Carmella Commands
Carmella finished her work as the family dinner ended, and sat down to eat, though so consumed with anger and mortification that she had appetite for little. As she finished, Maria said:
“Now you shall wash dishes, Carmella, and Raffaela shall wipe, and Paola shall help to put them away.”
The three children set to work without reply, the two younger girls awed by the event of the morning. Not before had they seen Carmella so humbled. Once, when Maria was out of the room, she cuffed them both.
“You do that again and I’ll tell dad when he comes home tonight,” threatened Raffaela.
And thus a new restraint was thrown on Carmella. Hitherto both of them had endured her dominance.
Not until late in the afternoon did her wrath cool sufficiently to allow her to consider anew her vacation plans, and to consider Nicolo’s new phase. As an assistant to Mike Laudini he should have money—much money. Hitherto he had been able to ask her to the movies only infrequently. Sometimes, when she happened to have money and he did not, she had cheerfully paid the bills. But now, she felt, this would no longer be proper.
Nicolo Pieri, assistant to Mike Laudini, was a figure.
Carmella, looking swiftly ahead, saw him destined to be a social as well as a financial person of eminence. Mike conducted an intricate and highly confidential business, and it was a matter of common knowledge
[126]
