The Seventh Family

Pawn shop

“What is your plan?” Van said as they lay in bed. “We have been here for three days.”

“I don’t know.” Sara said. “I and Andrea just wanted to leave Italy, leave poverty and come down to US. It was more of an adventure and he always said we will live our dream life but I never asked how.”

“Did you have a dream of becoming something?”

“Yes!” He eyes sparkled with excitement. “I wanted to have a boutique clothes company.”

“That is a good one. I came here to claim my title.” He said. “I was not joking when I said everyone thinks I am useless. I was sick of Sicily and had to move out. I don’t have definite plan but the ultimate plan is become Don Van Marco. I want to have a big business, I am not skilled but with money, you can have skilled people. All I want is to get the money first. When you get the money, you get the skills, when you get the skills, you the people and that is getting your dream.

We are broke. I don’t think the money on me can last for two days. I mean just for food. It is part of the money I earned from my business associates and hid in the soles of my pair of shoes. They searched me but they could not find it. We have to start something.

What about you start with a small shop while I try bootlegging.”

“Bootlegging?”

“Yes. It brings quick money.’

“It is dangerous.’

“Everything is dangerous. We have been in danger right from the moment we arrived the harbor in Italy. We were  on danger on the ship. We have to obliterate the word pusillanimous and face it head on.”

“But this is Chicago. It is run by the Outfit. Don’t you think we have better chances in New-York where our people rule? Al-Capone, Lucky Luciano.”

“Is Al Capone an Italian?”

“Yes but born in Brooklyn.”

“How did you know about these?”

“Andrea knows much about American gangsters.”

“Whoa! I have not met Salvatore…”

“Who is Salvatore?”

“Lucky Luciano. He is from my place but my father says he knows his father. He left Italy the year after I was born. He name is Antonio Lucania. A friend of mine who came back from US once told me that he plans to Luciano plans to start a Commission which will control the  families. To do this, some top bosses have to die. My father also told me about Giuseppe Esposito who was the first known Sicilian Mafia member to emigrate to the U.S. He and six other Sicilians fled to New York after murdering the chancellor and a vice chancellor of a Sicilian province and 11 wealthy landowners. He was arrested in New Orleans in 1881 and extradited to Italy.

I don’t think they can help us they can help us. I don’t even want to work for them and end up been an errand boy. I want to start in low key and pop up when I am strong. I will start from here. I will start from the street just like  The North Side Gang, also known as the North Side Mob who dominate today”

“But they are Irish-Americans and we are Italians”

“I am not here to represent Italy. I don’t give a hoot about ethnicity, religion or race. All I care about it the universal family blood called money. I am not joining them but using them to get on.”

“What do you know about them? Andrea was mostly concerned about The Italian mobsters.”

“They are the dominant Irish-American criminal during organization within Chicago  now that is the  Prohibition era from the early-to-late 1920s and they are the principal rival of the Al Capone organization.  I thought Al Capone was American. The North Side Gang originated from the Market Street Gang, one of many street gangs in Chicago. The Market Street Gang was made up of pickpockets, sneak thieves and labor sluggers working in the 42nd and 43rd Wards. That part of pickpockets is over for me. I am done with life which I left  in Sicily but had to do on the ship to survive. I am becoming a good boy going into bootlegging. But firstly, I need some amount of money to at least get us a decent place to live in, get ou a shop, have money to spend and get a new shoe.”

She chuckled.

“You need shoes and clothes.”

“I know. I never enough for clothes. It was mostly money for basic needs.”

“Clothes are basic needs.”

“Food is my priority. I don’t walk naked.”

“But you can join them looking like this.” She chuckled. “You need to look like Don Van Marco…”

“Of Sicily.” He added. “Don Van Marco of Sicily. I love my hometown. It is the people I don’t because they think I am piece of shit.”

“Yeah. So we will get the money tomorrow.”

“Did you just say tomorrow?”

“Yes. While we were touring, I was surveying. I found so many places that interest me.”

“Like?”

“The pawn shops.”

“What do have to sell? You won’t sell your shoes, I guess.”

“Who can afford them?”

They laughed.

“so how will you get the money?”

“I think at this point, you, me, I, should mean us or we. It is not all about me but us. The question should be, how do we get the money?”

She blushed and kissed him passionately.

“There is something we can sell and we will have all we need to start.” He got off the bed, went and picked his shoes and removed something from the sole.

“This.”

She opened her mouth.

“The diamond ring?”

“Yes.”

“How did you get it back? I gave it to Ruben and he left with it?”

“You gave it to him but he did not leave with it.”

“Oh my God! The hug.”

“Yeah. Did he think I hugged him because I appreciated him?” He chuckled. “Sara, I will never forget that gesture. You gave up the ring for me.”

“You are an enigma! It has been with you all these while.”

“Yes. I have it the safest place because even if I go out without these shoes, which I will not do, no thief will steal them. They will not know that it has an expensive ring hidden in it.”

“Okay, I am mesmerized my Don.”

They kissed and made love again. The next day, they went to a pawn shop and met the pawn owner.

He was a slim, tall man with a thick mustache.

When he saw the ring, his eyes shifted and he looked at Van’s shoes.

“This is worth twelve thousand dollars.” He lied after evaluating it. It was worth seventy-five thousand dollars.

“Seriously?” Van said with eyes wide opened. “I never knew. Let me have a look at it again.”

The pawn shop owner gave it back to him and Van put it back into his pocket.

“Thank you for the evaluation. If you want to go to the holy land, meet me for a note to the Pope. I am a Roman and you will get a first class treatment. That is an appreciation for your evaluation.”

“Excuse me, you said you wanted to sell.”

“Yes but I find it insulting and condescending that you act as if I stole it and do not know it’s worth. I am only selling this ring because my wife asked us to do it because we need to start all over again.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I bought this ring at the rate of one million, five hundred and twenty thousand lira. It was my wedding ring and this is my wife. After the loss of our farm, we had to move down here and start all over again. We have to get our son here and start a new life so the only thing we can do is to sell it. Do you know what it means to sell your wedding ring? Do you know?” Van had tears in his eyes.

“Oh no, honey don’ cry.” Sara said with tears in her eyes. Van did not expect her to play in because they did not plan it.

“Okay, I am sorry about your loss but please give me a minute.”

The man made some calculations and said, “that is about 80 eighty thousand dollars. Sir, it can’t worth more than forty-five thousand dollars here and I sell to make profit. I will but for forty and that the peak of my offer.”

Van could not believe it. If the man had stopped at eight thousand dollars, he would have sold it.

Van showed hesitation.

“Honey, we do not have a choice. Sell it.” She said and wiped tears off her face.

“We will buy it back someday.” Van said.

“I am afraid there is no 100% assurance. I may sell it off today and we don’t keep tabs of those who buy things.” They sold it and they collected the money.

They were filled with joy.

“We are going to get a new apartment and pay for two years.” He said. “And then go for shopping, start your business and I start mine.”

“Dreams come true.” Immediately she said that, she remembered Andrea. The dream had started with him and she hoped they would achieve this together.

Did she do the right thing? She jilted him and broke his heart. That was wrong and she was now filled with guilt. What would she do? Find a way to send money to him to come over? Was she ready to start a life with Van when she left the love of her life in Italy? Van knew she had someone and he saw them together.

No! She could not forget Andrea. Poor Andrea! Who knew what he was going through now?

She really had to think about this but for now; she had to enjoy the moment.

They saw a cab and stopped it.

“We need you to take us to Elwood Park.” The canny shook his head. “I am afraid I don’t want to go there.”

“Why?”

“I got mobbed the last time I went there.”

“I am Don Van. Nobody mobs my cabby. Ten dollars/”

The cabby’s eyes shifted.

“Come in.”

They got into the back seat. Immediately the cab began to move, they kissed.

“How are we going to spend the evening?” He asked. “Low key.’

“Is that not disappointing?”

“No. we got a lot of times ahead. Low key, low suspicions.”

“That makes a lot of sense but we need to get some wine.”

“That is dangerous. It is prohibition era. It is too risky.”

“Who put this law? George Washington?”

The driver heard this and laughed.

“George Washington died in 1799 and the law is just eight years old. 1920.”

“Okay, I get it now.” Van said.

Sara laid her head on Van’s shoulder and Andrea’s picture fell on her mind. If Van was not good to her, she would have stolen some amount and leave him but she would not go that way. All she wanted to was to get Andrea to US and explain things to Van. He had a lot of money now so he would get another woman to live his dream life with while she went back to her old love.

Van turned and looked into her eyes. They sparkled and he loved them. He wished she was his. But there was that thing in him that told him she was not his. He noticed how she reacted each time she mentioned Andrea. There was the expression of regret, love and guilt. He knew she would not forget him easily. He even doubted if she would do that. He met them together and they were obviously in love. He was just an option or a temporary lay. Their love making may be just out of lust and passion. It was almost impossible to be together without s*x. s*x did not translate to love.

“Why are you staring at me that way?” She asked.

“I just hope I don’t lose you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“That is not true.”

“You miss him, don’t you?”

She did not expect that question from him. Did he see through her? Van acted like a clown but beneath those clownish acts was a very smart man.

She nodded.

“I am sorry but I do.” She said. “We were together for two years and he propounded the idea of the trip only to lose me at the last moment.”

“You did not plan it. Fate.”

“Yeah but I had a chance to jump down.”

“And you would have stayed back and end up spending the money. Maybe fate drove you to get the money to bring him here.”

She lifted her head from his shoulder.

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing. Maybe the craving for alcohol got me drunk already and I say nonsense.” He chuckled.

She shook her head.

“I have known you for just a few weeks and spent just six one week together but it seems like a life time. I know you deeper than you can imagine.”

“Seriously. Maybe you know me better than myself because I don’t know if what I said made any sense.”

He knew what she was thinking. This guy could see through her.

1925 Rollin Model G Sedan drove passed the Luxor taxi they

drove in at a high speed.

“Is he drunk?” Sara asked.

“Maybe he is been chased by police. Who knows if he has bottles of beer in that car?”

“I would volunteer to taste the contents to know if it is alcohol or not.” Van  said and the driver laughed.

“If you are in need of a good beer, I have contacts sir.”

“Sure I do. I have not tasted alcohol since I came. Don’t they except members of royal families?”

“I don’t get that sir.”

“I mean an Italian prince like me should be given a special waver and privilege to have alcohol.’

“We don’t give a hoot about royalty here sir.” He said. “This is America, the land of the president.”

“Hmmm..’

“You must be a prince in disguise sir.” The cabby said.

“Why?”

“You must have dressed this way to find your true love. I mean a girl who loves you for who you are sir.’

Van chuckled.

“I like you. You insult me and put sir in the end.”

“I am sorry but it is not my intention to sound rude sir…what the hell is he doing?” The driver suddenly pressed his legs on the brake pedal and the car was forced to a halt.

The Sedan was parked at the middle of the road.

“What is going on?” The driver shouted.

The car doors opened and three men came out. They all wore trench coats over their suits with hats that almost covered their eyes.

One of them moved towards the right, the second moved towards the left while the third one stood in the middle.

“What the hell is going on here?” The taxi driver said.

The men brought out Thomson Machine guns and began to spray the car with bullets.

The first few bullets scattered the windshield and riddled the taxi driver’s face. He died instantly.

“Get down!” Van shouted and pulled Sara down. The bullets stopped after a few seconds. Van knew there was trouble. The men would not let them go. He jumped forward and pressed the gas pedal with his hand and the car moved forward blindly.

“Don’t lift your heard.” He said to Sara.

The men saw the car coming towards them and they moved aside. They opened fire again before the taxi crashed into their car. “Don’t move.” Van whispered.

“I think they are dead. Check them out and get the money. One of them said.

“Alright.”He moved cautiously to a car. He opened the car and saw Van and Sara lying motionless.“They are dead.” He confirmed.“Get the money.”He sent his hand to Van’s body when he felt a movement.“s**t!” He exclaimed.Bang! Bang!Van fired two shots. One of the bullets slashed into his chest and the second one went straight into his forehead. He dropped dead. Another  amazing move Van made was pulling the gun from the man as he shot him. The man had a sophisticated Thomson Machine gun while Van had the old gun he got from the ship guard.

Van expected what would happen next so he raised his head and fired more shots. The two men had not expected these and Van seemed to be very fast. They ran and hid behind a car that was parked by the road.. Taking advantage of the panic period, he got out and sprayed bullets towards them. He opened the front car door and pulled the driver’s body out. One of the men fired another shot but Van was in the car already. He reversed the car since their car was blocking him. The men came out of hiding and began to fire shots. He drove the car off but they kept shooting at him until they got the tyres. 

These were gangsters and not just ordinary gunmen.“s**t!” Van exclaimed and the car was forced to screech and he lost control of the steering wheel. The car left the road and lost balance. It hit a big stone and one part of it was lifted and the car fell on its side.The two gangsters ran while they shot continuously at the car.

They knew there was no way they could survive it.They got to the car and fired more shots until there was dead silence.“It is done.” One of them said but they saw no one in the car.“Damn it! They vanished.” He lamented.

Meanwhile Van and Sara were running in the darkness of a lonely street. Sara was tired and could not go on. She was breathing hard. They had to pause.Van looked back; his gun set and asked her to move into a dark part.“They are not coming after us.” He said.“Oh my God!” Sara exclaimed.“I hope you are okay?”“I know why they are coming after us.’“Why?”“I left the money in the car!”“s**t!” Van bit his lip.The men checked the car and saw the money.“I got it” One of them said. “Very good.”“Let us get Dino’s body and leave here.”******