Page 114 of The Deadly Candies

Carmelo’s brow lifted. “What?”

“Never mind,” she said.

He touched her face, making her look into his eyes. “Matteo and I have the same goal. To be free, to protect you and Debbie. Even if you stay, which I hope you will, we will have to deal with the reality that running isn’t the way. We need to fight back. And I’m going to stop my father. I know how now.”

“You want to get married?” she finally smiled.

“So badly. I dream about marrying you. In that hospital for months, every time I closed my eyes, you were there. I have a trunk filled with pictures I’ve drawn of you. I don’t wake up in the morning without hoping it was all a bad nightmare. Let’s do it. Before God. Just like we planned. With a real judge to make sure we say all the legal things. Then one day it will be legal and we’ll take that form to the courthouse with the state seal and make them honor it.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Carmelo asked.

“Okay!” she shouted.

Carmelo stood, pulled her out of the booth with no table, and swept her up in his embrace. She held on to him so tightly she feared she’d choke him. But he held her until all of her desperation eased.

“Look at them. Love birds,” Matteo spat.

Carmelo let go of Kathy and looked back. Debbie was grinning, arm locked around Matteo’s waist. Even now, it was hard for him to believe his brother and Debbie were real, in love, with a kid on the way.

“We’ve got to go! Ely will come back any minute,” Debbie said.

Kathy kissed Carmelo one last time. She grinned and wiped the lipstick from his face as best she could, but his mouth, chin, and neck were covered in her red kisses.

“I love you,” she said to him.

“I know. And I love you. Ti amo,” he said and kissed her hand.

“Kathy! Come. Now!” Debbie said, pushing Matteo off her and giggling. The girls sprinted to the door. Kathy looked back blew one final kiss and was gone.

Carmelo stood there staring at the closed door with his hands in his pockets. Matteo walked over and dropped his arm around his shoulder. Carmelo’s head lowered.

“She’s back. Guess you thought that would never happen. Huh?” Matteo asked.

“I still can’t believe it. I can smell her perfume still. She’s right, though,” Carmelo sighed. “It’s even harder now to be together. Her family is in danger. We have to be careful, Matteo.”

“No shit,” Matteo huffed. He walked around the empty space. An old building that used to be a diner with a home above. He looked around at all the work needed and the attention his efforts to fix and repair would bring. “I know the danger, trust me.”

“Can we do it. Can we kill Pa?” Carmelo asked.

“We have no choice,” Matteo said.

“And this Medalion. The one you told me about. She will give it to you. Mama Stewart? You sure, you positive? Cause I tell you, Matteo. I won’t hurt Kathy again. I’ll let her go first even if it kills me to do so. I won’t risk her life or her family like I did before. Never again.”

Matteo nodded. “I understand. Pa is supposed to meet us at Sal’s. He wants to see you warm up tonight. See how good you’re getting. We stick to the plan.”

Matteo gave him an encouraging smile. “Cheer up. We’re going to win this time. I promise.”

* * *

The drive back was silent.Ely didn’t—couldn’t—look at her. Debbie had done all the talking about the wedding, her voice a bright, oblivious hum from the backseat. They arrived just before sunset, the block alive with neighbors chatting on stoops, laughter weaving through the warm air. Kathy moved to the corner of Ely, but he vanished before she could speak, slipping into the shadows with Chester and his old crew.

The rejection stung. He tried to make her feel dirty and guilty. But the evening with her parents, the way their homebreathedwith joy again, left her fuller than she’d ever been.

Later, after Uncle Pete and her father cleared space in the basement for Ely to sleep, Kathy waited. She waited until the house stilled and her father’s snores rumbled from the sofa. She told her mother she was fetching water, then crept downstairs.

A single lamp glowed in the basement. Ely lay on the old sofa, magazine in hand, eyes wide awake.

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