nobody was fooled and somebody was "misguided" before telling him that if she were him, she would go into Jarrod's private office and hear him out. Carmine decided to go ahead and do it with the attitude of: "I'll do it, but I won't like it". Right after placing a picture of Santo onto Jarrod's desk, Carmine started telling more about the incident/lie that led up to Santo's lynching, finishing it by saying that he and his family didn't find out that Santo had been lynched during the night until his daughter Italia discovered his body. This would lead to the Mangano patriarch finally breaking down and letting go of bottled up emotions that were most likely masked by his temper. Carmine would admit in so many words that he felt as if he signed Santo's death warrant by letting him go with Hiram by himself. Jarrod would try to reassure him otherwise, but to no avail. Out in town, Eugene, while out getting some things, was met up by a blonde Austrian woman who seemed to recognize him and her friend, a Russian brunette woman and saw a distressed Francesca Mangano looking around for Jarrod's office. Gene and the women went over to her to see what was wrong only for Francesca to insist she needed to go to Jarrod's office and find Paulie & Carmine. The quartet made their way to Jarrod's office and went inside. As of now, Francesca informed Jarrod, Paulie, and Carmine that after Sunday school got out, something has happened at the church. The questions that remain are as follows: Will Jarrod reveal more of his plan?, Who is the Austrian blonde woman and why does she seem to recognize Eugene?, What's happened at the church?, What happened to Esther?, and most importantly, are Audra, Cara, and Mariah alright? Stay tuned and find out!
Author's Note: I do NOT own The Big Valley or its characters. I ONLY own this fic and the characters of: Stefania Mangano, Carmine Mangano Sr, Carmine's friends, Paulie Mangano, Italia Mangano, Emilio Mangano, Serafina Mangano, Santo Mangano, Francesca Mangano, Cara & Mariah Mangano, Chet and the men Heath rounded up, Jess and Mavis Chaney, the Animal Team, Leonard Barkley, Seth & his gang, Violet Pascucci, Julissa the Russian woman, the mysterious blonde Austrian woman, and the Mangano family. Also too, as you can very well see, this is the eighth and possibly last part to this multi part chapter saga. Full disclosure, I'm not a legal expert or lawyer by any means, so please, bear with me during the parts involving Jarrod putting on his lawyer hat. Oh and as I previously stated in the second author's note (see Chapter 38), I'm modeling the relationship between Jarrod and Violet after the one of James Bond/007 and Miss Moneypenny & Marshal Matt Dillon and Kitty Russell which by the way, those characters, the James Bond franchise, and Gunsmoke rightfully belong to their owners. Enjoy and happy reading! :D
(Flashback to part 39)
"He told me not to worry." Carmine stared at the floor and took a shaky sigh, "Santo told me not to worry. I should've been worried the whole time. In fact, I should've gone with him!"
"Well, answering the door with a shot gun is an indication of worry, Carmine. However, I'd say that the reason you didn't show more signs of being worried was, because you wanted to be the strong arm for the household and your family. The strong arm never gives off signs of fear or worry." Jarrod affirmed.
"Oh, what the hell do you know?!" Carmine snapped.
"My father was the same exact way." Jarrod replied.
"I guess you do know then." Carmine nodded before wiping a tear away, "Poor Santo! We thought he was telling us one of his ridiculous stories and-and-Ohhhh, I should've known and been more suspicious! I should've followed them close behind!"
"Carmine-" Paulie was cut off.
"He'd still be alive! He and papa!" Carmine barked.
"Carmine, you had no way of knowing that your father was going to be killed like he was or that Santo would be led into a trap that resulted in his lynching! You had no way of knowing." Jarrod gently told him, "I take it that during the night, he was-"
"He was, but we didn't find out until the very next morning!" Paulie had fresh tears in his eyes.
"Oh my God! Hiram stopped by to brag about it?! How much more pain could that man cause?!" Jarrod had horror filling his voice.
"No. Our niece Italia-" Carmine paused, unable to finish what he was saying.
"You don't need to say any more in that aspect." Jarrod shook his head in disgust while his eyes glazed over, "Finding your own father's...corpse! I-I can't! I can't! Then again, my late wife Beth was murdered in front of my eyes and my brother Nick discovered our father laying out by our mine, slowly dying, so I can't really say that I can't imagine finding the corpse of a loved one. Our father even died in Nick's arms."
"Jarrod, is that true?" Carmine and Paulie asked in unison while sporting horrified looks.
"Huh?" Jarrod seemed a bit taken aback by their question.
"What you just said in regards to your late wife and your papa." Carmine told him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I must've said my thoughts out loud, again. However, yes, it is true, Carmine, but this is not about me or the tragedies my family and I endured. This is about getting justice for your father and your brother." Jarrod replied.
"That's true, but we are very sorry you and your family went through that. Truly, we are." Paulie told him.
"I appreciate that." Jarrod said before taking a deep breath.
"I should've gone with him." Carmine's voice sounded like it was beginning to break.
"You and me both, brother." Paulie added.
"And what would've happened if you two or anybody else did? Hiram Ballinger and his bunch would have a much bigger body count." Jarrod told them.
"Not necessarily. He'd be alive!" Carmine fired back.
"You don't know that, Carmine." Jarrod shook his head.
"Maybe I don't, but what Paulie and I do know is that we both sentenced Santo to his death!" Carmine slightly raised his voice while on the verge of breaking down, Paulie nodding in agreement.
"No, you guys didn't. If anybody did, it was Hiram and his bunch." Jarrod reminded them.
"But we promised to be the protectors of our family! I promised since I am the eldest! I made that promise to my papa when we buried him! I made that promise and I failed with...Santo, Allegra, and Stefania! I...failed!" Carmine finally broke down despite his efforts to keep his composure.
"Carmine, you didn't fail anybody. Neither you nor Paulie failed a soul." Jarrod walked over, placed a comforting hand on Carmine's shoulder, and started rubbing it, "Nobody failed anybody. Hiram Ballinger and his bunch plus many like them are evil. Just pure evil. Not worthy of being in the human race."
Carmine continued to cry his eyes out and soon enough, his breath started to hitch.
"Carmine, Paulie...I-I know this isn't much, but I am awfully sorry about your father and Santo. Truly, I am." Jarrod said in a solemn tone before handing a green handkerchief to Carmine.
"It isn't your fault, Jarrod." Paulie told him.
"I know, but I just feel awful about what you two and your family have had to endure." Jarrod replied, "I just feel awful."
"You feel awful. How do you think I feel? I'm the eldest child out of my siblings and the eldest is next in line to take care of his or her younger siblings & I failed. I failed BIG time! Then, not too long after, Allegra gets assaulted by Clevenger and more recently, Stefania went through what she went through, so not only did I fail as a brother, but I failed as a father, too!" Carmine sobbed after taking the handkerchief and dabbing his eyes with it.
Jarrod didn't say anything and continued rubbing Carmine's shoulder.
*Meanwhile, out in the town somewhere; 2 minutes later*
Eugene had ridden into town in order to get some things, mainly bandages to re-wrap Nick's leg. Just as he was finishing up loading the stuff into the buckboard, he started to make his way over to a nearby bakery.
"Eugene Barkley, do my eyes deceive me?" a voice with a thick German accent said.
Eugene turned his attention to the source, seeing that the voice belonged to a woman with blonde hair that was parted in the middle and tied neatly into a bun, his eyes becoming the size of plates.
"How are you?" the woman walked over to him.
Eugene, completely awe struck, didn't say a word or move a muscle.
"Don't you recognize me?" the woman asked.
"I...I...I..." was all Eugene managed to get out.
"It's me." the woman told him.
"Is this Eugene Barkley or one of his brothers?" another voice with a Russian accent asked.
"Yes, Julissa. This is Eugene Barkley." the woman said.
Eugene turned his attention to the source of the second voice, seeing that it too belonged to a woman. This woman had auburn hair that was also tied neatly in a bun.
"Privet." Julissa greeted Eugene.
Eugene nodded to Julissa in response.
"Vhat iz vrong, Eugene? Cat have your tongue?" the blonde woman humorously asked.
Eugene opened his mouth to say something only to stop himself from doing so when he saw a distressed woman looking around for something. Wanting to help her out, he motioned for Julissa and the blonde to follow him before running towards the woman.
"Vhat iz he doing, Julissa?" the blonde asked.
"I think he is going to help that woman and it wouldn't be proper if we didn't join him, so let's go." Julissa said before following Eugene, the blonde gal following suit.
*Over where the woman was*
"Miss? Miss, is everything-Stefania, what's wrong?" Eugene had concern in his voice.
"I'm not Stefania. I'm...her sister...Francesca. Nick, shouldn't you be resting?" Francesca turned her attention to Eugene while trying to catch her breath.
"No, it's Eugene. Francesca, is everything okay?" Eugene asked.
"I'm afraid not. Where's Jarrod's office?" Francesca looked around.
"Down this way, but first, what's happened?" Eugene was curious.
"I'll tell you after we get to Jarrod's office. I need to find my zio Paulie and papa first." Francesca insisted.
"Okay. Well, let's go." Eugene gestured for Francesca and the other two women to follow him to Jarrod's office.
With that, the quartet took off and headed straight for Jarrod's office.
*Back at Jarrod's office*
A few more minutes had passed. Upon telling more about Santo and his lynching, Carmine and Paulie had their fair shares of tears and expressing their guilt over it all plus how much they missed their father and brother.
As of now, the Mangano men were in the process of trying to compose themselves, especially Carmine as he was one to never show any other emotion than his short temper. He was the tough one. The strong arm of his family. A fierce protector who by nature, never gave off any indication of fear or shed tears. However, sometimes, even the tough ones needed to show other emotions/shed tears, right?
"You okay now, Carmine?" Jarrod asked.
"I think so. However, I'm...embarrassed." Carmine sighed.
"Embarrassed? What for? You needed to get all of that out." Jarrod couldn't believe what he just heard.
"I'm embarrassed, because I cried in front of you and Paulie which is something I never do. I never break down and cry like a baby!" Carmine dabbed his eyes, again.
"Carmine, you're not a baby for crying. It makes you human." Jarrod reassured him or at least tried to.
"Easy for you to say, Jarrod. You're not the one known for being the strong arm of your own family. You're not the one who's tough as they say." Carmine barked.
Jarrod opened his mouth to say something only to be interrupted when the door opened, yet again.
"I'm sorry to disturb you and these two gentlemen, Jarrod, but there's a young man and three women here. One of them says they are looking for you and the other one says they are looking for their uncle and papa." Violet told him.
"Send them in, Violet." Jarrod replied.
Violet moved aside and in came Eugene, Francesca, the blonde woman, and Julissa.
"Eugene, what's-" Jarrod was cut off when Francesca stepped forward.
"Zio Paulie, Papa, Signor Barkley, there's-there's been a-Something's happened at the church!" Francesca's voice was shaky.
"What do you mean?" Jarrod asked, "Oh and you can call me Jarrod. Mr. Barkley was my father."
"Francesca, what's happened?" Carmine managed to compose himself a little.
"Papa, you know how Cara and Mariah go to Sunday school and Signora Audra is the teacher? Well...something's happened!" Francesca looked pale as a ghost.
(Now)
"Francesca, could you go into more detail?" Jarrod's heart was beginning to race.
"Well, my sister-in-law Simonetta, brother Carmine Jr, and I went to the church to pick Cara and Mariah up from Sunday school as we have done for a while now. We waited and waited and waited for Signora Audra to walk them out to us. Nobody came out and after a few more minutes, Simonetta went inside to see what was going on. Not too long after, Junior and I heard Simonetta scream. We went inside to discover the church ransacked, Signora Audra unconscious with bruises & her shirt torn, the padre Father Margolis shot, and Cara & Mariah missing!" Francesca took a few deep breaths after saying that.
"What?!" Jarrod, Paulie, and Carmine said at the same time while standing up from their chairs in unison.
"Yes! It's awful!" Francesca's voice started to break.
"Let's get to the church!" Jarrod started to make his way to the door of his private office, but stopped in his tracks when Carmine held his hand up.
"You!" Carmine gritted his teeth.
"Me?" Jarrod asked.
"You! You! You! You tricked us!" Carmine pointed his index finger at him, hand slowly shaking with anger.
"Now, Carmine-" Paulie was interrupted.
"You hush!" Carmine said to his brother before turning his attention back to Jarrod, "You and your kind are all the same! You talk of your imaginary plans and manage to fool some of us, like Paulie for example while you planned for my granddaughters to go missing!"
"Carmine, I would never do such a-" Jarrod was cut off.
"Don't feed me that! Don't you dare feed me that!" Carmine shook his head in disgust and sneered, "Not only do you do that, but you have your own sister get hurt like how Francesca described. Your own sister!"
"Carmine, you are wrong by a long shot." Paulie stood next to Jarrod.
"How do you figure, Paulie?! First, papa and Santo are murdered by his kind, then, Nick let Stefania get attacked & violated by his buddy McMahon and his group before participating in the act himself, and now, Jarrod lures us here after secretly plotting what happened at the church & by having us here, we wouldn't be able to get to Cara and Mariah in time! What's next? Which Barkley will deceive us next? The Barkley family is supposed to be noble and generous among other things according to all of Stockton, but so far, that has been further from the truth." Carmine shook his head and folded his arms.
"Carmine, think about what you're saying. You're making accusations and casting judgment early when even you know deep down inside that you are wrong. If Nick was responsible for what happened to Stefania, why would he be sticking by her side and trying to prove that he isn't like the others? Why? And now, if Jarrod tricked us and was responsible for what just happened, why would he want to help us get justice for Santo and papa, have a plan in the making, listen to the stories, and want the perpetrators be held accountable? Why?" Paulie pointed out the obvious and went as far as to put his arm around Jarrod.
"Paulie, what's happened to you?!" Carmine couldn't believe that Paulie was defending Nick and Jarrod.
"Nothing happened to me, Carmine. I used to feel the way you feel, but...but I realized I was wrong and have had a change of heart. From what I have seen, I have come to realize that Nick cares about Stefania & vice versa plus we haven't seen that girl be this happy in forever. She seems really happy with Nick and she has been fiercely defending him from the start. If he was responsible for what happened to her, it wouldn't make sense for her to defend him. Then, while we waited by what remained of the bridge after you and Nick went over that waterfall, I talked with Signora Victoria Barkley and just by talking with her, I can tell that she is a good woman and has a big heart. I never thought the white people would be anything, but sadistic and evil. I was wrong. Now, from speaking with Jarrod and hearing what he has planned so far, I see that he too is good and honorable. I don't see a liar, cheat, or traitor in him or his family. I don't and I wish you would come to realize the same thing I have." Paulie explained before taking a breath.
"Mister, I too wish you would realize it. I have known Jarrod for a good while now and I vouch for him. Plus, upon hearing what he said about his family, I vouch for them, too. Call me a fool if you must, but it's something to think over." Violet added.
"Papa..." Francesca tapped her father on the shoulder.
"Yes?" Carmine turned to his daughter.
"Papa, they are right. You see, while I may not know Nick Barkley and his family too well, I have heard Stefania talk about them in such a positive light. So much so, that I have come to believe that they are good people and pillars of their community. They're not like the bad people we have encountered." Francesca sighed, "I have come to respect them. Even trust them. I wish you would do the same. I mean what are you proving by letting your pride and bitterness cloud your judgment? Didn't you teach us not to be too prideful and bitter?"
"Come osi chiedermelo?! (How dare you ask me that?!)" Carmine asked in a stern tone after reverting to Italian.
"Papà, non schivare la domanda. Rispondimi. Voglio sapere. (Dad, don't dodge the question. Answer me. I want to know.)" Francesca replied.
"Francesca, tu come tutti gli altri lo sai che ho una valida ragione per non fidarmi troppo. Lo sai tu. Lo sa Paulie. Lo sa tua madre. Lo sa Stefania. Lo sapete tutti voi. (Francesca, you as well as everybody else does that I have a valid reason not to be too trusting. You know it. Paulie knows it. Your mom knows it. Stefania knows it. All of you do.)" Carmine told her.
"Sì, papà. Lo sappiamo, ma il modo in cui lo fai sembra essere in nome dell'orgoglio e dell'amarezza. Orgoglio e pregiudizio, più che altro. Non darai alle persone la possibilità di dimostrare il loro valore a te. Sì, quello che è successo al nonno e allo zio Santo è stato oltre ogni limite. Sì, alcune persone qui ci hanno fatto del male, ma dove c'è il male, c'è anche il bene. Credo che i Barkley siano brave persone e non li conosco nemmeno così bene. (Yes, dad. We know that, but the way you're going about it seems to be in the name of pride and bitterness. Pride and prejudice more like. You won't give people a chance to prove themselves to you. Yes, what happened to grandpa and uncle Santo was beyond unfathomable. Yes, some of the people here have wronged us, but where there's bad, there is also good. I believe the Barkleys are good people and I don't even know them that well.)" Francesca looked into her father's eyes, "Se Stefania, mamma, zio Paulie, Vincent e io, tra gli altri, siamo disposti a dargli una possibilità, non ti farebbe male unirti a noi. Inoltre, non sarebbe la stessa cosa o addirittura divertente senza di te, papà. (If Stefania, mom, uncle Paulie, Vincent, and I among others are willing to give them a chance, it wouldn't hurt you to join us. Besides, it really wouldn't be the same or even fun without you, dad.)"
Carmine remained silent and started to let what Francesca said sink in or so it seemed.
"Carmine, se fossi in te, lo farei. (Carmine, if I were you, I would do it.)" Paulie added.
"May I shpeak up?" the Austrian blonde woman asked.
"Sure thing, ma'-Wait a minute! No, way!" Jarrod started to recognize the woman.
"No, vay?" the Austrian woman was confused.
"Daphne? Daphne Gubenheimer?" Jarrod asked with a smile.
"Yes, it iz me. Jarrod Barkley?" Daphne nodded.
"Daphne, how have you been? What brings you to Stockton?" Jarrod asked.
"I have been good. Zhank you for asking." Daphne smiled.
"Eugene, why didn't you say anything?" Jarrod turned to Eugene.
"Oh, he vas probably nervous. Let alone surprised to see me after these years." Daphne replied.
"I guess he still does get nervous around girls." Jarrod chuckled and shook his head, "Well, this is another pleasant surprise and who is this young lady?"
"Oh, pardon me. This is my friend Julissa Kurilenko. She is from Russia. We met while I was on vacation in Helsinki, Finland. Friendly territory, if you will. I told her all about Stockton and she wanted to see it one day. Well, here we are." Daphne explained.
"Well, it is nice to meet both of you. Anyways, not to change the subject, but you asked if you could speak up, so go on ahead." Jarrod gestured for her to do just that.
"Ja." Daphne nodded before turning to Carmine, "Carmine, is it?"
"That's my name. Don't wear it out or say it for too long." Carmine replied in a snide way.
"Carmine, I take it that you and your family have fallen victim to bigotry, ja?" Daphne asked.
"That is correct. Yes." Carmine said.
"Well, for starters, I am deeply sorry for all that you have had to experience and I know how it feels. I know what it is like to fall victim to other people being bigoted and downright stupid plus small minded." Daphne started.
"No, you don't. You're white!" Carmine shook his head.
"I am white, ja. However, in some people's eyes, I am the wrong type of white." Daphne added.
"How dare you?!" Carmine growled.
"Please, listen to me, good sir. I know what intolerance is like. I have experienced it first hand. You see, years ago, I arrived to Stockton after leaving my Austrian community in Bloomington, Illinois which I came to after emigrating to the United States from Thal, Styria, Austria. Well, upon arrival, unlike in Bloomington, in Stockton, I vas like fish out of vater (water). I did not fit in. People laughed whenever I spoke due to my accent, threw tomatoes at me, the likes. That is until I met Eugene Barkley who seems to still be nervous around me. However, when he iz not nervous, he is a charming gentleman. I quickly found zhat out vhen ve (we) took a stroll around town and he started to come out of his shell. Little by little of course. Zhen, he introduced me to his family and zhey couldn't have been nicer. In fact, zhey vere a breath of fresh air compared to the idiots I first encountered. It vas like night and day." Daphne's smile grew brighter as she fondly recalled meeting Eugene and the Barkleys.
Paulie could be heard sniffling and was even dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief.
"Zio Paulie, what is wrong?" Francesca asked.
"I'm sorry. I always cry when I hear these type of stories. I don't have ice in my veins like a certain somebody here." Paulie dabbed his eyes some more.
"What kind of crack is that?" Carmine gave him a look.
"How do you know I was talking about you?" Paulie raised an eyebrow, "I could be referring to anybody."
"That's all nice, but how come you left if everything was so good?!" Carmine put his hands on his hips.
"Well, you see, we ummmmm...we started a slowly growing relationship and pretty soon, after a month or so, we got engaged. Everything went well until...until..." Eugene either got too nervous or too awe struck by Daphne's beauty to finish the last part.
"Until our uncle Leonard found out." Jarrod started to pick up where Eugene was leaving off.
"I heard of this uncle Leonard of yours. He tried to scare my precious Stefania away and Nick didn't stop him!" Carmine's ears perked up after hearing Leonard's name.
"That's not true, Carmine. Nick stood up for her immediately and was even on the brink of getting into a fist fight with him. As of now, he knows Leonard may have masterminded what happened to Stefania. Besides McMahon & his bunch, he wants to make Leonard pay dearly, too. He even has a list which I have had in my possession for a good time now. Look." Jarrod opened his desk drawer, pulled out the list Nick made, and laid it on his desk for everyone to see, "He doesn't know I took it."
Paulie, Eugene, and Carmine looked the list over, mouthing what it had written on it.
"Well?" Jarrod folded his arms.
"Little hard to read. Looks like Nick wrote it in rage." Eugene finished looking the list over and looked up at his older brother.
"Whoa." Paulie finished looking at the list, "That kid was telling the truth the whole time."
"Thank you, Paulie. Finally!" Jarrod said with a hint of relief in his voice before turning to Carmine, "Well, Carmine, are you convinced?"
"He can't read." Paulie interjected while making a move to pick the list up.
"I can, too!" Carmine smacked his brother's hand away, "I'm just slow at it."
*Meanwhile, at Barkley Ranch*
"MOTHER! MOTHER! HEATH! MOTHER!" Nick was heard shouting all through the house.
"Nick, must you-" Victoria was cut off.
"Make all of this noise?" Stefania finished Victoria's question.
"I'm sorry, but I can't find it! I just can't find it!" Nick was clearly irritated.
"What is it are you trying to find?" Victoria asked.
"And whatever it is, must you be so loud that all of California can hear you?" Stefania folded her arms.
"Thank you, Stefania." Victoria smiled at her.
"Look, I made a very important list and-" Nick was cut off.
"A list? Nicholas Barkley, what's gotten into you?" Stefania gave him a look.
Nick and Victoria were caught off guard, even a little taken aback by Stefania's question.
"Oh no! I said something that offended you!" Stefania got a remorseful look on her face.
"Oh no no, honey. Not at all. In fact, I never thought I would hear that question from anybody, but myself." Victoria tried to reassure her while stifling any laughter.
"I do not understand." Stefania was confused.
"Stefania, you asked the same question I would ask Tom whenever he would be either shouting like Nick was, making a mess of the study while looking for a pencil and paper, or well, anything he did that I either found ridiculous or simply didn't agree with." Victoria put her arm around Stefania, "I found it both funny and heart touching to hear that question again after so long."
"You used to do the same with Signor Barkley?" Stefania was surprised.
"That's what I said." Victoria nodded before getting a funny look on her face, "Why?"
"My mama says something very similar to my papa, even calling him by his full name much to his surprise." Stefania chuckled, "Now, that I think about it, I never thought I would ask the question to a significant other. Let alone have a significant other."
"Honey, if things go right with you and Nick to the point of marriage, you'll be saying a lot of things to each other." Victoria told her before turning her attention to Nick, "Speaking of which..."
"Yes?" Nick asked.
"You still haven't answered the question." Stefania reminded him.
"What question is that?" Nick nervously chuckled.
"You said the reason you shouted was, because you were looking for a list and Stefania asked what has gotten into you. Now, how about? Why the noise over a list, Nicholas?" Victoria added, as she joined Stefania in folding her arms.
"Why the noise over a list? It happens to be a very very important list!" Nick slightly raised his voice.
"Nick!" Stefania exclaimed.
"What?" Nick slightly jolted.
"You can simply tell us the reason without raising your voice. Suppose the neighbors heard you. I'm sure they love hearing tons of shouting." Stefania gently told him.
"It happens to be a very very important list. Very very important." Nick lowered his voice, "In fact, I had it on the desk in the study. Folded neatly and underneath the jar of pencils. I left it there for a while and when I went into the study to grab it, well, by gosh, it was gone!"
"Nick, is there any chance you may have grabbed it without knowing?" Victoria asked.
"Or may have misplaced it?" Stefania asked.
"No, no, I remember leaving it there. Right there where I can see it." Nick replied.
"Nick, we're sure it'll show up eventually, but maybe you can make another one in the meantime. You know, just to have as a backup." Victoria suggested.
"But...But..." Nick was cut off.
"Nick, it won't hurt you to have a backup list. Now, if I were you, I'd do just that and let your mama get back to what she was doing without interruptions." Stefania gave him another look.
"Why, thank you, Stefania." Victoria said.
Nick went to say something, but ended up stammering a bit.
"Nick, if I were you, I would listen to mama and make that backup list. Meanwhile, I'm going to go back upstairs to what I was doing and Stefania, please make sure he doesn't stay on that leg for too long." Victoria said.
The front door flew open and Silas came running in.
"Silas, what's wrong? You look as if the devil is on your tail." Victoria was surprised.
"Mrs. Barkley, Mr. Nick, Miss Mangano, there's-there's-" Silas paused to catch his breath.
"Easy, Silas, easy. Easy does it." Nick told him.
"Silas, what has happened?" Stefania asked.
"I was in town going to Dieter's bakery for those pies he makes plus the fresh bread when I heard through the walls of Mr. Jarrod's office that something happened at the church where Miss Audra teaches sunday school. I decided-" Silas was cut off.
"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Nick held his hand up, "What do you mean something happened?"
"Something happened in regards to Miss Audra and two little girls named Mariah and Cara." Silas replied.
"My nieces! I gotta get to th-" Stefania went to run downstairs towards the door only to be stopped.
"Now, Stefania, wait a minute-" Nick was cut off.
"Nick, something's wrong! Something's...wrong! I just know it and-and I can feel it, too! Oh, if-" Stefania paused and got bug eyed.
"What? What is it?" Nick asked.
"What if...What if Seth McMahon and his gang-" Stefania was cut off.
"Stefania, I'm starting to have the same suspicion and if that's the case...I'm going with you." Nick told her.
"But Nick, you should be resting." Stefania insisted.
"I know, but not this time!" Nick shook his head before grabbing his gunbelt, hat, and gloves.
"But Nick-" Stefania was cut off, again.
"No, buts. McMahon and his buddies harmed you once. I will not have a repeat." Nick put on his gloves, gunbelt, and hat then loaded his gun.
"Nick, I'll go and get-" Victoria was cut off.
"No, mother. You, Stefania, and Silas stay here. It may get dangerous and broken leg or not, I'd rather suffer more injuries than risk any of you getting hurt." Nick finished loading his gun then looked around, "Where's Heath?"
"Out fixing the fence." Victoria told him.
"Well, I'll-" Nick paused when he heard a noise from outside.
"What was that?" Stefania asked.
"I don't know. You three get back. I'll go investigate." Nick cocked his gun.
Another noise was heard, this time louder than before.
"Mother, Silas, Stefania, grab a shot gun and get back." Nick instructed.
Victoria and Silas did what they were told whereas Stefania did not.
"Stefania, cosa stai facendo? Torna! (Stefania, what are you doing? Get back!)" Nick said in Italian.
"Nick, you're starting to sound like one of my relatives. Your Italian is getting a little better." Stefania was impressed.
"Well, after hearing you and your family communicate & listening to the Italians I have met in the past, I'm a fast learner, I guess." Nick nervously shrugged, "Ora, torna! Torna! (Now, get back! Get back!)"
"No. Non lascerò che il danno venga da te. (No. I won't let harm come to you.)" Stefania reverted to Italian.
"Devi tornare! Sarai al sicuro! (You must get back! You'll be safe!)" Nick told her while slowly making his way to the door.
"No, Nick. Vado con te. (No, Nick. I'm going with you.)" Stefania followed him close behind.
"Stefania, sarai più sicuro con mia madre e Silas. Per favore, torna con loro. (Stefania, you'll be safer with my mother and Silas. Please, get back with them.)" Nick gestured "go back" with his hand.
*Back at Jarrod's office*
Carmine was still looking over the list Nick had made much to the annoyance of everybody else, mainly Paulie.
"I hate to interrupt the reading of the list, but I think we best get to the church." Eugene chimed in.
"They're not at the church." Francesca said.
"Pardon?" Jarrod asked.
"They're not at the church. The priest and signora Audra are at Dr. Merar's office being treated." Francesca told him.
"Good. We'll go there right now." Jarrod started to walk out of his private office only to stop in his tracks, "Francesca, is there anybody with Father Margolis and Audra?"
"Yes. Simonetta and Junior." Francesca nodded.
"Good." Jarrod gave a thumbs up before leaving his private office and stopping by Violet's desk, "Violet, I'm heading for Dr. Merar's office. You're in charge and if I am not back in time, you can close up early."
"You got it, Jarrod. However, according to what I couldn't help overhearing, please, be careful." Violet nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"I will, I promise. In fact, Daphne, Francesca, and Julissa, you ladies stay here with Violet. Eugene, you, Paulie, and Carmine come with me." Jarrod instructed.
"Was there any doubt that we were going to go?" Eugene asked.
"Eugene, please, be careful. It sounds dangerous." Daphne turned to Eugene.
"I promise that I will be careful." Eugene told her.
"When you come back, maybe we can catch up on old times, ja?" Daphne asked.
"You bet." Eugene nodded.
"Papa, Zio Paulie, be safe." Francesca hugged her father and uncle.
"Don't worry, kiddo." Paulie kissed her on the head.
"Francesca, I'm tough. Remember?" Carmine told her with confidence in his voice.
"Yes, but please, be safe." Francesca pleaded.
"I will. You better believe it." Carmine gave her a kiss on the forehead before turning to Paulie, Eugene, and Jarrod, "Well, let's go!"
To Be Continued...
Victoria: I wonder what that noise is outside.
Nick: I wonder if Heath is also investigating it.
Jarrod: Who would hurt Audra and father Margolis? And what happened to Cara and Mariah?
Violet: Be safe, Jarrod.
Daphne: I'm scared for them.
Paulie: Do you think McMahon and his bunch or Ballinger and his gang are behind this?
Nick: Let's wait for the next chapter.
Carmine: R&R, people. R&R.