Round Here

Chapter Nine

November '70

We made it through the rest of the awful heatwave. Sonny never stopped complaining about being hot. Mary decided to keep the baby and is going to school everyday. I mean she's one month behind me so it's not too noticeable yet. My bump just kept on growing. Since the afternoon of seeing C in the cemetery I still have yet to hear from him. I mean I didn't really expect to. I just hoped I would've. He phoned Freddie to congratulate him on his band's success. Also to tell him that he saw me at the cemetery that afternoon of Em's anniversary. So I had guessed right. Now Freddie told me all of this and I had mixed feelings towards it. I tried my best to ignore it. 

Today was fairly cold. I didn't mind the cool breeze coming in. Connie had Marlon out today. She said she wanted to take him out for a trip out into the town. I didn't mind since I was tired as hell. I was just minding my own business when I heard the door being pounded on. Sonny wasn't home as he was out with Tom and his brothers. So I was home alone. I went and answered the door cautiously. I saw Carlo on the other side. "Hi Carlo. What do you need?" He let himself in. I shut the door behind him. "Where's my wife?" "She's out shopping with Marlon and dad. Why do you care?" He grabbed a hold of my arm as I went into the living room. "Because she's my fucking wife. What has she been telling you about me?" I wasn't going to tell him. "Does she know about Mary?" I was a little off when he asked that. "No she doesn't know you raped Mary." He smacked me. It hurt pretty bad. "It wasn't like that. Tell me if my wife is having an affair with your father." He shook me. "No they're not." He shook me again. "Don't lie to me!" I smelt the whiskey on his breath. "I ain't lying. Now get out of my house." He didn't comply. "I know you are. Tell me why you're covering up for her?" "I am not. Now leave before I call over to Vito." He didn't like that. He then struck me with his belt. "You better fucking tell me the truth bitch or I'm gonna keep hitting you." "I swear to you they're not. Please stop."  He then used his hands and the belt. He knocked me to the ground. "Stop lying to me you guinea brat!" I was crying now. Begging him to stop. "Please Carlo." He then belted me again. He stopped then spit in my face. "I'll be back to collect more information. You stupid guinea brat. If you don't tell me the truth when I come back I'll kill ya!" He said storming out. 

I was too weak to get off the floor, so that's where I stayed and sobbed for a good hour. I then heard the door open. I prayed it wasn't Sonny, and that it was either dad or even Mary coming home from school. "Santina we're back." I heard Sonny say. "No, don't come in here!" I basically pleaded with him. He didn't listen. Around they came. I turned the other way so he wouldn't see the blood pouring from my face still. "San, what's wrong? Why are you on the floor? Did you fall?" He asked. He seemed to be in a good mood. I sniffled then wiped my nose on the sleeve of my dress. "Um, I tripped and fell. I'm fine." "Okay then get up. Why aren't you looking at me? I wanna see that beautiful face of yours." I could hear him coming closer. I hid my face into the arm of the sofa. "Leave me alone." I said as I sobbed. He pulled me away from the sofa. He looked at my face and bit his knuckle. "Who did this to you?" He asked as he pulled me up. I felt pain in my legs. I screamed in pain. I felt the pain shoot all through my body. He saw the welts on my bare skin. I knew there'd be more underneath my clothes since Carlo did a number on me. "I fell Sonny." "Don't lie to me." I sobbed into his chest. I saw the horrified looks on the other's faces. "Carlo came in here and asked me about Connie and dad. I didn't tell him anything. He did this." Then we heard them coming in. I heard Marlon babbling and saying dada. I saw the three of them standing there. Connie, dad and Carlo. Dad came over to me. "What the hell happened?" I saw Carlo grinning. I'm sure everyone else saw it to. Sonny was enraged. He went over and pushed him up against the wall. "Don't you ever fucking touch my wife again. You hear me? She don't have to give you any information." He had him by the throat. "I didn't fucking touch her." He spit out. Sonny kneed him in the groin. "Don't tell me that bullshit. I can see your belt sitting on my living room floor. Tom went over to Sonny. Then Sonny pushed him aside. "You ever touch my wife again I'll kill ya." He said as he spit in his face. He was a little less angrier, but I could feel it when he grabbed my arm. "It's okay love." He hugged me. "Stay here yous. We'll be back in a minute." He grabbed my hand and led me upstairs.