AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She leads us all into bed. “If anyone is getting exclusive anything, the only person who is will be me. I’m getting all of you exclusively. You’re getting what I give you. Got it?”
Then, settling in the middle of the bed, she says, “We cool, Drago? Capisce, Carmine? Ça va, Danny?”
I never would have believed I could love anyone like I love Tinka.
We sit for an early breakfast. I was going to insist on cooking, but as soon as I see Danny starting to make omelets, I’m glad to know that we have at least two decent chefs in our menage.
Over coffee, Tinka says, “You all offered me versions of the same deal. With variations. Now I’m going to tell you what I want. I want all of it. I want all the money for the kids. And I want all of you, for keeps. All three of you.”
Drago says, “I want to be Santa.”
Danny says, “I’ll be Santa.”
I laugh and announce, finally, “Tinka, you said there can be only one Santa.” I look around the table. “Well, it has to be me.”
“Hey.” She takes Danny’s hand, and Drago’s. “You’ve all shown how you can be flexible.” The slow bat of her eyelids gets me hard. I’m sure I’m not alone in that, either. Tinka says, “So, I can flex, too.”
“Mon dieu, cher. You really can.”
We laugh as she says, “The children will have three Santas coming down their chimney.”
“So will you,” Drago adds.
There are problems to solve, but nothing a little organization won’t fix. Danny heads off to meet with the caterers, who are late with their menu plan. Drago goes to talk to the operators of the venue to resolve the contract.
I take Tinka into town to resolve the supply issues.
Clarkson, owner of the hardware store, is a balding, rat-eyed creep with wet, shiny hands. “Ms. Belle was supposed to come and see me yesterday.”
Tinka stands next to me. I talk. “After closing time, right?”
He stares his spiteful, pin-prick stare at me. “What of it? What’s it to you?”
“You have what she needs. Are you going to honor your donation, or do I have to buy them?”
“Neither.” He leans his chair back. “There’s a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce later this morning.” He doesn’t look at Tinka. “She will be notified of the result. But, between us, she should not expect it to go her way.”
I step round the desk and shove him off his chair.
With the sole of my shoe on the side of his face, I tell him, “You should learn some fucking manners.”
Tinka looks pale as we leave the store.
I tell her, “There are plenty of places we can get decorations and catering supplies. Don’t worry.”
“Not around here, Carmine. This is not New York. There are like two or three companies for just about everything.”
I tell her not to worry. But I do see her point.
Drago calls. “We’ve got a problem with North Star Venues. Their bean-counters are digging in their heels. Shall I smash their heads, or will we let them talk to Tinka?”
In the Bentley, I put a call through on speaker-phone. Malcolm Gerrintch, a thin voiced man, opens with what sounds like his favorite word. He makes a whole performance out of his regret. If he were sitting in front of me, he’d feel regret.
“Regrettably, Ms. Belle,” he says, “our insurance agent learned that some of these children have behavioral issues.”
Her head shakes. “Of course they do. If you’d had the kind of life that any one of them has lived through, you’d have issues. But they’re not out of control. They just need to be recognized and to be appreciated. And they need…”
“Be that as it may, Ms. Belle, and we really do want to support your good efforts here, but the insurance will require a deposit. Against all possible eventualities and liabilities.”
