THE YOUNG SOPRANO PART 2--XXXIV (CONTINUED)
THE YOUNG SOPRANO
PART 2--XXXIV
By
J. BECK
2024
...
(CONTINUED)
XXXIV
A.J. stood in the hallway with Compagino & Jason Melfi outside the office listening to Francesca's sing "Ungrateful Heart".
"Who is singing with that beautiful voice?!" Jason asked A.J.
"That's my baby sister Franny singing!" (She sure has a Gift!) "Yes she does--She will be visiting schools later this summer to enroll in a music college after her 21st birthday in September! Of course Meadow wants her to go to Columbia U but I don't really care where? As long as she goes somewhere!"
Then simultaneously Hymie steps up to inform A.J. that he had locked the outside doors to the lobby. "But." (But?)
"But there is someone outside that arrived late from out of town who would like to pay his last respects to your Uncle." Hymie gestured towards the glass lobby doors where a very large tall bald headed man stood as a black mass in the shadows of his silhouette back-lit by the outdoor security lights. (Did he give you his name?)
"Yes. Dante Greco." (WHO?) "Dante Greco?"
"Yes. I heard you Hymie." At that moment Compagino grabbed A.J.'s jacket sleeve. "What Cork?" A.J. glares down at him. (Nothing.) Compagino released his grip on his arm.
"Yes.--Yes of course my good man--allow my late father's dear friend in Hymie!" A.J. can hear Cork groan as Hymie leaves them & Jason excused himself to leave out the opening lobby door. "We will be in Touch Jason."
Then A.J. watches the reactions of the remaining guest listening to Franny's song. Men & Women on both side's of the hallway were alerted to the late-comers untimely arrival. A.J. could initially deduct that the men were cautiously questioning amongst themselves as were all the older women & widows who recognized him. Whispering: "Where did he come from--Where has he been the past 10 years?"
But at that instant as Dante entered to nod Thank-you to Hymie he stepped forward without looking at anyone except A.J. who stood at the opposite end of the corridor as he signed the guest-book to view Corrado's open casket.
A.J. can see Kelli Aprile stand from her chair in the corner to rush out of the room covering her mouth before Franny finished sing her touching song. A.J. followed her out the rear-side door.
"KELLI.--WHAT'S WRONG?!"
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN A.J.?!--WHATS WRONG? REALLY?--EVERYTHING IS WRONG!--ITS ALL SO GODDAMN WRONG!"
A.J. takes a step towards her but she crosses her out stretched arms with both of her hands up backing herself into a corner. "DON'T A.J. DON'T TOUCH ME!" Kelli begged sobbing.
But A.J. ignored her & proceeded forward until he pinned her into the dark outside building corner.
"THIS IS WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO COME BACK HOME-IT MAKES ME SICK ANTHONY!--AND WHY DID THAT GIRL HAVE TO SING THAT DREADFUL FUCKING SONG JUST NOW INSIDE THERE?!"
Kelli begins beating A.J. in the chest in tight quarters as he pressed her backwards with his body weight allowing her take her frustrations out on him until she eventually tired herself & stopped. A.J. embraced her as she continued to cry in his arms as he pets her sweaty head & wipes her stringy hair away from her tear drenched face.
"This why I didn't want to come & make myself sick over it. I just can't handle it Anthony. I can't take it--I relive Daddy & Jackie Jr's deaths over & over with each passing of these old mobster bastards of our entwined past. I hate them all for bringing us up into this Life to love them only to bury them before their time--"Dying Well!" They call it?! CHRIST A.J."
"Then after we love them & bury them we are just suppose to act like we have forgotten all about them to continue living out our remaining lives of loving & burying others?! I CAN'T FORGET A.J.--I can't forget that the last time I seen your Uncle Junior alive he was singing that "Ungrateful Heart" song at my brother Jackie Jr's Funeral! I just can't fucking forget it Anthony."
And Kelli finished sobbing with her face buried in A.J.'s chest under his resting chin atop head in the sultry evening darkness.
...
(To Be Continued)
ALL
AI GENERATED IMAGES
CREATED BY
USING WORD PROMPTS
2024
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