Page 112 of Married With Lies

Luca carefully places our mother’s picture back where it belongs. “Take care of each other, you and Sadie.”

He turns his head, his way of saying his decision is final. Now he’s just waiting for me to leave.

All that’s left to do is walk out. I have no choice. Like it or not, Luca is a man and there’s nothing I can do to change his mind.

The pinkie ring that was a gift from Richie, meant to be worn as a sign of my status, is removed and left on his desk. As an afterthought, I pull my gun out of the holster and leave that behind as well.

It feels strange, walking out there as an unarmed civilian.

Out in the hallway, Richie is balancing a plate on his palm and stuffing his face while flanked by Franco and Brisetti. They all look up when I enter the hallway.

“Take a plate before you go,” Richie says. “No sense going out into the world hungry.”

Franco and Brisetti snicker. Assholes. They get ignored.

“Goodbye, Richie,” I say to my uncle.

He winks. “So long, kid. Don’t be a stranger. We’re still family.”

Not really. I know it and so does he.

Richie resumes eating his food. Franco and Brisetti resume their ass kissing.

There aren’t many people left in the house now. I find my aunt in the kitchen. Her two daughters are in there with her. The eldest, Bianca, just learned last week that she’ll be expecting her first child. Everyone is hoping for a son.

And round and round it goes, into the next generation and beyond.

“I’m leaving, Aunt Donna.”

She looks up, surprised to find me in the doorway. My aunt has been nothing but good to me and my brother since the day we were dropped on her doorstep. For decades she has raised a family in this big house and gladly played hostess. All the while, she has cheerfully ignored what her husband does and where her good life comes from.

But Donna knows more than she lets on. It’s written on her face as she gazes at me with fond sadness. “Goodbye, Carmine. Give my love to Sadie.”

“I will. And thank you.”

None of the men standing around outside the front door meet my eye. I don’t care. I’m an outsider now and the rules of this world don’t apply to me anymore.

The only sentimental feeling at hand as I coast down the long driveway and watch the house get smaller in the rearview window is the knowledge that I’m leaving my brother behind. I doubt I’ll ever be welcome here again.

Next door, the Wingate place looks like a gothic shadow. It’s hard to believe Sadie grew up there. She doesn’t belong in that house at all.

The drive back to the city is done on autopilot. I’m not worried about Richie making a move against me. He has no reason to. If he did, he’d lose Luca and he won’t risk that. Luca is the son he’s always wanted. Now Richie has him.

After thinking about it, I decide there isn’t much in my apartment worth taking. Even most of my clothes won’t do me any good on a ranch. I fill a suitcase with all the casual items in my closet, including the Snowy Rock hoodie that Sadie gave me. In a second suitcase I pack my father’s paperback book collection, framed family photos and the record player I bought to play Elton John’s Greatest Hits.

My two potted plants are wilting thanks to lack of attention. I carry them across the hall to the elderly pair of sisters who are pleased to take them in. Sadie will appreciate the fact that I’ve made arrangements to save the plants. It’s exactly what she would do.

My neighbors receive the key after I explain I’ll be leaving town and putting the apartment on the market. They are nice ladies. They wish me well and ask if I want to come inside for some macaroni and cheese.

I thank them but explain that I really need to catch the next available flight.

I’m going home to my wife.

32

SADIE

Today I have a plan.

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