The Young Sopranos: Part 1 XIX--XXX
A.J. Soprano & a Black Cat
In the Cemetery
"I can Feel it in the Air,
Tonight--Oh Lord"
"I've been Waiting for this Moment
All my Life--OH LORD"
https://youtu.be/MN3x-kAbgFU?si=EPsYuHWg-3IUe0Xc
(PHIL COLLINS: FACE VALUE--1981)
A.J. Soprano & a Black Cat
At his Late Mob Boss Father
Tony Soprano's Grave
Ten Years After
XIX
A.J. is sitting behind the office desk with both feet kicked up as his father use to sit there when the guys came in. "Close the door!--Cork stand up against it." (What is it A.J.?)
Do you Boys still want to be "Made Men?" (What kind of question is that? Of course we fucking do T!)
Well, I have our "Golden-Ticket," Right here!" A.J. holds up the folded piece of paper between his two fingers to show them. (Fuck Yea!)
"Come on then, Lets do This Thing!" Leaving, A.J. left first in his car while Geno & Jake get into the car with Cork to pull off.
XIX
A half hour later, & Satriale's had cleared out. Cork pulled up in a different car in front of the Pork Market. Where Paulie Walnuts was sitting alone wearing a bathrobe & slippers tanning his face, by holding up a reflective foil-board under his chin. Geno & Jake exit the parked car & walked up on both side's of Paulie's chair at the sidewalk table. "What do you Punks want?" Paulie asked without opening his eyes.
Geno says, "We came to give you a Ride!" (Ride, I'm not going Anywhere) "Oh, Yes you are Paulie!" & He feels a pistol-barrel at his head. Opening his eyes big, looking up at both of them as they lift him up out of his chair to his slipper feet. "Go get into the car Mad Man! Or We will blow your crazy fucking ass away right here!" (OK--Take it Easy--I'm Going--I'm Going)) "Cuff Him!" (Is that really Necessary?) "Yes, Now Get In!--Drive."
Meadow was traveling down the Freeway & she passed A.J. taking the Cemetery Exit. Not recognizing her new leased car when she honked & waved. So Meadow turned around at the next exit to double-back & see what A.J. was doing? But when she pulled up she found two empty parked cars. (Cork was laying backed with his driver-seat reclined where he couldn't be seen.) Meadow pulled down farther the drive before parking. She got out to investigate, assuming A.J. was visiting their father's grave. She didn't want to interrupt his privacy nor his "Peace." But Meadow just wanted to make sure he wasn't upset either. But she wasn't prepared for what she seen.
Meadow, being unannounced, silently watched from behind a large tombstone. She seen A.J. walk out carrying & petting a black cat in front of their late father's gravestone where Geno & Jake escorted Paulie Walnuts up wearing a dirty bathrobe & slippers with his wrist hand-cuffed behind his back.
"What is this all about A.J.?--What are you doing with that Cat?" (Shut-Up Crazy Man!) Geno pokes his gun into Paulie's bathrobed ribs.
Have you ever seen my father's grave-stone Paulie? Of your old friend & dead BOSS' before this?--(No.)
I know I didn't see you at his Funeral almost ten year ago?" (You know I couldn't come with all the Feds swarming around the grave-yard?)
I wanted to bring you here for my father to see just what an embrassment & disgrace you have become to "Our Life." (You know this is just a gimmick to beat a bum-rap like "The Chin.) "You are No Chin Paulie--You are a Back-Stabbing Liar!" (HEY!)
"Isn't it Ironic? How you accused my father of being incompetent to be the Boss because he went to see a SHRINK before you had him WHACKED?!--And look at you standing here like some Crazy Man." (I didn't kill your father A.J. & I am not Crazy!) "I don't believe you Paulie.--How about you Boys? Do you believe him?"
"Fuck No, A.J.--I don't believe Him!" Geno pokes him with his pistol again. (No--I don't fucking believe him either T." Jake added) As Paulie looked back over his shoulders at them, shocked by what was happening.
"Wait a Minute--Listen." (What?) "What's your Price?--Everybody has their Price! (For What?) You don't have to kill me, I have money--I can pay all of you off!" (I don't think you have enough money on you in your soiled bathrobe?) "I have money, alot of money I can pay you for not killing me?" (Where?) "I can't tell you that or you will kill me & have it too!" (I will kill you if you don't tell me) "It's at my house." (Where?) In a floor safe under the dresser in the bedroom." (What's the safe-combination?) "It's written on the back of a picture in the bedroom." (Which picture, of what?) "I don't know what it is of but there is only one picture on the bedroom walls."
"What if we find the safe empty? (You Won't! It's full of Cash!) A.J. turns & looks at his father's gravestone & Asked, "What's that Dad? SSSSH--Listen! What did you say? Paulie is a Liar?" A.J. peers up at Paulie who was trembling as he is shaming & making a mockery of him & his "Crazy" Gimmick.
What do you Boys say? Do you believe him? (Jake says I don't know A.J.?)--(Fuck, No. A.J.--I don't believe this babbling Fool--There's no safe or money! I say We "WHACK" Him, Right Here--Right Now! First, he's lying about being crazy. Then he's lying about killing your Dad & Boss. & Now he is lying about some make believe money that he doesn't have.)
Paulie is beginning to panic as he listened, staring at he black cat with big eyes which A.J. continued petting as he slowly approached him closer. "You know what fellas? I think I believe him!--Jake, Unlock his Hand-cuffs." Paulie stood sulking & glaring back at Geno & Jake rubbing his red wrist. (You didn't have to lock them bracelets down so tight)
A.J. turns his ear to his father's gravestone saying, "What's that Dad?--Ask Paulie if he can see the Madonna now?"
A.J. stepped up closer to Paulie still holding the black cat. "I have something to show you!" He takes his cell-phone out & holds it up in Paulie's face to play a video with the song: "Don't Stop Believing"--"This is a home-made video I made the last time I seen my Dad alive.
We were at Holstein's Resturant . Our family was meeting there for dinner & their signature onion rings days before my 21st birthday. I was sitting beside my mother across the table from my Dad when Meadow arrived late, trying to parralel-park her car on the street & He looked up to smile at his "Little Angel," when we heard the inside door-bell ring.
Then suddenly, a stranger exited the MEN'S Room behind us & "BANG--BANG--BANG." He POPS my Oldman in the head three times. As you can see from this Homemade Family Movie I made sitting across from him in the booth; Until I dropped my phone under the table to shield my mother from the gun-fire & the screen goes Black.
My father was murdered at point blank before his Family's very eyes. Then the shooter drops the weapon & calmly walks out of the crowded diner of terror & screaming with his back to all of us except Meadow who stood frozen inside the front door staring in Shock."
"Say Hello to the Oldman for me Paulie!"
A.J. had made an audio & video recording of the entire exchange & execution. He had arrived before them to the cemetery; (After stopping to buy the black cat at a pet store) to set up a video recorder on a tri-pod standing amongest the cemetery stones focased upon his father's grave. (With a remote control in his jacket pocket for him to control it)
Then (Click--Click) A.J. snapped pictures of his "Bitter Revenge," of Paulie Walnut's Blank--Far away eyes with his cell-phone camera for his Scrap-Book.
A.J. dropped the pistol (Click--Click) Then the three young men walk off together & left Paulie laying dead in a pool of warm blood & the smell of the gunsmoke haze lingering in the air of the cemetery.
"One Down; Two to Go!" A.J. retrieves his tri-pod stand & camera as they get into two cars to leave & drove out past Meadow's parked, leased car not recognizing it as her's.
Meadow comes out from her hiding place to get a closer look for herself. "You Bastard." When she felt something brush lightly up against her leg like her father's hand from the grave. Startling her, Meadow finds A.J.'s black cat prop purring about her feet.
"What's your Name?" She asked as she picked it up & carried it back to her parked car to leave the cemetery crime scene.
(Untitled Painting by Marlene Prete)
"Bullets are the Beauty
In the Blistering Sky--Bullets are the Beauty
& I don't Know Why?"
BULLETS
By ARCHIVE Band
https://youtu.be/Miauv10Xpa8?si=GmWZyN-PmvwRyIgv
XX
An hour later, A.J. parked & left his car outside of Satriale's. Then he jumped into Cork's car with Geno & Jake. They drove through Benny Fazio's neighborhood, past his house & his vehicle wasn't there. But sure enough they found this car parked around the corner from his mistress's house only a couple blocks away. A.J. told Geno, take the lead. Jake & A.J. would back him up while Cork, would wait behind at the car for them to return while going through Benny's parked car.
The three men entered the house from the back door finding it unlocked. Geno leads the way with his pistol drawn. Jake is behind him & A.J. is following them video-recording it with his phone from behind as Geno kicks in the bedroom door where they could hear loud sex sounds coming from inside.
Geno went in first with his gun ablaze as Martina was atop Benny, riding him & begging him to give it to her deeper! Benny tosses her off him, off the bed onto the wooden floor to reach for his gun hanging with his pants & jacket on the chair beside the bed. But "Dead-Eye" Geno Plugged him between the eyes as his reaching hand fell short & Martina was screaming uncontrolablely, scrabbling naked on the floor pulling for a bed-sheet. "SHUT UP YOU THIEVING WHORE!" Geno yells & POPS her with a single cap between the eyes. The bullets impact knocked her naked body backwards against the bloody, brain-splattered wall behind her as the small room fell silent. Momentarily, until Geno & Jake both unload their guns into both their naked, fallen bodies; Benny's hanging half-way off the blood-sprayed bed & Martina's laying on the floor.
(Click--Click) Then they dropped both of their empty guns on the floor in front of Benny's naked, lifeless, bullet riddled body.
A.J. goes through Benny's pants & finds his fat-wallet, a large money roll & a ring of keys. A.J. found a second gun, a .38 in his jacket with his unnlocked cell-phone. Then he lifted Benny's .357 hoilster from the back of the chair to hang over his shoulder.
A.J. sees that Benny had taken his wedding ring off & set it on the bed-stand before having sex with his moll, Martina. (Click--Click) Martina, (An immigrant) was a dish-washer, then a waitress at Nuovo Vesuvio & She began scamming Arty's restrurant by stealing customer's credit-card numbers & selling them to Benny. Until they were found out & she was fired. The two remained as partners in Crime & became Lovers. Benny made Martina his Moll & Whore.
As the three men departed the house the same way they entered, A.J. noticed two large suit-case beside the back-door. "Grab those!" A.J. instructed , holding the door open for them. (What the Hell is in these?--They're heavy as FUCK!) "Come on Boys--I told you we would be doing some "Heavy Lifting," Tonight!" Laughing, A.J. says, "Nice work Fellas!"
They made their get away successfully without any witnesses. Cork had found two more suitcases in Benny's car trunk after be busted out the front-passenger window to access the vehicle & release the trunk-lid. (Two Down--One to Go!)
"What about Paulie Walnut's house-safe?" (We will take care of it after we finish our Work at hand now!) "Gotcha Boss!" (Don't Call me That!)
Next, they drove across Jersey City to pay a visit to the Aprile Garbage-Hauler's Garage. "It's your Turn Jake--Let's use Benny's guns to pull this Trick!!" Geno & A.J. followed Jake in as back-up while making a video-recording of it on A.J.'s cell-phone. Jake kicked in the office door to find it empty, when they heard a toliet flushing from the restroom.
Waiting quietly outside in the office for their target to come out. A.J. found three bulging-full bank-deposit money bags with account numbers & Counted Cash Recipts on the desk. Then a Bonus, there was an open wall-safe with bundles of wrapped cash that he loaded into his jacket pockets.
Then the toliet flushed a second time, "Fuck This!" Jake said & kicked open the restroom door, firing with Geno following him. Once the gun-fire finished Jake & Geno came staggering out dropping their guns gagging.
"Goddamn it--It smells like that poor fucker died twice in there!" A.J. plugged his nose to enter the hazy shot-up restroom to take a picture (Click-Click) of the third dead man laying with his head in the toilet-bowl next to a floating turd-log of shit. (Making 3 of 3)
When they left Jersey City they drove past Paulie Walnut's dark empty house where there was police tape strung all the way around it from the FEDS serving a Search-Warrent. The turn on the local radio news to hear if any of the bodies had been discovered yet. After they had committed three murders in 2 hours across town.
Returning to Satriales afterwards to get A.J.'s car to meet back at T-Storage once they all went home to shower & put on clean clothes. (& Scrubbed their hands & under their finger-nails for any possible gun-smoke residue left behind. Although, they had all wore gloves to avoid finger-prints left on their dropped murder weapons at the three crime-spree scenes. & Put their dirty--blood-splattered clothes into plastic trash-bags to throw away.
XXI
A.J. texted Butch, "DONE." Then his Aunt Janice called back to invite him to come to house at 9PM with the others to meet Butch there.
They arrived in A.J.'s car, after stashing Cork's stolen get-away car they used for the crimes; At Janice's house in the suburbs exactly at the appointed time. Janice was putting Nica to bed & Bobby was sitting at the kitchen table eating his warmed up dinner after working late on a construction site. "Hey A.J.!" (Hey Bobby!")
Then they hear "A.J.!" & Nica came running down the hallway from her bedroom with her mother following her. Nica jumps up into A.J.'s arms & wraps her's arms around his neck to kiss him on the mouth! "Hey Baby Bing!" (Making a frowning face she says, "Don't call me that--That's Meadow's nickname--Not mine!")
"You will always be our Baby Bing, Princess!" & Kisses her back to hand her over to Janice who stood watching with her hands on her broad hips smiling.
"Butch is downstairs in the basement playing cards!" Then she kissed A.J. saying how proud she was of him. (Why Mommy?) "Because, look at him, he's all grown up & such a handsome young man!" (Nica smiled in agreement as A.J. leads the others downstair. "Later Bobby!--(Later T.")
Downstairs in the basement they found Butch sitting at a poker table with Geno's Dad, Carlo & Jake's father, Patsi with the Yankees' game on in the background. No one asked who was winning when Butch turned it off using the TV remote.
The three young third generation of American Italian Associates came as Princes & would leave as Made Men of Cosa Nostra & the Oath of Omerta.
After having each their fingers pricked to seal their Oaths of Silence: OMERTA. By the trickling of their own blood on a Sacred Saint's Card & To hold in the palm of their hands until it was consumed into ashes as they would be if they ever forsaken their Friends & their "Vows of Silence," they held in their open hands. Being lit with fire by Butch from a candle using the same folded paper list of the Work they performed earlier; "Making their Bones."--& Proving themselves worthy to be, MADE. "Men of Honor."
While Carlo, Patsi & Cork stood there across the table from them as their witnesses with Butch. Upon Finishing, with full hugs & kisses, Butch poured them each a drink & gave them a cigar as they shaked hands, welcoming the three new members to "The Family," (& "The Life.")
A.J. felt a Bitter-Sweet Satisfaction by not having his father there as his fellow Wise-Guys had their's present for the ceromony. But that was why Butch decided to "Make," them at A.J.'s Aunt Janice's house, since she was the late Boss, Tony Soprano's sister.
A.J. & their Crew returned to T-Storage afterwards to celebrate more & to count & divide their spoils they had taken from the Work they accomplished flawlessly earlier, Equally.
It was a pile of cash that Cork counted out. Minus the four suitcases left in the trunk of the stashed get away care. They had over 100K$ between Benny's pocket money & the Garbage Truck money-bags. They recieved 20K$ apiece. After deducting Butch's 20% "Kick-Up." Which was 5K$ each for a total of 20K$.
A.J. called Roxanne & told her they were going to Atlanic City to get a Casino Hotel room to celebrate & party. Cork was bringing Suzy Q & A.J. told Roxy to bring Rhiannon & Rhonda with her.
XXII
Meanwhile back at Meadow's trashed apartment, she hears the door-bell ring when she was cleaning up the over-due mess left behind by her home-invassion.
It is Stella who was disappointed to hear from her message machine that Meadow had decided to return Home after staying at her house the past two weeks. "Well, if your mind is made up?--That settles it Muffy!" (Settles What Stella?) " You will see, are you ready for another ride on the back of my "Crotch-Rocket without the training-wheels this time?" She asked smiling, wearing black leather pants, jacket & boots. (Have I any choice?)
"No. I brought a second helmet for you--Come On!"
"Whose Cat?" Stella asked as they left & Meadow locked her apartment door behind them.
"I don't know.--It just followed me home." (What's his Name?) "He is a She & I named her "OMERTA."
(OATH OF SILENCE ?)
"Yes. You still amaze me sometimes Sting!" (Why? Because I knew that? & Didn't go to college like you Muff?) "No. Because we are so much alike & I feel connected to you!" (That's becuase we are both, alike & connected. Silly!--Forevermore.)
Stella Brewster's
Crotch-Rocket Motorcycle
As they stood beside Sting's parked motorcycle putting their helmets on she told Meadow, "Whatever you do? Hold On For Dear Life--& Don't let go--No Matter What. Even if you have to grab on to my Tits--Just don't let go!" Sting winks at her. (OK.)
Stella pops a Wheelie immediately leaving the parking lot for the freeway. They traveled 10 miles sliding in & out of slower traffic until they came to a huge "Gun & Ammo," bill-board beside the highway saying: AT THE NEXT EXIT. "Here we are Muffy!" (What?--Why?) "Wait & See!"
Inside was wall to wall Gun Racks & Glass-Show Cases. Stella picked out a Blue-Smoky Steel barreled .357 for Meadow. "Here!-- How's that Feel in your Hand?" (HEAVY!)
"Yes it is but you'll get use to it after a 100 rounds.--Just grab it Firmly like a big Cock!" she giggled. Stella leads Meadow inside the Gun Shop's Indoor Firing Range to Target Practice. "You can come here anytime you want Muff, it's open 24 hours a day to buy ammo & practice."
They shared the same stall & took turns firing 10 rounds apiece to allow their weapons to cool in between turns. Meadow began getting a grip on her firearm after all of her shots were flying high over the targets from the powerful kick-back.
"Keep it pulled down Muffy--Breath & Squeeze gently, don't get all herky-jerky." Stella instructed her. Then she handed Meadow a second pistol, a 9mm. & Meadow began hitting the target everytime being a smaller calibar gun.
"Just Aim & Squeeze Girl--That's it!--You got it!" as Meadow unloaded the weapon into the target.
Stella Brewster takes Meadow to purchase & train her how to safely use a Firearm at an Indoor Shooting Range so she can defend herself
Stella told Meadow if she was going to stay at her apartment alone she wanted to know that Meadow could protect & defend herself against an invader after the Break-in of her apartment & car. (Which still remained Unsolved.) She instructed Meadow to carry the 9mm in her purse at all times (& to lock it in her car's glove-box when she visited the Precinct or the Courthouse.) & Then keep the .357 inside her apartment in plain view since she lived alone.
Meadow hugged & kissed Stella & Thanked her for caring & being concerned for her safety & welfare. As they put on their motorcycle helmets Sting's Pager went off--She was on Call. Meadow was in for the ride of life hanging on behind Stella returning back to Dumbo, reponding to the Beeper!
XXIII
After two nights & one day of celebration & partying at the Altantic City Casino Hotel with their Molls before A.J. & his crew resurfaced as newly Made-Men.
Butch entered Satriale's office to speak privately with a folded newspaper with the Latest Murder Spree Headlines. "You & your crew have proven yourselves & impressed US with your effiencey & creativity by whacking your father's murderer, Paulie Walnut in the cemetery before the late Boss, Tony Soprano's blood-splattered gravestone."
"An Unidentified man wearing a bathrobe & slippers was found left for dead in a pool of blood, his body was pumped full of bullet-holes & his throat cut!" (Throat Cut?) A.J. read from the newspaper. (Click--Click)
Butch told A.J. that since he Whacked Paulie, he only felt that he deserved to be promoted to replace him as the Capo over what was left of the Aprile Family with his crew of Cork, Geno & Jake. Butch told A.J. that he would back him up as long as he was restoring the Aprile Family to their former glory as "Big Earners." Butch explained to A.J. that he had already spoke with Carlo & He agreed to it & would afford them his support & assistance. A.J. shakes Butch's hand & assures him that he wouldn't disappoint him. (I know. You won't.)
Then Butch revealed to A.J. that two days prior the Feds had served a search warrent at Paulie's house the day he was Clipped. His body was still unidentified since he wasn't carrying a wallet & identifacation. He also had all of his teeth pulled for no dental records & He had his finger-prints removed with acid-treatment decades before. Butch told A.J. I want his house "Torched" to the ground before the Feds return to it after they determine who his corpse was. "Can you do that for Us, A.J.?"
(IT'S DONE.--Butch.)
"Good Man."
"BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE"
https://youtu.be/Lotl7IdXfcM?si=9sP0GBlCawGlBgIl
(Talking Heads--1983)
XXIV
Cork rolls their car to a stop at the curb outside of Paulie Walnut's dark house wrapped in yellow CAUTION--POLICE tape. A.J. gave everyone their instructions on their way there so they could hit the ground moving as soon as Cork parked the car & released the trunk-lid.
Cork would remain in the car as the get away driver & watch-out. He should blow the car-horn once if anything unexpected happened or developed. A.J, Geno & Jake got out & each carried four gallons of gasoline in milk-jugs, with two in each hand up to the back-door. Jake would remain outside as their look-out & was to station six of the gallons of gas around the outside of the house behind the scrubs & at each door.
Before Geno kicked in the back-door so A.J. & he could enter the house; He says, "How much you want to bet that if there is even a safe, it will be empty?" (I am taking that bet now Geno!) & They went strait-way to the bedroom where only one picture hung on the wall. (Of a Framed: Christopher Columbus)
A.J. retrieves the picture while Geno moves the heavy old dresser brought over by Paulie's parents from Italy over one hundred years before. Geno stomped flat down on the wide-planked wood floor to find the false space benenth hiding a large safe. Geno removed the wood planks for A.J. to read the safe combination off the back of the framed picture with a small flashlight.
Geno turned the handle & cracked it opened on the first try. "JACK-POT!" (Looks like you Lost the Bet Geno--So does that mean I get your share of it now?) "No, we didn't shake on it!" They laughed together filling two plastic garbage bags full with the money. They then left the empty safe-door open to appear as robbery & arson when they were all finished.
Geno took the two bags of cash out to put in the car-truck while Jake entered the house carrying jugs of gasoline to station inside each room. & He cracked open the windows & doors. A.J. stood at the refrigerator & handed Jake a box with loaves of Italian Bread & Rolls of Salami stacked atop a crate of imported wine.
A.J. stopped to turn on all of the stove & oven burners on to release natural-gas into the air before carrying out Paulie's heavy, over-sized jewelery-box of gold-chains & bracelets & a briefcase with the framed picture of Christpher Columbus inside to hang up at Satriale's.
As the three men got inside the four-door vehicle. A.J. sat up front with Cork, starting the motor. A.J. tells Geno sitting in the back with Jake that there is a 12 gauge shotgun-pump loaded with 2 lead-slug shells behind him; Across the back of the car's rear window.
"I want you to hang that long, gas-pipe barrel out your back-seat window as Cork slowly pulls away. & Blast that first milk-jug of gasoline on the back-door step. Then fire a second shot at the plastic jug at the front door as we drive past! & Don't miss either! (I won't Boss!) "Don't call me that--You only have two shells. I want to hear two explosions, then drop the shot-gun out the window so we can get the Hell out of Here!"
Sure enough, "Dead-Eye" Geno blasted the first jug--BOOM! & Then the second--BOOM! (Click--Click) & They watched out the rear-view window as Paulie Walnut's house exploded into flames behind them making their undetected get away, disappearing into the night's darkness with (Only) $200K. (Which would net each of them $40K after kicking-up 20%)
"Officer Brewster?" (Yes?) My name is Agent Grasso--FBI. Can I have a word with you in private, Officer Brewster?--I should Congradulate you first! (For What?) For Winning your last Fight & a Title Shot--STING!"
A.J. awakes the next day & decides to go pay a visit to Benny's newly-made Widow-wife Jeni Fazio at their family home.
A.J. stopped & got a fresh hair-cut & shave on the way. He took her an envelope with $20K (From her dead husband's wallet) to appear as Christain-Charity.
A.J. wanted to win her over to get inside her house to find more of Benny's stashed loot & drugs that maybe hidden there?
Which he would effortlessly succeeded in doing & more. Jeni Fazio felt alone & abandoned & A.J. appeared on the scene as her Hero in bright, shining armor although unknown to her that he was responsible & involved in her late Mob husband's demize.
JENNIFER "JENI" FAZIO
Widow of
Murdered Benny Fazio
(Shot to Death in Bed with his Comare)
Jeni brokedown in tears for his kind & caring gesture saying no one had called or came to pay their condolences after Benny's murder except for him. Then she collapsed into his arms. A.J. carries her over to the sofa & went to get a cold damp cloth to wipe her face. He goes to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom & found it loaded to over-flowing with presciption drugs & found her some nerve medicine.
Jeni sits up and locks her arms around his neck sobbing. "I am so alone & frightened Anthony--Don't leave me!"
"Why Jeni? You have nothing to Fear from anyone?"
"Benny had alot of Bad Friends & Associates. In fact he had more enemies then friends. (Just like Arty--He hated Benny & His Whore Martina!) It is embrassing enough that they were discovered dead & naked together. But whoever did it?--I'm glad they killed that Immigrant Bitch along with him too! I couldn't live facing her & the shame she has brought me & my family.
A.J. assured Jeni she & her children would be safe under his protection. "You'd do that for Us, for Me?" (Most certainly I will do that for you Jeni!)
"Can I show you something? It's upstairs, in the guest bedroom, in the walk-in closet." (What is it Jen?) "I don't know--& I don't want to know Anthony!" She points at four locked suitcases. "Can you get them out of my house & do whatever you want to do with them?--There are two more in both closets at the front & back doors.--Plus, I know there is more in the basement & garage. Someone could come at anytime for them with no regard to me or my children when Benny's identity is released."
A.J. could see that she was seriously frightened & distressed. "Where are your children?" (They are safe, staying with my parents outside of Jersey.) "So lets get you safely out of Jersey too. First we will get you a hotel room under a different name over in the NYC. Then I will return to remove these things for you." (Oh Anthony) "Come on now. You don't need anything besides your purse, we can get you new clothes & personal idems once you are safe! (Oh Thank You A.J. I am endebted to you for the rest of my life for this.) "It is my Honor & Duty to do it for you & your children Jeni. It's not fair to them as it wasn't for any of us. None of us asked to be born into "The Life."
A.J. calls Cork at T-Storage telling him to have Geno & Jake to come with a couple Lumpers & a large UHAUL truck & back it up to FAZIO'S house's front door. He wanted the whole house emptied of all the furniture & applicances to be taken to a T-Storage Unit. ("But tell them I want that vintage billard table set up in our Office.")
Then A.J. instructed Cork to bring a smaller cargo truck & back it up to the garage where he would meet him shortly leaving Jeni Fazio heavily medicated & resting peaceful inside a locked hotel room across the Hudson river in New York City for her own safety.
A.J. arrived & had Cork assist him bringing 12 heavy suitcases out the back-door of the house & garage to load into the smaller cargo truck backed up the long driveway; Without the other's knowing as they carried the inside furnishings out the front door to load their larger truck to transport & put it all into storage. (Cover that nice stuff up with tarps)
A.J. & Cork waited for the other truck to leave for T-Storage to unload it. And He leads Cork down into the basement. "Mother-fucker! T." (I KNOW. RIGHT?) There where 20 crate-boxes of M90's military rifles & cases of ammo with another 20 cases of imported wine & boxes of Cuban cigars. "Come on Cork--Let's do this thing--& Not a word about this to anyone! Or I will know it was you." (Cork didn't answer, but knodded his head) "Do you understand me Compangnio?!" ("Yes. I understand T." He answered--Half put-off) "Don't pout at me! I know it was you telling Carlo my business & provoking Geno to bust my balls over my sister!" (Cork could only smile & say--"Come on A.J. We have to hurry up & load all this shit before the other's return to get the rest of the stuff.")
A.J. remained behind at the house after Cork left with their truck-load of Rich Spoils to return to T-Storage & lock it unloaded inside a garage unit. Then return to Fazio's house in his car with the storage unit key for A.J. who was standing at the open fridge-door. "Are you hungrey Cork? (No.) You're never hungrey! (You're always hungrey T.) I know. I'm still a Growing Man!"
Geno & Jake entered the kitchen saying the applicances were next & lastly the billards table. "Sit down, make a sandwich, or it will all go in the trash." A.J. told them to let the lumpers finish for them, loading & unloading the rest of the stuff in storage. I want you three to drive the two cars & pick-up truck in the garage back to the T-Storage impounding lot. Then ride back together to pick up Cork's car. But first, stop at Mr. Monte's 711 & bring back a dozen gasoline jugs with you to burn this fucking house down to the ground. (Like we did Paulie's.)--Can you do that by yourselves for me? (It's DONE BOSS) "Good Men!--I have some other urgent matters to address now. A.J. gave them all a $500 bill--"Here's a little Bump for your Help today.--& There will be more once all the Work here is Done! ("Also, tell Suzy-Q pay the Lumpers a bonus too.")
A.J. asked Cork to walk him out to his car to leave & A.J. told him he left him something under his driver's seat. "A brick of pure rock cocaine for you to sample!" (Thanks T.) " Let me know if it's worth getting more!"
Meadow's Apartment Building
DUMBO--NYC
XXV
A.J. calls his sister, Meadow's land-line telephone & got her answering-machine: "Hey Sis--Pick-Up!--Are you Home?--I'm standing in the hallway, outside of your apartment-door!"
"You are Home Bing!" A.J. said surprisingly as her heavy-wooden door slowly open. But it wasn't Meadow.
"Stella!"--(Anthony--Come In!) "Where's my Sister & Whose Cat?" A.J. asked her holding & petting a black cat as he stood out in the hallway carrying a box with Italian bread, salami & wine. When the cat leaps from Stella's arms onto A.J.'s shoulder.
Stella laughs & takes his box of gifts for Meadow--"It looks like I'm not the only one here who is happy to see you--Come on in A.J., Meadow is gone. I am just here cat-sitting for her. But you are here now!" Stella backs up to close the door with her ass & locks it before carrying the box over to the bar-counter.
"Where did she go?" He asked petting the purring cat licking his smooth shaved face.
"She told me she was flying down to Miami for a couple days to visit your mother?" (REALLY?) "Yea. She had her last case dismissed by the judge for a client & she said she needed a break!"
(She will hardly get a break from our mother going down there)
Stella stood glaring at the cat getting all the attention with both hands on her thick hips. Stepping up to them she takes the cat from him. "Come here Omerta!" (OMERTA? Since when has Meadow liked cats?) "Don't ask me? She said it followed her home."
Enough about the goddamn cat!" Stella smiles wrapping her arms around his tight shirt-collar neck to slowly french kiss him. Biting his bottom-lip she asked him, "Have you missed me?--Like I have missed you & that fat prick of your's!"
She giggles, kissing him again as she reached down to rub his bulging dress-slacks. Stella loosens his dress-tie knot & Undid his top shirt button releasing the tight white collar around his swelling, pulsating blue jugglar-vein neck.
"What do you say A.J.?--How about you take me back into the bedroom & Fuck the living shit out of me?"
Winking with a dirty-grin she takes hold of his loose tie to lead him to Meadow's guest room when there came a knock at the apartment door. Stella reacted by pushing A.J. down on the couch & Draws her gun in her back waist-line to aim at the door. "Who is it?!"
But no one answered. Only a fat envelope came sliding inside from under the door. Stella waited momentarily before lowering her fire-arm & pushed the safety button back on.
"What was that all about?"
"I don't know. Muffy insisted on moving back in here after her apartment & car were broken into. & Neither of the cases have been solved. So--I am not taking any chances."
A.J. stood up & picked the heavy envelope inside the door off the floor. "It's addressed to Ms. Weiss, from Jack Black?" Stella takes it from him and sets it on the counter beside the cardboard box he brought. "It looks like money?"
"Whatever. He was her last client she got off.--So--Where were we Lover-Boy?!"
A.J. awoke in bed alone & it was dark out being licked awake by Omerta. Stella was gone leaving him a note on the night-stand beside 4 used condoms from their sexual encounter.
Although, she confessed she was walking alittle wooblely after their incrediable sex session. She still had to push through & go to the gym to train & unto work.
"You Fuck me so Good Anthony Soprano--Just don't wait so long in between next time!"
("I'd Come For You!--No One but You!")
https://youtu.be/xKcMFqVUe0s?si=Op8JvTcTlwdSDOu-
NICKELBACK
XXVI
A.J. leaves Meadow's apartment the next morning after shaving & showering to stop at Monte's 711 on the way for fuel, coffees & donuts at no charge to take to T-Storage Unit Office.
When he arrived Suzie-Q was flipping the OPEN sign. He found Geno & Jake shooting a game of pool on their new billards table in the office & Cork was sitting at his desk in the corner counting cash.
Benny Fazio's
Vintage Billard Table
(W/leather pockets)
"Is that your money or mine?" A.J. asked. (All the money around here is your's T!) "Good--Let me see it!" He counts out 10K$ for each of them for burning down Jeni Fazio's house for him.
Then A.J. removed Paulie's heavy jewelry box from his locked bottom desk drawer. Tossing out a pair of Bicycle Dice. "Here--Roll the dice to see who gets second picks!" as he dumps the contents of solid gold chains & bracelets out on his desk-top. (Second dibs?) "Yea. They're mine! So I get the first picks!"
Then A.J. finds an envelope taped to the bottom of the deep box that he takes & puts inside his jacket pocket without mentioning it to the others.
A.J. calls Hymie Hyle about possibly getting rid of a car without a title at Hyle Salvage Yard. Hymie told him it would cost him 2K$ to have it crushed for scrap metal.
A.J. tells Geno & Jake to go remove the fake license-plates from their stolen get away car for their murdering spree & torching Paulie Walnut'shouse.
"& Make sure it is wiped down & cleaned out." Then he hands them an envelope with 2K$ cash for Hymie & tells them to hook it up with the wrecker & drag it to HYLE'S impounding yard. Leave the cash under the driver-seats's floor-mat & spray-paint an X on the hood & trunk to be identified by Hymie's guys.
Meadow took a Red-Eye Flight out of NYC to Miami to visit her mother Carmela in South Beach where she bought a condo after selling her late Mob Husband's Businesses & Family Manson. (Once Tony Sopranios estate was settled Carmella recieved 6M$ while Meadow & A.J. both recieved 2M$.)
Meadow landed in Miami watching the sun-rise in the sky as it rose up out of the clouds turning night into day. & Then she picked up a rental car her travel agent reserved for her. Driving to her mother's condo unannounced to her. Meadow knocked on the front door. Hearing her mother call out her name, "MEADOW!" from inside seeing that it was her daughter on the security camera before opening the front door to greet her!
"CARMINE! Come & see who is here!" (Carmine?) "Meadow darling! Welcome Home! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?--& Look at your short hair-cut! We look like book-ends!" Carmella hugs & kisses her. "Where is your luggage?"
A.J. sets his Hooks into Jeni Fazio when he went to see her at her hotel room hide-out with a newspaper that showed her house was burnt down to the ground. Telling her she was right about her late mobster husband's Friends/Enemies paying her home a visit. & When they didn't find what they came for, A.J. told her that they burnt her house down.
A.J. tells her he was so glad they had moved her out of there for her & her childrens' own safety. Jeni teared up, believing his story. & She thanked A.J. hugging & kissing him for protecting her. She told him she didn't care about that house it was only full of bad memories & it only seemed fitting as she told him she was having Benny's rotten-ass cremated into a jar. She had life insurance on him & the house so she could start over with her children somewhere else new.
A.J. did not reveal the contents of the suitcases or what was in the basement he discovered. Nor how he had emptied the contents of her house into a storage unit before the house was torched by his crew. Now Jeni Fazio felt endebted to A.J. for helping & protecting her. She would become his loyal moll & comare for years to come.
A.J. sits alone in the dark at his computer-desk in his door-stairs FLATS apartment house watching his home-made murder spree videos on the wall with a digital projector while listening with ear-buds. With Paulie's jewelry-box picking through the remaining gold chains & he remembers the envelope he stashed in his jacket.
Here it was an old land-deed & somekind of hand-written map when he opened the yellowed envelope. (Click--Click) He took photos of the documents to upload on his computer (& Memory-stick) to take a closer look at them on his flat-top computer screen(& Secure in his wall safe).
Then he noticed a figure in the background at the cemetery video hiding behind the tombstones watching as he whacked Paulie. (MEADOW?!--That explains how the black cat got into her apartment.)
"Hello, This is Agent Julianna Skiff.--How I can help you?" A.J. introduced himself. He was calling about a 4 bedroom house (for Jeni Fazio) in the suburbs that he seen for sale on her Realitor web-site for 200K$. "Yes. It is still available Mr. Soprano.--Would you like to see it Sir?!"
Meadow returned to NYC after visiting her mother in Miami for three days. Stella came to welcome her home & brought Chinese carry-out to her apartment.
Stella was angered that she recieved news that the UFC promoters were over-looking her bid for a title shot at the Belt. They claimed her victory wasn't deciesive enough against Big Sally, lasting until the final round. She would have to fight another contender first. Now being Undefeated at 5 & 0.
Stella showed Meadow a YouTube video of a 2014 Routy Rhonda Rousy fight video where she submitted her opponet in the first round in Record 16 seconds Time.
https://youtu.be/Q6-6Rq944i0?si=-y6Lyepso5Jhp-G0
"This is what I am going to do in my next match! It will be done in short order & ABRUPTLY! Then the promoters can't deny me a Title Fight Shot for the UFC Belt.
STELLA BREWSTER
Then Stella told Meadow how A.J. paid her a surprise visit while she was away only to find Stella & Omerta instead. She told her how he brought her the gift box of salami & wine. Then how Jack Black came & slid a fat envelope of cash under the door before they went & had sex all afternoon in her back guest-room.
"Did he say what he wanted?"
"No, We weren't talking-- We were,..."
Meadow interupts warmly smiling
"OK--I get it!"
Meadow
Warmly Smiling at Stella
"PAULIE WALNUTS"
FUNERAL FLOWERS
XXVII
A.J. sat at his office desk reading the morning newspaper while drinking his 711 coffee & eating a cream-stick dounut. He discovers Paulo G. obituary on the back page.
He'd be laid out for viewing at HYLE Funeral Home. A.J. calls Suzie-Q & instructs her to call the florist & order flowers for Paulie Walnuts at Hyle Funeral Home. (How much?) "$1K--Have the card signed: "From the Young Sopranos." (Will Do T.)--Good Girl!"
Then A.J. called Meadow's apartment phone & left a message on her answering machine to inform her of Paulie's showing at Hyle Funeral Home & invited her to attend it with him.
A.J. picked Meadow up & drove to Hyle Funeral Home but the parking lot was completely full so they had to park on the street. "I sure didn't expect there to be so many to attend." A.J. said half disgusted.
Entering together, the Young Sopranos were greeted by Hymie dressed in a slim black-suit & tie at the door.
HERMUS "HYMIE" HLYE
Hyle Funeral Home Directer
"Who have you come to see?" (Paulo G.) "Follow me this way." Herman escorted them down a crowded hallway with double lines against both ways past two other over-flowing viewing & sitting rooms to the last parlor at the end of the hall. Hymie opened the closed sliding door to find Paulie's open casket in an empty room with only one large flower display & an unsigned mourners' guest-book. A.J. signed it as: "The Young Sopranos." (Click--Click)
"What do think?" Hymie asked them. Who both answered him with a questioning look? "How does he look?" (He looks Dead.)
"Does it look like him as you remember him?" A.J. & Meadow both recalled how he looked Dead the last time they seen him wearing a bullet-riddled bathrobe & slippers laying in a pool of blood in the middle of the cemetery at their father's grave. "I only ask because I take pride in my work. He was a real challenge between the gun wounds to his head & he had these strange long & deep scratches down his face & neck to putty & air-brush away. Then he had his throat-cut up around his jaw-line. When A.J. nudged Meadow with his elbow. (What?) Meadow glared. "So if you notice I had to slightly tilt his head forward to keep the cut hidden after I sewed it closed covered under the buttoned shirt collar. (Sounds like you are sensitive to details.) "It's my Craft & my Curse I suppose.--The mourning families deserve my greatest effort for what they are paying for!"
Hymie offers to give them a tour of the facility behind the scenes where all the work was done. Passing through a false wall passage from the public viewing areas past a large glass window showing the inside of the wall of storage coolers & examining tables with two corpses laying under white sheets to a Closed Coffin Sales & Display Room where burial packages were determined by families.
Hymie poured them a brandy to sit & make small-talk in private. Hymie told them after everyone left after calling hours he had two bodies laid out & thawing to be cremated if they wanted to wait around to watch?
A.J. SOPRANO
"Sure--Why Not?" A.J. answered for both of them--("Sounds sorta Creepy to me." Meadow adds.)
After the last person left the funeral home & Hymie had locked up he returned to join A.J. & Meadow. He leads them into the cooler room to remove the white sheets covering their naked corpses. It was Benny & Martina. Hymie points out all of the gun-shot wounds saying it's too bad they were both shot in the head. (Why's That? If you are just going to cremate them?) "There is a big demand for undamaged brains!" (What?) "Brains (& Hearts) sell for big money to science & research labs!" (You are kidding--Right?! Meadow asked shockingly)
"Yea Bing. It's a joke! Just some tasteless Under-Taker Humor!" Hymie said winking at A.J. (Well--It's not Funny.) But A.J. made a mental-note of it. Watching through a small glass window as Benny's corpse was comsumed by fire.
"Ashes to Ashes--Dust to Dust."
A Phrase from the Burial Service in the Book of Common Prayer:
'We therefore commit this Body to the Ground, Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust; in sure and certain Hope of the Resurrection to Eternal Life.'
"Hey Sis,--What's Up?"
("Butch is Dead.")
PRIVATE JET
FROM NEWARK NJ
APPROACHING FOR LANDING IN
MIAMI FLORIDA
XXVIII
That afternoon Meadow & A.J. touched down in Miami. Taking a direct flight from Newark on a private-jet to avoid being seen leaving NYC.
"OH MY GOD!"--"CARMINE!"--"COME & SEE!"--"IT'S MY ONLY SON--A.J.!" Carmine emerges from his private-study to welcome their guest to their Mother's South Beach Home.
"& Your Only Daughter"--Meadow added still standing outside of the condo front-door, stepping out from behind her taller little brother as their mother hugged & kissed her long lost son.
MEADOW (SOPRANO) WEISS
(34 Year Old Bachelorette)
"Yes!--YES!"
My only daughter
Meadow is here too!"
As Carmela reached out to embrace & kiss her too with a big group hug inside the open doorway.
"Our Whole Family
is Back Together Again!"
CARMELA (DeANGELIS) SOPRANO
(56 Year Old Widow of
Tony Soprano)
"Come in--Come inside out of that dreadful heat--You must want to refresh yourselves? Are you hungrey? You're just in time to eat!--What a consiquence?--Your favorite dish A.J.!
Carmella frames his face with both hands & kisses him on the mouth with warm tears streaming down her face.
"Thank you for coming to see your mother Anthony!--I have missed you so much, fearing you still Hated me!"
"I have never Hated you Mom.--That's just what you wanted to believe."
Carmella stood up strait & retrieves a kleenix to wipe her spilled tears away in front of a wall mirror peering back at her children over her shoulder saying, "Look--You made me mess-up my make-up!"
"Supper will be ready soon!"
Carmine excuses himself after serving A.J. & Meadow a mixed drink sitting together under an umbrella table pool-side when recieves a cell-phone call! They can over-hear Carmine telling their mother he had to leave to address urgent business.
"Whatever. Carmine." She said being half put-off by him leaving before her home-made dinner with her visiting children.
Carmine stepped out of the sliding glass door to inform them he had to leave but asked A.J. to join him for early Tee Time at the South Beach Country Club in the morning. Carmine teased, "For $5 a Hole?" A.J. stood to shake Carmine's hand as he prepared to leave.
"Make it $10!" Carmine leans over & kissed Meadow's cheek.--"Enjoy your Mother's Home-Cooking!--She's still the Best!" He laughes & holds his small belly--"As you can see!"
The following morning A.J. & Carmine took his convertable sport's car to the country club to shoot an early round of 18 holes (for $10 a Hole which A.J. purpusely lost to him, respectfully.) to talk about Jersey City Mob business in private.
Carmine told A.J. that the call he recieved was news of Butch being found shot to death in his warehouse on the docks shortly after noontime yesterday after A.J. & Meadow arrived in Miami. No one knew who did it or why? The Hit wasn't sanctioned by the Commission so there would be an investigation probe by the NYC Families.
In the meanwhile the Commission would appoint COCO as "de Facto"--Boss until a perminant Boss is named. Coco has also proposed $1M to secure a Bid to be strongly considered as the New DIMeo Crime Family's Boss by the Commission
A.J. had recorded their private conversations on the golf coarse with his cell-phone using his earbud's microphone to replay to Meadow.
Sharing the same ear-buds with Meadow sitting together, sipping strong afternoon screw-drivers pool-side outside of their mother's condo.
They finished listening to the recording in it's entirety. Ending with A.J. stuffing $200 in Carmine shirt pocket as they walked off the 18th Hole saying,
"Keep the Change!" A.J. laughes.
"Let's go to the club-house patio & have a cigar with a coffee-martini--on me!" Carmine puts his arm around A.J. neck telling him.
"You couldn't of made your mother any happier or prouder by having you visit her Anthony.--She loves her two Young Sopranos very much!"
(We love her too!)
MEADOW
CONDO POOLSIDE
IN MIAMI
Meadow glares at A.J. mouthing: We love her too!? "Oh Brother!" she laughed as she removed the single ear-bud.
"WHAT BING?!"
"Why should that Fat Toothless Fuck be made Boss? He doesn't deserve to be!--
You do Anthony! The Comission should name you as the next Boss of the DIMero Family following in our Late Mob-Boss Father's Foot-steps! It's your Birth-Right Anthony. It's your Destiny to be the Don.
"That Carmine Jr is so Full of Shit; he will be the one to have Coco named Boss by the Commission so he can keep his Luppitazzi-Thumb on the DIMeo Family & Jersey the same way as Butch was."
"How is that going to Happen Bing?" Meadow stands up & disrobed dropping her sun-dress in a pile around her bare-feet to dive into the deep end of the swimming pool to refresh herself.
Before swimming up to hang her elbows over the pool-edge to answer A.J.'s last question.
"You go golfing with Carmine Jr again in the morning before we return home tomorrow afternoon. Tell him that you want to be the Boss of our Family. Then tell him we are prepared to go to War with Coco if he is named Boss of the DIMeo Family by the Commission instead of you.
Tell Carmine that if you are chosen to be Don you will name Carlo Gervasi as your Under-boss to persuade the other DIMeo Capos & their Crews to support you as their next Boss over Coco who can be labeled your Front/Street Boss. & you can make Cork your Consigiliere with his Silician connections.
Then make them an offer they cant afford to refuse appealing to their greed & their weak stomachs for Wars. & We know Carmine Jr is a coward & a "Yellow-Dog".
So we will offer to pay the Comission $2.5M/$500K for each of the Five NY Families. (Twice as much as what Coco's meager offer is to them.)
Plus, we will pay Carmine another $500K for himself for brokering, persuading the Commission to make you Boss, to Keep the Peace & Avoid Future Wars.
A.J. SOPRANO
In Miami FL
Visiting his Widow Mother
Carmela Soprano
XXIX
A.J. did exactly what Meadow advised him to do & Recorded his conversation with Carmine Jr on the golf coarse the following morning before returning home to New Jersey that afternoon.
& After Carmine heard him out he accepted & agreeded to present A.J.'s request, petitioning the Comission on his behalf to be offically named the Family's next Boss following his late Mob-Boss Father Tony Soprano Sr. With a hand-shake, a hug & a kiss on the 18th Hole the two Men of Honor struck a deal.
CARMINE LUPPITAZZI JR
SOUTH BEACH
GOLF COARSE & COUNTRY CLUB
Carmine didn't question A.J. in any manner. He only listened until he finished & Made his decsion to back & stand for him as a favor to his late father who had been his own personal friend.
A.J. & Carmine went different ways. A.J. carried his golf bag out to Carmine's sports car for him. While he went into the Pro Shop to order a new driver club.
A.J. went out on the country club patio for lunch & drinks to wait for Carmine to return. When Rosale & Kelli Aprile walked up to his table & stood awaiting him to politely ask them to join him.
Which A.J. respectfully did, standing to greet each of them with a hug & kiss before assisting them with their seats to sit as ladies they were.
"Isn't Anthony just the kindest & most handsome young man we have encountered in South Beach since we arrived? (Yes. Mother.) Just like his father Tony & your father Jackie Sr. were when they were alive.
A.J. reminds me so much of our own Jackie Jr. He would be a Capo like you are now if that faggot, cock-sucker, Vito wouldn't of murdered him!" (Don't Start Mother!) "Don't Start What? Daughter.--
Don't you miss your Brother?" (Of coarse I do Mother, Without you reminding me of it every hour of every-goddamn-day!)
"Well, I for one am happy that Butch made you the new Capo over our once great Aprile Family's name!"
"Oh, your Family Name is still Great! & Will be even Greater if I have anything to do with it: In Honor & the Memory of both your late husband & son, Jackie Sr. & Jackie Jr. A.J. confidently assured them both when Carmine Jr. appeared with a golf club catalog to join them.
A.J. stood to excuse himself to use the restroom when Kelli asked if he would walk her there too. A.J. smiles & helped her with her chair to rise. "Isn't he such a dear!" Rosale commented to Carmine who warmly agreeded as they left the patio table.
Visiting Miami FL
With her Widow Mother
Rosale Aprile
Kelli takes A.J.'s arm & apologized for her Mother's dramatic out-burst. She is still bitter & resentful about Jackie Jr. & Dad. Then her high italian emotions errupt & she starts looping like she did in front of you."
A.J. assured Kelli he took no offense & said he understood. Saying at least she didn't live in a state of denial & selective memory like his mother Carmela did.
"My mother only wants to remember the Good Parts. But the only problem with that is there weren't that many Good Times to recall compared to all the Bad.--None of Us Kelli, asked to be born in the Life. But yet here we are & there is no escaping that."
"Since when have you sounded all grown-up A.J.!" He only answered by smiling & saying, "Go. & I will be back here waiting for you."
Walking Kelli back to the patio table to rejoin Carmine & her mother A.J. asked her how long they were staying in South Beach. " I hope for Forever!" (Why? Aren't you married?)
"I was. I'm not now." (Oh, I'm Sorry.) "Oh--No. don't be. I divorced him. I caught him cheating on me. With another Man!--I couldn't live out such a sinful lie.
& He dishonored & disrepected me! He made a Mockery of our Wed-lock & Marriage Bed, as husband & wife.--I do miss Jackie Jr. more then my mother knows! I know for certain if he were still alive he would make that dirty bastard pay for shaming & dishonoring me & our Family Name."
A.J. put his arm around Kelli & kissed her cheek to tell her, "Jackie Jr. is still alive in you just as my father is inside of me!
We, You & I are the last of a dying breed of the Great Men of Honor."
Meadow & A.J.
Return Flight Home from Miami
To New Jersey
A.J. & Meadow took a return flight to Newark on a private jet to retrieve Meadows lease car parked at the airport shortly before dusk. They went & registor under false names for two ajoining rooms at the same hotel in DUMBO that he had Jeni Fazio hid-out in so they could have some company to share besides their own.
They were to remain outside of Jersey City for their own personal safety & that of others. To avoid any chances of violence errupting by retailating Families or Crews loyal to Butch or Coco. Carmine instructed them to lay low, not to draw attention to themselves & Not to use their cell-phones to make calls or answer them until they heard word back from him concerning the Five New York Families' Comission's determination.
Finally the phone call came from Carmine Jr to A.J. The Comission had agreed to name & make Anthony Soprano Jr. the next Boss of the entire DIMeo Crime Family in Jersey City. Once the Comission recieved the full payment of the agreeded upon amount of 2.5M$ & A.J.'s Capos had voted & approved of him becoming named as their new Boss.
Carmine told A.J. that he would send a car for him in the morning with body-guard protection to pick him & the money up to transport him to personally deliver the sum of cash to the Five Families' Commission himself.
Meadow had counted out the money three times from Butch's warehouse that she took after having him murdered by Jack Black. She had bagged it & locked it up inside their hotel room safe for A.J.
The following morning A.J. had the room-service barber come to his room to trim his hair & give him a fresh, close, razor shave. Before he showered to don a newItalian tailored suit with polished dress-shoes to await his appointment with the Comission.
A.J. would manage to record the sit-down on his cell-phone to replay for Meadow when he returned as the Commission's newly named Boss of the DiMeo Family.
When he returned he met Jack Black who Meadow called there to introduce him to A.J. as their new driver, body guard & enforcer.
But then Stella came making her grand enterance after Meadow contacted her to bring Omerta to her there at the Dumbo Hotel.
Tossing Omerta to Meadow sitting on the king-size bed--"Here's your Pussy back Muffy!"
Then Stella stood back to stare at A.J. biting her bottom-lip before she leaps up on her toes & wrapped her arms around A.J. neck to french kiss him as she walked him backwards into his ajoining bedroom. To close & lock the door behind them. Leaving Meadow & Jack Black alone to have sex themselves.
That evening A.J., Stella, Meadow & Jack Black went downstairs to the hotel dining room to eat & drink in celebration when A.J. tapped his lifted crystal wine glass with a spoon.
"I want to make an announcement:
I have proposed marriage to Stella,...(And?) Stella finished the announcement by saying:
"And, I Accepted & Agreed to become A.J.'s wife as, Mrs. Anthony John Soprano Jr!"
Meadow stood to hug & kiss Stella & A.J. across the table with a tear in her eye. "Welcome to the Family!"
The following morning A.J. calls Cork at the T-Storge Unit office early.
"Fuck A.J. Where the Hell have you been?--Did you hear about Butch getting Whacked?"
A.J. doesn't answer any of Cork's questions but gave him instructions: "I want you to send Geno & Jake to take a couple Lumpers & a UHAUL truck to Meadow's apartment & empty it out then put it all in a storage unit. Make sure they use tarps to cover up her stuff too! Leave the paper-work on my desk & I will get the key from Suzie-Q later.
Then I want all three of you to go your homes & get a shower, put on a new shirt & neck-tie with a fresh hair-cut & clean shave.
So they can all meet A.J. at Nouvo Vesuvio at 7 o'clock Sharp--Got it Cork?"
(Yea--I got it)
"Good. I will see you & we will have plenty of time to talk then Cork.....
And,
Thanks for Holding the Ship Down for me during my absence."
(You're the Boss!)
"Don't call me that--Yet."
"Yet?!" --(CLICK).
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