The next morning, I went back to the hotel where I’d sat with Sal as if I was staying there. I made sure to get there early and was glad of it when he arrived half an hour earlier than we’d planned. I wish I felt something at the look of pleasure on his face when he saw me.
“Niputi, you’re here; I thought you would’ve left. I got no sleep. Thank you.” He clasped his hands together as if in prayer, and I dredged up a smile.
“I almost didn’t come. This all seems like too much of a coincidence. I’m still getting used to it.”
“No-no, il sorte, il sorte. It’s a blessing that you have come to me at this time. Come, we go get your DNA test to prove to you that we are blood.”
I followed him to the waiting car, where one of his goons held the door open for me. I guess they hadn’t paid close attention the day before because now he made a double-take when I got close. There was no need to guess what he was thinking. If the old man was about fifty years younger, we’d have passed for twins.
As soon as I sat in the backseat with Sal next to me, he grabbed an old fashion album from the seat between us. “I’ll show you.” He opened up the sepia-tinted pages, and it was like taking a step back in history. Not gonna lie; I’m not sure how to feel about looking at the man in the black and white photos that looked even more like me than Sal, if that were possible.
“This is your father!”
“Your great grandfather, yes; good man, hardworking man, who took care of his family and his neighbors. Are you like this, Gabriel?”
“Gabe, and yes, I am.”
“Good, good. I’ll take you to the mausoleum later; you pay your respects.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for the results of the tests?”
“No need, I told you, I know, look, look at this face. You look more like my father than I do. Reincarnazione. It’s like my father has come back to me.” He had tears in his eyes. “We’ll get your test. I tell you everything. What about your family in America? This man your mother has married, is he good to you?”
“My father, yes, very good to me.” He seemed to feel a way about me calling Pop my father. Even though we’d only just met, I know well the Sicilian penchant for possessiveness. I’m banking on it.
“Yes, my son, I haven’t told him that you are here as you asked me. I know you have hate; she is your mother….”
“That was a long time ago. I never really think about it. Hopefully, he’s changed.” The look of hope on his face was another notch in my belt.
“You think this, yes?”
“My mother is a very forgiving woman. She didn’t want me to hate.”
“Would you meet him?”
“I’m not sure. I guess it would be nice to know what he was like if I’m anything like him. I don’t like what he’s done, but maybe he’s changed.”
The look of distaste on his face was all the answer I needed. “We’ll see, we’ll see. And school you say you go to the Harvard, yes, then you must be very smart.” I just smiled shyly, which took a lot of practice since it’s not something I’m familiar with. Having to dumb down who I really am for the old man was worth it, though.
“Ah, we’re here. Let’s do your test. One day, he says, we will know in one day, I paid extra.” He was all but hopping when we walked into the place. I let them do what they needed to, and then it was his turn. Not even fifteen minutes later, we were heading back to the car.
“Today, I show you Sicily. I show you all the places your old grandpa loves. Can you do that? Can you call me grandpa?”
“No!” Shit, Gabe, chill. “I mean, it’s too soon, no?"
“I know-I know, your test. And we have much to discuss before you feel comfortable. Take my word; my son will not go unpunished. You will see.”
I already know! Alonzo has been feeling the heat. Apparently, when Sal went back to the family home the day before, he gave his son the cold shoulder, which he then complained about to one of his cohorts through email. He can’t afford to have any strain between them now since he’s relying on his father to help with his political campaign. That’s the reason I’d chosen to come at this time. I have to stop it before it happens.
I pretended to let him talk me into driving around with him all day. Something a lost child meeting his missing family member for the first time would’ve enjoyed, but as for me, I was just using it to get closer to him, getting him to let his guard down. He was impressed with my knowledge and pleased that I knew so much of the country’s history.
I knew enough about him to pander to him, and since this was nothing more than a script to me, I played my part well. Not once did he try to plead his son’s case. In fact, he didn’t even bring him up again. At one point, as we stood in front of the mausoleum, I fixed his coat collar and pulled his scarf snuggly around his neck, “it’s cold.” You’d have thought I gave him a pot of gold. Gotcha!
GABRIEL
I wasn’t surprised at the results the next day, but I was by the fact that Sal cried. He never stopped thanking me and was already making plans for me to come to his palazzo and meet the rest of his family. I begged off with the excuse that I had to get back home. “Ah, it’s Alonzo; you do not want to meet him yet. Still, this is your home, the home your great-great-great-grandfather built, and where all the eldest sons have continued the line.”
“Yes, but I’m not part of that.”
“Who says? You are the eldest grandson; of course, you must come.”
“Doesn’t your sons have any children?” I knew, of course, that Alonzo had a son and a daughter.
“Si´ but you are the eldest; this is the way it’s done.”
“Do you really think that’s fair? I’m not here to take anything away from your grandson. My father has more than enough.….”
“No-no, this cannot be. I won’t have it.” I wore a confused expression, but in reality, I already knew this. I knew that his sense of honor, coupled with the horrific actions of his son, would prompt him to want to go above and beyond. I felt no guilt over the way I was playing him. If he’d leashed his mutt, I wouldn’t be here. After meeting him, I’m tempted to shield him from the coming fallout as much as possible, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go.
“I do have to get back, though; my family will be waiting for me. I still have to think of what to tell my mother about meeting you. And there’s still my grandpa Antonelli; I have to find him.”
“Yes, yes, I forgot, he hasn’t been in the village for many years, almost as long as you have been alive, I think.”
“I hope nothing happened to him. What kind of man was he? Is he the type to go after your son for what he did to my mother?” Think on that and let me know what you come up with.
“I can look for him for you; yes, I can do this.”
“Would you? I would appreciate it, and so would my mother. She hasn’t seen him in years. Not since she had to leave her home.” He frowned and nodded at my subtle reminders of what his snake of a son had caused.
“I understand. You will come back? How will I meet you again? You cannot leave like this. How will I find you?” He was starting to panic.