Lorenzo opened the door in front of him, it was Michael, Alessandro, and Francisco whom were all wearing formal attire with black ties, all with smiles on their faces to see their brother waiting for them by the door.
"Hey! How's it goin'?" Giovanni stood from his chair with both arms up to give his brothers and embracing hug and kiss on the cheek. Each of which greeted one another, slapping each other and calling each other by their nicknames, it was a while since they all have been together alone since last month's meeting. "Buonasera, fratelli. Come stai?" (Translation: "Good evening, brothers. How are you guys doing?")
Usually, the brothers saw each other if not daily, but hardly ever all together at once. There was: Michael (the second youngest at age 30) who was in charge of financial issues or business affairs, Alessandro (the third youngest at age 28) who was an attorney from Harvard and quiet a smooth talker, Lorenzo (the fourth youngest and considerably a dangerous and also Alessandro's fraternal twin who was younger by 5 minutes) who was in charge of foot-soldiers and men who "took care of business," and Francisco (The youngest who just turned 26 in August) who was in charge of keeping things in order as well as setting up parties and overseeing speakeasies and distilleries. Giovanni (at age 32) was in charge of everything, whenever there was a problem, Giovanni would deal with. If it were whackings needed to be done, it must be approved by Giovanni. If there were ever a purchase of a business or laundering of money, it must be approved by Giovanni. If there needed to be a meeting, it must be approved or set up by Giovanni. Any wars or other acts of violence against others outside the family, it must be approved by Giovanni. For Giovanni was a very organized and cautious man and was overall the leader of the Bracco family.
"Not bad big brother, I brought some good old Italian Wine so we could have something to drink while we talk." Said Alessandro, the youngest brother. In his hands was a bottle of a new Abruzzo wine.
"Bellissmo, come on fratelli, let's sit down and discuss what's on our minds." Giovanni brought his chair and chairs for others to sit on to the center of the room while Alessandro grabbed glasses. The five brothers were huddled loosely in a circle as Giovanni began as each glass was given to each brother.
"Well, as you all know my son began his first semester at Harvard." Giovanni first brought up, he was quite proud of his son and maybe one day when he does happen to have enough money to move and start a business so his son could take care of it and not participate in the dangerous gang Giovanni had started when he was his age. Away from violence and distraught as every father or mother would want better for their sons and daughters. The illegal business was supposed to be temporary but Giovanni realized he will probably do this for the rest of his life, at least his son would be all away from that.
"That kid's smart. I bet he'll do as good as his father when it comes to running the business." Said Francisco as he took a sip from the sweet wine.
The further conversations consisted about problems that were already dealt with but could be reviewed again just in case another similar incident happened in the future. Then it transitioned into conversation about problems which need to be resolved. It was nothing serious, first it was financial and then it was dealing with foot soldiers which they all had plans for doing. Nothing this month, only a re-mentioning of a mere goofball, hothead foot-soldier who didn't follow orders and got whacked and left in a ditch. There was not much to discuss this month, it was a good month for Giovanni. Hardly any violence, not like last month. While he concluded the meeting, the five brothers later transitioned to simple talk and humor about the next baseball game and how the Yankees were going to win because they had a sufficient number of Italian-Americans on their team and most importantly, Babe Ruth. After spending hours talking of business and family, it was getting late.
"Hey, it's getting late boys why don't we go to the Bewry downstairs, I would use for a drink and a wager on a couple of dollars." Francisco mentioned.
"I can't do it." Giovanni said, his brothers turned to him as they all got up from their chairs.
"Well, why not Johnny, come on." They all urged, like the little brothers they were except for Michael. It was something that became quite annoying to Giovanni, but Michael was never that type of "little brother." He was smarter than that.
"Nah fellas, I got some numbers to do. I'm gonna get ahead of things this month." Giovanni replied.
"Ah, come on Johnny, what's more important: numbers or family?" Francisco urged.
"If you mean keeping my family alive and in business by doing the numbers, then it's the numbers first." Giovanni said.
"This guy." Francisco laughed, lightly punching Giovanni on the shoulder with his boney knuckles.
"What the fuck do you think I am a joke? Don't fucking touch me." Giovanni raised his voice.
"Well, jeez louis, lighten up a little I was just askin'!" Francisco said, turning towards his brothers who were also laughing.
"Is something fucking funny Franny or would you like for me to smack that smile off your ugly face." His foot stomped on the floor. Hard. His brothers stopped laughing. "Look my eyes motherfucker, do you think I'm not serious? Is this the kind of fucking face who's joking you ugly, deranged fuck?" Giovanni's blood began to boil as a vein popped from his forehead, his eyes infuriated while he made Francisco scared, his smile quickly disappeared from his skinny little face.
"Oh. Gio- I." There was a quiet silence his face turning into a grieving concern, Francisco was shitting his pants while his brothers looked at Giovanni in a serious manner. Suddenly, he said. "Oh, you almost got me that time." as Francisco and Giovanni began to burst with laughter. "You motherfucker, you almost got me that time."
"This guy was shitting his pants!" Giovanni joked while he pointed at his younger brother. "B-b-b-b-but Giovanni!" He mocked and the room was roaring with light laughter. When it was time to go after they stopped joking, the four brothers hugged and said their goodbyes to Giovanni before leaving the office, except for Michael.
"One more thing before I leave, I gotta tell you somethin' Giovanni." Michael told Giovanni, he turned towards him as the three brothers walked out of the room pushing and shoving one another as if they were teens again getting ready to go on a first date. Michael closed the door behind them.
"With all of these investigations going on, I don't think we could buy every cop or FBI agent in the city and with the Russians and Scots starting to move in on business again, something doesn't add up. I don't know why, but I got a bad feeling about what's going to happen soon." Michael said.
"And what's that?" Giovanni asked.
"There's a war coming Giovanni, I don't know how or where Giovanni, but it's coming." Michael drank the rest of his glass before setting it down on a table next to him. Surly he was serious, never before did Michael use "Giovanni" in a sentence when he wasn't serious. Giovanni had a instinct to trust him even though it was just a "feeling" after all. but Giovanni sensed trouble and he always trusted his wise brother Michael as he normally would have taken it as a joke from anyone else he knew but with Michael having to tell him, Giovanni soon started to become worried about his own enterprise and the future of his family.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it." He added. "All of us will take care of it, I promise." Giovanni smiled, hugged and his brother, Michael, before Michael left to join his brothers downstairs, leaving Mr. Bracco to attend his calculations and financial issues, if there were any at all.
"I'll see ya tomorrow then, Johnny Boy." Michael finished, opening and closing the door behind him.