The Life: Sacrifice (The Life 3)

“What do you mean someone like me? Becky and I grew up in the same neighborhood in the Bronx all our lives. We even lived there for a bit after we got married straight outta high school.”

“Out of… That doesn’t make sense; Becky went to Vassar.”

“Vassar? What’s that? Is that the place where they do all that space stuff?” Jimmy should be a comic in his spare time.

“No, it’s one of the leading female universities in the country.” Jimmy snorted at Fontane’s recitation and got more comfortable.

“I don’t know what story she’s been telling, but Becky barely got out the tenth grade. She cleaned up good, though if that’s her.” He peered at the portrait of Gianna’s mother.

“No, no, that can’t be her, unless she got cut, no way she got that pretty. Rebecca’s always been a looker but nothing compared to that. That’s pure class right there. I guess she’s your mom, huh, on account of you look so much like her.” He turned his attention to Gianna, who was looking a bit shell-shocked.

“Don’t you talk about my mother. My mother’s more beautiful than that bitch any day.” Well, now, that got Fontane’s attention. Of course, she could crap all over his kid but say anything against his beloved wife, and he’d go apeshit, it seems. But he wasn’t talking. I started looking at old Felix squinty-eyed when I realized that pattern.

I’d almost picked up on it before, but for some reason, it was glaringly obvious today. He was literally swallowing everything, taking it all in, and not responding except to ask very pointed questions. Why is he harvesting information? Why isn’t he reacting as any rational person would? With recriminations and accusations. Instead, he seemed to be inwardly seething while outwardly keeping his cool.

Jimmy went on and on about life with his wife and kid, the hard times they’d faced, and the need for more that had led him to a life of crime. I listened while keeping my eye on Victoria, who was scheming some shit in her head. “So, the woman I thought was my wife was already married, and everything she told me was a lie.”

Oh, woe is me, you fuck. Before he could start his pity party and head down the road to butthurt-ville, I decided to step in. Well, it wasn’t so much that I decided to step in and more that I’d had enough of the people in the room. The fact that he was sitting there looking like all this was done to him, that he was the one betrayed just rubbed me the wrong way, and weeks of having to hold it in came spewing out in controlled rage.

“None of that excuses the fact that you failed your own kid in the worst possible way. You chose filth and that abomination over there over someone as good as your wife’s daughter. Remember her? The daughter she left in your care when she departed this world? Yeah, you don’t get to pawn this whole thing off on that vile bitch and the rotted fruit of her corrupted womb. They didn’t owe Gianna shit, but you did.”

“You owed her a life better than the one she had. Shut up!” I cut him off when he opened his mouth to speak. “If you’re going to give me some sob story about not knowing what was going on beneath your nose, then you can go to hell.” I got up and walked over to him, barely holding onto my anger because she was in the room. I leaned in close and made sure he saw into my eyes.

“You failed Adrienne Felix in the worst possible way. You brought that into her home.” I pointed at Victoria, “and she and her mother terrorized your daughter while living in the lap of luxury. Have you taken a look at your daughter’s closet compared to Victoria’s? Have you seen the great disparity between the way Becky got you to spoil her daughter while neglecting yours? The woman who killed your wife tormented your daughter in the house that was left to her by her mother. You weak son of a bitch.”

I’d said too much and not enough. “Jimmy, take your kid outta here before she comes up missing. She gets nothing; she leaves with what she has on. I have men watching the house, if she takes anything from here, I’ll have her and you arrested. I don’t think you’d like the added time for violating parole.” One of the conditions for his early release is if he gets caught breaking the law, he’d be made to spend out the rest of his original sentence plus the penalty for whatever crime he commits behind bars.

“Gianna, come help me, baby.” She got up, and I had to steady her on her feet before leading her over to the fireplace. I dragged a chair over and climbed up, removing the portrait and passing it to her.