Page 295 of Marcello

He glared back at me. “Did you get the impression that the man was trying to save you?”

There was a brief silence, during which my stomach twisted into knots.

Then she said, “I hadn’t thought about it, because they were all so horrible… but… now that you mention it… yes, I guess he was.”

“Thank you, amore mio. I’m sorry to have disturbed you. Go back to sleep.”

“Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine. Give Elena a kiss for me.”

The woman’s voice trembled with tears. “Come back to me soon…”

“I will. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Dario hung up, then looked past me to Adriano. “Give him his phone.”

95

As I dialed the number for my mother’s house, I prayed that she hadn’t disconnected the landline.

“Put it on speakerphone,” Niccolo ordered.

I did as he said, and we all listened to the dial tone.

It rang for what seemed like forever –

Until a man’s sleepy voice answered. “…hello?”

My heart sank.

Shit, she changed her number.

Then I remembered:

She got remarried –

It’s probably her new husband!

“Is Maria Lombardi there?” I asked hopefully.

The man’s voice grew angry. “Who the hell is this? Do you know what time – ”

“It’s her son, Marcello.”

The man went silent.

Then he said in a subdued voice, “Hold on.”

A long pause…

And then came my mother’s frantic voice. “Marcello?!”

“Mama,” I said, tears filling my eyes. “It’s me.”

“Marcello – thank you, Blessed Virgin! – Marcello, are you alright?!”