Chapter 2

HOLIDAY

 

The sun was a yellow-orange blur sitting low in the light, overcast sky, as Sam and Annette got in their car and pulled out of the driveway of their stately home in Belleville, New Jersey. They were heading for the parkway north and their visit with the Rossi family. The roads still had pockets of ice and snow on them, so Sam drove his big Cadillac nice and slow.

Sam looked over at Annette. “Damn it, I forgot my wine.”

“I got it; it’s in the back seat,” Annette replied. “And I got the Italian pastries Lucia likes so much.”

Sam was relieved. His wine was not the sweet, fruity, store-bought kind—no way; it was the homemade if-you-drink-too-much-you’re-taking-a-nap kind. He needed it to put up with Vince’s bullshit.

Annette smiled as they pulled onto the parkway. “It will be good to see the kids. I miss them.”

Sam smiled. “Yeah, I miss them, too. They’re good kids.”

Annette smiled at Sam. “Thanks for helping my brother with the work. He needed it.”

“I do it for you and the kids,” Sam replied. “Vince needs to stop the drinking on the job, keep his foul mouth shut, and he’s got no problem from me.”

“I know you don’t like him,” Annette replied. “I pray he does the right thing. I see it, too: my brother has not been himself since our father died.”

The two continued their drive as little flecks of snow started to come down. Sam turned on his wipers. “Looks like another squall is coming in.”

Before long, Sam pulled off the parkway, onto Washington Street, and began the climb up along the pines and hemlocks to the town of Creakwater. The snow was picking up as he eased the big car up the winding road.

 

 

Inside her house on Woodruff Street, Lucia was watching the snow coming down from the living room window and smiling at the kids tromping in the snow. It looked like they were making a snow fort by the driveway. It was the little things—happy memories and her kids—that helped her get by.

She went to the kitchen, to check on the coffee and put the apple pie out to cool down a little. So far it was a good Thanksgiving. Vince took his turkey plate up to his room and she hadn’t seen him since.

Upstairs in his selfish room, Vince was sitting in his leather reclining chair with his glass of whiskey, sitting on the edge of the pool table. He had just finished setting up his custom set of Lionel trains on the pool table and turned them on. He watched like a kid in a candy store as the old steamer locomotive and rail cars made their way around the track.

 

 

Sam turned the Caddy onto Woodruff and slowly pulled up in front of Lucia’s house. He laughed as he saw the kids playing, throwing snowballs. “Isn’t that a sight! They look like a bunch of snowmen.”

Annette laughed. “I remember those days.”

Mario stopped throwing snowballs and looked over. “Uncle Sam, Uncle Sam!” he yelled, as he ran to him. Big Sam picked him up and gave him a hug.

Anna watched her brother with her uncle and went over to Aunt Annette. They hugged. “It’s so good to see you, but you two better get inside,” Annette said; “you’re gonna freeze out here.”

“Okay. My mom made some nice apple pie for us,” Anna replied, as she helped Annette up the snowy driveway to the front door.

Lucia opened the door and let them in with a warm welcome. Sam took off his snow-covered overcoat and gave Lucia a hug. He noticed that she looked a little tired. The ladies went into the kitchen and Sam took a seat at the kitchen table. The smell of cooked turkey was still in the air. Sam had his eyes on a bowl of Lucia’s cranberry stuffing, which was still on the table.

“I saved some just for you,” Lucia said with a smile. “I know how much you like it,”

Sam took a plate. “Thanks, dear. You know I do.”

Annette looked around. “Where’s Vince?” she asked, as Lucia poured the coffee and served her caramel-cinnamon-topped apple pie.

“Oh, he’s upstairs in his room,” Lucia replied. “I’ll give him a yell in a minute.”

Sam was enjoying his food, when he noticed that Lucia’s lower arms and her left cheek bore some bruises. “What happened to you?”

Lucia wanted to tell the truth but lied again. “Oh, my arms… Silly me: I fell when I was vacuuming the stairs. So, how’s the stuffing?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

Sam hesitated for a moment, thinking of what happened at his house last year. He had a feeling it was Vince, but let it go for now. “Please be careful. And the pie and stuffing—it’s your best this time!”

What happened last year at Sam’s place was something he wouldn’t forget or forgive. Annette was busy, so Sam had asked Lucia to get another bottle of wine. He waited a bit, then realized he needed more barbeque sauce, so he went into the kitchen and heard yelling down in the basement. As he came to the basement stairway, he heard a commotion going on and Vince cursing. He headed in and caught Vince gripping Lucia’s arm, in the act of slapping his wife. Lucia’s face was flushed. Embarrassed, she ran up the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom. Sam pinned Vince against the basement wall, chewed him out and made him a sincere promise. When he calmed down, he grabbed the wine and said nothing to Lucia about it.

Today Lucia was nervous, but happy to have the company for the holiday. She thought to herself, Lord knows the kids love their Aunt Annette and Uncle Sam.

Anna and Mario came rumbling through the front door and Lucia went over. “Look at you two! Get those clothes off.” She put their snow-covered coats and boots in the porch.

Sam smiled at Annette. “Look at Mario: his lips are blue! He’s frozen!” He also noticed how much Anna had grown, becoming a young lady. She had her mother’s features, for sure.

They laughed with the kids and looked happy. Then Lucia went off and escorted them to their bedrooms to get changed. Annette found the wine glasses and opened the bottle of red wine. Sam poured and took his glass over to the sofa, just in time to hear Vince coming down the stairs.

Vince had showered, changed his clothes and used mouthwash to hide the whiskey smell on him. He smiled at Sam. “Happy Thanksgiving,” he said.

Sam nodded and sipped his wine. “Lucia’s pie was great,” he replied.

Annette hugged her brother. “Don’t you look nice, all dressed up. Happy Thanksgiving,” Annette said to Vince. “Come sit at the table with us.”

Anna and Mario came into the living room and sat next to their favorite uncle. Sam smiled. “I thought you guys were snowmen when you walked in. You look much better now.”

Anna laughed as she looked at Mario. “It was his fault. He kept throwing snow on me, so I got him back.”

 Sam and the kids talked for a while, as Lucia served some coffee and apple pie to Annette and Vince. Sam was happy; it was good to hear they were doing well in school and Anna was on the honor roll. He asked how everything was going around the house and noticed Anna hesitate. She looked away when she replied, “Oh, okay.”

Sam pointed toward the kitchen; “You guys had better get some pie before your aunt eats it all!” He laughed as he watched them race to the kitchen.

He noticed that Vince had a nice gold watch on, and he was wearing what looked like a new knit shirt, slacks and new shoes. The kids, on the other hand, had holes in their sneakers and Mario was growing out of his pants. He took a long swill on his wine glass and tried to calm down. He lit up a smoke and set it in the ashtray. He then slipped two hundred-dollar bills out of his wallet, folded them up and put them in his pack of butts.

“Come on, Sammy, have some coffee!” Annette yelled out from the kitchen. Sam finished his wine, put out his butt and went for the kitchen table, where he sat next to Mario. “Make sure you finish your milk; it’s good for your muscles.” Of course, then Mario had to pull open his shirt and show off to his uncle. Sam laughed, as he watched the boy’s mother fix his shirt.

Vince looked at Sam. “The airport job is starting out good. So, how you been feeling?” he asked.

Sam hesitated, looked at Vince’s fancy watch and thought, I’m feeling like I want to pick you up and throw you through the living room window!

“I’m good. We’re all good,” Sam replied instead, as he sipped his black coffee.

Vince left the table and went back upstairs to the “selfish room”, to get himself a drink of whiskey. The family talked, played some cards, laughed and joked for a while at the table.

Soon, Anna excused herself and started for the living room, to watch her favorite T.V. show.

“Don’t forget, young lady, church tomorrow,” Lucia said and pointed to Mario, “and you too, mister.”

“It’s getting late,” Annette said, as she finished helping Lucia in the kitchen. She went to the living room to get her coat.

Sam then walked over to Lucia and handed her the cigarette pack. He whispered, “Please give the kids a nice Christmas.”