TEEN DREAMERS PART FIVE:
LIFE CHANGES
In a week, Gabriella Santoro would be 17. She would be older, supposedly wiser. In recognition of this, for the first time ever, her parents were letting her have a party at home unsupervised. They would be in Detroit on business. On one hand she was disappointed that they wouldn't be there. On the other, she was happy. No parents meant no chaperones. No chaperones meant that maybe, just maybe, Silvio could be persuaded to spend the night with his pretty young honey.
There was a lot to do, she knew that. Dad would have locked away all the booze, so she would just have to ask guests to bring their own. Mom had never approved of her love, but she wouldn't be there to object. The way was clear for him to stay over. Maybe she would get more out of this than an innocent kiss on the cheek.
Later that day, she called Silvio and asked him to come over. He was tired from a night of making collections and smoking pot, but not even that could keep him away from her. He's come round, but she would have to promise to be very quiet.
About half-an-hour later, he turned up on her front porch. He'd said he was wrecked, and he looked it. Red rimmed eyes and messy hair, a dead give-away for a late night and a few joints. He was angling for a little sympathy, and Gabriella took the bait. Cooing and stroking, she led him onto the couch and made him a cup of strong black coffee.
Gabriella's two sisters, Maria and Angela, were still upstairs. At least they weren't around to aggravate her stoned boyfriend. She could never say what he was liable to do in this state if annoyed. Left alone, like now, he would just slump in an untidy crumple of man, clothes and slightly tacky jewelry. Lord bless him, she thought as she brought him his drink.
--@@@-- -- --
Back at the Dante residence, Silvio's father Beppe was waiting on a call. Johnny Boy had told him he'd call to be picked up about 12, what with his own car being in for repairs and Junior being busy. They had been working this thing out for months, and they finally had a chance to do it.
If only he would get off the pot, Beppe would consider putting his son forward for membership. You need a clear head and keen senses for this thing of ours.
At about 10 past 12, the phone rang. It was Johnny, ready for picking up. Beppe shouted to his wife, got in the car and drove round to the Soprano house, almost four miles away. All the way Beppe was grumbling to himself about how Johnny wanted him now. Didn't he understand how long it took to get there?
-- --@@@-- -- --
In the Soprano house, Anthony was upstairs trying to puzzle out his math homework. Livia was no good at math, Johnny was going to dash out and his sisters were hopeless. Why did everything have to be so hard for him? It just wasn't fair. Once again he tried to tackle it, then he heard something. His room was above the front porch, so snatches of conversations drifted up to him. "Beppe, when you bringing your son in? You waiting for him to kill first?"
"Nah, just waiting for him to get off the pot."
"Ah. That girl he's with now is a good influence, she'll clean him up. Better than that hussy slut he almost got pregnant."
"Yeah, I guess. I can't believe we're finally gonna pop Missoni, y'know?"
"Don't sound so keen Bep'. We might not see him."
Then the door clicked shut and they were gone. Anthony's heart was in his mouth. Who was Missoni? What had he done? What was "Y'know"? He knew Beppe as "Uncle Bep'", and his son only by sight. The girlfriend he knew not at all. He decided that the best course of action was to ignore it. Ignorance is bliss, he told himself as he wormed down under the covers with the homework he could not do.
--@@@-- -- --
A couple of hours later, Silvio had cleared the pot from his system. It was a good thing he had - Gabriella's sisters were up and causing havoc. Where he would have killed them while under the influence, here he was teasing them, playing with them - in other words, being like a big brother to them.
Gabriella was snuggled up to him.. She knew about his family background and what his dad did - which was why Mom disapproved - and she didn't care. He had big dreams anyway. His life ambition was to leave New Jersey with her as his bride and become a big lounge singer in Las Vegas. She just didn't have the heart to tell him that his voice wasn't a lounge voice. It was more of a rock voice.
Eventually the little girls went off to play in the garden. Mom and Dad were at work, so this was a great opportunity for a little fumble in Gabby's underwear. Skimpy little bra - ooh very nice! The sexy little minx had probably had this in mind all the time. She was wearing rather large panties, so that was most definitely out of the question. Not for long though. If he had his way, she'd get a very special birthday present.
--@@@-- -- --
On the road, Johnny was very quiet. This was unlike him, so Beppe asked what was the matter. He heaved a huge sigh and it all came out. How little Anthony had had a glimpse of the mob lifestyle - Paulie and Silvio - in a malt shop and was becoming quiet and withdrawn. Beppe knew his son hung round with Paulie and made collections on his behalf, but he hadn't known his child had influenced another. While he wanted his boy in and Anthony had to learn one way or another, he was still young.
Once again silence reigned. They both knew what was on each other's mind, but they didn't want to discuss it. They had both known Missoni for a long, long time. He was a good man, but he had sold them out, disobeyed orders, violated rules. Like it or not, he had to go.
They pulled into a slip road, lit only by a street light at the other end. Opposite them was a diner, part owned by Missoni. He was in there, cleanup the mess left by the dinner crowd. Beppe got out and made his way to the diner. Johnny moved into the drivers eat to get a better view. Beppe went in, Missoni recognized him. He ran but was barely behind the counter when six bullets tore into him. Two scraped his arm and embedded themselves in the back wall. One hit his arm, two his legs. The final one blasted into his skull and he fell.
Beppe didn't stay. He darted out the diner, barely giving Johnny time to move back into his own seat. He hit the gas and was out of there.
In a week, Gabriella Santoro would be 17. She would be older, supposedly wiser. In recognition of this, for the first time ever, her parents were letting her have a party at home unsupervised. They would be in Detroit on business. On one hand she was disappointed that they wouldn't be there. On the other, she was happy. No parents meant no chaperones. No chaperones meant that maybe, just maybe, Silvio could be persuaded to spend the night with his pretty young honey.
There was a lot to do, she knew that. Dad would have locked away all the booze, so she would just have to ask guests to bring their own. Mom had never approved of her love, but she wouldn't be there to object. The way was clear for him to stay over. Maybe she would get more out of this than an innocent kiss on the cheek.
Later that day, she called Silvio and asked him to come over. He was tired from a night of making collections and smoking pot, but not even that could keep him away from her. He's come round, but she would have to promise to be very quiet.
About half-an-hour later, he turned up on her front porch. He'd said he was wrecked, and he looked it. Red rimmed eyes and messy hair, a dead give-away for a late night and a few joints. He was angling for a little sympathy, and Gabriella took the bait. Cooing and stroking, she led him onto the couch and made him a cup of strong black coffee.
Gabriella's two sisters, Maria and Angela, were still upstairs. At least they weren't around to aggravate her stoned boyfriend. She could never say what he was liable to do in this state if annoyed. Left alone, like now, he would just slump in an untidy crumple of man, clothes and slightly tacky jewelry. Lord bless him, she thought as she brought him his drink.
--@@@-- -- --
Back at the Dante residence, Silvio's father Beppe was waiting on a call. Johnny Boy had told him he'd call to be picked up about 12, what with his own car being in for repairs and Junior being busy. They had been working this thing out for months, and they finally had a chance to do it.
If only he would get off the pot, Beppe would consider putting his son forward for membership. You need a clear head and keen senses for this thing of ours.
At about 10 past 12, the phone rang. It was Johnny, ready for picking up. Beppe shouted to his wife, got in the car and drove round to the Soprano house, almost four miles away. All the way Beppe was grumbling to himself about how Johnny wanted him now. Didn't he understand how long it took to get there?
-- --@@@-- -- --
In the Soprano house, Anthony was upstairs trying to puzzle out his math homework. Livia was no good at math, Johnny was going to dash out and his sisters were hopeless. Why did everything have to be so hard for him? It just wasn't fair. Once again he tried to tackle it, then he heard something. His room was above the front porch, so snatches of conversations drifted up to him. "Beppe, when you bringing your son in? You waiting for him to kill first?"
"Nah, just waiting for him to get off the pot."
"Ah. That girl he's with now is a good influence, she'll clean him up. Better than that hussy slut he almost got pregnant."
"Yeah, I guess. I can't believe we're finally gonna pop Missoni, y'know?"
"Don't sound so keen Bep'. We might not see him."
Then the door clicked shut and they were gone. Anthony's heart was in his mouth. Who was Missoni? What had he done? What was "Y'know"? He knew Beppe as "Uncle Bep'", and his son only by sight. The girlfriend he knew not at all. He decided that the best course of action was to ignore it. Ignorance is bliss, he told himself as he wormed down under the covers with the homework he could not do.
--@@@-- -- --
A couple of hours later, Silvio had cleared the pot from his system. It was a good thing he had - Gabriella's sisters were up and causing havoc. Where he would have killed them while under the influence, here he was teasing them, playing with them - in other words, being like a big brother to them.
Gabriella was snuggled up to him.. She knew about his family background and what his dad did - which was why Mom disapproved - and she didn't care. He had big dreams anyway. His life ambition was to leave New Jersey with her as his bride and become a big lounge singer in Las Vegas. She just didn't have the heart to tell him that his voice wasn't a lounge voice. It was more of a rock voice.
Eventually the little girls went off to play in the garden. Mom and Dad were at work, so this was a great opportunity for a little fumble in Gabby's underwear. Skimpy little bra - ooh very nice! The sexy little minx had probably had this in mind all the time. She was wearing rather large panties, so that was most definitely out of the question. Not for long though. If he had his way, she'd get a very special birthday present.
--@@@-- -- --
On the road, Johnny was very quiet. This was unlike him, so Beppe asked what was the matter. He heaved a huge sigh and it all came out. How little Anthony had had a glimpse of the mob lifestyle - Paulie and Silvio - in a malt shop and was becoming quiet and withdrawn. Beppe knew his son hung round with Paulie and made collections on his behalf, but he hadn't known his child had influenced another. While he wanted his boy in and Anthony had to learn one way or another, he was still young.
Once again silence reigned. They both knew what was on each other's mind, but they didn't want to discuss it. They had both known Missoni for a long, long time. He was a good man, but he had sold them out, disobeyed orders, violated rules. Like it or not, he had to go.
They pulled into a slip road, lit only by a street light at the other end. Opposite them was a diner, part owned by Missoni. He was in there, cleanup the mess left by the dinner crowd. Beppe got out and made his way to the diner. Johnny moved into the drivers eat to get a better view. Beppe went in, Missoni recognized him. He ran but was barely behind the counter when six bullets tore into him. Two scraped his arm and embedded themselves in the back wall. One hit his arm, two his legs. The final one blasted into his skull and he fell.
Beppe didn't stay. He darted out the diner, barely giving Johnny time to move back into his own seat. He hit the gas and was out of there.
