Chapter 12: A Clean Page

On the morning of the banquet Valerio did not drive me to my father's house.

He drove me to Paramus.

"He said bring you early," I said. "He'll know."

"Let him know."

"Valerio."

"I want you to hear something first," he said, "from the only man who'd tell you."

Neither of us mentioned the roof.

His hand rested at the small of my back as we went up the ramp, and I let it.

The old capo was waiting in the front room with the oxygen tank hissing and the card table cleared.

His nurse had put on a clean shirt for him.

"Sit down, girl," he said. "You have three oaths."

"How do you know?"

"I know everything that happens in this county. It's my only hobby."

He fixed me with watery eyes.

"Don't sign that book."

I stared at him.

"I came to be signed," I said. "I came to have my year entered."

"I know why you came. That's the problem."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"Listen." He coughed, and the nurse moved forward, and he waved her off. "Carraro, shut the door."

Valerio shut it.

"What do you think the ledger is?" the old man asked me.

"A list of what people did for the Family."

"And the rewards?"

"What they earned."

He shook his head slowly.

"Nothing in that house is earned, Livia. It's lent."

The radiator knocked.

"Every reward is a marker," he said.

"Your sister's earrings. Your brother's laptop. The phones, the concert tickets, the bags."

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