Крестный отец

           Hejustlivedwithus."

           "Oh,"Kaysaid,thenaskedcuriously,"whydidn’tyouadopthim?"

           Michaellaughed."BecausemyfathersaiditwouldbedisrespectfulforTomtochangehisname.Disrespectfultohisownparents."

           TheysawHagenshooSonnythroughtheFrenchdoorintotheDon’sofficeandthencrookafingeratAmerigoBonasera."Whydotheybotheryourfatherwithbusinessonadaylikethis?"Kayasked.

           Michaellaughedagain."BecausetheyknowthatbytraditionnoSiciliancanrefusearequestonhisdaughter’sweddingday.AndnoSicilianeverletsachancelikethatgoby."

           ***

           LucyManciniliftedherpinkgownoffthefloorandranupthesteps.SonnyCorleone’sheavyCupidface,redlyobscenewithwineylust,frightenedher,butshehadteasedhimforthepastweektojustthisend.Inhertwocollegeloveaffairsshehadfeltnothingandneitherofthemlastedmorethanaweek.Quarreling,hersecondloverhadmumbledsomethingaboutherbeing"toobigdownthere."Lucyhadunderstoodandfortherestoftheschooltermhadrefusedtogooutonanydates.

           Duringthesummer,preparingfortheweddingofherbestfriend,ConnieCorleone,LucyheardthewhisperedstoriesaboutSonny.OneSundayafternoonintheCorleonekitchen,Sonny’swifeSandragossipedfreely.Sandrawasacoarse,good-naturedwomanwhohadbeenborninItalybutbroughttoAmericaasasmallchild.Shewasstronglybuiltwithgreatbreastsandhadalreadybornethreechildreninfiveyearsofmarriage.