Dino
"Hey.. Uhh... Dino?" Vas' voice had a hint of confusion in it.
"Yeah?" I continued fussing with my poor bloody uniform.
"Where did your house go?" I slowly raised my gaze, his question sending my brain into confusion as I stared at the vacant lot where my trailer had been sitting this morning.
"That Vas, is a fantastic question." I scanned over my lot looking for anything that was left. My little Moped sat dejected with only one tire. The other had blown on a small jaunt I had taken it on last week. I swung open the Vic's door and stepped out. "Dammit!"
"You... could stay with Mabel and I..." Vas spoke as he rolled the window down.
"Yeah..." My eyes were locked onto the lot.
"Wanna stop by the office?" Vas was eyeing my neighbors as he spoke.
"Sure. I'd just love to know what the hell is going on." I sighed as I began to walk in that direction, blood slowly oozing from my nose yet again. "Damn nose."
"Meet ya there." Vas shifted back into drive and began to head for the small loop that served as a turn around. He'd be a hot minute turning it around because of how it was built.
There were kids running around the mobile park, their parents were gathered near one of the nicer motorhomes drinking, smoking, and talking quite loudly. As it was a Monday evening, they all were talking about how their first days back to work were after the weekend. And they'd probably seen my camper get hauled off for the third time this month.
"Hey Dino!" My head turned to see Carlos waving at me from his "porch". He was an extremely nice man, and seemed to think of me as an actual friend. He never joined everyone in their evening talks.
"Hey." I paused at the edge of his lot. His RV was still half winterized and had about four kids running around it happily.
"That damned manager had ya place towed off again." Carlos shook his head, letting a disgusted sigh slip from his cracked lips. "I talked with'im about it, but he was dead set on gettin' rid of ya and it."
"Well of course he is." I growled a tiny bit. "Thank you for telling me. How's your family?"
"They're alright. Lily is due soon with number six, if ya can believe that!" He laughed. I definitely could believe that. "Now my eldest boy, Mattias, he's... Been coming home late. And has come home with some scrapes and bruises. Do ya think... he's out gettin' into trouble?"
"Slim chance, but I can keep an ear out. He is a teenage boy, after all." I gave a nod and a small smile. Mattias is a good kid, always is polite with me, even after he learned I was a cop. "I should head on over to the office now... Have a good night, Carlos."
"You try to do the same, Dino." He waved as I returned to my shame filled walk to the office. I could hear the Vic rolling up behind me.
"So Mr. Vespa, have you come to pay your dues?" A very snarky and annoying voice practically spat the words at me, hoping they'd sting.
"You know, I actually came to ask you what the hell you think you did? I just paid my dues for the next three months. And I know I did, because I have the receipt from your wife." I tugged a ragged piece of paper from my pocket and held it out. The manager, a dingy little man who is probably involved in so many illegal activities that he himself is his own crime gang. But it was not my place to give him accusations. Especially when he has counter evidence.
"Oh really?" He did his best to stay snarky and threatening, but he'd known he'd done the wrong thing yet again.
"Read it." Before the words fully left my mouth he snatched the receipt from my bloody hand. His lips mouthed the words as he read it. His wife had some pretty handwriting, and tended to dot her I's with hearts when she wrote anything out for me. I still didn't understand why she married Collin. There was no good about the rat of a man.
"I--I see." He slowly looked up, slightly slinking back to his office.
"Mind, I don't know, getting my camper dragged back here now?" I crossed my arms, shifting my weight to my right leg.
"I don't mind at all Mr. Vespa. I'll get right on that!" Collin shuffled his twiggy body into the small trailer that worked as his office.
"Well he seemed..." Vas paused as his phone began to ring. I hadn't noticed that he got out and was sitting on the hood of the Vic.
"Spooked and regretful?" I smirked a bit, and motioned to his hip. "Ya gonna get that?"
"Yeah. Sorry." Vas gave me a small smile before rising to his feet and answering his phone. "Hey."
"Mr. Vespa?" Collin stepped out of his office. "The towing company says that they can have it back in the morning... No one but the secretary is there currently... I--I want to apologize for this, Mr. Vespa. I--."
"Assumed for, oh... The third time this month?" I sighed. "I'm going to hopefully be moving in the next month or so. This has become bullshit."
I whirled on my heel and strode toward the Vic. I'd already once discussed staying with my sister while I found a house to rent, but she was highly against it. She also lived thirty miles outside of town, making for one crazy long commute. She lived on the family ranch.
"Yes. I am sorry." Collin seemed pleased that he'd finally pushed me over the edge. All the illegal things, or business he conducts could go unhindered once I moved. Having a cop rent a lot from an immoral business man just messed everything up.
I tugged the passenger door open of the Vic and slid down into the worn leather seat. Vas was still out talking on his phone, so I took mine out of my pocket and dialed my older brother's number. After only two rings he picked up.
"Hey Dino." The sound of bickering children in the background gave me a sense that Pietro was not in the best of moods.
"Hi... Is it a bad time?" I toyed with a seam on my pants as I spoke.
"No, no it's fine. Cassio and Duke are just..." He sighed. "Being brothers."
"Oh.. Alright." I chewed a little on my lip. "Could I... maybe spend the night at your place? Collin towed the trailer without checking his damn books, and the towing company he used won't have it back until the morning..."
Silence followed. A rather long one. Even the background yelling from the twins ceased.
"Dino..."
"It's totally okay if the answer is no. I completely understand." I tried my damnedest to not sound hurt. Pietro had a lot going on, and I understand and respect that.
"Hey its.. It's Ella. She is tired of not having family time and tired of always having guests." Pietro was whispering. His wife, Ella, was a whole 'nother type of person. Preppy, out of a rich as hell family, and did not like if anything wasn't her way. If she hadn't gotten pregnant at sixteen, she and Pietro would've never gotten married. Both of my siblings had kids super early. Sixteen and Eighteen. I was the outlier in more ways than one.
"Pietro it's alright. Vas says I can stay with him and Mabel tonight." Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Vas coming back toward the Vic. I needed to end the call.
"Okay... I'm sorry. I know the boys would've loved it..." Pietro seemed upset. He was only with Ella still for their sake. The love pretty much evaporated after she had Bodhi.
"I'll visit sometime this week. Thank you Pietro." I gave a small smile. I loved all of my nephews.
"You're...welcome I guess. Love ya." Pietro seemed relieved.
"Bye." We spoke simultaneously and hung up. Just in time for Vas was pulling the door open.
"All good?" He asked quizzically as he slid into the driver seat.
"Yep. Am I alright to stay with you and May tonight?" I spun my phone in my hands as I watched Vas buckle his seat belt.
"Yeah. Mabel is absolutely for it. She enjoys your company." Vas shot me a smile as he started the car. "Remember D, you are always welcome."
His words brought a truly genuine smile to my lips, and I slumped into my seat. The car purred as Vas shifted it into drive and pulled back onto the street heading for his house.