Kudos of Mafia

'XIV'

Senor, rushing out of his house reached an address mentioned in the letter he was holding in his hand. Senor was nervous as well as curious to dig out his answers he was dearly wanting to. He knocked the door firmly with those aged knuckles, completely unaware of what was waiting behind that door. A past that haunts him and a future he doubts.

Senor knocked the door a few times of this gigantic house seemed like some bungalow in the middle of the deserted city. Nobody responded to the knock. Senor was confused about whether he got the right address or not. He took out the letter and hurriedly moved his eyes to the bottom of the letter where the address was printed. Now, Senor got more nervous than he was before five minutes. It was the same address but he couldn't draw any sense upon the no response from anyone inside the house. Senor thought to give it a rest and move out from there. Suddenly, a woman opened the door.

"Sorry I was in the kitchen. Sorry for making you wait", the woman paused moving her gaze, "Senor?"

The mouth of the woman remained open not knowing what was going to be next move of her. Senor was more stunned to find her in the given address.

"Aren't you the same, who visited my grocery earlier? How come you here?", surprised Senor.

"You are right. I was waiting for your arrival. I assumed you to come a few days earlier but I see you didn't get the letter."

"Who are you? How you happen to be in this address?"

"Please, come inside. Mam is waiting for you.", a soft request was made.

Senor could hear his heartbeat. The word 'mam' seemed to be a known being. Senor stepped inside this palace-like house.

"Welcome, Senor.", Agatha with a magazine in her hand resting on the couch.

Senor didn't find any earthly possible word to respond to Agatha. After all, it was almost fifteen years he was seeing her. He got his sense paralyzed at the very moment he saw the woman he was used to calling his wife.

"Please, make yourself comfortable.", Agatha added.

What a man can possibly think at the time when he finds her missing wife after fifteen years to be called someone else's wife. She was just fiction for Senor. The reality of her left Senor the day she left him. It was burnt to ashes. She had the smile Senor was longing for eternity but now, unfortunately, someone else owns that smile. Senor doesn't, not anymore.

Senor silently maintaining the composure moved towards the couch.

"How are you?", asked Agatha

Senor still kept quiet like a kid who hesitates in front of her crush even to ask her name.

"Hey, are you fine? Do you want a glass of water?",  Agatha asked again but this time with a little stress in her words.

"No, no. I am fine. Firstly, I want to know about the letter you sent mentioning about some raid.", finally a voice, Agatha heard fifteen years back fluttered in the air.

"Yeah. I was waiting for you earlier. Hoped you would visit me but as Mazina said you didn't get the letter before."

"How you happen to be in Palermo? Who is Mazina? How do you know about the raid? What's this all about?"

"Calm down. You will get the answers.", Agatha said requesting Mazina to prepare coffee." You do still have coffee, don't you."

Senor nodded his head with a gloomy face. Mazina went to the kitchen.

"She is the one who has been taking care of this house. Her name is Mazina."

"So was it you who sent her to buy strawberry and cigarette to my grocery and whisper about the raid?", asked Senor.

"I am not sure about strawberry and cigarette. Surely not my thing. But, yes I sent her to inform you what's happening without letting anyone know about it."

"So, that's how she knew my association with Red mafia. You told her. But how could you think I would figure out it all on my own with such little hints.", Senor said in disappointment.

"Cause we were not sure if the raid was going to be executed or not. First, we thought it was some misconception and I was going to clear out to you but now it seems a whole different story."

"Excuse me! How do you know about it all? How can you be sure?"

"There's a story to it, Senor."

"Well, here am I. Fell free to share.", replied Senor with full curiosity.

In the meantime, another knock was heard.

"Mamma, we are home.", the voice of a girl came from beyond the door.

Senor lost it in him knowing what else might strike him. Mazina came from the kitchen and opened the door.

Senor saw a known face approaching to his blurred sight with a girl. It was no other than Alberto.