Deadly Embrace (46 page)

"Are you out of your freaking
mind
?" he said angrily. "I'm
married, Dani.
Married
. As far as Madison is concerned, Stella
is her
mother
. And believe me—anyone who tells her
otherwise will be very sorry indeed."

"I understand," she said meekly.

"Good. 'Cause I think it's great that you're coming to me
seventeen years later and telling me I've got a son. Only, you know
what? It's too goddamn late. I don't
want
to meet him. I don't
want
to have anything to do with you. And right now I'm
getting up and walking out of here. So ... do us both a big favor,
and
never
contact me again."

I said come visit, only I didn't reckon it was going to be this
soon," Tina said, standing at the door of her house.

"I need to talk," Michael said, shoving past her.

"I wonder why," Tina said, following him. "We're eating late
tonight and are in the middle of dinner."

"I don't want dinner."

"I didn't offer."

"Thanks!"

"You'd better say hello to Max, otherwise he'll think something
strange is going on."

"Something strange
is
going on, Tina," he said, turning on
her. "Why the hell didn't you warn me?"

"I guess this means Dani told you?"

"Damn right."

"What are you going to do?"

"Why should I do
anything
?" Michael responded, his handsome
face grim. "She raised a son I knew nothing about. Now I'm supposed
to believe he's mine. Fuck that shit."

"Hey—" Max said, emerging from the dining room. "What's
going on? Jeez!" he said, spotting Michael. "A ghost from the
past."

"Nice greeting," Michael said.

"What do you want—a hug and a kiss? Look at you, all dressed
up, Mr. City Freakin' Big Shot."

"Cut the crap," Michael said. "I know we haven't seen each other
in a while, but I'm here because you're my friends. And I don't need
to hear shit."

"Oh," Max said. "
Finally
he discovers he has friends."

Tina, who had not filled her husband in, quickly shushed him.
"Let's go in the living room," she said, taking Michael's arm.

"I need a drink," Michael said restlessly.

"So fix yourself one," Max said, adding a sarcastic
"Sorry—the staff are all on vacation."

"Where do you keep the booze?" Michael asked, ignoring Max's
crack.

"In that cupboard over there," Max said. "You want ice, get it
from the kitchen."

"Max," Tina scolded, "stop behaving like a jerk. Michael had a big
shock tonight."

"What kind of shock?"

"The kind of shock where a woman comes back seventeen years later
and tells you you've got a son," Tina said.

"
What
?" Max said, sitting down.

"I was going to tell you later," Tina said. "Here's the fast
version—Dani's son, Vincent, is Michael's."

"How come she didn't tell me when we started seeing each other
again?" Michael said tersely.

"She must've had her reasons," Tina said, shrugging.

"What're you gonna do?" Max asked.

"It's not
my
problem," Michael said, pouring himself a
hefty drink. "It's
her
fucking problem."

"She said the boy needs a father," Tina interjected.

"She should've thought of that before."

"Does that mean you won't see him?"

"Why would I?"

"I think you should," Tina ventured. "After all, it's not
his
fault."

"I gotta figure this one out on my own," Michael said.

"That's true," Max agreed.

"Hey—listen. Sorry I barged in on you tonight—didn't
know where else to go."

"How about home to your
wife
?" Tina suggested.

"Jesus!" Michael said. "If Stella finds out, she'll go nuts."

"Oh yes, I imagine she would," Tina said, quite enjoying the
thought of an out-of-control Stella.

"Let's not discuss my wife," Michael said shortly. "We'll get
together when she's not around, okay?"

"Yes, Michael," Tina said. "And if you want my advice— which
you probably don't—you
should
see your son. It's the
right thing to do."

* * *

Dani felt like a total failure. Not only had she failed to connect
with Michael, but when she'd told Vincent the truth, he'd yelled at
her and run out of the hotel. She had no idea where he'd gone.

She didn't know whether or not to call the police. Instead she
called Tina.

"Don't worry," Tina assured her. "He'll come back."

"How do you know?"

"He can look after himself," Tina said. "Don't believe everything
you read about New York. If he's not back in the morning,
then
start worrying."

"I'm sorry to bother you in the middle of the night."

"That's okay," Tina said, adding a casual "By the way, Michael
dropped by."

"How was he?"

"Angry and frustrated."

"I know," Dani said sadly. "He didn't take it well."

"Give him time," Tina said. "I know Michael, he'll come
around."

"I don't have that kind of time," Dani said. "We're only here for
five days."

"Michael's tough on the outside, soft on the inside. He won't turn
his back on his own son."

"I hope not," Dani whispered.

* * *

Eventually, at 3 A.M., Vincent returned to the hotel. Dani was awake.
"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Why do
you
care?" he said.

"Look, I know you're upset, but you've got to realize that
everything I did I thought was for the best."

"Jesus, Mom," he said, throwing her a look. "You must've been a
real tramp. A one-night stand and you got yourself knocked up. How
come you didn't get an abortion?"

She tried to remain calm. "We wouldn't be having this conversation
if I'd done that, would we?"

"You should've," he muttered.

"I didn't abort you because I wanted you. Is that good
enough?"

"How come you didn't tell him?"

"I didn't know how to reach Michael. I was very young and scared,
so I married Sam. How did I know he was going to turn out to be a
drunk?"

"You certainly made bad choices," Vincent said, and marched off
into the other bedroom.

In the morning, when she awoke, he was gone again. Anger and
frustration overcame her. How was she supposed to deal with him? The
situation was becoming impossible.

* * *

Michael was drinking coffee and staring out the window when Marcie
knocked on the door and entered his office. "There's a young man here
to see you," she announced.

"Who?"

"He said his name is Vincent. Wouldn't say what he wants." She
looked at him curiously. "Do you have a relative by that name?"

He sighed. "Why are you asking, Marcie?"

"There's quite a strong resemblance."

"Send him in," Michael said.

Now his mind was really racing. The kid had actually come to see
him. Had Dani sent him? What did they want from him? Money? Okay, so
he'd give the boy a check. Big fucking deal.

When Vincent walked into his office, Michael could hardly believe
it. Everyone was right. It was almost like looking into a mirror
twenty years ago.

They stared at each other. Vincent was obviously equally
startled.

"Shut the door, Marcie," Michael said gruffly. "And hold my
calls."

"Yes, Mr. Castelli," Marcie said, quite intrigued by this new
development in her normally routine life. She left the office,
shutting the door behind her.

Michael indicated a seat. "Take the weight off," he said.

Vincent sat down. They regarded each other warily for a
moment.

"So ... what can I do for you?" Michael said at last.

"Is that all you've got to say to me?" Vincent said, biting on his
lower lip.

"Look, I saw your mother last night for the first time since she
dumped me seven years ago," Michael explained. "And you know what she
says to me? 'Seventeen years ago when you and I had a one-night
stand, we made a kid.'"

He took a beat. "Only problem—she forgot to tell me about
this until last night. And
you're
that kid, right?"

"She never told me anything until last night either," Vincent
said, his eyes darting around the well-appointed office. "I thought
my father was some drunk who'd run off with a shitload of money. Now
I'm told it's you. I don't know who you are, which means I don't know
who I am, do I?"

"What is it that you want from me?" Michael asked, deciding to end
this fast. "Money?"

"Is that what you think I came here for—money?" Vincent
said, giving him a cold look. "My mom's worked hard all these years
to make sure I had everything I needed. I guess she never got a
dollar from you."

"Weren't you
listening
?" Michael said. "I
didn't
know
I had a kid until last night."

"Like that's my fault," Vincent muttered.

"So what I'll do is write you a check, and you can take it home to
your mom and tell her this is the money I owe her for raising you.
Now, since I don't know who the hell you are, or anything about you,
that'll be the end of our commitment to each other."

"You
bastard
," Vincent said, jumping up.

"How come
I'm
the bastard?"

" 'Cause
I'm your son
," Vincent said. "How do you think
I
feel? I came here hoping to find a dad, someone I can look up
to and respect. And it sure as hell isn't you."

An image of Vinny sitting in his wheelchair glued to the TV swam
before Michael's eyes. He remembered his father never giving him a
moment's attention, because as far as Vinny was concerned his life
had ended when his wife was shot and he'd lost the use of his legs.
Was he going to do the same to
his
kid? Ignore him? Send him
away? Give him nothing except money?

"Listen—" he began.

"No," Vincent interrupted angrily. "I don't have to listen. You're
not interested in
me
. You don't want to take any kind of
responsibility. So screw you."

"That's not-"

"We don't want your lousy money," Vincent shouted. "I'm going back
to my mom—at least
she
cares."

"How many times I gotta tell you?" Michael said, exasperated. "I
didn't
know
you were my son."

"Sorry I came in here bothering you," Vincent said, heading for
the door. "I hoped we might've had some connection. Now I realize
coming here was a bad idea."

"Hey, wait a minute," Michael said, standing up and moving out
from behind his desk. "You're right. We're kind of like innocent
parties in this. Dani should've told us both, but she didn't. So now
I'm blaming you, and
you're
blaming me. And the truth
is—we're both wrong." He took a beat. "Does Dani know you're
here?"

"She'd be pissed if she thought I'd come to see you."

"Tell you what, kid—I'm gonna take you out to lunch, and
we'll get to know each other. How's that?"

Vincent hesitated for a moment. "I'd like to know you," he said
tentatively.

"Then we'll do it, huh?"

"As long as you stop calling me 'kid.' "

"That's a deal."

"Should we call Mom? She's probably going crazy wondering where I
am."

"Why not?" Michael said, picking up the phone.

Dani answered immediately. "Vincent, is that you?"

"No, it's me, Michael."

"Ok."

"Vincent's here with me. We're doing some family bonding."

"I thought you—"

"Don't worry about it, Dani. He's spending the day with me. I'll
drop him back at the hotel around six."

"But, Michael-"

"I
said
don't worry about it."

"Fine," she said, and put down the phone. Things were looking
up.

After her evening at the'opera, Stella decided the time had come
for her to spend a few days at a health farm. She did this on a
regular basis, placing her beauty treatments above all else.

Michael was relieved. Now that he'd gotten used to the idea of
having Vincent around, it helped that Stella was absent, and since
Madison was away at school, he had no commitments.

He'd spent the last three days with Vincent, and discovered that
the son he never knew he had was a smart kid, able to converse on any
subject, and interesting to be with.

Vincent spoke a lot about his friend Nando, in Colombia, and how
they were planning to do stuff together.

"Isn't Dani expecting you to go to college?" Michael asked as they
stood in a men's store, trying on jackets.

"Did
you
go to college?" Vincent retaliated.

"Naw," Michael said, grinning. "I dropped outta school at fifteen
to run the family convenience store. I should tell you about your
great-grandma Lani—what a character!"

"How about
your
dad?" Vincent asked, picking out a black
leather motorcycle jacket with silver studs. "What was
he
like?"

"That's another story. We'll get into it one of these days."

"So what's the deal?" Vincent said, reminding Michael of himself
at the same age. "
Why
do I have to go to college?"

" 'Cause it's what your mom wants," Michael replied, trying on a
dark blue Armani sports jacket that suited him admirably.

"You said it," Vincent said heatedly. "It's what
she
wants,
not what
I
want. Nando and me, we're gonna travel around the
world."

"You are?"

"Hey—if I don't do it now, when'll I
ever
get the
chance?"

"And how can you afford to do that?"

"Nando inherits a shitload of money when he's twenty-one," Vincent
said enthusiastically. "He figures he can score an advance from the
bank."

"I see," Michael said. "So you're gonna travel around the world on
somebody else's money? Is that it?"