“Mary, I’m so glad you’re fighting for Simon. It’s like we got Perry Mason on our side! Thank God!” Feet squeezed her tight, and Mary let him go as Simon reached her side.
“Mary, thanks for coming.” Simon gave her a big hug, then gestured behind him. “You remember my cousins, Amelia, Adriana, and Elisa from Rome? They’re the good-looking branch of the family, my Uncle Tullio’s daughters.”
“Of course, hello.” Mary shook the manicured hands of a bevy of beautiful dark-haired women, all about her age, with similarly lovely cheekbones that had to be in the Pensiera DNA.
“Mary, it’s wonderful to see you again,” Amelia said in perfect English. “Thank you so much for helping Simon and Rachel.”
“Mary, yes, thank you,” said Adriana and Elisa, almost in unison, looking so chic in lovely sundresses and color-coordinated sandals. Their makeup was perfect, and it struck Mary that, in a way, everybody in the lounge was putting on a brave face, but underneath their lipsticked smiles, they were all worried sick about Rachel.
“I’m happy to be able to help,” Mary told them, meaning it. She turned to Simon. “How’s Rachel today?”
“Luckily, a little better. She just fell asleep, so I figured I’d come out and say hello. Plus this gang needed discipline.” Simon winked. “I told them to keep it down to a low roar.”
Mary smiled. “Are you even allowed to have this many visitors?”
“The nurses are cutting me some slack, but everybody has to stay in here. Anything new with the case?”
“I would’ve emailed you but I wanted to tell you in person. I didn’t expect a crowd.” Mary looked around worriedly, but Simon leaned closer.
“Go ahead, what’s new?”
“So far, so good.” Mary lowered her voice. “I don’t want you to get too excited, but my partner Bennie agreed to go to OpenSpace and try to settle the case. She’s there right now.”
“That’s awesome.” Simon burst into a smile. “Do you think it will work?”
“It’s a long shot, especially this early. We haven’t even filed the suit papers. I drafted a complaint, and Bennie has it with her, so they know the facts. I’m hoping it will be persuasive enough that they counter-offer.”
“So you can settle before we even file the lawsuit? I didn’t know that. That’s wonderful.”
“Yes, but don’t get your hopes up.”
“But it’s a good start. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“No worries, fingers crossed.”
“But I wanted to say thank you.” Simon stepped back, raisinghis hands in the air. “Everybody, can I have your attention for a minute? Please, can everybody settle down?”
Mary didn’t get it. She hoped Simon wasn’t about to tell them about the settlement. “Simon, what I just told you is confidential—”
“I know that.” Simon waved her off with a smile, and everybody settled down, all the faces turning to him. “Folks, I’m not going to say this loud, so I hope you changed the batteries on your hearing aids.”
“WHAT?” Mary’s father said, and everybody laughed.
Simon smiled. “I just wanted to say I’m very grateful to all of you for coming today. I didn’t expect you, but here you are.” The crowd chuckled, nodding. “But then again, I never called my mother before I went to visit her, and she told me I didn’t have to. Family is family, and home is where they have to let you in.” Everybody chuckled again, and Mary swallowed hard, remembering Simon’s mother, who was a sweetheart.
Simon continued, “Anyway, I know you’re here because we love Rachel and we support her. I showed her that picture that I took of you this morning, and she loved it. I’m going to print it and put it above her bed, since you can’t go in there to see her yourself.”
The crowd reacted instantly, murmuring their approval with, “Aw thank you!” “That’s a great idea!” “That’s so sweet!”
Simon turned to Mary. “I especially want to thank you, Mary. You, Anthony, and your family have been so great to me for so long, and now you’re helping me get justice against my company.”
Mary felt her face flush, as heads turned. Everyone called out to her, thanked her, or grinned at her, which suffused her with happiness and gratitude, just to be here among them. Everybody was standing together behind Simon and Rachel—family, friends, and neighbors alike—which was the essence of South Philly. She knew there were similar communities carved outof cities and towns all across the country, maybe even the world, and she knew how lucky she was to be a member of one.
“So Mary, I wanted you to have this token of appreciation from me and my family.” Simon slipped a hand in his sport jacket and produced a small turquoise box, unmistakably from Tiffany’s, then presented it to Mary. “Please, take this, with thanks from the Pensieras and the Dragottis.”
“Simon, really?” Mary’s hands flew reflexively to her face. “You didn’t have to do that!”
“We’re happy to. You’ve been such a good friend all my life, to my father, Ellen, and Rachel too.” Simon’s eyes glistened, his upper lip trembling, but he kept it together.
