The nonchalance of the question surprised Haven, but Carmine didn’t appear to be put off as he answered. “It’s been fine, except for the fact that I feel like I’m being boiled alive.”
Haven smiled involuntarily at his complaining as Corrado’s gaze turned to Michael. “Are you going to invite the kids in, Antonelli, or do you intend to let my nephew burst into flames? I was under the impression you remembered how to be hospitable.”
“Oh, yeah!” Michael stuck his cigar into his mouth and opened the screen door. “Come inside.”
Carmine took Haven’s hand and led her into the house, the two of them following Corrado down the hallway to a cramped office in the back. Haven hesitated, scanning the cluttered walls. For years she had lived on the property, trapped and forced to work in servitude, but never in that time had she been in that room. Michael said it was private, his sanctuary.
Michael walked in behind them and took a seat in front of a shiny mahogany desk as Corrado stood off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest. “We’re waiting for one more.”
Haven looked to Carmine, but he offered no explanation if he had one.
After a few minutes there was a knock on the front door of the ranch. Corrado walked out to answer it, returning with another man carrying a briefcase. Michael tensed as he eyed him, blinking rapidly. “What are we—? Why’s the lawyer here?”
“Let’s get this done,” Corrado said, ignoring the question. Haven sat down, slinking into a chair in the corner so not to make a scene. Michael glared at her from across the room, uncomfortable silence enveloping the space between them, an invisible wall of pressure separating their chairs.
The lawyer talked about naturalization and citizenship, but none of it made sense to her. He filled out paperwork as he spoke but hesitated on a document, glancing at Haven. “Miss, what’s your birthday?”
Her heart thumped wildly. “I’m not sure. Mama said it was in the fall.”
The man’s forehead creased as his eyes shifted to Michael. “Mr. Antonelli? Her date of birth?”
Michael grumbled but said nothing coherent as Corrado sighed exaggeratedly. “September tenth, 1988.”
The lawyer wrote it down, while Haven stared at Corrado. She wondered how he knew, the date running through her mind. September 10 . . . it was two weeks away.
When finished, the lawyer handed the paperwork to Corrado, who set it on the desk in front of Michael. “Sign it,” he demanded.
Michael begrudgingly signed before shifting the stack of papers in Haven’s direction. She could feel his eyes on her as he held out the pen. She took it without looking at him. Glancing through the papers, she spotted the blank lines beside where he’d signed. Her hand trembled as she scribbled her name beside his.
She wondered if he was surprised she could write. Take that, buddy.
“That’s it,” Corrado said. “It’s done.”
What was done? Haven wasn’t sure, but Michael didn’t appear happy about it.
Haven stepped onto the porch of the house, taking a deep breath of the scalding desert air. Her stomach felt queasy, her nerves running amuck. She needed space. She needed to be away from those people. She needed Carmine.
She called for him, but a loud commotion stopped her before she could step back inside. Startled by the disruption, Haven turned, her breath hitching when she saw her mama standing at the corner of the house, a bunch of metal tools laying in a pile at her feet.
Unlike Michael, she looked different. Her dark hair was streaked with gray, and wrinkles lined her weary face. A dirty shirt swallowed her skeletal frame, a pair of shorts exposing startlingly thin legs. Her mama had always been skinny, but now she was a shell of her former self.
“Haven?”
The sound of her voice was like blistering iron striking Haven’s chest. Her feet frantically carried her to her mama, their bodies colliding as they both fell to the ground. Her mama’s embrace was strong despite her frail body, her hands traveling Haven’s back and hair as she clung to her. “My baby girl! You’re here!”
“Yes,” she choked out. “I’m here.”
Her mama pulled from the embrace. “Why are you here? You have to get away!”
“It’s okay,” Haven said. “No one’s going to hurt me.”
“You can’t be sure! You know how they are!”
Haven tried to smile through her tears. “I’m here to see you.”
Her hands explored Haven’s face. “I don’t understand. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Carmine brought me. He’s, uh . . . he’s my master’s son. I love him, Mama.”
“You love him?” She stared at her, blinking rapidly. “This is bad. You can never let him know!”
“Stop!” Her mama’s panic caused her anxiety to flare. “He already knows. He loves me, too.”
“How?” She shook her head. “Haven, he’s—”
“Wonderful, Mama,” she interrupted, knowing whatever she said would be wrong. “He treats me like a treasure, and he’s giving me a life . . . the kind of life you always wanted me to have.”
They sat on the ground for a few minutes, neither speaking after that was verbalized. Her mama’s panic lessened, the look Haven had seen growing up creeping back in.
Hope.
Eventually, Haven stood and helped her mama to her feet. “These are nice clothes,” her mama said, giving her a once-over. “I hope they don’t get mad you got them dirty.”
Haven blocked her mama’s hands as she tried to brush the dirt away. “It doesn’t matter. They’re different.”
Tears welled in her mama’s eyes at the statement, but the banging screen door stopped her from saying anything. Michael stepped onto the porch and looked at them. “Miranda.”
No good ever came from being singled out. Frenzied, her mama gathered the things she had dropped. “I’m sorry, sir. I’m supposed to be in the garden.”
Michael put his hand up to stop her, and Haven and her mama both flinched at his sudden movement. “Don’t interrupt me. The girl’s here with, uh . . . she’s our guest, so work can wait for now.”
Her mama gaped at her after Michael walked away. “Guest?”
Haven smiled. “I guess I should start at the beginning, huh?”
They spent the next few hours walking around the property as Haven told her mama about life in North Carolina, telling stories about celebrating Christmas, watching fireworks, and going to a dance. The more Haven spoke, the more her mama lit up. The life came back into her, little by little easing Haven’s guilt.
They were standing at the edge of the garden as her mama kicked around some dirt in her bare feet, pulling a few stray weeds. She couldn’t refrain from working even when told she didn’t have to. “The DeMarco family. That name sounds familiar.”
“They’ve been here before,” Haven said. “I used to think the woman was an angel.”
Her mama looked at her. “Your angel?”
Haven nodded. “I thought I made her up, but I guess she was real.”
Her mama’s eyes drifted past her shoulder at something, and Haven swung around to see Carmine approach. “Speak of the devil.”
“I thought we said the asshole in the house was the devil,” Carmine said, shaking his head. “Christ, he’s a dickhead. I thought Corrado was going to kick my ass for saying shit to him.”
She sighed, knowing he had no filter to stop things from springing from his lips. “What did you say?”
“I don’t know. I said a lot. He’s kind of a punk, you know? He’ll fuck with those lesser than him but can’t stand up to his equals.” His eyes widened. “I’m not saying you’re less than him or anything, or that I’m better than you, because I’m not. You’re better than him. Hell, you’re better than me, and I tell—”
Haven covered his mouth so he’d stop rambling, and her mama gasped. Turning to look at her, Haven pulled her hand from Carmine’s mouth as a reflex, but he wrapped his arms around her before she could move away. “You should introduce me, tesoro.”
She smiled. “Mama, this is Carmine. Carmine, this is my mama.”
“Nice to finally meet you,” he said politely, holding out his hand.
Her mama hesitantly took it, staring at him.
Corrado’s voice interrupted then as he stepped out of the house. “The food’s ready. I thought you’d like to know, since Carmine complained earlier he was going to die of starvation.”
Haven rolled her eyes as Carmine chuckled. “What? I haven’t eaten anything today.”
“Go eat if you’re hungry,” she said.
“Are you coming? You haven’t eaten, either.”
Haven stubbornly shook her head. “I’m not eating when she can’t.”
Her mama sighed. “Eat if they’ll let you, Haven. I’ll be here when you’re done.”
“No.”
Carmine’s brow furrowed. “Why can’t she eat?”
“Master feeds us at night, but never during the day . . . and definitely not with them.”
“I forgot about that,” Carmine said. “That’s bullshit. You should eat when you wanna eat.”
“It’s fine.”
Carmine let go of Haven and went for the house. “No, it’s not. Wait here. I’ll fix this shit.”
A few minutes later, the screen door slammed as Carmine stepped outside, heading toward them with two plates. Haven smiled when he approached. “You’re so good to me.”
“Hey, that’s my line,” he said playfully, handing Haven a plate. “Quit stealing my shit.”
He held the other one out to her mama, who made no attempt to take it, so Haven did. She eyed the sandwiches, the bread smashed down with a handprint in the center of it. “Did you make this?”
“Yes,” Carmine said. “I can make a sandwich, you know.”
Smiling proudly, Haven thrust the second plate at her mama. “Eat.”
She took it, her hands shaking. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Carmine said. “You two sit down somewhere and eat.” Haven went to sit right where she was, but Carmine grabbed her arm. “You can’t sit somewhere less dirty?”
Ignoring him, she plopped down. “I’m already dirty.”
Carmine shook his head as a small dust cloud rose into the air. “Now you got me dirty.”
“Unless you plan to do your own laundry, I don’t see why you’re complaining.”
He laughed. “Because it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t complain. Enjoy your sandwiches. It’s the best I could do. You know I can’t cook, but I do love you.”
He kissed her before heading to the house as her mama finally sat down beside Haven. The frailty and exhaustion was still evident in her face, but she appeared at peace.