Mermaid Pirate Dispatch

My lungs were empty. My scalp felt too tight. The lawyer’s words echoed in my chilled skull. “And to Peter, my oldest, I transfer all remaining obligations, commitments, liabilities, and debts held between myself and Giovanni Lombardi.” I knew that name well. Gio ran the largest casino ring in the country, a known money laundering front to hide the true, illicit sources of his massive wealth.

I looked over at my newly met brother and sister. With the reading of the will concluded, they were beaming while getting to know each other, making small talk and laughing about what on earth he was going to do with a yacht and whether she would be able to convince her husband to move out to the oceanside mansion or if she’d have to sell it.

It seemed my father had been something of a Johnny Appleseed, planting his children all across the country without sticking around to tend to them.

The lawyer was watching me expectantly. He knew I had questions, or perhaps he was making sure I didn’t run at the window and launch myself out of the fifth story room in which we had met. A study in one of my father’s mansions. A mansion that was not being passed on to his children.

I took a deep breath and got to my feet. The room was an office library, lined with leather-bound books and filled with plush cushions, luxurious carpet, and glossy stained cherry wood furnishings. The lawyer sat behind a massive desk with a large leather pad. Brass and gold accents flashed sunlight from the massive picture window into my eyes as I approached.

“I’m sure you have questions,” the lawyer said, his tone low and private.

I nodded.

He reached into a manila envelope and produced a wax sealed letter. “Take this to Giovanni’s flagship casino, the Midnight Goose. Show it to the doorman. Don’t open it.”

I stared at the letter. It was yellowed and worn with a dark red wax seal. He extended the letter a bit more and I took it, getting a better look at the seal. It depicted a long-necked goose with its wings spread wide, its chest puffed out and proud. I raised my eyes and looked back at the lawyer.

“Don’t open the letter,” he repeated sternly. “Just take it to the Midnight Goose and show it to the doorman. Those are your instructions.”

“What is the debt?” I asked. “How much?”

“Nobody knows,” the lawyer said. “I tried to ask your father, but he insisted it was immaterial to the drafting of the will or the reckoning of his net worth.” The lawyer sat back in the plush high-back leather chair and shrugged.

I looked down at the wax seal and sighed.

“Good luck,” the lawyer said, his voice and face full of sympathy.

---

Giovanni poured two glasses of whisky. The glasses looked like real crystal. Something about the way they caught the light made them sing. His entire office was opulent beyond anything I had ever seen. It made my father’s library study look like a prison cell.

I was sweating profusely. To my surprise, the doorman had been respectful when I showed him the letter. He had handed me off to a huge brute of a man who had escorted me to the massive gold doors that opened into this extravagant office and Giovanni himself had bid me inside to sit. Gio hadn’t gotten up from his desk or said another word since.

The giant tuxedo guard stood by my side. Gio made eye contact with the guard who nudged me and held out his huge hand. I looked up at him, nearly breaking my neck, and he jabbed his open hand toward me again. My gut jumped and I realized he wanted the letter. I handed it to him and he grunted, examining it briefly before taking half a giant step forward and delivering it to his boss. Gio turned the letter over in his chubby hands slowly. He had the plump roundness of Santa Claus without any of the rosiness or joy. But behind his clean shaven cheeks and stern eyes I hoped I could sense some softness. I just hoped he didn’t have a flare for cement shoes.

After a gut wrenching eternity he produced a golden letter opener shaped like a medieval sword and deftly popped the wax seal. Setting the small sword down he gingerly unfolded the letter and scanned it slowly. Eventually he leaned back and reached for one of the glasses of whiskey. He nodded at the other and the guard once again stepped forward, took the glass, and softly shoved it into my hand.

Gio lifted his glass into the air and took a sip.

The guard nudged me with his thigh. I nearly fumbled the glass into my lap but managed to get my lips on the rim before it spilled. The whiskey burned my throat. I coughed and tried to smile.

“Your father,” Gio began. His voice was soft and raspy, higher pitched than I had expected. “Your father had never wanted to do business with me.”

I swallowed, wondering if I could swallow my own tongue. It certainly felt like I might.

“But, he was a good man. He did good work.” He peered at me, his eyes darting up and down as though he was sizing me up, comparing me to my father.

“I never knew him,” I choked nervously.

Gio didn’t react at first, but eventually he shook his head. “That’s a shame,” he offered solemnly. “I place a high degree of importance on family.” He took another sip from his glass. “How do you feel about family, Peter?”

I gulped. I was 32 years old, divorced, and childless. I tried to smile. “I think family is important.”

Gio waited, cleared his throat.

“I wish I had grown up with a father,” I sighed. I took a deep breath and felt the cold, damp folds of my shirt in my swampy armpits as my chest moved.

Gio nodded subtly. “That’s good,” he said. He looked back down at the letter and sighed. “I liked your father, and it’s too bad he never got around to fulfilling his obligation to my family.” He pulled a monogrammed handkerchief from inside his suit coat and wiped a tear from his eye.

I shifted my weight, trying to hold in whatever nervous gas my churning stomach wanted to expel. My whole backside was drenched. I had debated for weeks about whether to come or not, but I decided showing up would mean more to a man like Giovanni than hiding. If I didn’t come on my own, surely they would have brought me in themselves. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the Lombardi family, and debts with Giovanni were always paid in the end, whether in gold or blood Gio didn’t care.

“Now he’s left his debt to you,” Gio said, setting down the letter and sitting up straight. Again he scanned me up and down. “That means you and I are going to get to know each other really well.” He sat back again and clasped his hands across his belly. He sighed. “You aren’t your father, but you’ll do.” He nodded at the guard who promptly grabbed me by the back of my shirt and lifted me clumsily to my feet.

“Wait,” I said, panicking, “I don’t have much money, and I don’t know how much he owed, but I’m sure we can work something out…”

Gio’s eyes widened. He looked at me blankly. After a moment he smiled and shook his head. “Bring her in,” he said, grinning.

The guard left me on my feet where I swayed with wobbly knees. My whole body was shaking. I didn’t know where to look. I glanced at Gio but he was looking past me. I turned to watch the guard who scowled disapprovingly at me as he opened the door. I looked back at Gio and to my surprise he got to his feet and clapped his hands together, smiling wide. When I looked back over my shoulder my whole body went rigid and I nearly fell over.

The most beautiful woman I had ever seen slipped elegantly into the room. The massive guard cracked a gentle smile and nodded at her as she glided past him. She wore a sparkling blue dress that flowed like a gentle waterfall in her wake. Her face glowed with happiness as she rounded the corner of Gio’s desk and embraced him. He was a good deal shorter than her, and she had to bend over to wrap her arms around his body. He kissed each of her cheeks and patted one with a stubby hand, gazing into her joyful eyes. Then he took her hands in his and looked over at me. “Isabella, my princess, this is Peter.” He nodded at me and the two of them looked at me together.

I staggered back and caught myself before falling into the chair. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I had never seen a more beautiful smile. Her eyes were bright and happy, her raven hair shiny and flowing, held back by a lovely pattern of braids. Her form-fitting dress swooped over perfect curves that pulled my eyes down along her form until I was sure her father would have me shot on the spot. I quickly looked back to him and swallowed hard, pulling my shoulders back and trying to stand with dignity.

“Daddy!” she exclaimed, her voice like singing angels. “Is this him? I thought he would be an old man!”

He looked up at her and smiled, giving her a little nod. “Peter, when your father refused payment for the work he did for me I suggested he marry my daughter as payment. But he refused that too. When I insisted he said that it could remain a debt between us. Now he has passed that debt on to you, and it is your obligation to marry my daughter.” He sat back in his chair.

Isabella looked to me expectantly, her eyes shining like stars.

My knees buckled and I fell into my seat. I realized I was breathing too fast. I wiped my forehead and pressed my palms into my eyes.

“Well,” Gio began. “What do you say? Will you also refuse?”

I stared at him and blinked, resisting the urge to gawk at his daughter.

He raised his eyebrows.

After a long moment during which my mind raced and my heart pounded out a million hard thumps, I smiled weakly and said, “I’ve always wanted a father.” I let my eyes jump briefly back to Isabella before looking down at my lap in shame.

Gio looked up at Isabella who smiled and clapped her hands together. My head spun wildly as she approached me. “Let’s eat lunch and get to know each other.” She extended a dainty hand.

“Welcome to the family,” Giovanni said.

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