Avarice (19 page)

“But I do,” came a younger man’s voice. They squint at Sergio as he handed Matteo a stogie. “Ya’ll better recognize a brother!”

Giuseppe chuckled. He needed a light hearted moment and found it. He patted Sergio’s shoulder. “I am glad you are family. You bring humor to my heart.”

There was a chuckle from the men when Matteo asked Giuseppe, “Did you tell this stronzo to strike me?”

Giuseppe moved his head from side to side with his mouth in a frown. “Sí, be lucky I did not punch you myself.”

***

The women were in the kitchen, their heads together conspiratorially.

“I do not believe it was an accident,” Sophie told Selange and Amelda. “
A woman’s intuition.”

“But who do you think might’ve done this?”

Sophie confessed. “Shanda told me she spoke with Geovonna’s mother on a shopping trip. I believe she had a hand in this.”

“But why would she want Shanda dead?”

“She may have thought it was Giuseppe in the car.”

“That’s a lot of speculation.”

Amelda chimed in. “The woman has acted strange after the death of her son. Maybe she blamed Giuseppe. Sometimes he is responsible for many things.”

“Amelda this is not the time to add to your brother’s grief.” Sophie scolded

“Well it is true.”

Sophie shocked the two women when she said, “Perhaps that is so, but I am not without fault. I am the person who killed Geovonna.”

They gasped.

Sophie hushed them when Gabriela entered. “I bring good news on a sad day. I have received notice that I will have the starring role in a new film.”

“That’s wonderful,” Sophie congratulated.

“Who cares about a silly film when we have just buried one of our own? You are a selfish girl!” Amelda scowled.

“I did not mean any disrespect.”

Selange frowned. “I know you did not, but Gabriela you must be able to discern when
to use good judgment.”

“Yes. I am sorry about Shanda.” She clasped Selange’s hand. “She was very nice.”

Amelda chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Santi, such trash. Shanda was fun and vibrant. Nice she was not. Speak the truth or do not speak at all. Aye, Selange you knew her best. Was she nice?”

“She was many wonderful things Amelda and at times she was very nice. You would have known this if you knew her at all.”

Amelda frowned. “I wish we were given more time.”

Gabriela made a quick exit and Amelda scoffed. “Like her mother that one!”

“I am moving here next month ladies,” Selange announced. “We have a lot of things to discuss…”

Ari entered with Semira on her hip. “
I’ll be in attendance.”

Selange nodded. “I expect nothing less.” She turned to Sophie. “We will find out if your intuition is correct. So help me God if it is, there will be no mercy for the person responsible.”

Amelda smirked. “Bene. I look forward to our meeting.”

“I bet you do,” Selange said before
excusing herself to seek out the children to begin a dialogue about death. Sometimes adults forget that children have feelings. The kids were gathered in the den watching cartoons. She sat with them, saw their sad faces and said. “Have any of you heard the story about Freddy and the Fallen Leaf?”

“No,”
they chorused.

“Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes,” they cheered, sitting upright like soldiers at attention.

She began the tale and that is when Alfonzo came in. He found an empty seat. Angelina and Vincent hurried to their dad’s lap, even Carlo wanted up. He balanced all three as they listened to the hypnotic recanting of a
story which helped children deal with death through the passing of the seasons.

He smiled, watching the
ir precious expressions held captive by a master storyteller who found wisdom in education. Alfonzo heaved pride because these are the times he was grateful beyond measure that he had chosen Selange and she accepted him. What a wonderful mother, lover teacher and friend.

L
ook at my babe…how blessed am I that I can rest my head?

Very blessed, he thought
as he closed his eyes to nap.

The children’s book about death that Selange recited to the youngsters is titled:

The Fall of Freddy the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages, by Leo Buscaglia. 1982. Slack.

Freddie the leaf learns about life and death as he, his friend Daniel, and their fellow friends change with the passing seasons and finally fall to the ground in the winter snow.

                Another Fallen Leaf