Elizabeth Street - Laurie Fabiano [130]
“It was one of the clowns. He took the envelope,” Giovanna sputtered breathlessly.
“Zia, come, we must find a place to sit,” said Frances, alarmed at her stepmother’s breathing.
Rocco and Clement escorted Giovanna to a bench. They were silent; the only sound was Giovanna’s breath slowly returning to normal.
“Every clown was dressed the same. What made you think you would find him running like that! Besides, you risk her life if you follow them!” Rocco was both angry and worried.
“It wasn’t Leo. The clown was too short. But he could have led us to her…”
They sat in silence for a long time. “Let’s go home,” Rocco said, lifting Giovanna to her feet.
THIRTY-SEVEN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1909
Giovanna knew they wouldn’t be satisfied with what she had given them, but even though she expected the threat, it didn’t make it any less terrifying. The only positive sign was that they were once again given two weeks to get the money, but that meant two more weeks that Angelina was in their filthy hands.
Her heart was palpitating, and it set the baby to kicking. Everything was outside of her control, even the movements within her own body. Panic rose in her chest, and she bolted from her chair with nowhere to go. The walls of the tenement were closing in on her, and she had an inexplicable urge to get to the roof. She needed air; she needed the freedom her daughter and unborn baby didn’t have.
Opening the door to the hallway, she nearly knocked over Lucrezia.
“Giovanna! Where have you been? I came to check on you.”
Giovanna stared into Lucrezia’s face. Every muscle in her body wanted to relax, weeping into her arms. She wanted Lucrezia to hold her head, stroke it, and tell her what to do.
“Giovanna? Is something the matter?”
Giovanna froze.
“Let’s go inside your apartment. Come on, dear.”
The movement back inside and loss of eye contact with Lucrezia helped Giovanna to compose herself.
“I’m fine, Lucrezia. Just a little dizzy.”
“Lie down. I wonder if it’s your sugar.” Lucrezia went to her bag and withdrew all sorts of instruments and elixirs. Listening to Giovanna’s heart, she looked around and asked, “Where’s Angelina?”
Caught off guard, Giovanna answered, “I sent her to her grandparents.” Seeing Lucrezia’s perplexed face, she added, “I’ve been exhausted with this pregnancy.”
“But, Giovanna, so soon after the earthquake? There’s disease.”
“No, no. It’s nearly a year. They say it’s fine.”
Giovanna could tell that Lucrezia was skeptical either of the soundness of her decision or of her truthfulness.
“Your blood pressure is way up. Giovanna, why didn’t you call me? You’re not well.”
“It’s just a bad day, Lucrezia. Really. I overdid it watching these American festivities.”
“Lie back down.”
Giovanna obeyed, and Lucrezia propped pillows beneath her head. She then went to remove Giovanna’s shoes.
“No…” protested Giovanna, but it was too late. Lucrezia had seen her raw feet.
“Did you march in the parades? What on earth have you been doing? Giovanna, really, you know better! I don’t understand this at all.”
“It’s nothing. Stop fussing.”
“I’m surprised you’re so interested in all this nonsense.”
Giovanna remained silent.
“My husband says this Hudson-Fulton celebration is a ploy to get all the new immigrants interested in voting before the elections.”
“I doubt it. It would have been cheaper to pay everyone double what they normally do for voting. They even dressed the horses.”
Lucrezia laughed, relieved at a sign of her friend’s humor. “I didn’t see it, but I read in the paper that during the naval parade, Hudson’s boat, the Half Moon, rammed into Fulton’s Clermont.”
“On purpose?”
“They say it was an accident, but if you ask me, it was the ghosts of these two men’s egos at work. And they say women are jealous!”
Giovanna laughed a real laugh, and Lucrezia continued, encouraged.
“And did you hear what happened in Brooklyn?”
“No,” answered Giovanna, not at all surprised that Lucrezia had all this information.
“They lost thirty-five of the fifty-four floats that were supposed to be in the parade.”
“That