Stacy — I let go (1)
Stacy — I let go (1)
Six months later…
"What am I doing here, Jeff?" I asked, standing outside Don Angelo's hospital room.
"You're next of kin. Your father's emergency contact. The irony is not lost on me. He took a bullet to the head last night and somehow he's still not dead. Son of a bitch is immortal," Jeff informed me.
"Any chatter about who did it?" I asked, unable to help my curiosity.
"Doesn't matter. You're marrying my son in a week. If you don't hurry, we're both going to be late for dinner with Scott and the kids. It's bad enough that I'm attending your wedding alongside Luca Cattaneo. I didn't call you down here to get you involved in this mess. In fact, stay the fuck out of it. The only reason I called is because we're moving Don Angelo to someplace more secure. This might be your last chance to see him, Stacy. Do what you need to do. Just try not to kill him," said Jeff, leaving me alone in front of the hospital room.
I entered the room against my better judgment. I hadn't seen Don Angelo since I shot him. The day had already been interesting enough. I didn't need this today. I took in the state of my father slowly. He had tubes and needles going into him, giving him this pitiable vulnerability.
"Who do you think it was that tried to whack you just as you were on the mend, daddy? My money is on Luca. Then again, you pissed off literally everyone. Doesn't really matter, I suppose," I said, sitting down next to him. "I'm getting married soon. I don't know if you can hear me, but I just want you to know. There will be a gun in a false bottom in the drawer of my bedside table for the rest of my life. Just in case you walk out of here, escape FBI custody and somehow manage to make it past the mafia too. If you ever enter my house or come near my loved ones, I will shoot you. Right between the eyes. I won't fuck up by aiming for the chest again or like whoever failed to take you out. Ciao, daddy."
I got up and walked right out the door without so much as a glance back. I let go. Thirty minutes later, I was checking my handbag to make sure that I was armed with my copy of the newest Where's Waldo I found on eBay. Spotting Scott and the kids, I hurried past the tables of the bustling Italian restaurant Scott picked for tonight. Things were still awkward with Jeff, Willow and Lisa, but Scott and Jeff had come a long way.
Not wanting Jeff to feel excluded, Scott and I had dinner with him, Collette, Milly and Evan every Friday night. Yes, Collette. At Jenny's insistence, I was trying to establish a relationship with her, if for no other reason than to see my little brother, Evan. It was an uphill battle with Collette, who still hadn't introduced me to her husband, but I tried to shrug it off. It was exactly seven days before my wedding day. Nothing was going to get me down.
"Oh thank God you're here. They're not being nice to me," said Scott, rising to kiss me on the lips.
"We haven't even been talking to you. Evan's teaching me chess on the iPad. Hi Stacy. You look pretty," said little Milly, brightening up when she said my name.
"Hey Milly. So do you, cutie," I said, going over to hug her.
Milly was the cutest, little blonde seven year old. She had the signature Brady brown eyes. I loved those eyes. Would our children get them too? I preferred that to my cold, icy blues.
"My point exactly. I'm being ignored," Scott muttered, sitting back down.
"Trying to teach you chess. It's not going well," said Evan, making Milly frown.
"Be nice," I chided Evan, now standing between his chair and Milly's. "Where's mom?"
I made an effort to call Collette mom around Evan, so as not to confuse him or make him start calling her Collette too. Their relationship was strained enough as it was. It was a strange set up we had going, all but forcing Collette and Jeff at a table together every Friday night. Jeff didn't make a fuss about it. He was just happy to bring Milly by, who absolutely adored Scott. Collette was a different story. She made no secret of not liking the situation.
"Something 'came up'. She just dropped me off," said Evan, refusing to look up from his iPad.
I blew out a frustrated sigh. Collette not trying with me was one thing, but it pissed me off when she did shit like this to Evan.
"That's why he's such a bundle of sunshine," said Milly, undeterred by Evan's mood.
With all the time Milly and Evan spent together, they had gotten pretty close very quickly. Usually you could leave them to entertain each other for ages and they'd be just fine.
"Ray of sunshine," Evan corrected Milly.
"Fucking savants. Am I right, Mills?" Scott muttered to Milly, holding up his hand for a high five.
"You said a bad word, Scottie. I'm telling," said Milly, pointing an accusing finger at him, before she turned back to Evan. "Teach me more chess. I'll get it this time."
"I really don't think you will. Let's try again in ten years," said Evan snootily.
"Evan's being mean again," Milly whined this time, pouting.
"Evan Theodore Smith, apologize to Milly," I said, trying to keep my tone firm but not too harsh.
"Sorry you're stupid, Milly," Evan grumbled.
"I'm seven. I'm supposed to be stupid," said Milly, sticking her nose into the air.
Despite appearances, Evan adored Milly more than anyone. If he was being an arrogant, little prick, it was because he was upset. Scott gave me a reassuring look, then refocused on Milly to distract her from Evan's bad mood.
"Wow. Telling on me is ice cold. Snitches get stitches, Mills," Scott said, lightly tickling his little sister.