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There was a fire in the hearth and eight inches of snow outside. Discarded wrapping paper littered the floor. Savory smells and the sound of Christmas carols floated in from the kitchen.
“I’ve never been able to stay put, although I’ve always found my way home.” Gino’s eyes lit up with infectious enthusiasm. “My mother used to call it the wanderlust. She always said I was restless, even in the womb.”
Darren sat cross-legged on the floor by the Christmas tree, his opened presents forgotten next to him. He stared up in awe at Gino sitting in an armchair. “Where all have you been?”
Gino waved an arm expansively. “Everywhere. I have a list of countries and I’ve hit almost every one.”
“Wow. How old are you?”
“Darren,” Desiree gasped from where she and Sarah sat together on the couch. She sat forward to smack him in the back of the head.
Darren jerked and pouted at Desiree. “What?”
“No offense taken really,” Gino said easily. His eyes twinkled. “I’m sixty-eight.”
Darren tilted his head to the side and regarded Gino curiously. “And you’re Dave’s uncle?”
Gino chuckled. “I was the child of my father’s old age from his marriage to his third wife. I was only twelve when Dave was born. He’s always been like my little brother.”
“Okay.” Darren rocked back and forth, never taking his eyes off Gino. “What’s your favorite country?”
Gino pursed his lips in thought. He shook his head. “I don’t think I have one. I’ve managed to have fun in just about all of them. The trick is to live like a local. I have a working knowledge of several languages and I always stay away from tourist traps.”
Sarah frowned. “Aren’t some of those places in Africa and the Middle East extremely unsafe?”
Gino shrugged that off. “It’s never as bad as the media make it out to be.”
“But have you ever been shot at?” Darren asked excitedly.
“Of course,” Gino answered as if it was of no consequence. “And I’ve had to shoot back.”
“Have you ever killed anybody?”
“Darren!” Desiree exclaimed and reached out to smack him again.
Gino gave her a calming smile. He sat forward and held Darren’s gaze. His voice was low yet compelling. “Yes, in self defense, and as your uncle or Dave would tell you, it’s never easy and you’re never the same. You always lose a piece of yourself. I hope you’re never put in that position. Do you understand?”
Darren nodded solemnly. “Yes.”
Gino grinned and took his glass of brandy from the coffee table. He sat back. He took a sip. He grunted in appreciation.
Desiree ruffled Darren’s hair and asked Gino, “How do you afford it?”
Darren let out a long suffering sigh but didn’t jerk away from his mother’s touch. “Mom,” he whined.
Desiree laughed. “I can’t help it. I love your hair.”
“Darren, let your mother have her fun.” Gino chuckled, watching them. “I have my own ways of making money. We should just leave it at that.”
Sarah smirked. “Oh, so it’s illegal.”
“But not something that can be proved,” Dave chimed in half seriously, joining them from the dining room. He took the third spot on the couch, next to Desiree. “And he never targets anyone who can’t afford it.”
“Does Mom need any help in the kitchen?” Desiree asked.
Dave shook his head quickly. “No. She and Derek have it covered.”
Desiree rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. “We’re not that bad.”
Darren laughed. “Yes you are, Mom.”
Desiree fixed him with a mock glare. “No comments from the peanut gallery.”
Sarah lightly nudged Desiree with her elbow. She smiled wryly. “To be honest, both of us are pretty hopeless in the kitchen. Our Christmas cookies turned into crispy critters again this year.”
“I suppose,” Desiree grudgingly allowed.
Darren turned his attention back to Gino. “What are some interesting Christmas traditions you’ve seen?”
Gino stroked his chin. “Let me see. I did spend one holiday with the Tswana tribes of the Kalahari.”
“Isn’t that a desert?” Darren squeaked.
“Not all of it.” Gino sighed. “Africa is a beautiful continent.” One end of his mouth quirked. “Although, I will admit that Bantu isn’t the easiest language to pick up.”
“And they celebrate Christmas there?”
“Yes. Missionaries have been going down there for hundreds of years. Christmas fits into the time of year where the local Headman slaughters an ox to share with his neighbors as a gesture of goodwill. It’s also a time of trading and marriage brokering.”
“What does that mean?”
“Arranged marriages,” Gino answered patiently. He grabbed his cane propped up next to the chair. He rose with practiced ease and patted his pockets with his free hand. “Now, I really must have a cigarette. I will go outside. I don’t want to provoke the wrath of the formidable, charming lady again, at least not yet.”
Darren scrambled to his feet, ran to the closet by the front door, and brought Gino’s coat back to him. He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, if I was annoying.”
Gino shook his head. “I don’t mind at all. We don’t learn if we don’t ask questions. One thing I’ve learned is to never stop learning.” He slipped his coat and hat on. “I think I shall go out to the back deck.”
Darren scooped up his new video games and turned to the adults left on the couch. “Anyone want to play Mortal Kombat?”
Desiree stood. She squeezed his shoulder and kissed his forehead. “No thanks. I’m gonna go see if I can help in the kitchen.”
Sarah laughed and rose to her feet. “I know where I’m not wanted. I’ll play with you, Darren, but I’m Rayden.”
Darren frowned and rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll freeze your ass as Sub Zero.” He led the way out but Dave could still hear him talking excitedly to Sarah. “Gino’s like the guy from the Dos Equis beer commercials.”
Sarah laughed louder. “Oh yeah. The Most Interesting Man in the World.”
Darren quoted some of the commercials. “If he were to punch you in the face, you would have to fight off the strong urge to thank him; He can speak French, in Russian; Even his enemies list him as their emergency contact.”
Sarah took a Mexican accent. “Stay thirsty, my friends.”
Dave covered his mouth and laughed. He had to wipe away the tears of amusement. He took a deep breath and stood. He went to stand by the tree. He looked out at snow covered streets and all the neighbors’ holiday decorations.
A few minutes later, Fran appeared at his side. She chuckled in exasperation. “I love my daughter, but Desiree needs to stay away from kitchen appliances.”
“I take it her offer to help didn’t go over well,” Dave replied dryly.
“I told her she can stay in the kitchen but she’s not allowed to touch anything,” Fran answered firmly.
“Thank you,” Dave said quietly. “We talk on a regular basis but this is the first I’ve seen of Gino in two years.”
“You’re welcome.” Fran slid her hands into her pockets and looked out the window. “Your uncle’s a very interesting man,” she said casually.
Dave didn’t take his eyes from the view but he grinned. “Whose been flirting with you since he arrived.”
Fran blushed. “No, he hasn’t.”
Dave snorted in amusement. “Then you’re as dense as you accuse Derek of being sometimes.”
Fran punched Dave’s arm. “I’m too old for men to flirt with me.”
Dave put an arm around her shoulders. “You’re never too old.”
Fran relaxed against him. “Maybe it’s just been so long that I forgot what it’s like.”
Dave rubbed her arm. “Gino used to take Adam and me to those sci-fi movies with the giant lizards or aliens and scare us stupid. Then at night, he would come and make sure there was nothing hiding in my closet or under my bed right before his date with the ticket taker.”
“Did you have to sleep with the light on?”
“Once or twice,” Dave admitted ruefully. “Gino’s always been so free and I wanted to be just like him.” He chuckled. “And Dad hated that. Dad was a responsible, straight laced guy and he never knew what to make of Gino. Gino was always Mama’s ne'er-do-well brother, but that never stopped him from laughing at Gino’s jokes.”
Fran bit her lip but forced herself to get the words out. “Has he ever been serious about a woman?”
“He may love to flirt but he’s always serious about women. He doesn’t allow himself to be tied down, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“He’s a heartbreaker.”
“That’s true,” Dave agreed. “But he never promises anything and anyone who really knows Gino knows that he’s like the wind.” He paused and turned to face Fran. “I also know that if you’re one of the people he really cares about, he’ll be there when you need him.”
Fran shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. Her voice was uncertain and annoyed at the same time. “I’m just not quite sure what to make of him. It’s been a very long time since I’ve thought about…I don’t know…dating.”
Dave gave her a squeeze. “Then don’t worry about the dating. Just concentrate on having fun.”
Meanwhile, Derek had caught Gino’s eye as Gino walked through the kitchen to the back door. He recognized the barely perceptible tilt of the head as a summons. He reminded Desiree to stay away from the food, grabbed his coat off one of the kitchen chairs, and followed Gino outside.
Derek brushed the snow off the railing of the deck. He leaned with the small of his back against it. He watched Gino’s steady hands as the older man rolled a cigarette. “Is this the talk?” he asked, trying to make it sound light, but his voice cracked in trepidation instead.
Gino took his time making the perfect cigarette. He held it under his nose to inhale the savory aroma before he stuck it in his lips. He produced an engraved silver lighter. A second later, he inhaled deeply. He exhaled the smoke with a pleased sigh. “What talk would that be?”
“Retribution if I hurt Dave.”
Gino took another deep drag. “I presume he told you about his wives.”
Derek nodded. “Yeah.”
“I never told Dave, but I confirmed the rumors about Angie’s father pushing her down the stairs. That is how she lost the baby,” Gino said blandly, as if he was talking about the weather. “I didn’t have near the connections I would develop later, but after the pictures of the councilman and his favorite call girl hit the tabloids, he never won another election. He would’ve lost his business if his wife hadn’t stood by him with her family’s fortune, but I know she kept him on a strict leash afterwards. She might as well have cut his balls off.”
Derek whistled quietly. “What did you do to wife number two?”
Gino flicked ash from the end of his cigarette. “I knew that would turn into a disaster. I’ve never met anyone less compatible with Davey than Liz, but they both thought they could make it work. I just hoped I was wrong.” His face hardened. “The bitch was really vindictive in the divorce and the judge gave her much more than she deserved. Too bad she lost a lot of it in questionable investments.”
Derek’s jaw dropped. “You cleaned her out?”
Gino bared his teeth and answered unrepentantly, “I wouldn’t have been able to if it wasn’t for her own greed and her new poor schmuck of a husband didn’t even bat an eyelash. Oh well. You can’t fix stupid.”
“What about Esther?”
Gino shrugged and took another puff. “I’m a fair man. There was nothing I could do to Esther. It was just an example of two friends who got married for all the wrong reasons. They parted well.”
“I won’t hurt him,” Derek whispered vehemently.
Gino held Derek’s gaze and, for once, there was no trace of merriment in his expression. The voice primarily used for flirting, joking, and storytelling took on a menacing tone that made Derek’s stomach clench. “I hope you don’t. I’ve been watching you two and he loves you more than he loved any of them. If you abuse that, you won’t be able to hide from me. Am I clear?”
Derek swallowed and couldn’t help feeling like a deer in headlights. “Crystal.”
Gino blinked and the tension in the atmosphere immediately melted away. The menace was gone and he was his old friendly self. He stepped on his cigarette butt. “I want to be clear that I don’t think you will, but I thought it fair to give you a warning.”
Derek laughed nervously. “I get it.”
Gino held his hand out. “Friends?”
Derek frowned in thought for a long moment before he smiled and took Gino’s hand. “Friends.”
“Now, let’s get back inside. This leg of mine hates the cold.”
Derek held the door for him. “What happened to it?”
Gino grinned. “Now, that’s a story for another time.”