The Pawns that Gleam [Bk 3]

ch.7 The Outside

Uncle Marco put his hand over his heart and bowed. Aunt Lisa nodded slowly and she followed Leo and her ex-husband out. Danny glanced over at me and Harry, unsure if he should be happy or angry for us.

I nodded at Danny, urging him to relax.

Then I turned to Harry, who was even more confused about the seemingly gesture. He was as ready to strangle my uncle as he was prepared to hug him.

They loaded their things into the cab Marco came in. Harry didn’t dare move an inch from my side. Instead, Danny and the boys went out to help with the luggage.

I looked over at the clock, but I didn’t see the time, I saw years. Three years had passed since the night of that party. Three years had passed since Harry was shot but was declared innocent at court.

I pressed my hand to my chest as I tried to calm my racing heart. It was only a few months before Louis and his gang and Carlo were released from jail. I wriggled under Harry’s grip as I tried to reach out to Aunt Lisa.

“Harry” I mumbled and I nodded over at Aunt Lisa.

Harry loosened his grip, but held my hand a moment. Then he let go and I quickly walked over to Aunt Lisa. She turned slightly, already having heard my footsteps.

“What is it, Angela?” she asked softly.

I cleared my throat anxiously.

“I- uh wanted to ask if you knew Carlo” I mumbled. Carlo, my fake uncle, the one who used to hurt my mom was bound to be mixed in this brotherly brawl that Aunt Lisa knew so much about.

Aunt Lisa threw her head back and laughed so deeply, so amused at Carlo’s name that I felt slightly stupid for bringing him up.

“Carlo?” she raised a brow. “Is he still doing the snooping, like a little doggie?” she grinned and she glanced around the neighborhood as if Carlo might still be here.

“No” I shook my head slowly. I swallowed hard, afraid what I would do once he was released and free to roam the streets.

“W-what do you know about him?” I mumbled.

“Well, besides that he was the most awkward, gangly, little rascal I’ve ever seen?” she laughed.

Awkward? Gangly? Rascal?

I nodded, wanting her to continue.

She set her purse down and took my hand in hers, ready to get into more details of the side story.

“Well, Carlo was like JD’s little golden puppy. He followed him around everywhere and always obeyed him" she grinned at old memories.

I smiled politely, not sure what to make of Carlo being a 'golden puppy.' The Carlo I knew and wished I never knew was dirty and heartless. There was nothing 'golden about him.'

"JD treated him well but Carlo wasn’t satisfied, he was jealous of your dad because he had your mother and Carlo wasn’t just ‘one of those boys,’ he was the quiet, scheming type” Aunt Lisa continued.

Then she looked down at my hands and took a deep breath. I knew she was about to tell me what Carlo used to try on my mom, thinking I didn’t know already, but I did. I knew it all too well.

“Carlo tried to hurt your madre once because he was a useless, dirty, scoundrel. But your madre never told your papa because she was smart enough to know what would happen to timid little Carlo when JD found out” she explained steadily.

I took a slow, deep breath.

“But, she was also quite stupid because she felt bad for poor little Carlo, who nobody thought twice about” she shook her head softly, in a solemn silence for the misunderstood creep that was Carlo” Aunt Lisa shook her head carefully.