Chapter 5

We three went for a beer after work as promised. Mack was the smallest member of my crew. He appeared to be a stalk of nervous energy, never sitting still and his eyes were continually darting around the bar. He was the first to mention what his past had been.

“You know, guys, I was sent up for assault on my old lady. Tell me what you would have done? She drained our bank account and went to Vegas over my objections. She said we had been together and we had never done anything exciting.

“What do you think? I had been saving money for seven years to buy a home and was almost there. She came home all tired out ten days after she left. She came in and stated she had spent it all and was tired and we would talk about it in the morning.

“I loved the bitch; that is until I thought I would open her suit case and do the laundry. God it smelled like a whore house and there was evidence that she was the main attraction in one. I dragged her ass out of bed and mopped the floor with her. The neighbors called the cops and they were the main witnesses against me. That was three years ago. I didn’t even bother to get a lawyer because I didn’t have enough to hire one.

“The court appointed one, but it just was to cover the laws so I wouldn’t come back on them. I did my time. I’m not really a violent person ... well maybe I am if I have cause.” Mack took a sip of beer and smiled. He was done talking.

Randy wanted to unburden his soul too.

“Me, I’m single and always have been. My mother left my old man when I was six. Father was an alcoholic and was always looking for a new job because of getting drunk all the time. My trouble started when I was sixteen. Pop was raving and tearing up the house furniture. He was swearing about not having any money. I went into my room to get away from it all. Ten minutes later, I heard him leave the house and saw his shadow go by the window.

“I ran out and could see him staggering down the street. I followed at a run and before I reached him, he turned into the local grocery store. I followed him in and couldn’t believe my eyes. He had a gun pointed at a clerk and was demanding money. I came up beside him and wrestled the gun from him. Something poked me in the back and was told to drop the gun. I did and raised my hands.

“We were both charged with attempted robbery. The cop had come into the store behind me. He saw me with a gun and I couldn’t get the clerk to admit I was trying to get it from my father. Pop got two years and I got seven. I was to get out in six, but no one would go to bat for me until Geno came looking for help. So I spent an extra year in prison.”

Randy stopped speaking then said, “I wonder if I get caught for something, the court will give me the year credit I’ve already done?”

“Christ Randy, you were nothing but a kid, How did you get charged with being an adult?”

“Dun no but that’s the way it went down. It’s behind me now.”

“What about your father?”

“He hung himself in prison before the first year of his two-year sentence was out.” We drank our beer and I dropped Mack and Randy off at their doorstep. Geno had two other men helping him under another crew chief like me. They lived in the same house as Mack and Randy. I guess Geno either rented this house or owned it.

I was telling Mary about the men I was now working with. She was horrified that Geno had hired ex-cons. “Whoa, sweetheart. These men all got screwed by life, just like I did a while back. Give them a chance to make good. They have more than paid their debt to society. They are trying hard and I’m going to help them all I can.”

“Look at you befriending the woman who nearly destroyed me. Think what would have happened to me if I had kept looking for revenge. I might be working and living in the same place they are. At least I stopped before I got a record. We have to let things be sometimes. Put Chloe in the past and forget her. There is only trouble if you continue.

“Pete, you just see things different than I do. The difference is that I caused some of her problems and I feel guilty over it.”

“Well, you should, but I don’t see how you can help her without getting me back into her sphere of awareness.”

“I know, Pete, but I wish I could help her. I’d help her if I had met her and hadn’t done the things to harm her. You still love me, don’t you?”

“Always and forever. Say, I wanted to ask you--I thought you might mention it to me on your own, but you haven’t.”

A look of fear crossed Mary’s countenance. “What did you want to know?”

“I was wondering what the gynecologist has to say about your so called stigmata?”

“Oh, that. He has examined it and he did come to the same conclusion as you have. He said it had to have been performed by a very good tattoo artist when I was just a few months old. He also said it must have caused me a great amount of pain. If my mother had been caught having this done to her child, she would have been put into an asylum. The doctor asked me how it affected my life.”

“And, what did you tell him?”

“I told him my life was terrible. That is until I met a man by the name of Peter Manning. I told him how you have changed me for the better and how happy I am.”

“And?”

“He wants to meet you. He thinks you must be a most unusual person.”

“With all of that, you should now go ahead and tell me what question you thought I was going to ask you. It certainly jarred you. Nothing else would have provoked that look of fear I saw cross your face.”

“Pete, please don’t ask me. I have been talking to my brother Kenny and he warned me that you would be very upset if you learned what I have been up to. He not only warned me, but advised me to desist on this path.”

“Okay, u-mm ... I think Kenny is a very smart person and a good lawyer. I’m sure his advice is good so I guess you had better follow it. What’s for supper? I’ll be home earlier tomorrow night. I’m not planning on having a beer every night after work.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”All evening Mary kept looking at me expecting me to ask what she was up to. When we went to bed, I was almost asleep by the time she joined me. She had made herself sweet smelling and kissed me passionately. I was holding her hand when I turned later to sleep in my normal position.

Mary whispered, “Pete, I’ll tell you someday. Please be patient with me.”

“I will, sweetheart. I do love you and I will bear with you. Tell me when you think I ought to know.”

“Oh Pete, you make me love you so much.” The only things Mary and I disagreed on was something about Chloe. If Kenny gave her advice about whatever she was doing with my ex girlfriend, then it had to come out okay.

Geno’s construction Foreman, Jeffery, was a pure asshole. The two men, David and Percy, who lived with my two men and worked under Jeffery, both had the rudiments of knowing what they were doing. They had been long out of the trade and it was going to take time to get back up to speed. They lived in the same house as Mack and Randy and I was privy to a conversation of their comparison between Jeffery and my style of being a boss.

When we finished tearing apart the first house, we came to work anyway even though there was nothing for us to do. We all pitched in moving material or going for something if it wasn’t right at hand.

That particular morning I drove all four to the job-site and hung around watching the start of rebuilding the house. Geno was there as soon as we were. “Pete, hang around until noon and then start tearing apart the house to the left of this one. Christ you did such a good job here, makes me think I am over paying you and your crew.”

I laughed at Geno, “Hey, you don’t know how hard I worked my men. I told them to bust ass, or else.”

Geno sobered. “Pete, I know how hard all of you worked. I wish my construction foreman had your ethics. If I can pick up another good carpenter, I might fire Jeffery and give you both crews.”

“Don’t do that, I don’t know anything about house costruction.”

“We’ll see. All you would need is a straw boss that has his papers. I’ll work on it anyway.”

“What’s the matter with Jeffery?”

“Too much. I hired these men, knowing how fragile they are about getting back into the work force. They need respect and I don’t see any coming down from Jeffery. If they get pissed about how they are being treated, they’ll do something to put themselves back behind bars.”

“I know what you mean. I don’t think my two workers will be a problem.”

“That’s why I hired you. I was in the army with you and I know what you can do with men. You got more out of a bunch of raw recruits than anyone I know. Do you have any suggestions?”

“Not off the top of my head, but I’ll give it some thought.” I did think about how Geno could reorganize his work crew. I knew Geno would always have problem if he kept Jeffery on.

Geno was around the next day and I indicated I wanted to speak to him. “What’s up, Pete?”

“You asked me if I had any thoughts about your workers. I have a few, but first let me ask you some questions.” Geno nodded to go ahead. “Are you in this construction business for the long haul? It might make a difference.”

“Yeah, I am. Tell me what you are thinking.”

“I’m impressed with the ex-cons you have chosen. I’d hate to have them slip back and they might if they aren’t treated right. Why don’t you check the prisons to see if you can find a journeyman carpenter who has done some teaching in the carpentry trade. The two men under Jeffery know a little, and my two are intelligent enough to learn the trade.

“Make all four men apprentices and have the new guy teach them so someday they can get a license. It might take two or three years, but it should pay off, especially if you expand over the years.”

Geno was uncertain and looked it. “Pete, that would mean I would have four men and you sitting in class not producing.”

“Not necessarily. Just think how fast I could wreck a house getting it ready for rehab with four men instead of two. This unknown worker I’m thinking of could do the teaching while right here on the job when we start putting these houses back together. It won’t be long before your two apprentices and mine with the new person can set these four men to doing work on their own.

“That never would happen with Jeffery as their Foreman. When it is almost time for the four men to get certified; that would be the time for some classroom work.”

“Pete, I’ll mull it over. What about you? What are you going to be doing all this time your men are learning to be journeymen carpenters?”

“Wrecking houses, I guess.”

Geno shook his head and walked away. The next day, Geno pulled me off the house we were wrecking. “Pete, come ‘ere, I think I have and answer for you. You know doing what I’m doing is attempting to build a construction outfit which is the same thing my family does back in Boston. They work different than I do. Let’s say the way I want to run my business is being honest and all above board.

“I have my father and two uncles and a half dozen nieces and nephews who work doing construction. It is a family owned business. I’ll emphasize the family part. This was started back around the late 1920s by my grandfather and his father. The trucks they owned were on the road a lot, often at night and they came and went across the border into Canada.

“When prohibition ended they really did construction work and were most usually legal. Occasionally someone in the family messes up and has to spend time away, but not often. I’m going to be strictly honest keeping away from bribes and kickbacks. Ditto without any heavy persuasion to get a contract. That’s a little background on me that you don’t have to mention and why I knew how and where to get men to work for me.

“My wife, Gina, is a distant relative and knows it all. I promised when we married I would be honest in my dealings. I’d hate to say what she would do to me if I worked something crooked into my business.” Geno paused now to see how I would receive this.

“Your business, Geno. I will say I’m happy to know that’s the way this business will be run. What about what we were talking about the other day?”

“What I told you was leading up to that. I have a guest that is going to be with me for six months. He is an excellent carpenter and has his papers. Why don’t you grab your wife and have dinner with us to night? You can meet him.”

“Sure, I’d like that. Say Geno, how come you went into the service and not into the family business?”

“Well, I didn’t hold with some of the way the family was doing business at the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family very much. I talked to my mother about what bothered me. She suggested I get away for a while and start a business of my own else where. So I gave my country five years and moved here where my wife has family. My leaving my family didn’t cause any hard feelings and I don’t have to worry that someday some of them will end up on the wrong side of the law.”

“That makes sense. Yes, I would like to have you meet my wife so we’ll be there. I’ll clean up from work and be over.”

“Great. Dinner is at seven, come early and meet my older cousin. We can talk about house construction and drink a beer. Wear something comfortable. Gina probably will be serving pasta.”

I called Mary and told her we were going out to dinner at Geno and Gina Capparelli’s home.”

“I’ll be ready. I’ve wanted to meet your boss.”

“He is more a buddy than a boss. I’ve never met Gina. I think she might have grown up around here before she met Geno, fell in love and married him.”

We wore comfortable clothes for the dinner. Mary had on a simple floral dress that had only a few trumpet flowers for a print. I wore slacks and a open throat grey shirt. Geno met us at the door. He expressed his appreciation on meeting Mary and welcomed us both inside. The cousin, Guido, who was cause of this meeting, was sitting in the living room on a piano bench.

He arose and shook hands when introduced. Geno said his wife, Gina, was in the kitchen preparing the finishing touches to their dinner. “Hey Gina, come meet Pete and Mary Manning. He is the one I have been bragging about. We’ve been friends since my army days.”

Gina came and stood in the doorway staring with a angry look on her face. “Geno, I know the Manning name. I believe he is the person that kept wrecking Chloe’s and Chuck’s car. I will not have him setting at our table tonight or ever. Ask them to leave or I will start pulling hair.”

I stood there dumbfounded. Gino’s face got red. “Woman, what the hell is the matter with you? I know for a fact Pete was out in Colorado when that happened.”

“Geno, says you. Chuck told me that Pete Manning was the only person to have a reason to cause all that damage to their car. He probably had it hired done if he didn’t do it himself. Do you know how hard it is on Chloe with her little boy like he is?”

“Gina, well, Chuck isn’t doing anything to help Chloe or his son either. You know I think he is a scumbag even if he is your cousin. He ran out on his wife and kid and she divorced him so she could get some care through some government agency.

Mary put her two cents in, “Gina, Harrison is your cousin? Boy, do I ever pity you. I know a lot about him and it is nothing good.”

“Keep out of this, bitch. You’re married to that turd you call a husband and he beat up Chuck for no reason at all.”

“Lady, and I use the term with distain and you know shit.” The two women stood there facing each other. Both made a motion toward the other. Gino grabbed Gina and I grabbed Mary. I almost threw her into a chair. Gino saw what I did and did the same with Gina.

I turned to Guido, “Hey, we’re having some fireworks aren’t we? You don’t know it but I’m at the center of this. Geno, why don’t you call Chloe. Have Gina pick her and the boy up and bring them here. She’ll straighten this out. Gina, ask Chloe about your cousin while she is with you on the way back here. As far as I know, the only real friend Chloe has is my wife Mary. Don’t forget to ask Chloe about Pete Manning either.”

“Gina, do what Pete told you to do. What’s Chloe’s phone number?”

“Geno, I don’t know what it is.”

“Does anyone know?”

I said, “If she is living in the same apartment, I’ll dial it for you. If it isn’t hers, Mary can call Kenny and get it. He is her lawyer.”

There was silence and all conversation stopped. It seemed that most in the room knew a little bit of what was going on, but not the whole story, except for Guido who was totally puzzled by this, not knowing anything.

Mary spoke now, “Pete, I think it is I who should contact and go get Chloe. I don’t want you to have trouble with Geno. He is your boss and you are happy working for him. I’m not saying more, but a lot of this trouble is my fault. I still am not going to let you get blamed for anything. After all you are the victim here and in so many ways, too.”

Gina burst in with, “He is not!”

“Yes he is and if you would calm down and have a talk with Chloe, you will find out the whole story. Do you know that once years ago, Pete was engaged to be married to Chloe? I’ll bet you didn’t. In fact I’ve made Pete more of a victim than he was before I met him ... Chloe too for that matter for she has been victimized in several ways. All this hasn’t helped her little boy who may never walk right if he doesn’t receive some outside help. Harrison, her ex-husband, certainly hasn’t given Chloe any help. Gina, ask her about your cousin.”

Gina was shaking her head, “Mary, don’t call her. We’ll go get her together. When is the last time she saw Pete anyway?”

“I think it was the day he came home from the service years ago. I’m willing to go see her and try to get her to come back here.”

“Let’s go, then, we’ll take my car.” Gina grabbed her purse and Mary hadn’t even had time to set hers down. They went out the kitchen door where her car was parked.

Geno started laughing, “Wow, I thought we were going to have a cat fight for a few minutes. Pete, explain about you and Chloe. Maybe that will help me understand this.”

“You know, I suppose Gina has got a garbled story from Harrison and would naturally believe him. He is actually the one to do me wrong, but I swear it wasn’t me who vandalized the car. I didn’t know about it until some officers approached me while I was out in Colorado and were satisfied I wasn’t involved.

“This is what happened; I was engaged to Chloe when I went into the service. Her name was on my savings account while I was there. I came home to get married and found out she and Harrison were married and all $28,000 in my account was gone. The court told me that I left it to her.

“I surmise that Harrison learned of the money and married Chloe to get it. I have never had a chance to talk to her. I did know Chloe very well and it just wasn’t like Chloe to do this on her own. I have faith that she will agree that I had been victimized.

“Well, who vandalized the car.?”

“I have my suspicions, but it isn’t for me to say. I would like that wrong righted, and I am willing to help Chloe get wheels again. I don’t want Harrison to gain from this. That’s my only stipulation.”

“That sounds fair enough. Hey, lets get a drink. It’ll be a while before the women get back. Does anyone want to lay bets on what the situation will be like when they return?”

“Geno, I’m betting they’ll be best friends and I’ll also bet that I get lucky tonight.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know Chloe and I know Mary. I read a book one time about just this same type of situation. You can tell Mary I said that, she’ll understand.”

“So Geno, how come we were invited over tonight?”

“Pete, it was for Guido to meet you. He and his father have had a tiff and Guido is out here so both of them can cool off. Guido is a master carpenter and as long as he was here, I thought I’d put him to work on my renovation projects. You two seem to be much alike. I am going to fire my other Foreman and combine the crews. I’m going to the bank and get some money and change my plans of how to complete this project.

“Pete and your crew can work stripping about half the houses before I begin putting them back together. I’ll get Guido some more help for that, but I’ll have your crew work with him to learn how when the renovation stage begins. What do you think?”

“It sounds good to me. You know I would like to invest in this project. I do have some money.”

“Where did you get any money. It wasn’t long ago you were out panhandling.”

“I was, but then I found something that looked like lead when digging for gems with Mary and it might be profitable. I’ll be getting some money soon. I decided to sell the mine because I don’t know a damned thing about mining. I didn’t take a lump sum but if it is worth anything, I might collect some royalties.

There was silence from both Geno and Guido until Geno exploded, “Christ you are probably worth more than I am. What the fuck are you doing tearing down old houses?”

“It’s not that much, but a man has to do something. My life was like crap and like an old house that needed rehabbing. Mary has helped me with that. Actually, her life needed it more than mine. Anyway, that’s what I enjoy doing.” I went on to explain more fully what my life had been like including what had happened between Chuck Harrison and me.

Gina had never been to Chloe’s apartment. Mary had never been inside, but knew where it was located and the number of the apartment on the second floor. It had been a silent ride all the way. Gina pulled up to the front. There was a parking space open on the street. Mary noticed a “No Panhandling” sign posted on the front of the building. She smiled because she knew Pete had caused it to be posted.

She asked Gina, “How well do you know Chloe and her boy, Ricky?”

“Mary, I’ve met her only a few times. I’ve seen the boy with his mother only a couple of times. I’ve seen Chuck a half-dozen times since they got divorced. He doesn’t have anything good to say about your husband.”

“It is probably guilt, but then he doesn’t have a very good reputation.”

Gina didn’t answer, but didn’t start to get out of the car immediately. Finally she said, “Let’s go see what Chloe has to say. I’ll listen. You know Geno thinks the world of Pete, so maybe I listened and believed Chuck more than I should have. Let’s find out.” Both got out of the car. The entrance to the building wasn’t too bad. It was clean, anyway, not like some apartment buildings.

They went up the stairs and Mary knocked on the door. They could hear someone coming to the door. It opened to the chain. “Hi Mary, what are you doing here?”

“Can we come in? Gina is with me.”

“The only Gina I know is Chuck’s cousin.”

“That’s me. Can we talk for a few minutes?”

“I guess, what about what?” Chloe opened the door. Ricky was standing by his mother.

He saw Mary and broke into all smiles and came hobbling toward her. Mary picked him up and gave him a hug. Gina was watching this. Chloe led them into a sitting room where Gina and Chloe sat in a chair while Mary sat on the couch. Mary had put Ricky down and he hobbled over and climbed onto the couch beside her. Mary put her arm around him.

“Chloe, I guess I have a confession to make about who I am. I am Pete Manning’s wife. Pete works for Geno, Gina’s husband. She and I got into an argument about Pete and your husband Chuck. You seem to be the center of all this so we decided to see you. You’ve told me some about Chuck and she wants to know what kind of a person Pete is.”

“How come, you never told me who you were before this?”

“Part of it because he was very unhappy about losing you and part of it because the authorities investigated Pete when you were having your car vandalized. I have to tell you that I have been with Pete almost every day since before that happened. That just isn’t Pete.”

“I know that. It wasn’t me who ever thought it was, but Chuck swore it must be. God, did I ever make a mistake when I let Chuck into my life. Chuck promised to marry me and I felt so guilty after I was seduced so I did. I’ve wanted to go apologize to Pete so many times. He is a good man, not like Chuck. Chuck took Pete’s money after we had been drinking one afternoon and convinced me it was mine.

“When Pete got home from the service, I wanted to see him and tell him what happened, but Chuck swore he would kill Pete if I did. I’ve been so miserable. The only good thing Chuck left me is Ricky. He is what I have clung to hoping someday my life will get better. Mary, you have been a bright spot in my life since I met you in the doctor’s office.”

“Would you like to see Pete and talk to him, this evening? He and Geno are waiting for us to comeback and help us eat the Pasta I have prepared.”

“Oh, Gina, I don’t think so. It would be late for Ricky to be up. You would have to bring us home afterward because I don’t have a car.”

“That’s no problem at all. Come on, we are all friends here.” Gina was looking more at Mary when she said this and then resumed, “You could even tell me more about what a miserable bastard my cousin is. Up until now I think I have been misinformed about him.”

Chloe asked Mary, “You’re really married to Pete and he is at the house where you want me to go.”

“I am and he is. You can’t have him, though, but I do think it would make you happier if you did talk to him. Please remember, I am your friend in all of this.”

“Okay, you’ve never done anything to harm me. I would like to tell Pete the truth about what happened to me and why I couldn’t keep my promise to wait for him.”

“I’ll give you a chance to speak with him alone.”

“Oh. Mary, you are so sweet. Thank you.”

The three men were sitting in the kitchen drinking beer. Gina immediately went to the oven and removed the casserole. “Good, it didn’t get dried out. We’ll eat in the dining room. Christ, just like a bunch of men. They sit around and drink beer and don’t even set the table.”

Mary said to Pete, “Pete, Chloe wants a few minutes with you. Go into the front room with her. I think Ricky will stay with me for a few minutes, won’t you, Ricky?” He nodded his head. He was eying the macaroni and cheese. It had chunks of ham sticking out of the top. Gina took a salad out of the refrigerator. Mary sat down and she pulled Ricky into her lap. He did keep his eyes on the door where his mother had disappeared.

Guido said to no one in particular. “She’s pretty.”

Mary agreed with him. Guido observed. “You must trust your husband Mary, to let him talk to her alone. You said at one time they were a couple, didn’t you.”

“I did say that and I trust Pete.”

Geno spoke, “Pete is the most trusting soul I ever knew. I guess you are like him in that respect, Mary.”

“I wasn’t always. The only people I trusted were my brothers. Pete showed me the error of my ways. I’m so much happier now than I was when I first met him.” Mary looked down at Ricky in her lap.”Ricky go tell your mom that we are ready to eat.” The four of them watched as Ricky hobbled through the dining room.

“Ricky has a birth defect. It is pretty bad and will take a lot of money to correct. I’m going to help Chloe with that, but I don’t know how. The operation turns out better when the child is young and before going to school, and he has at least two years before kindergarten.”

Pete and Chloe came out. Neither wanted to discuss what they had talked about. Gina didn’t want her guests to be uncomfortable so she stated, “Okay, find a seat, everyone. Geno, get drinks, and I’ll start dishing up the food. This is nothing fancy and I didn’t realize I was going to have two more guests.”

“It smells wonderful. Ricky loves Mac and cheese. I don’t think he has ever had it baked before. Usually it comes out of a box. They have a lot of those at the food pantry.”

“You don’t work, Chloe?”

“I do, Gina, but between Ricky’s daycare and the apartment rent there isn’t much left.”

Shocked, Gina asked, “You must get some help from my cousin?” Chloe didn’t want to answer and just shook her head no. She didn’t want anything to drink either except water. Ricky had a large glass of orange juice. Gina didn’t drop her cousin’s action.

“Geno and Guido, tomorrow you are going to talk to my cousin. That prick needs to get straightened out. In fact I’ll go with you. What is his business like anyway?”

Mary and Pete knew, but didn’t want Chloe to know they had looked into it. Finally Chloe answered, “It’s a dive. Chuck owns at least half of it. His partner is a pretty decent person, but for some reason he lets Chuck be the boss.”

The meal went along and Harrison wasn’t mentioned again until Pete and Mary got ready to leave. Mary brought it up, “Geno and Gina, Pete feels he ought to offer to go with you, but please remember the police have warned Pete away from him. They still think he had something to do with Pete vandalizing his car.”

Chloe, quickly said, “No, Pete shouldn’t go near Chuck. I’ve caused Pete enough trouble and he doesn’t need to take up for me. He has accepted my apology and I’m thankful for that. I don’t want it to start all over again.”