Here we go! Chapter 25! Enjoy :-)
Let me see what I own… (Looks around room) Nope! I DO NOT own NCIS or nothing related to it! Sorry!
Tony woke up early the next morning with a headache. It was the morning of his father's funeral and in a matter of hours they would be heading to the funeral home to say their final goodbyes to Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. He found it hard to sleep the night before with thoughts of the day's events running through his head. Tony truly hated funerals but hoped that having Kate and his kids by his side would make it easier.
Lying in bed, Tony could feel a heaviness building on his chest. He tried to move but it felt impossible. He felt as if a weight was holding him down. Maybe today was going go to be harder than he expected. He slowly opened his eyes and quickly discovered the source of the discomfort. Aiden laid on Tony's chest, his tiny arms resting under his head, as soft snores escaped his mouth. He looked to his side where Alex slept, drooling yet again, on his shoulder. Next to Alex was Kate, a pillow again her side to keep Alex at bay as she cuddled Arissa in her arms. Tony laughed to himself, here they were in a California king bed, big enough to fit five adults, and yet they were all huddled together as if sleeping in Kate and Tony's tiny queen sized bed at home. It was a nice change for Tony, who had become accustomed to waking up very much alone in the large bed, in that empty guest house but this time he wasn't alone, he had his family with him. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad.
The sound of whimpers and scratching at the bedroom door alerted Tony. Untangling himself from the boys, he found Pudding running in circles to be let out.
"Hold on, Pudding! I'm coming!" Putting Pudding on his leash, Tony threw on his shoes and coat, bracing for the cold, morning Ohio air to let the puppy outside. Walking along the side of the pool, he opened the gate to the backyard allowing Pudding to use the lush grass before quickly running the puppy back inside where it was warm.
Pudding on his heels, he went to the bathroom to shower. Turning on the waterfall shower head, Tony set the water to the hottest temperature he could handle. Standing under the water, he hoped to find some relief from the tension he was feeling in his body thanks to his headache but found none as his mind was still on the funeral. Changing into some lounge clothes, Tony and Pudding headed back downstairs to the guest house kitchen.
"Let's see what we have in here, Pudding," said Tony, opening the refrigerator door to find nothing but stacks of wine bottles inside. "Go figure!" Tony rubbed his temples as he looked at the brown puppy staring at him from the floor. "What do you say we go for a walk? There used to be a bakery not far from here that made the best donuts!"
Pudding happily yelped.
An hour later, Tony returned. His walk with Pudding had helped with his headache, allowing him to clear his mind for little bit. Walking into the house, he was instantly hit by the sound of laughter coming from upstairs. The kids were up. He made his way up the stairs to his bedroom where he found Arissa, Alex and even Aiden, jumping up the bed, laughing and having a good time.
"Hi Daddy!" waved Aiden, a huge grin on his face.
"Hey," waved Tony. "Where's Mommy?"
"She take a shower!"
"Does she know you three are in here jumping on the bed?"
"No!"
Tony should have been upset. The kids knew better than to jump on furniture but seeing their three smiling faces, it didn't really matter to him. They were just the distraction he needed.
"Daddy you bed is bouncy!" laughed Alex.
"I see! Rissa, you think it's safe for you to be jumping on a bed with a broken arm?"
Arissa stopped jumping. "Sorry."
"Don't be," Tony jumped on the bed, taking Arissa in his arms. "Just got to be a bit cautious!" Tony started to jump up and down on the bed with Arissa, bringing the smile back to her face.
Tony and the kids hopped up and down on the large bed, having a great time that was until Kate walked in, her dark brown locks wet and wavy having just stepped out the shower.
"Tony!" shouted Kate.
All laughter and jumping stopped as Tony, Arissa, Alex and Aiden all looked at Kate like deer caught in a headlight.
"Hey Kate, I was waking the kids up for breakfast," said Tony.
"Right? But jumping on the bed with them?"
"Just a little early morning exercise. Gets their blood going! Did you have a nice shower?" asked Tony, trying to diffuse the situation.
Kate tilted her head, knowing what he husband was up to. "Down! All four of you!"
Tony smiled at his wife as he helped the kids off the bed.
"Where did you go this morning? I was looking for you."
"I had a headache so Pudding and I went for a walk down to this little bakery I use to go to."
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Tony?"
"I'm okay, Kate. I got us some donuts for breakfast. They make the best donuts at this place!"
"I don't know if they should be eating donuts for breakfast today. They are hyped up enough, we don't need to add a sugar rush to that!"
"But they are really good donuts, Kate!"
"I want donut Mommy," said Aiden, pulling on Kate's pant leg.
"How is your stomach feeling?" asked Kate.
Aiden rubbed his belly with a smile. "It feel better and it want a donut!"
Tony picked up Aiden. "Yeah, Kate! His tummy wants a donut!" Tony tickled Aiden's belly making him laugh.
"Fine but they start bouncing off the walls later they are your problem," said Kate.
"They are already bouncing off the bed how much worse can they get?"
"Fine, you guys go brush your teeth then you can have a donut."
"Yeah!" shouted the children as they ran out the room.
Kate wrapped her arms around Tony's waist. "Are you sure you are okay? If you want to talk, I'm all ears!"
Tony kissed Kate. "I'm alright. Having you guys here is making this a lot easier."
Kate rested her head on Tony chest as the two held each other for a moment before going to join their children for breakfast.
After breakfast and an argument between the twins over who got the most sprinkles on their donut, Tony and Kate got the kids washed up and ready for the funeral. Kate helped Arissa get dressed while Tony ran around trying to get the twins into their suits. Tony could feel his headache start to return as the time grew closer for them to leave for the funeral.
"Pudding, give me my sock!" shouted Alex, struggling in a game of tug of war with the puppy.
Tony took the sock from Pudding mouth, helping Alex put in on his foot.
"Daddy, why we got to get dressed up?" asked Aiden, failing miserably at trying to button his own shirt.
Tony sighed, taking over buttoning Aiden's shirt. "We have to go to Granddad DiNozzo's funeral today, Little Guy."
"What a funeral?"
Tony looked into Aiden's hazel eyes. Death was never an easy subject to discuss especially with a child. Tony took a deep breath. "A funeral is something you have for someone when they die."
"Die?"
"That what happen when you body no work no more and you go up to heaven to be with God and Jesus!" said Alex, approaching Tony with his tie stuck around his head.
Tony looked at his son. "Where did you hear that?"
"In Sunday school! Harper's hamster die and Sister Clarence say that when you die, you body stop working and an angel come down and take you up to Heaven to be with God! But only if you good cause if you bad you go to Hell!"
"Aw! You say bad word!" exclaimed Aiden.
"What? That what the sister say! She say if you bad you go to Hell!"
Leave it to Kate and her Catholic upbringing to make sure that the family attended church regularly. Church that conveniently was teaching their children not only about death but also about Hell.
"Let's try not to use that word," said Tony, adjusting Alex's tie.
"Daddy, Granddad Nozzo body no work no more?" asked Aiden.
"Yeah, he died."
"Did an angel come and take him to Heaven?" asked Alex.
Tony hesitated. "I guess so."
"Harper was sad when his hamster die. You said Granddad Nozzo die?"
"A little."
Alex and Aiden looked at each other before wrapping Tony in a warm hug.
"No be sad, Daddy," said Aiden.
"You want us to get you some ice cream to make you feel better?" asked Alex.
Tony held onto his boys, caressing their innocence but most of all their love for him. A love her wish he could have shared with his own father. Tony kissed each of his sons on the cheek. "Thanks boys but I'm okay."
Alex looked at Tony. "Can we have ice cream to make us feel better?"
Tony couldn't help but laugh.
Arriving at the funeral home, Tony could feel his stomach churning as he parked the family's SUV. Tony watched as people got out of various luxury cars and marched into the funeral home, obviously there for his father's service.
"I can't do this," said Tony. "I haven't seen some of these people in years! There's no telling what my dad has been saying about me or about you guys. The last thing I feel like dealing with right now is people talking bad about us."
"I would hope people wouldn't do that being that we are here to mourn your father's death," replied Kate.
"These are my father's friends. He couldn't hold his tongue, what makes you think that they can?" Tony could feel his anxiety rising. "Would it be completely wrong if we were to not go in?"
Kate placed her hand on Tony's knee, looking him in the eyes. "I know this is hard for you Tony, and I understand if you don't want to go in. We don't have too!"
"No, I need to go. After what I said to him, the least I can do is give him a proper goodbye."
Kate gave Tony a reassuring smile. "I'm right if you need me."
Entering into the chapel of the funeral home, Tony felt as if all eyes were on him and his family as they made their way to the front where a polished, black casket with lustrous gold trim sat. Next to it a poster sized photo of Senior on a yacht surrounded by hoards of flowers.
"What? They were out of solid gold coffins?" asked Tony as he escorted his family to the front pew.
"That's what he wanted," whispered Kate, taking a seat next to her husband.
"Even in death he is over the top!" Tony scanned the room. "I didn't think his many people would be here."
"Your father knew a lot of people!" Kate looked to the pew across from them where a group of woman wept. "Who are all those women?"
Tony looked and rolled his eyes. "Those would be my ex stepmothers."
"How many times was your father married?"
"Um, six or seven? Maybe eight?"
"And I thought Gibbs was bad!" Kate examined the group of women. "Tony, some of those women look like they are younger than me!"
"That's because they are!" Tony looked to the back of the room at the exit. "Why does the door have to be way back there?"
The service began and Tony sat listening as person after person came forward talk about Senior. Tony's stomach seemed to toss more than a stormy sea as people talked about what a great man Senior was. Clearly they didn't know the true Senior. The man who put money before his family. Who spent more time travelling the world with woman, than talking to his own son. The man who put the lives of his daughter in law and grandkids in danger just to save his own ass. Tony grew sicker by the second just thinking about it.
"This is a bunch of bull!" whispered Tony. "My father was nothing like the person these people keep talking about!"
"Calm down," replied Kate taking hold of Tony's hand, interlocking his fingers into hers as she stroked the back of his hand with her thumb. "It's almost over."
Tony sighed, trying his best to hang in there as the speaker talked about his father or lack thereof. "I can't, Kate! This is too much!"
"Tony, please. Just a few more minutes?"
"I can't!"
Alex tapped on Kate's shoulder. "Mommy, I no want to be at the funeral no more! Can we leave?"
"Yes!" said Tony, taking hold of Alex's hand before hopping up to leave.
"I want to go too!" said Aiden.
"Come on!" Tony quickly took hold of Aiden's hand. "Arissa, you want come too?"
"Okay," said Arissa.
Tony left with the kids leaving Kate sitting alone in the pew.
The funeral ended as Kate walked outside the funeral home to find Tony, leaning against the SUV as he watched the kids run around the lawn playing tag.
"I'm sorry about that, Kate. I just couldn't take anymore."
"It's okay." Kate looked over to the hearse, as they place Senior's coffin inside. "Do you want to go to the cemetery?"
Tony shook his head. "I just want to go."
Kate gave Tony a kiss on the cheek. "Okay."
What do you think? Tony was handling things pretty well up until the end there. Reviews and comments are welcomed and an update is coming soon :-)