“Did you guys call my father?” I asked.
Rose turned her attention to me and nodded, “He came up with us. We wanted to talk to him about your… situation on the way here.”
“And what did he say?”
“Very little,” Cal said and lowered his voice, “First he tried to brush things off when we described the visits from the police, what Susan had told us. Then he admitted that he’d gotten involved with some unsavory mafia types some years ago. They had demanded that you be handed over to marry the mobster’s son to settle an old vendetta. He was cryptic but said he hadn’t given up on finding a way to get you out but was still working on it. We asked him to work together with us to help get you out of this safely and he told us he’d rather continue on his own, try to see if you were okay, but not involve us with the unsavory people he was talking to. Said that he’d already tried to barter, negotiate, but said this family was sort of above the law. We thought we’d come here and make sure you were okay and then see what he was like and go from there. We’re very worried about you.”
“You can’t believe a word out of Greg’s mouth,” I said stiffly, “He lies. I don’t know yet what happened with him and Tommy’s father but you don’t have to worry about me. Tommy and I…we are fine.”
“You have a lovesick look about you,” Rose said, “And it’s very different from the way you were at the store last week.”
I smiled, “I’m fine. I’m happy. A lot has happened since then, Rose. My father is hiding something, I don’t know what yet, but please don’t work with him, don’t trust him. You don’t have to get me out of this. I am fine.”
“You hardly know him. What sorts of illegal activities is he into?”
“I think it’s probably not all that Hollywood hype, Rose.” I rolled my eyes. Inside, I saw flashes of that cargo plane, that pink canopy bed in that dank basement in Mexico and then the bullet holes on the bedroom door back at Tommy’s house with the dead men in the hallway, and my blood ran icy cold.
A man in scrubs entered the room and brought me a tray of food. I guessed it was lunch time. I thanked him and cautiously lifted the lid and then stuck my tongue out, “Eww.”
“We should go,” Cal looked at his wristwatch, “We will go have a word with your fiancé about getting together. In the meantime, we’re just a phone call away if you need us, day or night, okay?” He leaned over and kissed my forehead, “No surf and turf for you!” He smiled.
I smiled, “Thank you so much for driving all the way up here.”
He left the room. Rose leaned over and kissed my cheek, “I suspect you’re not telling me everything but what can I do? You tell me to back off and I trust you. You’re really okay?”
My heart constricted for a second, “I am.” I said, “Tommy can’t control who his father is any more than I can control who my father is. It doesn’t mean that Tommy’s a bad guy.”
“But your father said…”
“Don’t trust my father. He is a lying liar who lies out of his lying liar hole.”
“And those people who visited us and tried to get us to stop talking to the police --- and them stopping you from talking to me at the supermarket…”
“Rose, I’m fine. A lot is going on. It’s too much to explain right now. Please trust me.”
“Why not move home? If he wants to see you, date you, go from there? My parents were so looking forward to having you.”
Tommy walked in as she said this and he obviously heard her.
I shook my head, “I’m fine. Please tell Nonno and Nona I’m so sorry. I will try to visit soon.”
“I am happy to reimburse them the rent Tia would have paid until they find a suitable tenant,” Tommy
offered softly.
“That won’t be necessary,” Rose bit off without looking in his direction. She looked at me skeptically, “I’ve been keeping Ruby and the girls in the dark a little. Ruby is getting impatient. I’ll have a talk with her.”
I nodded, “I’ll call her as soon as I can.”
“She won’t understand and ---”
I saw the alarm on Rose’s face but then as she glanced in Tommy’s direction her stare hardened, “I’m not going to tell her anything that will upset her.”
She smiled, “You’re a good girl. Don’t be a martyr, though. Okay? No one is above the law. If you need help, we will find a way to help you. And carry an epi-pen, okay?”
I nodded.
“Call in a few days?”