The Lawyer (Book 1 of the New York Brotherhood Series)

Chapter 5

Vanessa

Juliet and I are in the kitchen getting dinner together. She decided on making baked chicken, potatoes and vegetables. She said it's the easiest thing to make for a pretty large group of people.

"So, was that your first gun fight?" Juliet asks.

"Um yeah I guess, I mean I've shot guns before and stuff but never been in an active gun fight before," I respond. "Why did I feel like most mafia homes are crawling with people all the time but there seems to be barely anyone here."

"Gino doesn't really want a lot of people here he likes his space."

"Isn't that not the safest considering anyone could just show up?"

"Yes, but there has been a standing agreement between the families to not come to each other's homes. There is normally one or two bodyguards around not always on the property but close enough to get here if something happens. That's what Drew and Ryan were doing before well you know."

"Uh huh."

"How much about this stuff did you know before today?"

"Bits and pieces," Juliet turned around to look at me as I continue. "I mean my father told me he worked for a mafia family but I didn't realize how important he was. He had Uncle Kevin teach me how to fight and shoot a gun, the basics you know. Dad also told me one day I would work with him, that's not going to happen now. But I became a nurse thinking I could help people and help him if something happened. Since from what I watched in movies and read in books mafia guys tend to get shot a lot."

"You could say that," Juliet sinkers.

"Yeah well, also after my mom died, I wanted to be in a job that I could help people you know. Since I couldn't help her."

"How did she die?" She quickly follows up with, "you don't have to tell me if don't want to."

"A kidney infection when I was two."

"That sucks. I'm sorry. My mom died when I was younger."

I give her a soft smile. "Thanks."

For the next hour or so we talk about some our favorite things. I tell her about my cross country running and how I love the lake and beach. I found out she loves to read and Gino has given her access to the huge library he has here. By the time I feel like I could totally be friends with her. I hear uncle Kevin and aunt Lucy talking to Gino outside. Jules and I both walk over to the entryway and be both start slightly giggling at the interaction in front of us. Aunt Lucy is standing in front of Gino, Mateo, Gabe, Jake and Marco, she is a smaller woman smaller than me but she looks very tiny in front of these men.

"Gino is that you! You look so big; I mean of course you do you're not a baby anymore." Lucy has a wide smile on her face. "Mateo you don't have those chubby cheeks anymore look at you, you're so handsome." She says as she goes up and pinches Mateo's cheeks as she gives him a sweet hug. "And let me guess you are the Cambio brothers." She says looking over at Drew, Jake and Marco. They all shake their heads yes in response.

"It good to see you boys all grown up," uncle Kevin says. "Looks like you all have had an interesting day."

"Yes we have," Gino responds. "Come on in I think we need to have a chat about what's happened the last 20 years."

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lucy walk in and all I think about is the times when they told me one day it would all make sense. I spent so many days and nights growing up being upset with them and being angry at them about why they couldn't tell me anything. After these weird and wild 24 hours I get it, it an extent as to why they didn't tell me anything. They promised my father they wouldn't tell me much, but how much did they give up when they had to take care of me. I spent many hours and sleepless nights thinking about it but never asked since I was just so angry about everything a lot of the time.