Stephano Misses Her
754 Words
Stephano looked at the duffle bag full of money and smirked at the man in front of him, “Interesting. What do you want?” The African- American man smiled, “We’re starting up a business and we’re thinking your boys might want to make some extra money. No guns, no girls, just trees. I put it on my mama.”
Chuckling as he poured them both a scotch, Stephano teased, “And you love your mama?” Laughing as well, Tyrese or T-Bone nodded smugly, “Oh fo sho amigo.*friend”
Laughing again, Stephano glanced at his uncle who shrugged liking the sound of the deal. “No guns, no girls, nothing harder than trees. We’re in.”
Shaking hands, T-Bone left out as Stephano sat back at his desk. Uncle Diego came over and admitted, “Proud of you *sobrino. You’re doing hella better than me or your *papi did when we were coming up.(*Nephew. )(*Daddy.)”
Lorenzo grinned as he finished with his stocks and investments, “I have different ties and help coming in. Plus you’re here.” Smiling a little Diego picked up a frame and looked at a picture of a young Lorenzo and his dad Alphonso in Mexico.
Right before they’d snuck across the border. Right before his father was killed before his very eyes.
“I miss him.” Lorenzo admitted tiredly, “There’s not a moment that goes by I don’t wonder if I’m making him proud. Or need his opinion on something.”
Diego watched his nephew go to the window overlooking the quieting streets. It would be dark soon, and then the nighttime dwellers of the city would be out to play.
“You are sobrino. Just keep your head up, no matter the outcome.” Nodding, Lorenzo did so as his uncle asked curiously, “So are you going to tell me what happened with Don Vito Costello. Was he mad you didn’t take a liking to his daughter?”
Lorenzo snorted as he sat the picture down, “That fat f**k knew his daughter wouldn’t impress me. Had women lined up ready to do whatever I wanted them to as soon as I walked in. I “politely” declined doing business with him ever again.”
Holding up a drink, Diego toasted, “Good work.” Lorenzo accepted the drink, clinked it against his uncle’s glass, and as he took a sip, his eyes landed on his desk. And from this position, it was unnerving how he got the over-the-shoulder view to a memory he needed to forget.
But he couldn’t stop thinking about her, about that night when he had her on his tongue.
It was burned in his memory like a good song on the radio and it kept looping. Giving him an infinite case of blue balls and a headache. “You should just call her,” Diego said taking note of his nephew’s forlorn look at his desk.
Lorenzo closed his eyes as he admitted, “She doesn’t want me. No soy buena para ella. (*I’m no good for her.)” Diego looked at Lorenzo sadly as he seemed to be repeating what he heard and admitted, “Your aunt thought the same thing about me at first. But I kept her and our boys safe because, on the level of money I was making, I was smart in my lane. Like you are smart in yours.”
Putting a hand on his shoulder, Diego confessed to Lorenzo, “It would worry me more if I didn’t see the head on your shoulders. But I and your father raised you to be the very best at what you do Lorenzo, and his support will keep the heat off you.”
Shrugging, Diego told him honestly, “If you wish to pursue her, you know what she’ll need of you. Not just a boyfriend, and never anything casual. But if you want her, then you know how far you’ll have to go to prove it.”
Stephano did, and he wasn’t afraid. Because as the scent of Marisol lingering in the office haunted him, all he could wonder, was where she was now.
And if she was okay.
- Writer
