Benny & Ray 112

His Father’s Son

Sophia Vecchio strode to answer the front door.  She recognized Benton’s form, backlit by the sunset, through the gauze curtain covering the door sidelight.  Carie was in her stroller. 

She smiled with relief.  She knew he would come after Raymond, as soon as he got home.  She was glad for it, yet she felt a sharp pang in the pit of her stomach for him, for what was to come. She knew everything.

She readied a smile for them both, turned the doorknob, and let them in. “Ah, there she is! My girl!” she cried. “Piccolina! Come see Nonna!”  She plucked the child from the stroller and smothered her with kisses while clutching her to her bosom.  She playfully dipped her down.  Carie held on to her Pooh, and giggled. “Did you have a fun in Canada? Hmmm?”  She surreptitiously glanced up at Ben’s face.  He was pale, his mouth pulled into a tight line. They exchanged a look after Ben pulled in the stroller and shut the door.

“Yeah,” Carie replied. She clutched Sophia’s bra strap.   

“Excellent!” Sophia pulled her up, lifted her shirt and delivered kisses to Carie’s bare little stomach before setting her on the floor with a pat on her diapered rear. “Go and find Papa! I bet he wants to see his girl!”

Carie’s eyes went round and she gasped theatrically.  “Papa here?”

“Oh yes! Go find him!” She pointed upstairs. “Call to him! Say ‘Papa I’m home!’”

Carie dropped Pooh on the floor.  Excited, she toddled up the stairs as quickly as she could. “Papa, I’m home!” she bellowed.  Sophia watched her with an affectionate smile, making sure she could manage on her own.

Then she turned back to Ben.  She gave his cheek a peck, and threw her arms around his neck.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. 

He gave her a squeeze.  “It’s not your fault.”

They separated.  “I begged him to go back home to you. But he’s being so foolish.”

“And so have I,” Ben said, sheepishly.  “This is my fault.”

“Come and sit for moment.  Maria and I were just sitting down to some coffee and cherry pie.  Would like a slice?”

“No, thank you, I don’t think I can eat right now. I should go and talk to him.” Ben glanced up the stairs after his daughter, and started to follow.

Sophia held a hand up to his chest.  “Give him a moment.  He’ll be down. Come on.” Sophia took him by the elbow and guided him to the kitchen where Maria sat at the table.  She had just placed a pie slice in front of her mother’s customary seat at the small table.

“Hey, Ben,” she said ruefully.  She gave him a kiss on the cheek.  “Welcome back, for what its worth.  How was your vacation?” she politely asked.

Ben raised his eyebrows wryly and turned down his mouth. “Ill-timed, evidently.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, touching his arm.  “You want some coffee and pie?”

Ben shrugged.  “Just coffee, please.”

Maria poured another cup and the three sat in awkward silence and sipped their hot drinks. They could hear the distant murmurs of Carie and Ray, carrying on a conversation one floor above them.

Sophia inhaled softly, and spoke.  “Ben, I want you to know something.”

He nodded.

“I want you to know that no matter what goes on, for better or worse, that you are family.  You are blood.  You hear me?”

He nodded.  “Yes, ma’am.” He swirled his coffee in his cup and drank it without interest.

Sophia grabbed the wrist that rested on the table to get his attention. “No.  Don’t just agree.  You must believe it down in your soul.  Look at me.”

Frightened blue-gray eyes met sharp brown ones. Locked.

“You’re my son, too.  No different from Ray or Paul. You understand?”

So much passed in that look between them.  So many years of their own bonding through trial and tribulation.  So many quiet Sunday morning talks when the rest of the house still slept. 

“Yes, Ma,” Ben said meekly.

She nodded supportively while Maria stirred her coffee and watched the two of them silently communicating.

“Now,” Sophia said, “Let’s settle this.”  She impatiently slapped her hands on the kitchen table, stood, and marched to the foyer, gesturing Ben to follow her.

“Raimundo! Get down here! Now!”

A few seconds later, Sophia heard Ray’s footfalls right before he came into view at the top of the stairs.  He sullenly marched down the stairs, toting Carie with him.

Sophia watched as Ben peered at Ray, pain in his eyes.  Ray, his bottom lip stiff, avoided Ben’s searching gaze.

An icy silence stretched on for several seconds.

Ben cleared his throat.  “She missed you,” he said quietly. Carie had put her head down on Ray’s shoulder and put her thumb in her mouth, contentedly.

Ray finally looked at Ben.  “Did you?” he challenged.

He hesitated.  “Yes.  Very much so. I wanted you there.”  The two men stood awkwardly.  Ben stuck his hands in his pockets.    

Finally Ben said.  “I guess we’re long overdue for a talk.”

“Yeah,” Ray agreed. “Let’s use the basement.  Rosanna and Marissa are upstairs.”

“Alright, Ray.”

Sophia held out her hands for Carie.  “I’ll take her, caro. Come with Nonna! I’ll get you something to eat.” She covered her granddaughter’s soft fat cheeks with more kisses as she brought her into the haven of the kitchen.  She heard the men walking down the basements steps.

“Hi Pumpkin!” Maria greeted Carie.

“Hi, Zia,” Carie shyly said. She tucked her face into her nonna’s neck.  There was something about her aunt that Carie seemed to find a little intimidating; she displayed a seldom-seen coyness whenever she was around Maria.

In the pantry, Sophia stored had Marissa’s old high chair for the times when her Carolina ate at her table.  Sophia fished it out now and set it up while Maria took Carie in her lap.  She wiped wide plastic tray down and then deposited the little girl into the seat, strapping her in securely. So much like Francesca, she marveled, looking down at the dark curly hair.

“What would you like?” she brightly asked.

“A nana!” She said.

“A banana?”

“Si.”

She grabbed one from the kitchen counter and peeled and sliced it for the child as she and Maria talked about Ben and Ray while keeping their voices low.

Ray’s car had parked out front when Sophia got back from ordering the cake for Donny’s upcoming graduation party.  She also had stopped and gotten cleaning supplies, groceries and the various sundry one needed when preparing for a houseful of guests.  And then she couldn’t resist stopping by Bambini and picking up a few things for Francesca’s baby shower, although it was months away. Her van was loaded by the time she made it back to Octavia Street.

Sophia had noticed the boxes piled high in the back of Ray’s SUV as she drove by it.  She was inside and demanding answers from her son within seconds. 

Ray had not been very forthcoming, keeping his answers as short as necessary.  It was not until Ray later went out (to get away from her, she was sure) that she got more of the story from Maria. It was fortunate that Ray still had a tight bond with his sister and confided in her.  Were it not for Maria, Sophia would have known absolutely nothing about what was going on with her son from age twelve to age twenty-two. 

Sophia grimly shook her head as Maria had filled her in.  She was partly to blame for this too.  She and Sal.  They had both set a poor example of how to foster a healthy and loving relationship.  Ray always had so much trouble with long-term relationships.  Girlfriends…his marriage to Angie…He always seemed to self-destruct.  Sophia thought he’d conquered all his demons with Ben, put it all behind him.  But lately, those old ghosts had been resurfacing.  Sophia sighed.  His father’s son he was.

Sophia retrieved from the refrigerator some milk for Carolina.  “More coffee?” she asked her eldest daughter. 

“Sure.”

She brought the carafe from the coffee maker, refilled both their mugs, and served Carolina some milk in a “sippy” cup. 

“Ma,” Maria asked softly as Sophia moved about the kitchen.  “All those times that Pop…all those nights when Pop didn’t come home…what were you thinking of?  I mean, how did you stand it?”

Sophia gathered her thoughts.  Finally, after returning the carafe to the warm burner and seating herself, she said.  “I thought of my children.  And I thought of my pride, too.  You kids today have no idea.  To get a divorce?”  She shook her head.  “You would be talked about behind your back, pitied, even ridiculed, like you wouldn’t believe.  But today?  You get bored of the person after a year or two and you want a divorce, so you can get another—like buying a new car. It’s nothing.”

“If Tony ever cheated on me, Ma? I’d cut his nuts off. Hello, falsetto.”

“Oh, you’d do no such thing!” she said, scandalized.

“Oh, yeah?” Maria challenged.

They broke off as quick, heavy footsteps came up the basement stairway. Ben appeared two seconds later, red-faced and shaking.

“We’re going,” he said. He snatched Carie up so quickly from the seat that he picked up the high chair with her.  He disengaged her from the seat.  Alarmed by his roughness, the baby began to cry.

“Ben! Slow down!” Maria rushed over to grab his elbow.

He only shook his head.

“What happened?!” Sophia asked.

“We’re getting out of here!” His chin wobbled dangerously.  “There’s nothing further to discuss.” Ben marched out of the kitchen and the two of them followed, protesting.  He settled his screaming daughter into her stroller, and left, not looking back. 

“Oh, Dio Mio!” Sophia cried. She crossed herself, already on the move. Her son shot past her and headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time.  She was only halfway up the stairs when his door slammed so hard it shook the house.

Maria and Sophia looked at one another with alarm.

The house fell into silence.

FINIS