CHAPTER 6
SPECIAL REPORT
Carmela was just sitting there, watching the news. There was a special report on.
"...repeating our top story, alleged New Jersey organized crime boss Anthony 'Tony' Soprano was arrested today in Newark on charges of murder in the death of bar owner Adriana La Cerva. He is also expected to be charged in the death of fellow alleged organized crime figure Ralph Cifaretto, whose remains have now been positively identified."
Meadow had been sitting there beside her when she'd taken the call from Tony. She never forgot how devastated Carm had looked after receiving the call. Meadow didn't quite know how to handle this. She was very upset herself of course - this was her FATHER after all - but her mom's reaction made her sort of forget her own feelings; she focused in on how Mom was taking it. It wasn't pretty.
Meadow was just about to sneak out when Carm called her over.
"Yes Mom?"
"Meadow I want you to hear what I have to say. But so help me God I don't want you to ever tell anyone. ANYONE EVER. No matter what, do you understand?"
"Yes, Mom. What is it you wanted to say?"
Carm closed her eyes, obviously pained. "It's my fault your father is now in jail."
"Mom? Your fault? How?"
It was a long time before Carm could answer, so long that Meadow thought she'd never answer. But answer she did....
"I was watching the morning news. They were running a story on a body found near some property your dad and I was interested in building on...then they showed a ring. I knew whose ring it was right away, it was Adriana's. She'd showed it to me."
She let out a sad smile. "I had no idea your father could've been responsible for this. If I had, I'd have never said a word."
"I'm sorry Mom."
"Don't be. I knew, deep down inside, what your father was. You did too. I just thought..." At that point Carm starting weeping and sobbing. "I just thought, maybe I could get through this life without it hitting me in the face like this. Why in hell did he have to kill someone we knew?"
"Does it matter? Would you have been happier if you never knew?"
"Yes! I would've! You think I want my children to know this? You think I wanted to marry a murderer, a criminal?"
Meadow looked at her mom with a strange sort of look. "You did. And you knew what he was. You knew where he came from. What, did you just say to yourself, 'I can live with this, as long as it doesn't hit home?' Well, guess what, Mom - it does! How do you think I feel! I - "
"Excuse me?"
Meadow and Carmela looked up to see Dr Jennifer Melfi standing there. The doctor looked a little embarrassed.
"Dr Melfi, what are you doing here?"
"Mrs. Soprano, I'd just heard about the arrest. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know if you need any kind of counseling, I can help. If I can't do it myself, then I can recommend somebody."
No one said anything for a while after that, they just looked at each other, as the reporter kept up his spiel.....
"in related news, the body of a man believed to be an associate of Tony Soprano's was found in an abandoned car in the Ironbound section of Newark. Newark police identified the victim as Peter Paul Gautieri, nicknamed 'Paulie Walnuts'. Sources in the NPD said that a suspect, identified as nightclub owner Silvio Dante, is in custody and has admitted the shooting."
SPECIAL REPORT
Carmela was just sitting there, watching the news. There was a special report on.
"...repeating our top story, alleged New Jersey organized crime boss Anthony 'Tony' Soprano was arrested today in Newark on charges of murder in the death of bar owner Adriana La Cerva. He is also expected to be charged in the death of fellow alleged organized crime figure Ralph Cifaretto, whose remains have now been positively identified."
Meadow had been sitting there beside her when she'd taken the call from Tony. She never forgot how devastated Carm had looked after receiving the call. Meadow didn't quite know how to handle this. She was very upset herself of course - this was her FATHER after all - but her mom's reaction made her sort of forget her own feelings; she focused in on how Mom was taking it. It wasn't pretty.
Meadow was just about to sneak out when Carm called her over.
"Yes Mom?"
"Meadow I want you to hear what I have to say. But so help me God I don't want you to ever tell anyone. ANYONE EVER. No matter what, do you understand?"
"Yes, Mom. What is it you wanted to say?"
Carm closed her eyes, obviously pained. "It's my fault your father is now in jail."
"Mom? Your fault? How?"
It was a long time before Carm could answer, so long that Meadow thought she'd never answer. But answer she did....
"I was watching the morning news. They were running a story on a body found near some property your dad and I was interested in building on...then they showed a ring. I knew whose ring it was right away, it was Adriana's. She'd showed it to me."
She let out a sad smile. "I had no idea your father could've been responsible for this. If I had, I'd have never said a word."
"I'm sorry Mom."
"Don't be. I knew, deep down inside, what your father was. You did too. I just thought..." At that point Carm starting weeping and sobbing. "I just thought, maybe I could get through this life without it hitting me in the face like this. Why in hell did he have to kill someone we knew?"
"Does it matter? Would you have been happier if you never knew?"
"Yes! I would've! You think I want my children to know this? You think I wanted to marry a murderer, a criminal?"
Meadow looked at her mom with a strange sort of look. "You did. And you knew what he was. You knew where he came from. What, did you just say to yourself, 'I can live with this, as long as it doesn't hit home?' Well, guess what, Mom - it does! How do you think I feel! I - "
"Excuse me?"
Meadow and Carmela looked up to see Dr Jennifer Melfi standing there. The doctor looked a little embarrassed.
"Dr Melfi, what are you doing here?"
"Mrs. Soprano, I'd just heard about the arrest. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know if you need any kind of counseling, I can help. If I can't do it myself, then I can recommend somebody."
No one said anything for a while after that, they just looked at each other, as the reporter kept up his spiel.....
"in related news, the body of a man believed to be an associate of Tony Soprano's was found in an abandoned car in the Ironbound section of Newark. Newark police identified the victim as Peter Paul Gautieri, nicknamed 'Paulie Walnuts'. Sources in the NPD said that a suspect, identified as nightclub owner Silvio Dante, is in custody and has admitted the shooting."