Page 79 of The Killer Cupcake
He remained still. Not breathing. Afraid to turn and see her vanish.
"I love you." The confession tore from her throat. "I've always loved you. And I see what that love has cost you. God, Melo, I'm sorry."
He spun and took hold of her, crushed her against him, face buried in her stomach. She cradled his head as his shoulders heaved—this broken boy who'd spent decades drawing ghosts.
"Don't leave me." Carmelo’s voice was muffled against her. Raw with old terror. "Not again."
"Never." She held him tighter. She kissed the top of his head. “I’ll never leave you again."
But even as the words left her lips, they both knew—some promises came too late to resurrect the dead.
Butts,Mississippi, 1952
Two weeks after Memphis, and still his memory clung to her. Kathy locked the schoolhouse, her students long gone into thefading afternoon. She would have to run errands before reaching home. It was three miles to town for Big Mama's medicine—a walk she'd once never needed to make when Ely was her protector before she'd torn his heart out in 1950, telling him plain that Carmelo owned her soul. Now Ely had found his own love, and she couldn't even meet his eyes at church.
Her hand drifted to the slight swell beneath her dress. Time was running out. Soon everyone would know—another disappointment for her parents, another scandal for the gossips. She pushed the thought away. Especially the one of the church that funded the school. They would fire her and cast out Big Mama for her being a harlot.
The long walk started uneventfully. With the sun lowering in an hour or so, she dreaded the walk back in the dark and silently prayed to see someone who could give her a ride home.
The engine's roar shattered her peace.
She looked up to see the car barreling down the dirt road toward her. Too fast for these parts. Dust clouds billowed, and she stepped off the road as it zoomed by, then slammed on the brakes. Her body knew before her mind—danger. She darted toward the tree line, but doors flew open and two white men poured out, running hard.
Italian voices shouted her name.
Kathy dropped everything and ran faster. The forest could hide her—she knew every root, every hollow. But they were determined, faster. Hands grabbed her arms, her waist. She fought wild, remembering too late the life inside her. They took her blows without hitting back, just holding, restraining, and dragging her to the car.
They shoved her into the back seat. One collected her scattered belongings while another slid in beside her, speaking rapid Italian to the driver. She pressed herself into the corner, as far from them as the seat allowed.
The abandoned barn materialized like a bad dream. And there was Matteo, walking toward them—Jesus Christ, his face. One eye swollen shut, bandaged. His handsome face twisted by the violence heaped upon him.
"Hi, Kathy."
She said nothing.
"He wants to talk to you."
"Take me home, Matteo." Her voice was steel. "You swore he'd leave me alone if I helped in Memphis. I did my part.”
He climbed into the car and sat beside her. Up close, the damage was worse—lumps distorting his features, bruises mapping violence across his skin.
"What happened to you?” she asked.
“It was all in the papers. You should have heard about what happened after the fight?” he asked, curious.
“I don’t read the papers anymore. He’s in the them. And I don’t want to know anything about him.”
“Well, you’re right. He’s in them. It was Melo who attacked me.” His tone was flat. "This is what happened when I tried to keep him from going after you."
Her stomach dropped. She looked away, then back over at him, stunned that Melo would hurt the brother he worshipped. “He did this?"
"You have to help me here. He's in a bad state, Kathy. Worse than before. Can't control him. And he won’t go back to New York. Hell, my father approved this visit to calm him down. That's how far gone he is." Matteo's good eye found hers. "He says he wants closure, but... we both know he’s lying. He wants you. And I’m trying to protect you both from each other. He's different now that you ended it.”
"I don't want to see him. You can't make me go through this over and over because of his wants. What about what I want!!”
"I'm sorry." He grabbed her arm. "But you don't have a choice."
She fought, but Matteo hauled her out of the car and half walked, half dragged her to the barn door despite her struggles. He released her there, lighting a cigarette with shaking hands.
