"Have you talked to Claudio about this?" I ask instead.
"He doesn't want to believe it either. He keeps making excuses for Papa. Says maybe the phone connection is bad in New York. Says maybe Papa is just stressed about the new job."
"But you don't believe that."
"No." Her voice is small. "I don't."
Neither do I.
"Nella, what do we do? If Papa is gambling again... if he's racking up more debt..." She trails off. "The Sartoris already owneverything. Our house. The business. Papa's accounts. What happens if he owes even more money?"
I don't have an answer for her.
"I'm going to ask Bruno," I say.
"What?"
"He must know where Papa is. What he's doing. The Sartoris are the ones who sent him to New York in the first place."
Gianna goes quiet for a moment. "You think he'll tell you?"
"I don't know." I push myself off the bed and start pacing. "But I have to try. If Papa is gambling again, Bruno would know. His family monitors everything."
"Claudio said he was going to ask someone from the Sartoris today too," Gianna says. "Maybe one of the brothers. Or that scary guy who came to our house."
"Nico?"
"I don't remember his name. The one who looked like he wanted to murder Papa."
That could be any of them, honestly.
"Good," I say. "If Claudio asks and I ask, maybe we'll get some answers."
"And if the answers are bad?"
I stop pacing. "Then we deal with it. Like we always do."
Gianna makes a sound that's half laugh, half sob. "I'm so tired of dealing with it, Nella. I'm so tired of Papa making messes and us having to clean them up."
"I know."
"It's not fair. And now he might be doing it all over again?"
"We don't know that for sure."
"But you think it's true. I can hear it in your voice."
I don't deny it.
"I'll call you later," I say instead. "After I talk to Bruno."
"Okay." She sniffles again. "Nella?"
"Yeah?"
"I miss you. I miss you so much it hurts."
My throat tightens. "I miss you too. I'll see you soon, okay? I promise."