Blue Smoke Read Free Page A

father and I have worked every day for fifteen years to make Sirico’s a good place, an important place in this neighborhood. And my father and mother worked to build all that for more years than you can know. It hurts. But it’s not the family that burned, it’s a place. And we’ll rebuild it.”
    â€œBut what will we do?” Bella asked.
    â€œBe quiet, Isabella!” Fran ordered when her sister started to speak.
    â€œI mean, what do we do first?” Bella asked again.
    â€œWe have insurance.” Gibson looked down at his plate as if surprised to find food on it. But he picked up his fork, began to eat. “We’ll use it to rebuild or repair or whatever we need to do. We have savings. We won’t be poor,” he added with a stern look at his middle daughter. “But we’ll need to be careful, for as long as it takes. We’re not going to be able to go to the beach like we planned over Labor Day weekend. If the insurance isn’t enough, then we’ll have to go into our savings, or take out a loan.”
    â€œRemember this,” Bianca added. “The people who work for us have no job now, not until we can reopen. Some of them have families. We aren’t the only ones hurt by this.”
    â€œPete and Theresa and the baby,” Reena said. “They might not have any clothes or furniture or anything. We could give them some.”
    â€œGood, that’s a positive thing. Alexander, eat your eggs,” Bianca added.
    â€œI’d rather have Cocoa Puffs.”
    â€œWell, I’d rather have a mink coat and a diamond tiara. Eat. There’s going to be a lot of work to do. You’ll all do your part.”
    â€œNobody. Nobody,” Gibson added with a jab of his finger toward Xander, “goes inside until you have permission.”
    â€œPoppi,” Fran murmured. “We have to tell him.”
    â€œIt’s too early to call him with news like this.” Bianca pushed food around her plate. “I’ll call him soon, and my brothers.”
    â€œHow could it have happened? How can they tell how?” Bella asked.
    â€œI don’t know. It’s their job. Ours is to put it back together.” Gibson lifted his coffee cup. “And we will.”
    â€œThe door was open.”
    Gibson turned his gaze to Reena. “What?”
    â€œThe door, the front door, was open.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œI saw. I saw the door was open, and the lights—the fire in the window. Maybe Pete forgot to lock it.”
    This time it was Bianca’s hand that reached out and covered her husband’s. Before she could speak, the doorbell rang.
    â€œI’ll get it.” She rose. “I think it’s going to be a very long day. If anyone’s tired, they should try to sleep now.”
    â€œFinish eating,” Gibson ordered. “Take care of the dishes.”
    Fran rose as he did, came around the table to put her arms around him. At sixteen she was slim and graceful, with a femininity Reena recognized and envied.
    â€œIt’s going to be all right. We’ll make it even better than it was before.”
    â€œThat’s my girl. Counting on you. All of you,” he added. “Reena? Come with me a minute.”
    As they walked out of the kitchen together, they heard Bella’s irritated, “Saint Francesca.” Gibson merely sighed, then nudged Reena into the TV room. “Um, listen, baby, if you don’t feel well I can spring you from KP.”
    A part of her wanted to jump at the chance, but guilt was just a little heavier. “I’m okay.”
    â€œJust say something if you’re . . . not.”
    He gave her an absent pat, then wandered off toward the front of the house.
    She watched him. He always looked so tall to her, but now his shoulders were bowed. She wanted to do what Fran had done—say the right thing, put her arms around him, but it was too