THE YOUNG SOPRANOS PART 4--XXV (CONTINUED)

THE

YOUNG SOPRANOS

PART 4--XXV

J. BECK

2024

. . .

(CONTINUED)

CLOSURE:

Closure refers to the sense of peace understanding & release that comes with accepting that a past relationship or intimate threat has ended.

DR JENNIFER MELFI

WYCOTT MENTAL WARD

MONTCLAIR NJ

XXV

AJ meets Jason Melfi to visit his mother Dr Jennifer Melfi at the Wycott Mental Ward in Montclair NJ after suffering a nervous breakdown. She had been there since early June after learning her rapest would be released from prison having served jail-time for several sexual offenses he committed after his attack upon her a decade before.

A.J. entered the Quiet Room alone to find Jennifer Melfi laying under a spotlighted as a Mental Ward Hospital patient with her wrist & ankles bound by the bed restraints.

But when AJ enters & pauses inside the closed doorJennifer sees him as "Tony".

"Tony?--Is that you Tony?!"

She tries to resist looking over at him while contemplating herself for fear she's hallucinating rolling her head on the hair-matted pillow from side to side.

But then Jennifer breaks down & confesses everything to Tony /AJ. Apologizing for failing him as his doctor & as his friend. How she blamed herself for Tony's murder & How much she truly loved him from the start. But she was afraid of him & her own feelings w/ warm tears streaming down her pale pastey cheeks.

"Can you ever forgive me Tony?!" Jennifer asked pleading.

"Yes.--You are Forgiven Jennifer!" A.J. responded after allowing Jennifer to finish her madden rambling before he slowly approached her bedside & to step into the light for her to see his face.

A.J. SOPRANO

VISITS DR JENNIFER MELFI

"You're Not Tony!" Jennifer sighs to stare up at the blank white ceiling.

"No. I'm Not Tony. I'm Anthony--Tony's Son." A.J. spoke quietly & sincerely. (Anthony? You're A.J. Soprano?!)

"Yes. & I've brought you something that you need to see." AJ shows her a newspaper headline story concerning her rapest & the fact that he is dead--murdered 8 hours after his release from prison at the same location where he had committed her rape & other crimes.

Jennifer's countenance appeared to instantly return to her w/the realization that her rapest assailant was dead & no longer a threat to her or anyone else.

She had carried a deep sense of false guilt of being responsible for his further attacks & crimes against other woman.

DR JENNIFER MELFI

Jennifer sits up in her hospital bed & A.J. looses her restraints informing her that her son Jason was outside the room ready to discharge her & take her home where she belonged.

AJ had sent his construction crew to repair & replace all of the broken mirrors she left in her house after her nervous breakdown while she was in the hospital.

He had also ordered all of the glass shattered carpets be ripped out & replaced w/all brand-new wall to wall carpeting. Plus A.J. had his construction crew to spray a fresh coat of paint throughout the interior rooms. Then he further had a wooden eight foot privacy fence built to enclose her entire backyard for her new puppy to safely go outdoors & for her own greater sense of security.

Finally A.J. reveals to her that he also has a surprise waiting for her at home!

Upon being discharged from Wycott Mental Ward A.J. followed Jennifer's son Jason driving her back home.

Once they arrived at her house in the upscale suburban neighborhood AJ walks out holding up Jennifer Melfi's Surprise--a chubby 3 month old Rottweiler puppy to give Her.

"Here's your Surprise Jennifer!"

"A Puppy?--For Me!"

"Yes Mother. But you have to take care of him yourself--I don't have time to take care of you & a dog."

"I know--I will. But he is a puppy not a dog you little asshole--& You don't have to take care of me or my puppy!" Jennifer rebuked her pursumptious son as she cradled & pets the joyous puppy while giggling as he licked at her face.

JENNIFER MELFI

& "NERO"

AJ intercedes saying: "You will have to take him to the Vet to finish his sequence of puppy shots & Take him to obedience school twice a week.

AJ gave Jennifer Melfi the puppy as a service animal & companion pet to comfort & make her feel secure

Plus it gave her personal responsibility & a purpose to recover from her past ghost & fears.

Jennifer names the young Rottweiler puppy "NERO";

"LOOK--HE LIKES THE NAME! DON'T YOU LITTLE NERO?!" Jennifer kisses him atop his cocked head listening to her speak.

She told AJ that was her nickname for his late father Tony:

"Because He was always trying to burn Rome down!" They all shared in a warm chuckle together before A.J. excuses himself to leave.

DR JENNIFER MELFI

& "NERO"

Being a service animal & after attending & completing obedience school together Jennifer could take Nero anywhere she went from shopping to appointments & Vacations.