Omerta - Mario Puzo [56]
Now Rosie took fire. “What would you two guys know about a man like Valjean?” And that broke the brothers up. Rosie smiled her good-humored smile. “Which of you is staying tonight?” she asked.
She waited for the answer and finally said, “I don’t do three-somes. You have to take turns.”
“Who do you want to stay?” Franky asked.
“Don’t start that,” Rosie warned. “Or we’ll have a beautiful relationship like in the movies. No screwing. And I’d hate that,” she said, smiling to take the edge off. “I love you both.”
“I’ll go home tonight,” Franky said. He wanted her to know she didn’t have power over him.
Rosie kissed Franky good night and accompanied him to the door. She whispered, “I’ll be special tomorrow night.”
They had six days to spend together. Rosie had to work on her dissertation during the day, but she was available in the evenings.
One night the twins took her to a Knicks game at the Garden when the Lakers were in town, and they were delighted that she appreciated all the fine points of the game. Afterward they went to a fancy deli and Rosie told them that the next day, the day before Christmas Eve, she had to leave town for the week. The brothers had assumed she would spend Christmas with her family. But now they noticed that for the first time since they had known her, she looked a little depressed.
“No, I’m spending Christmas alone in a house my family owns upstate. I wanted to duck all that phony Christmas stuff, to just study and sort out my life.”
“So just cancel and spend Christmas with us,” Franky said. “We’ll change our flight back to L.A.”
“I can’t,” Rosie said. “I have to study, and that’s the best place.”
“All alone?” Stace asked.
Rosie ducked her head. “I’m such a dope,” she said.
“Why don’t we go up with you for just a few days?” Franky asked. “We’ll leave the day after Christmas.”
“Yeah,” Stace said, “we could use some peace and quiet.”
Rosie’s face was glowing. “Would you really?” she said happily. “That’s so great. We could go skiing on Christmas. There’s a resort just thirty minutes from the house. And I’ll cook a Christmas dinner.” She paused for a moment and then said unconvincingly, “But promise you’ll leave after Christmas; I really have to work.”
“We have to get back to L.A.,” Stace said. “We have a business to run.”
“God, I love you guys,” Rosie said.
Stace said casually, “Franky and me were talking. You know we’ve never been to Europe, and we thought when you’re finished with school this summer, we could all go together. You be our guide. Top of the line in everything. Just a couple of weeks. We could have a great time if you were with us.”
“Yeah,” Franky said. “We can’t go alone.” They all laughed.
“That is just a wonderful idea,” Rosie said. “I’ll show you London and Paris and Rome. And you will absolutely adore Venice. You may never leave. But hell, summer is a long time away, you guys. I know you, you’ll be chasing other women by then.”
“We want you,” Franky said almost angrily.
“I’ll be ready when I get the call,” Rosie said.
On the morning of December 23, Rosie pulled up to their hotel to pick up the twins. She was driving a huge Cadillac whose trunk held her big suitcases and a few gayly wrapped presents and still had room for their more modest ones.
Stace took the backseat and let Franky ride up front with Rosie. The radio was playing, and none of them talked for about an hour. That was what was great about Rosie.
While waiting for Rosie to pick them up, the brothers had had a conversation over breakfast. Stace could see Franky was uneasy with him, which was rare between the twins.
“Spit it out,” Stace said.
“Don’t take this wrong,” Franky said. “I’m not jealous or anything. But could you lay off Rosie while we’re up there?”
“Sure,” Stace said. “I’ll tell her I caught the clap in Vegas.”
Franky grinned and said, “You don’t have to go that far. I’d just like to try having her for myself. Otherwise, I’ll lay off and you can have her.”
“You’re a jerk,” Stace said. “You’ll ruin everything. Look, we didn’t