Chapter 11: Nine Days

On Tuesday afternoon Marco was waiting at the alley door of my restaurant, holding two coffees.

I had forty minutes before service.

I took the coffee and didn't drink it.

"You have nine days," I said. "After that, a stranger lives in 4C."

"I know."

"Where are you going?"

He rubbed his eyes.

"I've been looking at studios in Queens. Rocco's mother said he can sleep on her couch." He paused. "Carla's looking too."

"Good."

"Gia, I've been paying her share of the rent since March."

I stared at him.

"She told me she was broke after Uncle Paulie. I covered it. I covered Rocco's too, when his gym fell through."

"You paid for him to live in my apartment."

"I paid for him to live in our apartment."

"My name is on it, Marco. My credit. My deposit."

"I know that."

"You paid for a man to sleep with Carla two rooms away from your sister."

He flinched.

"I didn't know that part until Dino told me."

"Dino told you six weeks ago."

He looked at the ground.

I let it sit there between us, and a delivery truck backed up the alley beeping.

"I asked Carla about it," he said. "She cried. She said Rocco came on to her and she was scared to tell you."

"Did she look scared when she posted his watch?"

"No."

"Then why did you believe her?"

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