Say Ye by Celia Juliano Page B

leave or he would either break his promise to himself or do something worse. He trudged up behind Uncle Enzo and Carlo. His shoes sank slightly in the deep blue carpet.
    “And why shouldn’t they?”
    “They are cousins, it’s true. You got another girl,” Carlo said.
    “I did. And I want no more nonsense from you about taking her away.”
    Now she had even more protectors, he’d never be able to…he had to leave.
    Carlo shook his head. Uncle Enzo entered his daughter Sophia’s old room, now almost bare, just the two twin beds with their matching white chenille bedspreads, a lamp on the maple nightstand, across from the large dresser. It was clean, though the upstairs was mostly unused since Uncle Enzo moved into his apartment downstairs over four years before. Uncle Enzo glanced at the dresser and checked the empty closet; probably to be sure there was enough room for Lita’s things. She would like the light blush pink of the walls. She would like the window’s view of the back yard, where his great aunt Angela had planted roses in varying shades and an extensive herb garden in the small space. This home would be Lita’s sanctuary now. He had no place here anymore.
    Sophia walked out of the bathroom and smoothed the bedspread before she stood next to Carlo, who put his arm around his wife. Lorenzo wouldn’t even know what a happy marriage looked like if it hadn’t been for Sophia and Carlo and Uncle Enzo and Aunt Angela.
    “Now Lita will be here you and your sister can stop nagging me to sell the house,” Uncle Enzo said. Lorenzo leaned against the dresser.
    “You have a plan, don’t you?” Sophia said. Uncle Enzo raised an eyebrow. “I hope everyone will cooperate, though none of this will change your situation, Dad. Things will only get worse if someone else fails you the way you think Sal and Vincenzo did.” She glanced at Lorenzo. He straightened and crossed his arms.
    “Don’t start that psycho babble again, telling me I’m depressed. And I know those two were failures. I don’t need some psychiatrist to tell me that,” Uncle Enzo said. Therapists were for people like Jane.
    “Sal is happier now. I wish you’d try to talk to him, it’s been ten years.”
    “I will not speak to any son of mine who left his wife and two sons. If anyone doesn’t like how I run this family, you can leave.”
    Lorenzo put his hands in his pockets. If he ever hurt Lita, he’d be persona non grata like Pete and Gianni’s dad, and not just with Uncle Enzo.
    “That’s what I’m afraid of. Gianni and Pete are talking about moving. Janetta’s still down in San Luis Obispo and we hadn’t seen Janice in almost two months. If you interfere with Lita--”
    “Who says I’m interfering? Lita wants to stay here.”
    “She wants to feel useful. She can see you need to be taken care of.”
    “Bosh. She knows I care.”
    “And we don’t? I feel sorry for her, having to deal with you,” Sophia said. Lorenzo wondered if she tried to pick a fight with her father. Usually that was Janice’s thing.
    “You and your sister. Disrespectful, the lot of you. Telling Lita we’d have to get a blood test-- nonsense. She’s Timo’s daughter and she’ll get his inheritance. Your mother knew what she was doing when she wouldn’t touch it and told me to save it. She always knew.”
    “Yes and the only one who knew how to handle you. Lita’s a sweet girl and I’m happy we’ve found her, that she’s my cousin. I want to believe this could change everything for the better, but just as easily things could fall apart completely.”
    “I don’t need the voice of doom and gloom. What’s happened to you? You used to be the cheerful one.”
    “Don’t use that tone with her, Enzo,” Carlo said. “Who are you to blame Sophia? Maybe she’s tired of the drama. My family has our share of problems, but we--”
    “I won’t be spoken to like that in my own house. You know the way out. Goodnight,” Uncle Enzo said before he