Round Here

Chapter Forty Five

June '00

It's been hotter than hell in these last few months. I was glad when Vinny turned the air conditioning on in May. I knew why he actually did it, but he was sick and tired of hearing his son complain of being hot, so he turned it on. He did it for his mother, and even though she hasn't been here in ten years, he still does things for her like I would. I was kinda glad since I was roasting in my chair for the past few days. Since we found out Delilah had a boyfriend we've kinda dealt with it. We've told his parents but they've tried to keep him away but it hasn't really worked. They're "inseparable" the teachers say. We knew there was something going on but we were not sure exactly what.

My days here have been more lonesome since the kids have been busy working away and the grand kids couldn't care less about me being alone. It seemed like it sometimes. I knew they loved me but they were getting older and wanting to spend more time with each other and their friends. I understood since I was a little too old for their company. I just wished they'd come over more often. 

I was busy making dinner for myself and Leo. Vinny wasn't coming home til nine or ten since he had some show. Leo didn't want to be there so he was home with me. I was alone in the house since Pongo died. Leo was always outside now and I was just here trying to figure out what to do with myself. "Dad you busy?" I heard my son say. "No not particularly why?" "I just wanted to ask you something that's all." I turned to see Rafi. "Ask me." I said before putting dinner in the oven. "Are you ever gonna do something about Caroline?" "What do you mean?" I asked as I turned around. "Her husband. I know she doesn't want us in her business but I went and saw her last night and she was covered in bruises. None on her face that I could tell, but I saw them on her arms and chest. I'm worried about her." "I'll call her. I won't say anything about you saying anything." "Okay do it now." He said. I went over to the phone and dialed her number. "What you makin'?" He asked. "Dinner for me and Leo. Just a frozen pizza." I said. He nodded as the phone rang. "Dad now's not a good time." She said. She sounded like she was crying. "What's the matter? Why are you crying?" She choked a bit. "Dad it's nothing. I'll be over for dinner tomorrow. All of us will be." "Okay love. What are you up to today?" "Well it was the last day of school and I am just having a tough time." "How come?" "I'll tell you tomorrow when we come. I've got to go dad." "Okay Care-bear, I love you." "Love you too." She quickly hung up. I turned back to Rafi. "Sounds like hell over there. Go check on her. Call me later." He nodded as he exited the home. 

Leo came in not long after. He seemed like he was a bit upset. He was sweaty that's for sure. "You alright?" I asked. "Yeah I'm just hot. Is dinner almost ready?" He asked. "Ten more minutes and it'll be done. Go put some deodorant on." He chuckled a bit. "I'm not smelly poppa." "You are. I can smell you from here." I said with a bit of a laugh. "Alright fine. I'll be back in a few." He said. I was glad since he stank. I didn't want to smell him anymore. I didn't even like it when I smelt bad. I was always clean unlike some of the kids who thought being smelly was a good thing. I told'em the girls like clean smelling guys but they don't care. I cared since it was gross. 

"Poppa I hurt myself." He said as he cried. "How did you do that?" I asked as I took the pizza out of the oven. I placed it on the oven mitt I had on the counter. "I was in the shower shaving and I cut myself." I rolled my eyes. "What were you shaving?" "My armpits. I had soap and that on there and it still cut me." He cried. "Why were you shaving your armpits?" I asked as I began cutting the pizza. "I don't like the hair. It's gross. Can you see?" "Show me when we sit down." I said as I plated our dinner up. He followed me to the table. I sat down and he then showed me. "Jesus Leo, how'd you manage that one?" "I don't know but it hurts." "I'll clean it up when we're done." He nodded as he managed to stop crying. "Clean up what?" Vinny asked. "Daddy!" "It's alright calm down." Leo was such a big suck. The other kids always picked on him for it. "What's for dinner?" He asked. "Pizza, there's some on the counter." I said. He went over to the counter. "Daddy are we gonna watch that movie?" "Yes buddy we will. Just relax." He wiped his eyes. Vinny sat down. "Rafi ever go see Caroline today?" He asked. "Yes, he was supposed to twenty minutes ago or so. Somethin' going on there?" He gave me this look. "How do you not know?" He asked. "I haven't seen her for longer than ten minutes each week. So I don't know anything." "He's beating on her because he's upset about some girl who killed herself. It was his case and they fucked up." He said. "Oh, I see. Well I'll deal with it." "I hope someone does before Marlon finds out." He said. "Why? What's Marlon gotta do with this?" I asked. "You know how he was with Sophia. He'll be even worse with her. That's his baby sister. He's lucky I don't go over there and beat his ass. I just found out from Michael last week. Don't yell at him since he only found out too." I sat back. "I'll talk to her about it tomorrow." I said. "Okay dad." He said before going back to eating.