Chapter Two
Bruno’s
We put Richie on the bus for Cooperstown the next morning. He couldn’t help but sense something was wrong, but he was so anxious to get back to his cousins and the farm, he asked no questions. Lisa’s sister, however, wondered why, without warning, we were requesting that she take Richie. Lisa explained that he wasn’t doing well in school and had gotten into some minor trouble. She made her sister promise not to mention it to Richie. In the end, they were happy to have him. They invited him to stay through the school year and maybe spend the summer with them.
Lisa quickly agreed and managed to get off the phone before changing her mind. I held her for a long time while she cried, hysterically at first, then gradually she became quiet. After awhile she looked up at me, “Billy, I’d die if Richie were sent to reform school, and so would he.”
“I understand,” I said.
She pressed her cheek against my chest. “I can’t imagine how I’ll be able to...to...” She began to cry softly.
“Maybe Frank will change his mind and just give us the tape,” I said.
“Do you believe that?” she asked.
“No,” I said.
When we entered Bruno’s there were only a few people at the bar, no one we knew. Frank was sitting alone at a curved booth in the corner. Bruno’s is dark, all black vinyl, heavy wood, and upholstered red velour. If you want drinks at the table, you have to carry them from the bar yourself. No one except strangers sit at the bar tables in Bruno’s, unless it’s a couple of locals making a private deal. That’s what we were, a couple of locals making a private deal.
We both slid into the booth opposite Frank. Lisa kept her coat on. “Billy,” Frank said, “before you get comfortable, how about bringing us some drinks. Jack Daniels on ice for me, and whatever you’re having. The little lady is going to pass this first round.” I glanced at Lisa. She agreed.
When I got back, Frank was laughing loudly at a joke he’d apparently just told. Lisa looked embarrassed. “Good boy, Billy,” Frank said. He took his glass and sipped. His thick lips were wet. He leaned across the table and stared at us for a moment, “Well,” he said, “you’re here. That must mean you decided to do the right thing and keep that kid of yours out of jail”
“We couldn’t do anything else,” I said. Lisa was looking down at her hands, which she kept clinching and unclenching in her lap.
“Sure,” Frank almost shouted, “it’s not a bad trade-off. Like I told you, the kid would get three years at least, maybe more, depending on the judge.” He held his glass up and peered over it at Lisa. She had not raised her eyes. With the fingers of her right hand she began to twist her wedding band. “And the little lady has to do only thirty days.” He paused and winked at me. “As long as she gets high marks.” He laughed. “Not even full days, just three or four hours at time. You know, like community service.”
He leaned back and laughed again. “Well, Billy’s wife, we haven’t heard from you yet. What do you say? You all set to start making old Frank happy?” Lisa waited a moment, then nodded her head. “Jesus!” Frank banged his hand on the table, “what am I talking to here, a mute? Speak up.”
“Yes,” Lisa said in a small voice.
“And good, I mean good, you know, good for Frank. Get my meaning?”
“Yes,” she said quickly, but had not looked up at him yet.
“And if I think it ain’t so good, I add some days. Right?”
She swallowed and said, “Yes.”
“Okay, that part’s settled.” He reached across the table and tilted her head up. “Let’s not be shy. Let’s see them pretty blue eyes.” I could feel her tremble beside me. She blinked several times holding back the tears.
“Put your hands here on the table,” Frank ordered. He covered both of hers with one of his and squeezed slightly. “Now, let’s get to the nitty-gritty, you know, the details. I want both of you to listen good. If you don’t understand, feel free to ask.” He took another sip of his drink. “Like we said, for the next thirty days, that is until 9:00 PM on March first, little Lisa is on service call. You know what I mean?” He waited for a moment then continued. “Any time of the day or night she comes running. That clear?” He put pressure on Lisa’s hands.
“Yes, I understand,” she said softly, again avoiding his eyes.
“Look at me, damn it!” he said. “And, by God, you better learn quick to look at me like you like what you see!” Lisa flinched. “Now, look up and wet your lips. You’re supposed to make me hot, not sit there like a Goddamn dummy!”
Lisa made a little involuntary sound, then did as he said. Her small red mouth glistened. I wanted to pull her after me, to rush away from this place, to get Richie from the farm, and drive until we ran out of money. But we couldn’t have gone far, and Frank had the tape.
“That’s better,” he said releasing her hand. “You look thirsty. Come over here.” He patted the seat beside him. “I’ll give you a taste.” He lifted his glass. I moved out of the way. Lisa stood unsteadily, then walked around the table and slid in next to him. He put a big arm around her and pulled her close. She looked so tiny and frightened. “Good,” he said smiling, “this is the way it’s going to be, just you and me, babe.” He laughed so loud several people at the bar looked at us. He drank from his glass and, careful to turn it so that she would have to drink from the same place, he held it to her lips. He watched her closely. “Billy, your wife’s got some hot little mouth,” he said, and pulled her closer to him. With his left hand, he tilted her chin so she had to look up at him. She tried to turn her head away, but he forced her to hold still. Slowly, he pressed his mouth over hers and parted her lips with his tongue. She squeezed her eyes shut.
I wanted to kill him. The couple at the bar near us continued to stare. “Not bad,” Frank said, sitting back again, but still holding her. “The little lady’s not exactly turned on, but she’s got what they call potential.” He winked at me. “She’s nervous. She’ll learn. Right baby?” He pressed her shoulder, then his big hand slid under her coat. “You gonna try real hard?”
Tears were in the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t speak. She nodded her head. He held his glass for her and she sipped. “Well, Billy boy, what do you think? Do we make a good looking couple or don’t we?” He drained his glass and handed it to me. “While Lisa goes to the john and freshens her lipstick you can get me another. Lisa started to rise. “Wait a minute, baby.” He held her there. “Did you wear something sexy like I told you?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
“Well, I sure can’t see through this goddamn coat so take it off and check it before you come back. And what about stockings? You wearing them damn things that come up over your ass?” She nodded her head. “Well take them off in there. I can tell you ain’t got on a bra so that’s Okay.” He fished in his pocket for a cigarette. “You smoke?” he asked her.
“No.”
“Well one of your little duties is to light me. Put it in your pretty mouth and light it, then put it in mine.” She took the cigarette. Her hand shook as she held the lighter to it. Careful not to inhale, she lit it and handed it to him. He shook his head. She placed it between his thick lips. “That’s the idea,” he said. “Now, come back in here looking hot. Know what I mean? Hot for old Frankie.” He released her and she rose holding onto the table. “That’s it, baby,” Frank said. “Billy’s buying.”
The bar was crowded now. I had to wait a long time for Frank’s drink. As I carried it back to the table, Lisa appeared. Several men at the bar turned to watch her pass. She had checked her coat. The tight turquoise dress she wore revealed her shoulders and back ending a “V” just at her waist. In the dark, they might not have seen that her legs were bare. Her spike heels left little imprints in the thick red carpet.
Although her shoulders and back were exposed, the front of her dress was cut high against her neck. I saw the anger in Frank’s face as she approached, but when he noticed the open back and realized how accessible it made her breasts he smiled. She had made-up her eyes so that there was no sign she’d been crying. Her perfectly formed lips were bright red and her cheeks were flushed. Her jet-black hair was cut short with bangs across her forehead, and it curled under at the nape of her neck. She moved with the natural grace of a dancer. Her classic beauty always caught me by surprise, but never more sharply than now.
This time Frank stood to let her into the rounded corner of the booth. He then sat next to her, his huge bulk trapping her and partially hiding her from the curious drinkers at the bar. Suddenly the bar boy appeared beside our table. Lisa looked up, startled. It was Richie’s friend, Carl. He stood there grinning at us. Frank nodded at him, smiling. “Hey kid,” he said, “how’s it going?”
Carl wiped his hands on his dirty apron, “Good Mr. Racene, real good.” He continued to grin foolishly while staring at Lisa. It was clear that he had helped Frank set Richie up.
“Well, things are working out pretty good here,” Frank laughed. “Good for all of us.” He put his arm around Lisa’s bare shoulder. “You know this lady?” His thick fingertips slid down toward the swell of her breast.
“Sure, Mr. Racene, she’s Richie’s mom. I seen her lots of times.” He was a short stocky kid, muscular and dark.
“And that’s her husband,” Frank nodded his head toward me.
“Yeah, I seen him, too.” The boy glanced my way then turned back to Frank and Lisa.
“What do you think?” Frank asked.
“Like I always been telling you, Mr. Racene, Richie’s mom is something, ya know, really something.” Lisa was looking down at the tabletop. She hadn’t acknowledged the boy’s presence.
“You better believe it,” Frank laughed. He moved his hand across Lisa’s bare back. She shuddered. Looking up at Carl and grinning, Frank slid his hand beneath her dress. Lisa bit her lip. The boy put his own hand under his apron. Frank noticed and laughed. “Looks to me like Billy’s wife is getting this young stud all worked up.” Frank leaned closer to the boy and whispered, “Hey, Carl, something tells me you got the hots for Richie’s mom?”
“Yeah, Mr. Racene, she’s something, she’s really something.” He licked his lips. The movement of his hand under his apron was obvious.
“Hear that?” Frank said, putting two fingers beneath Lisa’s chin and forcing her to look at the boy. “You got this poor kid all confused and excited. He’s probably wondering why you ain’t sitting there next to your husband.”
“Please...please don’t,” Lisa stammered. I started to rise, but she quickly glanced at me. Then she looked down at the table again.
“Tell him why you ain’t sitting over there with your husband.” Frank demanded.
“I’m with Mr. Racene because...because I...because I like him.”
“How come?” Frank winked at Carl. “Tell us how come?”
Lisa did not answer for a long while. Frank’s hand moved under her dress. “I...I like him,” she began, “because he...he’s big and he...he...excites me.” She turned her head away from both of them.
“Yeah, that’s right, Carl. I make you hot, don’t I, baby?”
“Yes,” she said.
Frank looked across at me. “Hey, Billy,” he almost shouted, “the kid’s got a thing for your wife. What do you think of that? And I owe the kid a big favor.” He turned back to Carl. “Don’t I kid?”
The boy wasn’t sure how he should answer. “Uh, I guess maybe you do, Mr. Racene.”
Frank motioned for him to come closer. “Maybe Richie’s mom here would like to help me pay it.” Carl smiled.
“No,” Lisa whispered fiercely.
Frank pretended not to hear. “Or maybe Richie’s mom will be too busy visiting her kid in jail.”
Carl leaned over speaking directly to Lisa. “Richie’s a nice kid,” he said, “but you know...he ain’t been around much and in them tough reform schools...well, you know.” Frank smiled. The boy waited.
“I’ll do what you want,” Lisa said quietly.
“Ahhhh, that’s my girl,” Frank laughed. “Look up here at our young friend and say something nice to him. Let him see that you ain’t kidding.”
Lisa raised her head. “I’ll do what I have to,” she repeated. The boy was breathing hard. He pressed his crotch against the edge of the table.
“That’s good enough for me,” he said, grinning down at her.
“Okay, kid,” Frank said, “get back to the kitchen. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks, Mr. Racene.” He turned and started to move away.
“Jesus, I can’t believe it!” he muttered, shaking his head.
Lisa stared again at the tabletop avoiding looking at me directly and not wanting to look at Frank. Although she managed to hide the outward appearance of fear, I knew she was terrified.
“Carl’s a good kid,” Frank said, sitting back and admiring Lisa. “And this is some sexy dress.” He slowly trailed his fingers across the bare skin of her shoulders. She clenched her teeth and shuddered. “I mean convenient, you know.” His hand slid down her back and under her dress. I could see the movement as he began to fondle her breast. She drew in her breath and fought to hold back the tears. I couldn’t take it. I stood, not sure of what I would do. My beer bottle was on the table. If I broke it and lunged at him...
“Sit down, Billy, unless you want her kid to get it up the ass in some crummy jail cell,” Frank’s voice was quiet and steady. Lisa looked up at me, pleading with her eyes. I sat down.
“You just about got five days added to the thirty she owes me. One warning is all I’m giving you and now you’ve had it.” He leaned toward Lisa and whispered in her ear. Her face reddened, but she nodded.
She looked across at me. “I like what he’s doing, Billy,” her soft voice trembled. “I like him to feel me.” She glanced at Frank, then back at me. “I want him to do it.”
Frank laughed and whispered to her again. Lisa closed her eyes for a moment, then looking at me, “He’s making me excited,” she added, and once more looked down at the table.
“Ah!” Frank shouted, “that’s the way, baby. You learn fast. Now, what you got to do is figure out what I want you to say and then say it, you know, without any help from me. You got to keep asking yourself all the time, ‘What does Frank want to hear? What does Frank want me to do?’Then, either say it or do it. Understand?”
“Yes,” she said.