Free Mobster's Girl by Amy Rachiele

There’s loud talking
and commotion in the recesses of my hearing. Dad is standing at the
end of the aisle looking really pissed. Vito and Ronnie haul me
outside.
    I take a deep breath. The air feels good. The
sun is bright and making me narrow my eyes to slits.
    “What the hell is wrong with you?” My father
booms from behind us.
    The guys let me go and we stand way off to
the side of the church.
    “I’m talking to you!” my father yells.
    “Dino’s a fucking prick!” I say back not
looking at him. He whacks me on the head.
    “Watch your mouth, we’re at church!” My
father yells at me. “So…”
    “I didn’t like what he said.” I murmur.
    “You just punched someone in church! Your
mother’s going to be saying the Hail, Mary for a week! Why
did you punch him?...” I say nothing. “Answer me!” My father’s face
is red from yelling.
    I glance at Vito. Ronnie and Louie are
standing back like they’re either body guards or they’re ready to
stop me from pummeling others that are here to pray. We hear the
organ playing again and some commotion at the door. Dino’s cousins
are walking him out. My anger flares. I jolt ready to pound him
again. Louie and Ronnie make a wall to stop me.
    “Whoa!” Ronnie says. I halt but watch Dino go
to the car. Maria looks over, shakes her head, and follows her
cousins. My adrenaline is still spiking.
    “Take him over there.” My father points to a
granite bench. The guys walk me over and I sit down. They are all
hovering. My dad sits down beside me. He’s calmer.
    “Tonio, I need you to tell me what’s wrong. I
can’t fix something if I don’t know what it is.”
    “There’s nothing to fix, Pop.” I stare
straight ahead.
    “Then what is it?”
    “You aren’t going to like what I say.”
    “Tell me.” He says. The guys move away, far
away. At first I think it’s to give us some privacy. Then I think
it’s what I am going to tell him.
    “Dino said something… disrespectful about
Megan.” I still stare straight ahead.
    “Megan. Megan O’Neill?” he asks. I nod still
not looking at him. He pauses. Then he realizes what I am
saying.
    “Fanabola! Tonio. You can have any girl you
want!” He scrubs his face with his hands. “Shit!”
    “Pop, we’re at church.” I say sarcastically
chastising his language.
    My mother comes out of the church stomping
towards us in her high heels, “Antonio Rinaldo Delisi Jr.! What has
gotten in to you!? You embarrassed me. How dare you?-in God’s
house!” She makes the sign of the cross and looks heavenward. “You
are going to go in there and apologize to Father Giovanni!”
    “Ma, ummm.” I didn’t know what to say. I know
it was wrong but I just reacted. I didn’t think. I don’t regret it
but I could waited till church was over to pound his face in. I’m
ashamed of where it happened but not of what.
    “He’s interested in Megan.” My father says
slowly.
    “What? What are you talking about Antonio?”
She asks my father. She’s still pissed. I am ready for the blow to
the back of my head that I know is coming from my Mom.
    “You wanted him to be interested in a girl.
He is… with Megan.” She blinks a couple of times. My mother’s
reaction startles me. She’s not mad like my dad. She’s happy. She’s
really happy-in fact she’s beaming at me.
    “Oh! Tonio!” She claps her hands and bends
down to hug me-her Coach© bag trailing on the ground. “Thank God!”
She makes the sign of the cross again. “Finally!” With her hands
waving, she is talking a mile a minute. “She’s smart too. She got
in early to Notre Dame. And talented-you should’ve heard her play
that harp….”
    “Yeah, I should’ve.” I say feeling my shame
at the spectacle I made in church. My phone buzzes with a text from
Megan…
    U OK
    My mother’s eyes go immediately to my phone,
“Is that her?” she squeals. My mother is giddy like a school girl.
“How cute! She wants to know if you’re okay.” I turn to my