i b9efbdf1c066cc69 by Sweet Baby Girl Entertainment Page B

smiled, “but we also worked very hard as well. Nothing was handed to us. I’ve had people turn me down for opportunities based on my accent and I’m from Staten Island, as if that makes me stupid or something. You tell them you’re Italian and from New York, immediately first people’s reactions are that you have to be a Mafioso or a part of some type of underground syndicate. I had to work twice, sometimes three times as hard than a regular Joe Schmo doing the exact same thing.”
    “You paid your dues…” Zoe said quietly.
    Joey shrugged. “I’m still paying them.” He noticed they arrived at their destined location and parked. He got out of the car and walked over to Zoe’s passenger side to let her out. “After you.”
    Zoe was a bit taken aback by Joey’s chivalry. She was so used to fend for herself, she forgot there were men who still opened doors. “Thank you.” She hoped the blush she was feeling wasn’t too evident on her cheeks and within her voice.

    ****
“A nanny for an entire week!” Kay Adams clasped her hands together in excitement. She
    was a tall, lanky Black woman with a natural afro that appeared to be straight out of the ‘70s along with her hippy chic vibe. She wore a series of bangles on both wrists along with a bright orange jumpsuit. “Girlfriend, I have been waiting for this day forever! I need the help around the house!”
    “You don’t do anything but talk on the phone all damn day, anyway.” Kay’s partner, a Black man nicknamed Boogie, commented from the recliner chair. While Kay looked like a flower child, her partner played the role of ghetto thug – gold grills in his mouth, cornrowed hair covered up with a folded bandana, and arms full of tattoo sleeves, some indicating a stint he did in prison. Zoe didn’t have to wonder what Boogie did for a living.
    Kay flipped him off without turning to his direction. “And this is why I need help,” she said to Zoe. “Come on in. I’ll show you around the house and tell you what schedule the kids are on.”
    “Sounds great,” Zoe followed Kay.
    Joey sat down on the sofa across from Boogie, who was partaking in a cocktail and
    watching a reality show. The moment Joey sat down, he immediately felt Boogie’s glare on him, sizing him up as if Joey intruded on his property. “Nice watch you got there, man.” Boogie nodded over to Joey.
    Joey glanced down at his Panerai watch, a gift from his mother to him and his brothers two years ago on the success of Madre’s. She treated them all out to a fancy dinner and gifted the watches to them at the same time. Each watch was engraved with the same writing – You were there for me when no one else was, mio figlio .
    The watch was very expensive in price tag but that was the least of the brothers’ concern.
    The watch was officially invaluable because they all knew what their mother went through for them. Even Nick, someone who didn’t show much emotion, teared up at seeing the engraving.
    “It was a gift,” Joey finally answered, pushing away the happy memory and coming back to the present. “A very special woman gave this to me.”
    “Nice,” Boogie nodded. “So you’re one of them D’Amatos, huh?”
    Joey felt the tension in his neck build up. Being known around New York had its good and bad moments. The moment someone recognized him by last name first, it was never a good sign.
    Money usually came attached with the strings they wanted him to pull. “That’s right.”
    Boogie turned off the TV and took a sip of his cocktail. He then listened for Kay, hoping she wasn’t eavesdropping in their conversation. “Listen, man. Let me rap to you real quick.”
    Here we go… it was always the same thing. For every legitimate business man who wanted Joey’s advice and guidance, there was always one person who wanted Joey’s money and a lot of it without any work to do. “Yes?”
    “I got this idea, right? I’m talking it hasn’t been done before and we can major