“That’s fucked up. Do you think Enzo is yours?” I asked, using the ashtray on his desk to put out my cigarette.
“Who the fuck knows. I’m starting to believe all women are fucking crazy,” Buddha said, tilting his head so he could blow out the last puff of smoke above his head. “My fucking wife is the craziest of them all. Getting me half-way drunk, fucking my brains out and then taking my phone to get Catalina’s number when I fell asleep to give to fucking Victoria. Catalina called to inform me that my mother had called her. This is about to make me lose my shit.” Buddha yanked the black elastic band from his hair in frustration, and his long hair fell to his shoulders.
“What did mamma say to Catalina?” I was afraid to even ask because our mother was scary as fuck. She scared all three of us. Buddha, our father, and I were terrified of that woman and what she was capable of.
“I have no idea, she just said,why is your mother calling me?I asked what she said to her. Catalina’s response was,don’t worry about it.The next thing I knew, she hung up,” he shrugged, massaging his temples. I felt kind of bad that I was about to add to his frustration.
“Damn, that’s messed up, but not as messed up as Luca trying to force himself on Dior in a fucking toilet. That mothafucka never respected women; he got mummy issues for real. Do you wanna get rid of him? We could make it look like an accident,” I offered. Buddha and I never really looked at Francesco and Luca as our for-real family. We just got along with them for our father's sake. However, Luca attacking Dior- that shit would land him in the pig pen as their food.
“In due time, I would fuck him up. I know one thing: I’m not going into business with them. That Italy deal is fucking off. Fuck thosebastardi(bastards),” Buddha rubbed his tired eyes as he sighed loudly.
“I think Edwardo found out about Angel and me,” I blurted out, knowing there would never really be the perfect time to let him know. Buddha’s head flew up, and he watched me as if I spoke as though I was demon-possessed.
“The fuck you just say?” He whispered in disbelief.
“Angel’s fiancé found out, and he came by the club and threatened me. He basically told me he knew I was fucking his wife, and he knew about the history between the Riccis and the Bianchis. He didn’t hesitate to tell me that he was going to tellEdwardo,” Buddha opened his mouth as though he was about to say something, but no words came out.
“What makes you think that Edwardo knows?” Buddha finally managed to ask.
“He sent a couple of his men to the club last night. They didn’t do anything, just stood and stared as I looked down at them from the VIP section,” I tried to figure out what my brother was thinking, but his expression didn’t really give much.
“Snow, nothing good is going to come out of this. We’re about to go toe to toe with Edwardo. He’s been itching for a reason to start some shit between us again for years. Then this whole Catalina thing gets dredged up again…” Buddha sighed loudly, shaking his head, not bothering to complete his sentence.
“Look, Angel is meeting me here soon. I’ll try again to pound some sense into her.”
“Nigga, this is past that, Edwardo knows. It's on another level now.”
I was about to say something when a knock came at the office door.
“What?” Buddha shouted at the person. Diamond stuck her head in. She smiled at Buddha before focusing on me.
“There’s someone outside asking for you, a female.” I quickly got to my feet to meet Angel and deal with this once and for all.
“Diamond, let me talk to you. Snow, I’ll meet you out there,” Buddha said. I walked by Diamond as she stepped inside the office, running her fingers through her hair. Yeah, now I was convinced he had definitely hit that; maybe he still was.
Walking out into the restaurant, my eyes searched around diners until I found Angel seated in a booth at the back. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to her. She lifted her head and smiled when she saw me. I did not return her greeting. I sat down and mean-mugged the fuck out of her.
“What’s up, Pinocchio?” I asked, folding my fingers on top of the table as I looked at her. She made a face at me, not liking her nickname.
Angel stayed quiet as she reached inside her designer bag and pulled out a white envelope. She slid it over the table to me.
“The fuck is that?” I asked, pointing at the envelope.
“Open it,” she said. Snatching it up, I flipped it open and pulled out the contents. I felt my heart flutter in my ribcage as I stared at the 3D ultrasound of her baby. I didn’t say a word as I looked at the images; there were four in total. Different angles of the little red bean-shaped fetus. My heart immediately softened because this could really be my child.
“That’s our baby,” Angel said softly. I looked up at her, and as much as I wanted to be angry, I couldn’t. I exhaled loudly and looked at the sonogram. Secretly, I hoped this was going to be a girl.
“So you’re really gonna have thisbambina(baby),” I asked, folding the pictures and putting them back in the envelope.
“Bambina, why notbambino? You think it’s a girl?” Angel smiled with a tilt of her head.
“I hope so; I always wanted to be a girl, Dad.” I gave her back the sonogram, forgetting I was supposed to be upset.
“Vincent,” Angel said, reaching for my hand on the table. “I know my personality can be much at times, and I may go a little overboard with my storytelling, but I really do like you,” Angel smiled sweetly at me.
“A little overboard,” I teased, because she lied like a mothafucka.
“Ok, I can admit I do too much, but I really want this baby. I want you to be excited as I am. Please, stop asking me to get rid of it and be excited for us. We’re gonna have a baby.” Angel got teary-eyed as she squeezed my hand and smiled. Fuck it!
