“Sal,” Saks said with a nod.
“Anthony,” the man replied. “He’s waiting.”
“Thanks.”
Sal knocked on the door and then opened it.
Vittorio Rocco sat behind a beat-up wooden desk, looking over a ledger book. Another man stood over his shoulder. Vits looked up and handed the book to the man.
“Later,” he said.
“Yes, Mr. Rocco.” The man passed by them to leave the office and Vits sat back in his chair, looking over both of them.
“So, Anthony, why are you here? And why is the Serafini girl with you?” His eyes narrowed in disapproval.
Chrissy resisted the urge to pop off at the head of Anthony’s family. She cared more about her own family’s reaction, but when she and Saks married Vits would be part of that. And that seemed strange to her. All these years, Vits was the enemy. Now, she might have to spend holidays with him.
“You were right all along, Uncle Vits.”
“I was,” Vits asked with suspicion.
“Yes. Chrissy is the right woman for me. We’re getting married.”
“What!” A vein on the man’s forehead looked ready to pop.
“You can stop being indignant about it,” Saks scolded. “I made up my mind. And if the family doesn’t get behind this, Chrissy and I are perfectly willing to move away.”
“You would, eh?” Vits challenged, his voice all gravel and grit.
Saks said nothing, but locked his eyes with Vits. Chrissy held onto Saks' arm as the two men continued their stare-down. Chrissy wondered how long this would go on as the tension in the room climbed. She squeezed Saks’ arm, but he didn’t react. He just kept staring at his uncle. Finally, Vits looked away.
“Well,” he said. “I’m not the one that you have to convince.”
“No?” Saks said, arching his brow.
“It’s that one’s grandfather.”
“That’s Chrissy. She’s going to be my wife, and I’ll thank you to refer to her by her first name.”
Vits nodded his head and drew his lips into a tight line. “Yeah,” he said roughly. “So, you love this girl?”
“Vits,” Saks warned.
“Of course, you do. You wouldn’t come to me like this if you didn’t. Well, congratulations.”
“We want you to know, but that’s not why we’re here.”
“Oh?”
“Chrissy’s father is in the hospital.”
“Yeah, I'm aware.”
“But also, Pandolfo Serafini has left the state. We aren’t sure where he is.”
“And?”
“There’s no one to mind the store,” Chrissy explained.