Chapter 19: Reading the letter, book etc

First job first was checking the fridge stock for tonight and tomorrow. Looking at the envelope and book. Decided food shopping was the first order. Putting on the kettle to make sure it worked. Helena went downstairs to food shop.

Upon returning from the shops, the unit receptionist ask Helena if she was the new owner of 2201. Replying in the affirmative, they mentioned there were a lot of letters for the unit and could she take them with her. Harry said ‘take them.’ Agreeing they gave her two shopping bags of letters and the key to her postal box. Inside the box was more mail. Mrs Romano always had a lot of mail she commented.

Returning to the unit and putting away the milk and other shopping, Helena made a nice cuppa. Sitting down on the lounge she opened the letter. The letter was written in a very neat copperplate hand style and easy to read.

I am writing this letter to introduce myself, Rita. I came from a poor Italian family in Victoria. At the age of 17, I was promised to a man of 32. This was the norm in those days. At 18, we were married and lived in a small rental. I did not know what job my husband did but he always came home with a wage packet with 10% missing. That was his wages and I was to look after rent, food, clothing and myself with the balance. If for any reason I needed more money, I just had to ask him. For many years we tried to have children but I found out at age 13 my husband had a bad bout of mumps all over his body.

On occasions he would come home with extra cash and he asked me to keep it safe. I purchased a few large books to hide the money. Books people look at but never open. My husband never asked for the money back. After a while I mentioned to him one night that we had enough money to buy a house. He told me to look for a few and he would come with me to inspect the last 3. He was not interested in the looking just the results. I found three nice homes and took him to view. He asked me which one did I really like and I told him the second one. Good choice buy it but it must be in your name not mine OK. Being a dutiful wife I obeyed.

We moved into the house and had a nice house warming party. I have never seen his colleagues but they all seemed nice Italian people. There was a lot of money given to us to furnish the house out. My husband told me he was proud of my actions and duties on the day. By now I had learnt not to question him or his male colleagues.

After a few years the money build up again. I did not feel like moving and discussed buying a rental to assist other Italian young families. He agreed but I must see Luigi (he assisted in getting our home, ) before buying anything. Its to do with the tax payments he said.

Luigi saw me and told me not to buy anything in my name but he would create a company structure to buy the houses in. Some how I own 10 shares in one company, that holds 10 shares in 3 other companies that own the rental properties. I did not understand it at first but did as my husband told me. The rentals are paid to one company that pays another then dividends comes to me.