now. ‘She had to get back. Geoff has to open his own restaurant tonight.’
Pa Brunos nodded, his eyes closed. ‘Of course. The businesses must be seen to. You will need to look into Georgio’s businesses now,
36
Donna. We don’t know when he will be home. Will you be keeping on that Mark Hancock or will you get someone else?’
‘I don’t know Pa. I haven’t really thought about it. All the time I believed Georgio would be coming home.’
Maeve pulled her into her arms. ‘And he will, darlin’, I promise you. I could cheerfully smack his face for him, big as he is. Getting involved with all this …’ Her voice trailed off.
Pa Brunos poked himself in the chest. ‘If you need me, just call, Donna. I will personally see to anything you want me to. It is the least I can do for you.’ ‘Thank you.’
Nuala poured out more Ouzo and said, ‘Why don’t you run the business, Donna? If nothing else it would keep you occupied. Then, when you visit Georgio, it will give you something to talk about. He’ll feel much better knowing you’re looking after things.’
Maeve nodded. ‘For once in your life, Nuala, you’ve opened that big galloping trap of yours and something intelligent has come out. After all the money your education cost, that bit of talk was like balm to me poor spirits.’
Everyone laughed at this. It broke the tension in the room. The second youngest Brunos son, Stephen, smiled at Donna.
‘I have a business degree, as you know. I’m quite willing to help you out in any way. We all are. As I see it, the building business is best put into the hands of a competent manager, then you can learn from them. As for the cars,, Georgio is in partnership with Davey Jackson. Davey will keep that sorted until you can get actively involved. He only has a twenty-five percent stake in the company so you have what’s known as the controlling interest…’
‘Jaysus, Stephen, what did you have for breakfast, a company report? Leave the girl alone. There’s plenty of time for all that once the shock wears off.’
Stephen shook his head. Taking off gold-rimmed glasses, he began cleaning them on a table napkin. ‘All I’m saying is, there’s a lot of money involved, Mum. Our Georgio had many business interests; his accountant is a known face in the City. I don’t think it would be a good idea to leave it too long. It’s been left for nearly nine months as it is. The sooner someone starts sorting everything out, the better. Georgio can run his business from prison, through Donna.’ ‘I don’t know if I could, Stephen …’
‘Of course you can, Donna. Georgio would be over the moon to think you were looking after things for him,’ Nuala said with finality. ‘We’ll all help in any way we can.’ Then once he wins his appeal, everything can get back to normal.’
37
them Patrick’s voice was full of forced joviality. -
“I’ll drink to that.’ Stephen held up his glass of milky Ouzo, and everyone followed suit.
To Georgio’s homecoming.’
Donna lifted her glass and forced back the tears once more. She had these people, they were her family. With all of them behind her, things couldn’t really be that bad.
‘Eighteen years? The dirty bastards!’ Dolly’s voice was low, shocked. ‘I heard it on the local News. Nearly fainted away, I did. How’s his mum taken it?’
Donna sipped her tea. ‘Surprisingly well actually, Dolly. Maeve is strong. Stronger than people realise. Pa Brunos has taken it badly, but that is to be expected. Georgio was his pride and joy. Proof of all his adopted country has to offer. There’ve been a few phone calls from Rhodes. The papers there carried the story and, well, word gets round. I think he feels ashamed.’
Dolly shook her head. ‘Georgio was fitted up - he said so himself. Once we prove that, everything will be fine once more. Do you want a drop of scotch in that tea, love? You’re looking very white.’
She poured a good measure of
Pa Brunos nodded, his eyes closed. ‘Of course. The businesses must be seen to. You will need to look into Georgio’s businesses now,
36
Donna. We don’t know when he will be home. Will you be keeping on that Mark Hancock or will you get someone else?’
‘I don’t know Pa. I haven’t really thought about it. All the time I believed Georgio would be coming home.’
Maeve pulled her into her arms. ‘And he will, darlin’, I promise you. I could cheerfully smack his face for him, big as he is. Getting involved with all this …’ Her voice trailed off.
Pa Brunos poked himself in the chest. ‘If you need me, just call, Donna. I will personally see to anything you want me to. It is the least I can do for you.’ ‘Thank you.’
Nuala poured out more Ouzo and said, ‘Why don’t you run the business, Donna? If nothing else it would keep you occupied. Then, when you visit Georgio, it will give you something to talk about. He’ll feel much better knowing you’re looking after things.’
Maeve nodded. ‘For once in your life, Nuala, you’ve opened that big galloping trap of yours and something intelligent has come out. After all the money your education cost, that bit of talk was like balm to me poor spirits.’
Everyone laughed at this. It broke the tension in the room. The second youngest Brunos son, Stephen, smiled at Donna.
‘I have a business degree, as you know. I’m quite willing to help you out in any way. We all are. As I see it, the building business is best put into the hands of a competent manager, then you can learn from them. As for the cars,, Georgio is in partnership with Davey Jackson. Davey will keep that sorted until you can get actively involved. He only has a twenty-five percent stake in the company so you have what’s known as the controlling interest…’
‘Jaysus, Stephen, what did you have for breakfast, a company report? Leave the girl alone. There’s plenty of time for all that once the shock wears off.’
Stephen shook his head. Taking off gold-rimmed glasses, he began cleaning them on a table napkin. ‘All I’m saying is, there’s a lot of money involved, Mum. Our Georgio had many business interests; his accountant is a known face in the City. I don’t think it would be a good idea to leave it too long. It’s been left for nearly nine months as it is. The sooner someone starts sorting everything out, the better. Georgio can run his business from prison, through Donna.’ ‘I don’t know if I could, Stephen …’
‘Of course you can, Donna. Georgio would be over the moon to think you were looking after things for him,’ Nuala said with finality. ‘We’ll all help in any way we can.’ Then once he wins his appeal, everything can get back to normal.’
37
them Patrick’s voice was full of forced joviality. -
“I’ll drink to that.’ Stephen held up his glass of milky Ouzo, and everyone followed suit.
To Georgio’s homecoming.’
Donna lifted her glass and forced back the tears once more. She had these people, they were her family. With all of them behind her, things couldn’t really be that bad.
‘Eighteen years? The dirty bastards!’ Dolly’s voice was low, shocked. ‘I heard it on the local News. Nearly fainted away, I did. How’s his mum taken it?’
Donna sipped her tea. ‘Surprisingly well actually, Dolly. Maeve is strong. Stronger than people realise. Pa Brunos has taken it badly, but that is to be expected. Georgio was his pride and joy. Proof of all his adopted country has to offer. There’ve been a few phone calls from Rhodes. The papers there carried the story and, well, word gets round. I think he feels ashamed.’
Dolly shook her head. ‘Georgio was fitted up - he said so himself. Once we prove that, everything will be fine once more. Do you want a drop of scotch in that tea, love? You’re looking very white.’
She poured a good measure of
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