“I just don’t see why you have to marry the girl,” Giovanni says, sipping on ice water to stay frosty.
“Not another word,” I warn him.
He ignores my directive and continues talking trash. “Why would you want to get married at all? Especially to someone who’s not giving up the goods, if you know what I mean.”
I don’t bother responding. I’m well aware of how Giovanni feels about marriage. And I made the mistake of telling him about Marlena’s last request. I can’t help it. I’m a little bit put out. I understand her reluctance, but I’m assuming it’s because we don’t know each other that well. I can’t imagine living an entire lifetime married to a woman I can’t touch.
I’m not opposed to going slowly, but I’d eventually like to arrive at some sort of mutually beneficial destination. I know I’m not her ideal mate, but I’d like to think we can be happy together. In all the traditional ways of husband and wife.
“Don’t talk about my wife,” I mutter. Anyone else spoke about Marlena like that and I’d rip their head off but I value my brother’s opinion, sometimes.
“Fiancée,” he corrects me.
“So you agree that I’m going to get married?” I ask, half teasing.
“Against my better judgment,” he replies dryly.
“Funny,” I grumble. “I don’t remember asking you.”
“You didn’t,” he quips. “But you should have.”
“I’m done with this conversation,” I snap. “We’re getting married, and that’s the end of it.”
Giovanni shakes his head, getting in one last observation before falling silent. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“When have I evernotknown what I was doing?” I remind him.
He settles down, and we move on to other topics of conversation. But eventually our talk circles back to Marlena.
“I’m worried about Andretti,” Giovanni says. “How do you know that marrying Marlena isn’t going to bring things to a head?”
“He’ll back off,” I assure my brother.
“And what if he doesn’t?” Giovanni asks. “He’s already made a move to poach some of our men. That’s pretty bold. I wouldn’t put it past the guy to take you down, and this could present him with the perfect opportunity.”
I shake my head. Giovanni’s not wrong. It’s something I’ve considered. But that only makes our wedding so much more important. Because if Marlena is my wife and Andretti makes amove, that gives me full authority to rain hell down upon him. A girlfriend, not so much. And an employee, not at all.
“I’m not gonna run from a fight,” I tell my brother.
“I’m not saying run,” Giovanni argues. “But why stick your neck out for this girl?”
I slam my fist down on the table, shaking the silverware. The other guests look up from their conversations, shocked at the blatant display of anger. Giovanni clams up, realizing that he’s gone too far.
“The matter is not open for discussion,” I seethe.
“Sorry,” Giovanni admits hastily. “I won’t mention it again.”
“See that you don’t,” I reply. “If Andretti wants to make a move out in the open, I’ll answer it. Otherwise, what he does in the privacy of his home is of no interest to me.”
“I just don’t want to see a war,” Giovanni says, after he’s sure that I’ve calmed down.
“No one wants war,” I answer. “But if he makes the first move, I’ll end it.”
Giovanni grabs his water glass to toast me. “That’s what I like to hear.”
I smile at him, pleased to know that he’s on my side. I couldn’t ask for a better underboss than my own brother. My son, on the other hand, is a different story. I haven’t bothered to tell him about my arrangement with Marlena yet. But I suppose he deserves to know.
I’m not worried about his relationship with his former tutor. Former, because now that she’s going to be my bride, I thinkit would be distasteful for her to continue tutoring Frankie. She wants to be a teacher, and I’ve agreed to set up some interviews for her. She doesn’t need a single overprivileged student when she can have a classroom full of bright and eager ones.
