Ponte Vecchio Restaurant
Brooklyn NY
31 AUG 2025
16:58 hours local
Frank and the brothers watched as Erin parked her Mercedes S Class convertible behind the Chevelle before exiting along with Pops and Nicky.
"I've always loved this place" She exclaimed as she walked over to her brothers.
"Last time I was here was my 17th birthday" Danny recalled.
"This is where we planned to come the night of your high school graduation" Frank reminisced.
"A far cry from the dinner I had that night at Parris Island" Danny noted.
"If you wanted good chow, you should have joined the Navy" Henry quipped.
"That's a myth Pops, you only get the good stuff if you serve on a submarine or an aircraft carrier".
"Why's that?" Jamie inquired.
"Well, think about it" Danny stated. "On a Carrier, you have a huge galley and freezer so you have the storage space, the room to prepare the food, and a big crew to do it, plus, they have a lot of officers in addition to the Admiral commanding the Carrier Battle Group, so they want to be sure those guys eat well. On a submarine, you may be under the surface for 90 straight days in cramped quarters practically sleeping on top of one another so you gotta keep those guys from going stir crazy and the best way to do that is with good food".
"You ever serve aboard ship?" Joe asked.
"Sure did. I was a Staff Sergeant in command of a platoon of Marines. We serve as guards on navy vessels. We have our own ships for Marine amphibious operations, but to answer your questions, yes, I served on the U.S.S. Enterprise, CVN-65 in fact, I was aboard on September 11, 2001. We were on our way back to the Norfolk Naval Base from a six-month deployment in the Gulf when news of the attacks was received. The ship's Captain turned that 1,123-foot-long behemoth around on a dime and ordered all ahead flank, that's Navy-speak for pedal to the metal. That ship had eight nuclear reactors, two for each of the its four propeller shafts. The top speed of navy ships, especially the carriers is top secret though the Navy publicly claims 33.5 knots for the Big E as she was known, but the scuttlebutt aboard at the time was that she ran the entire trip back to the Gulf at 48 knots. I know that we left our protective screen of destroyers and our cruiser in our dust, took them a day and a half to catch up. Man, you ain't seen nothing until you look out over the stern of a big ship like that hauling ass, the wake it created looked like a miniature tsunami was chasing us" He smiled.
Right about then they noticed Angie pulling up in Joe's Jaguar. Once she had parked, Angie along with the twins and Willie got out and walked over.
Angie noticed the rapt looks on everyone's faces as they were arriving so when she got within earshot, she addressed Danny. "Are you telling war stories without me present Mister?" She sternly inquired
"Yes Ma'am" Danny admitted.
"That is so not fair, I've waited all day to hear some of those" She pouted.
"I saved the best ones for later" Danny grinned back.
"Okay, you're forgiven this time" She said as she playfully punched his arm.
"How about we go in and get seated, Syd and the kids won't be here for another fifteen minutes" Jamie stated after looking at his watch.
"You sure, I don't mind waiting" Danny said.
"How about you boys stay out here and catch up and we'll go let the receptionist know that we're here" Frank stated.
"Good idea Dad" Joe seconded as everyone but the eldest and youngest brother headed inside.
"Did you ever come close to dying?" Jamie cautiously asked.
"Are you sure that you want to know the answer to that one kid?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, because if you had, we never would have had the opportunity to clear the air and I would have lived the rest of my life not knowing why you wanted nothing to do with me" He answered.
Danny took a deep breath and pointed to a purple ribbon trimmed with gold edges. There were two oak leaf cluster attached.
"As you probably know, we wear the ribbons in lieu of the actual medals except when we're dressed in our Class A's. You get the Purple Heart awarded the first time you are injured in combat. You get an oak leaf cluster pinned each time thereafter. The two oak leaves means a total of three separate incidents. The first and last weren't too bad, but the second one, it was touch and go they said for about a week. I was in a coma so I don't remember too much. All I know is that they awarded me two medals for my actions that day, one was my second purple heart, and the other was this one" He said as he pointed to the light blue ribbon with the five white stars across it.
"The Medal of Honor" Jamie reverently replied.
"Yeah" Danny stated as he put his arm around Jamie. "Glad I made it back too" He stated as he pulled his brother to him.
"Looks like a hug fest to me, what do you think kids?" Sydney stated as she approached from their blind side.
Jamie turned to see his wife and children approaching and Danny saw a big grin form on his brother's face. "Hi honey, hey kids" Jamie said as he went over and kissed his wife and hugged his son and daughter before turning towards Danny.
"Sydney, Mary, Fitz, I'd like you to meet my big brother, Danny" Jamie stated.
Danny looked them over. Sydney was a beauty, no question that Jamie, like Joe, had outstanding taste in women. Mary bore a striking resemblance to her grandmother for whom she was named and he could see that she was her father's daughter. Fitz on the other hand had Sydney's dark, almost black eyes that radiated intelligence and mischief. He was his mother's son and Danny would bet, had her spunk. He surmised that where Jamie was reserved, Sydney was bold so they likely balanced one another out.
Danny was about to walk over to greet his sister-in-law and her children when he was stopped short by his nephew who came to attention and delivered a salute that any Marine would have been proud to receive. Danny had to hold back the smile forming on his lips as he snapped to attention, stared at the 10 year old, and executed a return salute.
"He's been practicing that all afternoon" Sydney proudly stated.
"He can serve in my beloved Corps whenever he is ready" Danny replied in his best Drill Instructor's voice, drawing a laugh from Jamie.
"You should have heard him at Dad's ordering Erin, Joe and me around, you would have thought Gunnery Sergeant Hartman was in the house" Jamie informed her.
Danny walked over and gave Sydney a kiss on the cheek which she returned. He then leaned down and gave his niece a hug and kiss, followed by a hug and firm handshake with his nephew.
"Dad said that my middle name is the same as yours" Fitz stated.
"Yes it is and I am honored to share it with you" Danny replied.
"Are you home for good Uncle Danny?" Mary asked.
"Yes sweetheart, I am, and you and your brother will be seeing a lot of me" He answered.
"Will you tell us stories about the Marines like Grandpa and Pops do?" Fitz asked.
"If your mother and father will allow me to" Danny answered.
"Mom, Dad, please?" Fitz pleaded as Jamie laughed.
"How about first, we go inside and have dinner. I'm sure that your Uncle Danny is starving after his long day coming home and after that, maybe one story. He has 35 years' worth of them and you aren't going to hear them all at once, he has to spread them out over time to keep you interested" She stated.
Fitz ran over and grabbed his Uncle's hand. "Come on Uncle Danny, the sooner we eat, the sooner you can tell me a story" He exuberantly stated as he began to pull Danny towards the entrance.
"Come to attention Marine" Danny ordered whereupon Fitz snapped to.
Danny looked his nephew in the eye. "First and foremost, a Marine is a gentleman. That means that at all times he minds his etiquette and always treats ladies, such as your mother and sister, with deference, courtesy, and respect. Therefore, you will hold the door open for them as they proceed you into the restaurant, do you read me private Reagan?
"Yes Sir" Fitz replied as he saluted.
"When I am in uniform, you will address me as Sergeant Major, not Sir. I am not an officer and by the grace of God and the United States Marine Corps, I will never be one" Danny stated as he returned the salute.
"Aye Aye Sergeant Major" Fitz stated as walked over to the door and held it open. "Ladies first please" He stated.
Sydney's mouth was hanging open as she watched how Danny handled her son. "I am impressed Sergeant Major, very well done" She grinned as she turned to Jamie. "Once Danny gets his own place, maybe we can leave Fitz with him for a week, or two, or until he's old enough to enlist? She pleaded.
"We'll talk about it" Jamie replied with a grin as he walked up to his brother. "Fitz has more of you than his middle name".
"Boot camp it is" He grinned as he slapped his brother on the shoulder and followed him inside.
