ARROW - 60. Chapter 60

Morning seemed to come quickly. I could smell the coffee. For a minute I thought Colin was up but he wasn’t as I reached for him. Carmella must be up. I put on my robe, woke Colin. He headed for the bathroom to get ready for work, I headed to the kitchen. Carmella was at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

“Armand, I was looking for something to make breakfast. You have no food here.”

I laughed, “Carmella, we have food in the kitchen at the club. We usually eat there. I’ll go down and bring up some eggs and bread for breakfast.” It didn’t take me long to bring our breakfast food upstairs. When Carmella saw me, she smiled and took over. By the time Colin was ready for work, Carmella had cooked breakfast for us.

Colin wasn’t finished when his dad yelled for him. He took a slice of toast and his coffee cup, a kiss and he was gone.

Carmella and I chatted while finishing breakfast. “If you are up to it, I can show you the rest of building.”

“Armand, go and get dressed and I’ll clean up in here.”

I did that and while showering I was thinking of things to do today. Grocery shopping is a definite, then a visit to the gallery. Maybe have lunch at Tony’s. He told me to never go there but he may change his mind with Carmella being with me. I still don’t understand why he has such negative feelings about his home town.

Dressed, “Carmella, I’d like to show you the rest of the building.”

We walked to the third floor, stopped and looked at the mural on the wall. Opening the door to the apartment, I forgot I had a painting I was working on before we left for Europe. She wanted to know what the painting was about, I showed her the photo. She smiled and then she toured the apartment. “This is exactly like yours.”

“Yes, I used this apartment for painting, the light is better.”

Continuing our walk we ended up on the roof. I watched Carmella as she looked around. Then she had to smell the flowers, then she sat down next to me. Looking at the sentinels I explained what they are and that Colin had seen them in Barcelona. We sat there for about 30 minutes, enjoying the morning.

Today we would go to the gallery where I can show her the village. I’ll ask Mom to join us for lunch at Tony’s. I’m still confused about his attitude. Maybe with Carmella being there I might find out why he’s so angry.

On the way out, I picked up my camera case. This has become a habit, I never know when I see something that I might want to paint.

“Ready? I thought I’d show you the university Colin and I attended and then will stop at the gallery where we’ll meet Mom. We can go for lunch before coming back here.” A smile was my answer.

Walking to the car, we passed through the club’s kitchen. Carmella had to look around. I’d bet a few of Marcel’s cooking equipment would end up in her kitchen. I think I’ll introduce her to Marcel and leave them alone for a while. I’d bet that we would have some Italian dishes on our menu.

We chatted about Angela and Geno on the way to Yale. She seemed relaxed, “I guess you won’t have to chase Geno out of the house anymore.”

Laughing, “No, I’ll be chasing Angelo out.” We laughed.

I parked in the visitors lot. “I want you to meet my art teacher. We call him Professor, that was the way we addressed him in class.” Walking to his office, we had to walk though a hallway lined with paintings. “These are paintings by students. I have one here somewhere.”

Arriving at his office his secretary said he was at the gallery across the street. I thanked her. “We’ll meet him at the gallery.”

Normally I would walk to the gallery but with Carmella being with me, I drove.

Walking into the gallery, there was Thomas sitting in front of the painting. As soon as he saw me, he was next to me. I introduced him to Carmella as my son. I told her that later I would tell her his story.

He took my hand as we walked to the office to see Mary, Mom for me. Mary heard us and met us before we reached her office.

“We sold several of your paintings at your price. Now I need replacements.”

“I’m working on one. Mom, this is a special friend of Colin's and mine from Italy. Carmella this is Colin's mother. I want to show her the village and plan on having lunch with us at Tony’s.”

“He said you will not be welcome.”

“We’ll see. Carmella is from his village.”

So the four of us, headed to where my paintings were hanging. I watched Carmella as she looked at the painting and the posted price. While she did that, I told Mary to increase the price by 10 percent rounding off to the nearest 100 dollars. Then Carmella saw the painting of Angela and the price for the painting. She stopped and looked, and looked again.

“Armand, who painted this picture?”

“I did”

“Your name is not on the picture.”

Then I explained to her that the arrow was my name. “That is why this mark is on the painting you gave her. Is the painting you gave her worth this much?”

“Yes, at least and in the future possible more.”

Mary went and brought a chair for her to sit.

“Mom, is the Professor still here?”

“Yes, he’s wrapping a painting that a student sold and unwrapping one. He spends a lot of time here, sometimes with a student and sometime alone.”

“I want him to meet the mother of this young lady.” I said no more, Thomas was gone and soon I heard them talking.

“Armand, just the man I wanted to see. I have a project and need your help. Oh, who is this? I’m sorry Madam, I didn’t see you.”

“This is a close friend of mine but she only speaks Italian. Carmella, this is the professor, my teacher.” I spoke to the Professor in English and Carmella in Italian. Then the professor surprised me, and he spoke to Carmella in Italian. For me problem solved.

I looked at Thomas. He was totally confused.

“Professor, I would like for you to join us for lunch.” I was thinking Tony wouldn't dare not to serve me with my guests.

He accepted my invitation. Then in Italian he asked Carmella if she had seen my masterpiece. She said no, and with that they were off to the village. I knew that the Professor didn’t know it was her village I had captured on the walls.

So the five of us walked to the village. I entered first and turned on the lights. I watched Carmella. Her eyes got big, she was staring at her home town, then the tears.

She laughed at the men in front of Angelo’s place. From that moment on she told Professor about her village. I told Mom and Thomas that the village was her home town. I showed them her house with her standing in the doorway and Angela and Geno on the church steps.

I didn’t have to worry about being finished before lunch time, it was 2 o’clock before we left for lunch. There were five of us. Professor decided to take his car as he wanted to mail the painting he had finished wrapping.

Arriving at Tony’s, I told everyone to go in and get a table for five. I’d follow. I watched as they were met by Tony’s son. Carmella said something to him. His face turned white, and he showed them a table and immediately left. Probably to get his father. I went and sat at the table.

Tony came out, and headed to us. At first he saw me, “You get out!”

Then Carmella stood up, “Antonio, what the hell is the matter with you.”

That stopped Tony. He looked at Carmella, and then he relaxed and smiled. “Carmella, I thought I would never see you again. Wait, Bobby go get you mother. Carmella, what are you doing here?”

“Antonio, I was invited here by Armand. He is a dear friend on mine. Why haven’t you written? We were close friends when you lived in the village. Your wife was my best friend, where is she?”

“I’m here Carmella.”

Then I watched two old friends hugged as if they would never see each other again. Tears flowed freely.

“Armand, did you know this?”

“No Mom. I knew that Tony came from the same village but never fully understand why he was so upset when he saw the village at the gallery.”

Bobby brought the wine and poured everyone a glass of wine. He went and got a coke for Thomas and himself.

We sat there, Marie and Carmella headed to the kitchen. We could hear them laughing. Soon the food came, starters of soup and then Gnocchi with chicken cacciatore , desert was Italian coffee with a small cup of Italian ice.

Now I was in trouble. I won’t need to have dinner but Colin will. Carmela handled that. She came out of the kitchen with a small package of food, She said it was for Colin. I still didn’t know what Tony’s problem was but now I’ll have a chance to find out a little from Carmella.

“Carmella, Tony is closed on Sunday. Invite him and his family to have lunch at the club. We open from 12 to 6 for lunch.”

She smiled as she headed back into the kitchen. “She said it was for members only.”

“Tell her not on Sunday, it is open to the public.”

She went back to the kitchen, and came out smiling. “They will come at 2.”

Professor left as soon as we finished eating. I drove Mom back to the gallery and Thomas to the orphanage. He thanked me for the lunch, rubbing his belly. I laughed as I gave him a hug. One of the staff came out to greet us. Thomas introduced me as his dad and Carmella as his grandmother. The staff smiled, “There is a form you can fill out which gives you over night or over weekend privileges.”

I looked at Thomas and there was no way I couldn’t fill out the form. When I left Thomas, the tears turned into a smile.

Driving home, Carmella kept looking at me as if she was in deep thought. “You are not my son, but in ways you are. I think you should adopt that boy. He admires you and you are beginning to love him. He doesn’t call you dad for nothing, it is his heart telling him to call you dad.”

I didn’t say anything for a long time, I had to think and it wasn’t just me, there was Colin as well.