New York - The Novel

attention his effort received.
    Two days after Christmas, however, Angelo said he felt unwell, and he rested during the remaining days that Salvatore was there.

    In the third week of January, when Salvatore next went out to see his parents, Teresa came over, she and her cousin arriving on bicycles. The visit was a big success. Teresa was polite and respectful to his parents. “You can see that she comes from good people,” his mother declared. Salvatore also noticed with pleasure how kind and gentle she was with Angelo. She sat quietly with Angelo and told him stories to make him laugh.
    Angelo was looking a little better and his cough was almost gone. But he was still very pale, and spent most of his day indoors, sitting in a big chair. He had obviously been active, though. On the table beside him, Salvatore saw a number of cuttings from the newspapers’ financial pages, some of them ringed in red pencil. There were also designs for a storefront for the local bakery. This was a commission that their father had arranged. They were only paying a little money, but Angelo seemed glad to have something to keep him occupied. When Teresa made a suggestion for an improvement to one of the designs, Angelo looked at the design very intently for a few moments and then said quietly, “No. That is not what I want,” and for a moment Teresa looked a little offended. But then she smiled and lightly remarked: “The patient knows what he wants.”
    After that, Angelo said he would make two drawings, one of her and one of her cousin, which he would give them to keep. This pleased both girls, and while this work was in progress, Salvatore went over to see Giuseppe. Then he and Teresa went for a walk to the seashore and back, while her cousin remained, keeping Angelo company. As they were walking together, Teresa told him she’d be coming into the city again soon.
    After the girls had gone, he found Angelo looking thoughtful.
    “Do you think I shall ever get married?” Angelo asked.
    “Of course you will,” said Salvatore.
    “Maybe.” Angelo looked uncertain. “I think you should marry Teresa, Salvatore,” he said suddenly. “As soon as you can.”
    “She’d have to agree first. And her parents.” Then he laughed. “Maybe you should marry her cousin.” But to his surprise, Angelo looked quite serious. “They are a good family,” he said quietly.
    A few minutes later, his mother said: “Don’t let Teresa get away, Toto. That’s the one for you.”
    “Maybe, Mama,” he said. But he still wondered what he could do to satisfy her family.

    It was two weeks later, on a Friday, that he returned from work to find a tall, thin man waiting for him. The fellow was in his fifties. His black coat was buttoned tightly up to his throat. He handed Salvatore his card.
    “I am a lawyer,” he explained. “I represent your late brother, Paolo Caruso. My firm is the executor of his estate. May we go inside?” When they were upstairs in his lodgings, the lawyer asked: “Were you familiar with your brother’s affairs?”
    “I didn’t even know where he’d been living,” Salvatore confessed with a shrug.
    “He’d moved,” said the lawyer. “We have his clothes, by the way. I still have to issue probate, but he has left the residue of his estate to you.”
    “To me? What about the rest of the family?”
    “His will is very clear. I will let you know as soon as everything is completed. Then you will need to come to my office so that we can complete the formalities.” He paused. “There is more than ten thousand dollars.”
    “Ten thousand? For me?”
    The lawyer gave him a faint smile. “In his will you are called ‘Salvatore Caruso, my brother and best friend.’ He wished you to have it all.”

    That Sunday, out at his parents’ house, Salvatore decided to say nothing. Perhaps it was superstition, but until he had the money in his hands, he did not wish to tempt the fates by speaking of it.
    He had already decided what to do with the money. Giuseppe was already set up. Their parents were looked after, and if anything more were needed, he could supply it. His sister Maria was married and not in need. Uncle Luigi had everything he wanted, and God knows what his investments were worth. So that just left Angelo. The money would help him look after his brother.
    The rightness of his decision was confirmed that very day.
    Teresa and her cousin had arrived again, and while her cousin sat with Angelo, Salvatore and