Sempre (Sempre 1)

Vincent motioned toward the computer monitor on his desk. Carmine realized he’d watched the exchange on the surveillance cameras. There were a few in the house, mostly in the common areas. “I wasn’t watching because of you. There still aren’t any cameras in the bedrooms.”

“And it better stay that way,” Carmine said.

“I don’t want to see what goes on in that pigsty any more than you want me to see it,” Vincent said, picking up his medical journal again. “Just be mindful of what I said. I’d appreciate it if you were polite and didn’t try to meddle. The last thing she needs is you making things harder for her.”

Carmine stood. “In other words, don’t be myself.”

“Precisely, son.”

* * *

Carmine arrived at school Monday morning to find Tess and Dominic arguing in the parking lot. He climbed out of the car as Dia strolled over, plopping down on the hood of his Mazda. He shoved her off, and she laughed as she took a seat on her clunker instead.

“What’s gotten into those two?”

Dia shrugged while Tess laughed dryly, pushing past Dominic. “What’s gotten in to us is the fact that your father’s an idiot!”

“Knock it off, Tess,” Dominic said. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Tess glowered at him. “Dr. DeMarco moved a teenage girl in, and you not only fail to tell me, your girlfriend, but when I find out you say it’s not a big deal?”

Dia leaned toward Carmine. “There’s a girl living with you?”

“Yes, but she’s blowing it out of proportion,” Carmine said. “She’s just some girl.”

“Just some girl living in a house with Mr. I’ll-fuck-anything-that-walks!” Tess said.

“Give me a break,” Carmine said. “Don’t act like you’re upset because of me. It’s not my fault you don’t trust your boyfriend.”

Tess gave him the middle finger before storming off, but Dominic stood there, for once not following.

“That was interesting,” Dia said. “You’re not really banging the girl, are you?”

Dominic chimed in. “They don’t even get along.”

“It’s not that we don’t get along,” Carmine said. “It’s just she runs every time I come near her.”

Dia laughed. “If you’d relax, I’m sure she’d come around.”

“You’ve never met her,” Carmine said. “Hell, you didn’t know she existed until a minute ago. You aren’t exactly an expert on the subject.”

“She’s just some girl, right? We’re not that complicated. Besides, I’m not saying you should bang her, but there’s nothing wrong with making friends.”

Carmine rolled his eyes. “No one says banging anymore, Dia. The nineties are over. People fuck.”

“Not always,” she said. “Sometimes they make love.”

“Not me.”

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Carmine was strolling through the school’s corridor toward his second-period class when he spotted his brother in the library. Dominic sat at a computer, furiously typing away at the keys. Curiosity grabbed Carmine and he slipped through the glass doors into the room.

o;Shouldn’t you put in the water first?”

He wavered. “Should I?”

“I was taught to start it, put the soap in, and add laundry to the line.”