Eye for an eye - part 2

 

A SONG OF LOVE
And Other Stories

BY
CARLO GABBI

Occhio per Occhio ( Dente per Dente )

Sebbene siano lontani dalla laro terra natia la loro vita appartiene a Cosa Nostra.
Sono stati scritti i dieci commandamenti che ogni membro della Mafia deve strettamente rispettare.
Uno dei comandamenti impone, “ Tu devi sempre essere disponibile a Cosa Nostra. Questi e’, innanzi a tutto il tuo dovere, anche se a quel momento tua moglie sta partorendo.

Credo che a questo punto e’ meglio che chiarisca la storia, che e’ narrata nella lingua Inglese. Questo riassunto e’ disegnato per coloro che non sono completamente padroni in questa lingua, ed anche per altri, nell’aiutare con questa sinopsi in Italiano, in modo tale che cosi’ possano seguire piu’ facilmente l’avvenimento dei fatti.

Sinopsi di “OCCHIO PER OCCHIO”
Era stato rilasciato su parola dal carcere ma sapeva che non vi era alcuno a casa ad aspettare il suo ritorno. La moglie, Lola, durante i tre anni in cui fu in carcere, mai lo visito’ e forse se ne era andata a vivere con il suo amante, Maso Garrone.
“Portami al Club, Turiddu.” Chiese all’autita che la Famiglia aveva mandato per riportarlo a casa.
Giunto al Trocadero, Luke ebbe modo di incontrare il suo caro cugino, e con un paio di doppi scotch in fronte a loro, rivissero i loro tempi passati, quando con la loro orchestra erano li al Trocadero, e di come avvenne l’agguato che Luke e come Salvatore, suo fratello fu ucciso.
Rievocarono come false testimonianze, fatti fittizi furono presentati e come Luke fu trovato colpevole, un tranello ben orchestrato per tenerlo lontano in prigione. Ma chi fu l’artefice? Avevano solo congetture, forse Maso Garrone era colui che aveva pagato per aver Luke fuori dai piedi.
Quella sera, sempre al Trocadero, Luke ebbe modo di incontrare Rossana, la sorella di Lola, ma con cui Luke si era sentito sempre piu a suo agio, quando assieme. Rossana consiglia Luke di starsene lontano da Lola, per evitare altri guai e di andar via con lei, lontano da Sydney . Lei aveva un nuovo contratto come cantante a Surfers Paradise, per la prossima stagione e li assieme potevano incominciare una nuova carriera di lavoro assieme.
“Si Rossana, la tua proposta e’ attraente, ma non posso decidere. Aspetto che il Godfather della famiglia, mio zio, mi dia l’incarico di ripristinare l’onore della famiglia dopo l’assasinio di mio fratello. Io sono l’unico del suo stesso sangue e quindi mio obbligo a livellare l’oltraggio.”
Infatti la sera dopo Luke e’ convocato dallo zio, Riceve da lui offerte di entrare a far parte negli affari della famiglia, ma Luke spiega allo zio che lui comprende solamente cio che e’ musicale. Non potrebbe mai comprendere quei business oscuri di prosttuzione ed altri affari nascosti che introducevano il patrimonio nelle casseforti della famiglia. Ma acconduscende al suo obbligo morale di disindebitare la famiglia dalla morte del fratello.

Colui che uccise Salvatore apparteneva alla Famiglia dei Liotta, che era parte di una differente Famiglia della Mafia locale, e dove il loro maggior guadagno proveniva dal coomercio di droghe proibite, mentre la famiglia di Luke, i Caruso, Calabresi di origine avevano Gambling e Prostituzione come area di guadagno.
Chi uccise Salvatore aveva operato indipendentemente dagli ordini dei Liotta, accettanto l’offerta di estranei, sicche’, divenne facile a combinare un compromesso tra le due famiglie, affinche’, la vendetta finisse senza altro spargimento di sangue in inutili compromettenti affari di lealta’.
“Negoziero’ con i Liotta, mio caro Luke, le nostre due Case comprendono che e’ meglio sistemare il tutto con un risarcimento in denaro che in un continuo ed inutile spargimento di sangue e vendette. Dopotutto chi uccise tuo fratello e’ solo una pedina inferiore nella famiglia dei Liotta e pagando i Liotta bene, tutto si accomera’ per il mrglio senza che vendetta sia protratta e ti garantisco che nessun altro della nostra famiglia verra’ ucciso.”
Cosi’ una notte Luke tese una imboscata e pote’ uccidere l’assasino del fratello e nello stesso tempo pote’ crearsi l’alibi necessario in caso gli fosse necessario.
Nel frattempo, una notte rientrando a casa, ha sentore che qualc’uno e’ che lo sta aspettando. Nel soggiorno vi e’ solo una luce tenue, ma Luke, purche’ nella penombra riconosce di chi e’ quel profumo che innonda l’aria nella stanza. Un tuffo al cuore, sa che Lola e’ ritornata, ma perche? Amore?
Lola ha teso le sue reti. Se ne sta’ languidamente stesa sul divano, vestita con un solo trasparente negligee mentre i suoi seni rigurgitanti sono mezzi esposti in modo provocativo. Inoltre udendo Luke entrare nella stanza si mosse cosicche le sue cosce si aprissero quel tanto necessario sicche’ lui potesse vedere il suo sesso.
“Ti aspettavo, Luke.”
“Credevo non ti avrei piu’ rivista. Sei ritornata come una moglie ubbidiente?”

 

 

PART 2

 

  It was eleven in the morning by the time Luke woke up. The house was dusty and neglected with a musty odor, ‘These windows probably haven’t been opened for at least three years,’ Luke thought.

      He looked around the house. The valuable had been removed, gone together with the rest of Lola’s possessions. There wasn’t much left around to remind him of their two years of marriage, only a couple of old photos hung on the wall.

    Was he still in love with her? That sensation of emptiness was a bell alarm telling him how much he missed that woman. Legally she was still his wife, but she had chosen to live and make love with somebody else.

    “My thoughts are obsessed with her. She has charmed me. Nobody else in the world is a better seducing lover. She is the only one capable of fulfilling my intense sexual desires. I really want to make love to her again, my groin craves for her.’ Luke thought.

     The mobile phone interrupted his meditations. It was a message from his uncle, the Godfather, asking him to dinner at seven.

     He knew the reason for this meeting and what would be asked. Uncle would remind him of the old traditions of his country and the respect to “Cosa Nostra”. Everyone had sworn to honor those old traditions of conspiracy and silence written down over the centuries from Calabrians and Sicilians. All in The Family must adhere to those codes of ethic, enhanced by ‘Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth’ 

     Those laws, between them, were kept alive into modern time and a debt of honor was only paid with enemy blood.

   ‘Since I was a young boy I learned that my duty is to stand with the family, in the interest of all of us. Therefore I can’t refuse my obligations, or else they will point to me as a coward. I know that this evening Uncle Beppino would remind me of my obligation to reestablish the honor in the family for my brother’s killing.’

 

    Luke spent the afternoon at his sister-in-law’s place. He had seen Maria only once, after her husband, his young brother Salvatore, had been stabbed and lost his life. On that occasion he had promised that one day he would vindicate his brother’s brutal killing. He was the only one who was witness to the killing. The killer belonged to the ‘Liotta Family’.

    Luke knew that words would not be necessary to tell Maria that soon she would be vindicated. His visit was just to reassure her, in a silent testimonial, of what would soon be inevitable. He spent that afternoon with his brother’s son, and he found that the boy, growing up, was taking after his father. He had also taken his father’s name but affectionately he was called Salvo.

   Luke promised Maria to look after him in the same way a father does. This promise strengthened their knot into the family union.

 

    Uncle Beppino received Luke with a large smile and open arms. He was the Caruso’s Don, and had settled in Sydney forty years earlier.

    He had come from the rocky region of the Aspromonte in Calabria well before The Second World War. At that time, he took with him only a few things. But over the years, taking the opportunities available, he had built a wealthy empire.

     After dinner, he invited Luke into his office. He took a bottle of Marsala and two glasses and offered one to Luke.   

    “This wine is from our motherland and with it we toast the health of our people. I’m proud of you all. I have such a magnificent family.”

     “I’m proud to be a Caruso, Uncle. I owe you so much in life.”

     “Luke, you well know that my wishes have always been that you enter in the family’s business, like your father. He is my younger brother, and twenty years separate us. I brought him to Australia that he was still a young boy. In this new country he became an accountant and now he is responsible for the bulk of our business, the import-export business and has three different warehouses in this country. The import business, since the old days, has been the bone of our structure. It started well over fifty years ago with a small delicatessen business here in Leichardt. Your father, at that time was a young lad, and was the one doing the day deliveries on a bike, after school. He worked hard and had good ideas to expand our activities. Within a short time he was the manager of the shop. At fifteen he knew this business better than I and was the one to suggest to me better ways to improve our market and make more money for all of us.”

   “I know, Uncle Beppino. Dad asked me many times to follow in his steps and learn accountancy. But I’m not cut out for it. I don’t understand the rules of numbers.  I’m lost when I see in front of me books marked with so many columns and numbers and I couldn’t tell if they show a profit or a loss. You see Uncle, music is my real passion, and I can easily conjure up musical notes.”

   “Sure Luke, every one of us has different capabilities. I’m sure that The Family would find the right job for you and the way to make more money for The Family. I don’t really understand much about music, my boy, but if that is what you are looking for, and you can prove to me that we can make a profit, I will support you.”

   “Thank you, Uncle. I will keep that in mind and I’ll be back if I need help.” 

   “You well know that the Family diversifies on many businesses, Luke. There will always be a position available for you. You can learn how to make a profit with the help of my sons. They manage different branches of our organization. All of which are very profitable. They are very clever and their businesses present a respectable front, even if, most of the time it’s only a cover up to the real nature of the business that flourished in the back. In this way we cover up gambling and brothels. Of course to float properly, we have to pay influential people. On our payrolls we have cops and politicians who protect the different cores of our business. They tip us whenever the police plan raids around the district. So far we are respectable businessmen and we keep in the clear, and that’s exactly the way to be. I want to keep The Family name clean.”

     “Uncle Beppino, what have you really in mind for me if I come to work for the Family? I don’t feel to be cut for gambling and whores.”

    “I know son, you are the only one who has artistic talent in the family. We may possibly look for show business. But remember whatever business we’ll go into with you, it is a family’s rule that I have imposed and must be respected.  Drugs are not allowed, even if they present the mirage of easy money. We have an unwritten agreement to leave that to the Liottas. Our Family has its good share in other equally profitable markets.” 

     “Can I ask you if this is the only reason you have called me here tonight? I thought the main idea was how to settle Salvatore’s debt and how to vindicate him and restore the family honor. But may I ask what would happen after we have taken justice into our hands, who will be the next in our family, to pay for that?”

   “Luke, you are right and I have plans for that. I will arrange a private meeting with Tommaso, the head of the Liottas. As a Sicilian he is aware that with you out of jail, revenge must be taken. But I know him too well, to say he will agree to my proposition to him. We don’t want unnecessary misfortunes causing death to some of our beloved ones, and an inevitable police investigation into The Families.

      “At that time a contract was paid on your head by someone influential enough but not belonging to the Liottas. On that occasion mistakenly your younger brother was killed instead. It is true that the killer belonged to the Liottas but acted without the approval from his Family. He worked freely on a handsome contract.

     “In this way we have a Machiavellian point that works in our favor and gives me the power to negotiate the matter with Tommaso. This will become only a matter of money and I’m prepared to pay well to strike this deal. As I always said, money is cheaper then blood. The Liottas will lose only one of their low ranked militia, a small pawn in their hierarchy, and I’ll generously pay them for such a loss. Honor will be restored to the Caruso’s and this case closed for ever. Capito?”

    “Yes Uncle, I do understand. So am I the one who has been selected to settle the score? If so, give me a week to prepare my plans. I’ll let you know when I’m ready for it.

 

      It was in the early hours of Saturday, when Luke, returning home from the Trocadero, saw lights in his house. Was there someone waiting for him?

     ‘Better to be prepared for the unexpected’ Luke thought, as he opened the door with    caution.

     He soon realized that she was there. Her woman scent floated in the air, in the same way he so well remembered from the old days, when they lived together. He recognized the pungent sweet-musky smell of sex and perfume that was impregnating the house. Luke could no longer resist the temptation and suddenly felt weakness in his knees. Again he was caught in her spell and felt the acute unrepressed desire to know her carnally again. Her sexual dominance overpowered his will.

     She, over the years, had become aware to possess a magnetic sexual power over men and she had learned how to master such strength to her complete advantage. She was using it now, to subdue Luke’s desires and compel him to her will. She knew well how to use her libido as a powerful weapon over him. Lola had become a sexual dominatrix since her young days and no men that entered her life escaped her magnetic attraction.

    Luke saw her. She languidly lied on the couch, dressed only in a transparent negligee revealing the curves of her exquisite body. Lola had learned how to use her theatrical knowledge and now she was posing deliberately in such arousing way to catch Luke’s desires.

     One of her firm breasts was half exposed from the negligee and to make it look more provocative, at the time she heard Luke moving around the house, she had pinched hard her nipples so they become erect to arouse him more. She wanted to show him her readiness to make love. Astutely, with slightly movements she exposed also her sex to Luke when he entered the room, ingeniously setting a powerful trap to make him capitulate to her feminine desires.

     “I’m waiting for you, Luke.” She said.

     “I thought I’d never have the pleasure to see you again in this house. Have you come as a dutiful wife?”

     “Don’t be bitter. I’m here for you. I’m here because I desire you. I’ve to admit that there are not many men who can completely satisfy my lust. You’re one of the few. You’re man enough to give me all what I need. Making love with you, at the end, I’m completely aroused and completely taken by the pleasure of our bodies.”

     “Are these the only reason why you are here? If so, good bye Lola; go to hell now, once and for ever.”

     “I can see that jail taught you nothing but rudeness. I came to make love with you, Luke. I’m here because I know that you equally need me as a woman. Am I right, Luke? And yes, I haven’t come to stay. I’m here for the night. Tomorrow we will be free. But for a while we’ll have extinguished the fire of passion which burned inside us.”

   “I’m not quite sure what you’re looking for in me, Lola. What sort of woman are you?”

   “You really should know me better. Have we being married for two years for nothing?

   “You should know that I’ve married you only because you can satisfy my lust. For the rest you have never delivered what I really wanted. Do you want to know what my ambitions are? I want power, I want money. Yes, I want to be rich and buy all that I want.  Unfortunately, you are a dreamer, and dreamers will never be rich.”

   ‘So finally, you are giving me the reason why you have dumped me. How good of you. Good bye Lola, leave me in peace.”

   “No Luke, not yet; as usual you are sentimental and introverted. Let’s be friends so I can return to have more good times together. Come Luke. Come and taste the sweetness of my kisses. Be my lover for the night. Damn it, come Luke! I need you. I’m wet and desiring to make love. You won’t be sorry.”