Bad blood had existed between Brando and the man ever since.
Whenever the man saw us, he called Brando out from the crowd. Most of the time he called him cheap.Dozzinale!Brando retaliated, telling the man’s customers—especially tourists at the market—that he stole their money.
One of these days, someone was going to get a pear to the forehead. They both vibrated toward some kind of physical violence. And the man had pears galore.
Donato and I looked at each other when we heard him call Brando the equivalent of an Italian numpty. Donato took my hand, and then we took off toward the man’s booth. The wheels of my basket bobbled over the stones, hitting me in the ankles every so often. Since Donato held my hand, we seemed to tear through the crowd without a problem, though a few clusters standing around, laughing and watching the show, really didn’t want to move out of the way.
A lot of hand gestures and words were being flung back and forth. The heat seemed to be making their tempers worse.
Livio stood close, arms crossed, watching the man with flames in his eyes. Eunice kept opening and closing her mouth like a gasping fish—which, I noticed, she had a large package of the same clutched to her bosom, as if the man might try to snatch it from her.
Donato was torn. I could tell the way his eyes narrowed and darted to and fro. He wanted to break it up, guide Brando away from the scene, but then again, he didn’t want to interfere.
Come on, Brando! I haven’t even been shopping for flowers yet!
He claimed he could hear me, but at this moment I doubted it very much. He probably couldn’t hear me over his own temper.All over pears and wine and a few measly dollars!
Two men came from out of nowhere. From one of the men’s beady eyes and the other’s ears, I surmised that these were the cheat’s sons. Donato made a motion with his head. Three men from the crowd that had been following us stepped forward. Two stood on either side of me, another behind me.
Donato took a step forward, wiping a hand under his nose. Livio blazed, and not from the heat. I felt faint from the tension radiating from his body. One of the sons stepped forward, going toward Brando. Livio snatched a bottle of Chianti, and in a swift move, smacked the son over the head with it.
He was up and then he was down. His body hit the ground with a noisythunk.The crowd murmuredooohhh,and the cheater and his other son stood blank-faced for a moment before they rushed to check on the downed son.
Donato and Brando exchanged a quick glance.
Santina somehow materialized from the crowd, her father next to her. They must have been watching. When her father saw what Livio had done, he shook his head and carted her back to their own booth.
Brando took me by the arm, made a motion to Eunice with his chin, and then directed me toward the car with a firm hand.
Donato would stay behind to clean things up—literally. He would probably pay the man to forget that the entire scene had ever happened. Brando would brood about it for days, because he had to end up paying the man after he had been overcharging me.
Or…the man might find himself six feet under one of his pear trees.
I sighed as we passed the vibrant green plants, exploding with fruits and vegetables, and all of the bright, popping flowers that had just recently been picked.
Africa would have to wait a while.
* * *
The sound of a baby wailing met me as soon as I opened the car door.
“What are they doing back here?”
“What is Lothario doing here?” Brando answered my question with another question.
Four SUVs were parked along the drive. The vehicles belonged to Brando’s uncle, Lothario. It seemed like all of his merry men were along for the ride.
My father strolled the property with Uncle Tito, their heads bent, in deep discussion. If my father was here, more than likely so was my mother. And I had heard that same wail over the phone. Charlotte was here with her son, Charles, who, by all accounts, was not a content baby.
I wonder who he takes after?I thought to myself sarcastically.
Brando narrowed his eyes at me. “Be nice, Scarlett.”
“Me?”
“You look so surprised. Yeah.You.” He pointed at me, keys in hand. “I can hear your thoughts from here.”
“Oh, yeah?” I narrowed my eyes in return. “What am I thinking, Fausti?” I madeFaustisound like I had just called him a hotshot.
