Chapter 101: Not A Favor When It’s Family
- DEX -
It has been the same amount of time since I’ve seen both my aunt and uncle, but walking into my uncle Saul’s office, it feels like it’s been much longer since I’ve seen him.
We have never been terribly close—not because of anything personal between us. There are likely few people who feel close to him. He has a very quiet, reserved nature. When he is in the presence of family, it is always with an easy smile, but he listens far more than he speaks.
Uncle Saul loves his family. Even his enemies would agree that’s true. Every mafiosi believes that he loves his family—it is one of the pillars of their organization. Family and loyalty. And it is often the reason for engaging in much of their business. Not that I can pretend to know everything there is to know. Just because one side of my family is involved in organized crime doesn’t make me an expert.
Both my parents kept me as much in the dark about that business as they could—even my mother. When I would occasionally ask questions growing up, they would get vague answers or I would be hushed and told that "we don’t talk about that." It was an open secret in our home. And as much as my father adored my mother, he would have preferred I had nothing to do with her family. In fact, it is only because he loved and respected my mother as much as he did that I got to see them at all.
All of this goes through my mind when I see Uncle Saul sitting behind his desk with one of his men seated in a comfortable chair nearby. The door was open, otherwise I wouldn’t have risked walking in like this. When he is in his office, it is usually regarding business. I remember being told that even as a child.
"Alexander?" His dark gaze falls on me, and my heart does a little painful leap at the familiarity of his face. He and my mother look so much alike.
"Hi, Uncle Saul," I smile—the most I can. There is an unmistakable sorrow that can’t be hidden and is plainly obvious, I’m sure.
Despite that, he gets up from his chair with a small chuckle and comes around to give me a hug.
"It has been a long time, son. I heard you were traveling." His hand curls around my neck in an affectionate grip as he studies me.
"That’s true, I was."
"Did you see the world?" His eyes crinkle with amusement.
"Some of it," I chuckle.
"Look at my nephew, Tony. He’s bigger than you." Uncle Saul turns to the man in the chair and pats me on the back with a hearty laugh.
Tony nods with a wry smile. "But I’m dressed better."
We all have a laugh at that.
"Come in and sit down." Uncle Saul gestures to a chair and makes his way back to his desk. "Did you see your Zia?"
"Yes."
"Was she happy to see you?" He asks with a knowing smile.
"Yes."
"She considers you one of her sons. This will make her happy for a long time."
"It’s been really good seeing everyone tonight. I ran into Luciano last week at work, and he mentioned that Sundays were still happening and that I should stop by."
"Of course. You are always welcome. You have always been welcome. Hopefully this means we will see more of you," he says, leaning back in his chair.
"I would like that," I nod, "and I am home at least for the foreseeable future. Father is sick, and he wants me to take over the company."
"I heard that, I’m sorry," his smile falls. "Is it like your mother?"
I nod, not answering—not wanting to answer. Maybe what we keep out of words makes it less real.
"You will always have family here, Alexander," he says in that deeply reassuring way.
"Thank you, Zio."
"What happened to your brother? I thought he was following in Jansen’s footsteps. You never seemed interested in the corporate bullshit like he was."
I chuckle at that. "Lawson has created some problems for the company. And now for me personally. He has become a liability at best."
"I never liked that little prick. Even as a kid, he acted like he was better than everyone." Uncle Saul picks up his whisky glass and takes a sip. "Tony, get my nephew a drink."
I don’t object. This conversation is going to need one. When Tony hands me a glass with the golden liquid, I thank him and take a sip.
"I’ve seen that look many times, Alexander. There is a specific reason why you have walked through this door tonight, and I’m interested to know what it is." Uncle Saul sets down his glass and leans forward on his desk, the look in his eyes a mixture of amusement and dark curiosity. It’s what I imagine coming to the devil with a favor might be like.
There is a brief moment of hesitation when I see this situation through my father’s eyes, and I know how he would feel about it. But then father should have dealt with this a long time ago.
"My brother is a predator of women." Just saying it plainly like this makes my stomach turn. "He has been for a long time, I’ve found."
Tony grunts his open disgust at the statement, and Uncle Saul leans back in his chair. If there is one thing my uncle openly despises, it is any kind of violence against women. My mother may not have disclosed a lot about him over the years, but that is one thing she did tell me repeatedly. It was one point of pride that she had in her older brother.
"Father helped Lawson keep these issues private. There are a number of confidential settlements the company has made with female employees in just the time that I’ve been gone. I didn’t know about any of this until I was told about father’s illness and asked to come home to take over."
"Jansen enabled him," Uncle Saul says, the amusement gone. "And now your brother has hurt someone you care about."
My uncle’s correct assumption makes me chuckle even though there is nothing funny about it. "How did you know?"
"I have been in this chair a long time," he says. "I know the eyes of someone seeking revenge for a wronged loved one."
I nod my understanding. I can’t imagine the things Uncle Saul has seen or heard just like I can’t imagine the things that he has ordered to be done.
"Lawson hasn’t hurt her physically, but he came close." A muscle works in my jaw as I stare at the whiskey and twirl it in the glass, seeing Raya when she opened the bedroom door yesterday. Recalling how it felt to have her shaking in my arms and the rage I felt.
"You want to take care of him yourself, but you haven’t," Uncle Saul says. "That’s impressive control, especially with the Ricca blood in your veins. Most men in our family would have already dealt with it—after asking permission of course," he adds without a hint of humor. These are facts. Permission is required.
"I never planned on coming to you like this. Not for a favor."
"Alexander, it’s not a favor when it’s for family. We take care of family." He picks up his glass and takes another drink. "You don’t want him back at work. This woman of yours works with you then?"
My lips twitch toward a smile. No one told me how eerie Uncle Saul’s powers of deduction are. It’s almost like he’s psychic. Or maybe he is the devil. The devil knows everything, doesn’t he?
"Yes, she does."
"I think you should have the opportunity to let your brother know how this angered you," he says. "It is a very personal thing. You won’t be satisfied unless you take part. Without repercussions of course."
I nod slowly, fingers tightening around the glass in my hand.
"It’s just a natural thing," Uncle Saul says, gesturing with his hands. "Men should be able to fight... to defend the ones they love. Then maybe perversions like this would not continue. Your brother has felt that he is above others all his life, and no one has corrected that arrogance. He is like so many other men in America in these companies, getting away with abusing women. They are given chance after chance. They are sent to therapy. They are protected by corporations. Who are the women protected by?"
Tony grunts again. Who would have known that Uncle Saul could be so understanding and insightful? I have never heard him speak so much in my entire life, but this is apparently a topic he is passionate about. And it’s refreshing. He understands what I’m going through, and I don’t feel ashamed for wanting to punish my brother. Why shouldn’t Lawson be punished?
"I am going to arrange something," Uncle Saul says, taking the final drink from his glass. "He won’t be at work tomorrow, don’t worry. When you get a call from me this week, come to the house."
With that, he gets up and walks back around the desk.
"Finish your drink, and then let’s go enjoy the family. Tonight is a good night."
