A Yonkers Kinda Girl

by Rose O'Callaghan

  Tony finally said, “That guy was nuts. He picked you ’cause of your name?”

  “Where did he hear it? When?” Lilly asked.

  “I don’t know if we’ll ever know. Let’s walk.”

  Lilly stood and noticed her skirt was in tatters.

  “You need stitches,” Tony said, touching her forehead. “Get dressed, and I’ll take you to the ER.” They walked back into the house.

  Lilly went to the stairs, running by the living room. She started up the stairs and then came back. “Colleen, come up with me while I get changed?”

  In a low voice, as they disappeared upstairs, Bridget said, “Still, she doesn’t cry. That girl is unbelievable. She has no … ”

  Tony interrupted. “You don’t understand her.”

  Tony and Lilly followed Hillary’s ambulance to the hospital, where Lilly was mended in four stitches. They passed Hillary on a stretcher coming back from X-ray.

  Hillary grasped her hand. “Hey Lil, next time keep your admirers to yourself?”

  Lilly started crying. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

  Hillary tried to hug her without moving her head from the stretcher. “Lil, it wasn’t your fault. Maybe he was well-to-do, and we can sue the piss out of his estate.”

  They separated as an orderly moved Hillary into a treatment room.

  Tony and Lilly walked to the car, but instead of getting in, Tony led Lilly to the Bronx River Park beyond the parking lot. Lilly was frightened by the blank expression on his face. They walked to a stone bridge, leaned on the railing, and looked out on the “NO SKATING THIN ICE” sign on the dormant river. She feared he would say this is too much and kiss her off.

  Lilly realized she hadn’t heard anything about basketball for months. She remembered Tony and his roommates, Linus and Eddie, had been suspended for a month because they were busted. She had never heard the outcome of the court appearance. She felt a pang of guilt that in her focus on her own injuries, his life had gotten lost.

  “Tony, what happened to basketball?” Lilly inquired softly.

  He looked at her. “I was thinking about that. Your memory’s so touchy. Do you remember the suspension?” Lilly nodded.

  Tony continued, “If you’re not a starter, or even one of the subs he uses, a freshman player doesn’t go on the road with the team … I went to two night practices, and I kept fouling. The coach knew about you. He said I was too aggressive and I was going to hurt someone. He said after things settled down to come back, like in January. He said I’m not re-suspended or anything. That it’s more like a leave of absence.”

  Lilly nodded and hugged his arm. He spoke about his roommates and classes, and then he said, “Damn it! I wanted him so bad. I couldn’t move or he’d have killed you. I … ” He stammered in anger. She resisted the urge to put a supporting hand on his arm. A few minutes passed.

  He asked, “Do you remember more now?”

  She looked away. “I don’t have to think about it. I don’t have to. It’s not like he’s running around and can hurt someone. I don’t remember it,” she said defensively.

  “OK. OK.” They stood watching the sign on the river.

  She walked from the bridge toward a bench.

  He said, “Don’t walk away from me now. We’ve come this far. There are people who have been married twenty years who couldn’t handle this.”

  “I have to sit down.”

  They returned to her house, but instead of going inside he said, “Let’s go to my house.”

  “OK. But I’ve got to see my mother so she knows things went OK at the hospital.”

  Tony didn’t go beyond the doorway, seeing the sea of police and his family clustered. He shrank back, trying to rid himself of the events of the day. Lilly weaved through the people and handed her mother the insurance card.

  “Four stitches,” she said, lifting her bangs to show a small bandage.

  Bridget said, “Lillian, are you back?” and then she was interrupted by the telephone before she could say anything else.

  Lilly slipped out quietly. She and Tony went to his house where they made French toast for New Year’s Eve. They played cards and listened to records and dozed off watching Guy Lombardo, missing the ball drop.

  The O’Dwyer house was quiet when Lilly got home. She walked into the living room to see if it all had been real. The broken TV and the bloodstains on the rug bore witness to the horrid truth.

  Ann and Colleen walked in from the kitchen.

  “Lilly, where have you been?” Ann asked.

  “Tony’s. How’s Mom?”

  “In bed. Lilly do you remember more?” Ann asked.

  “No,” she lied. She started upstairs.

  Colleen said, “Happy New Year.”

  Lilly turned around and raced downstairs. “What was Mrs. della Robbia doing here? I never thought …why was she here?”

  Ann answered, “I don’t know. They were already tied up when I got here.”

  Lilly waited a while, giving Tony time to return home and then called him. “Tony, what was your mother doing at my house today?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll find out tomorrow.”

  Lilly walked on eggshells the next day, expecting her mother to question her about her jarred memory or to come out with something she had learned by comparing notes with Isabel. The family had its traditional New Year’s celebration. Discussion of the previous day was taboo. The living room was off limits. Lilly felt as though her mother’s gaze was piercing through her. The day passed uneasily.

  That evening, Lilly excused herself to go to her room. Bridget called her into her father’s study and solemnly closed the door behind her.

  “Lillian, sit down please. I need to speak with you.”

  Lilly sat in a rocking chair and then, too nervous to sit still, she stood to move to an easy chair.

  “Lillian, would you please sit down?” Bridget said firmly. Lilly sank back into the rocking chair.

  Bridget stood over her and said, “I’ve made some serious errors in judgment raising you, and I intend to rectify them. Even when your behavior caused you to be expelled from a school your brothers and sisters managed to complete successfully, I truly didn’t believe you were a bad girl. I worried about the people in your musical group being involved in drugs. You are too young to be involved with a bunch of hippies anyway. I was sad to find out Tony has a drug problem.”

  “Tony doesn’t have a drug problem,” Lilly defended him.

  “Lillian, don’t interrupt. I should have taken steps to separate you before. I thought it would fizzle out on its own. Don’t misunderstand. I think Tony’s forbearance through your crisis was admirable. He probably saved your life. But that doesn’t change the fact that you lied to me, both by omission and out rightly. You never mentioned that Tony had moved out of his parents’ home. You never stayed at the O’Riellys’ for those weekends in September and October.

  “I don’t know how I could separate you here, you are so adept at sidestepping. I’d never trust you. I have been in touch with my brother Dennis. You don’t know Dennis. He came to the funeral after the accident, but you were so young. He didn’t come for Brian’s funeral since he was living in Hawaii. Now he lives in New Orleans. You will go there tomorrow. You’ll go to school there. It will be best to leave the past behind you. Go upstairs and pack. You may use Daddy and my matching suitcases. We wouldn’t want you to go off like a waif.”

  “Mother! That’s not the way it is. Tony and I … ”

  Bridget said swiftly, “I have no intention of arguing. My mind is made up.”

  “You mean your mind is vindictive. The shame! The shame!” Lilly spoke excitedly.

  Bridget said in her warning voice, “Lillian.”

  Lilly interrupted her, “I heard you. I saw you. You said it would be better if I had died because of the shame I brought on the family. Well, I didn’t die, so you are going to throw me away. I’m not garbage!”

  Bridget was taken aback. “Lil
lian, when I said that I thought you were going to be a vegetable.”

  “Bull! I was awake. You hate me so much. Since I won’t remove myself by dying, you want to kill my soul.”

  Bridget slapped her. “Stop it. You’re going … ”

  Lilly glared, “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Bridget slapped her again. “You’ll do as you’re told.”

  “Don’t hit me mother! No one’s going to slap me around anymore!”

  Colleen and Ann listened to their mother and sister rage. They put their coats on, then hesitated, feeling loyalty to both their mother and sister. The twins sat on the stairs and cried. Ann removed her coat and went to the twins.

  Ann whispered to Colleen, “Go call Tony.”

  Colleen ran out of the house. She didn’t know Tony’s phone number or where he lived. She walked to the della Robbias’ apartment house. She didn’t know the apartment and so she went to Nick’s instead of Tito’s. Lydia answered.

  “Is Frank here? I have to talk to him.”

  Lydia stepped out. “Frank lives up on five. He’s my cousin. I’ll show you where.”

  They rang for the elevator.

  Lydia asked, “Who are you?”

  “I’m a friend, sort of.” Colleen hesitated, “I’m Lilly’s sister.”

  Lydia asked, “Is she OK? With what happened yesterday?”

  They got out of the elevator. Colleen said, “Could you do me a favor? Maybe his parents shouldn’t see me. Would you go and get Frank?”

  Lydia went inside and came out with Frank. They went to the stairs to talk.

  “I have to talk to Tony. It’s really important. What’s his number?” Colleen asked.

  “Why didn’t you say so. He’s right inside. Is Lilly OK?”

  Colleen shook her head, and Lydia went to get her cousin.

  Tony came out saying, “Lydia, do you have everyone you need or are you going back inside for Nunzio?”

  Colleen spoke urgently, “Tony I have to talk to you.”

  “Is Lil OK?”

  “Yes …well no …well yes. She’s OK, but we’ve got to talk.” Colleen then added, “Alone.”

  Lydia walked to the elevator, saying, “Good luck Tony.”

  Frank said, “Tony if you need anything … ” He left.

  Tony said, “Colleen what’s up?” Colleen told him all she had overheard.

  “I have to think. Your mother’s a jerk. Damn it. If she’s so concerned about us sleeping together why doesn’t she make sure Lilly knows about birth control. It’s like a soap opera or a prime time line-up. First a hospital show, then a police show, now a family drama. I think we’ll have to interrupt this one with a commercial.” He sat thinking for a few minutes.

  “New Orleans? Louisiana? Good going. Doesn’t she have any relatives in Siberia? Or your funny uncle in New Jersey?”

  “Tony, she’s my mother,” Colleen said testily.

  “Sorry. I have an idea. I’m not sure what else we can do ’cause I could have a fight with your mother, or Lilly could run away. Then I’d have to stash her, but I think I have a better idea. Do you want to know or would knowing make you uncomfortable with your mother?’

  Colleen said, “Could I know without knowing? Lilly can’t be split from you now.”

  Tony left her to mull over her dilemma and went to retrieve his jacket.

  They drove to Tony’s house. “I have a roommate, Mark, who’s from Tennessee. A couple of weeks before the attack, Mark’s girlfriend, Diane, came to visit. Diane lives in Johnson City and goes to Mulligan College. She and Lilly hit it off really well. Diane invited Lilly to visit her. Well, I think Lilly’s going to take her up on the invitation. Colleen, this is going to work out. Mark’s in Tennessee for the holidays, so I’ll have to call him there.”

  He found an old phone bill and identified Mark’s home phone number, then called. They talked for about ten minutes.

  “Now, we have to wait for him to call back. He’s calling Diane.”

  Tony picked the lock to Mark’s room and went in to examine a map of Tennessee on the wall.

  “OK, fine. This will be fine,” Tony said to no one. He went back to his room and got a couple of sheets of loose leaf and started to write. Colleen looked at the pictures on Tony’s wall and recognized Lilly’s taste. She saw a sweater of Lilly’s and her earrings in a dish on his dresser. She saw music papers on the floor and picked them up.”

  Tony looked up, “That’s a song Lilly is writing. It’s almost like we are married now anyway.”

  Colleen nodded. “Your lives are so … ” She groped for the right word.

  “Intermingled. Our destinies are intermingled.”

  The telephone interrupted them. Tony went to answer it. Colleen looked at the song and felt closer to Lilly then she did in Lilly’s own room.

  He came back and finished the letter. He put it in the telephone bill envelope. He took out his wallet and put money in the envelope, leaving himself five dollars.

  He said to Colleen, “I’ll eat at my parents every day. Good thing I just got paid. Now make sure when Lilly goes, she has her birth certificate, bank book, and driver’s license, and all the songs she has. Maybe you can get stuff out through Mike. Tell her to bring her birth control pills, too.”

  Colleen nodded. They drove back to the O’Dwyers’.

  “I’m going to call her, but you give her that note. What’s your uncle’s name?”

  “Dennis. Must be Dennis Kelly.”

  Tony asked, “Kelly like your sister?”

  Colleen explained, “My grandparents died when my mother was pregnant with the twins. My grandfather was Edward Kelly and we already had a brother named Edward. My grandmother was Frances. So Kelly and Francine.”

  “They died together?”

  “No my grandfather had cancer and right after he died, like a week later, my grandmother dropped dead. I guess it was her heart.”

  “That’s the day I met Lilly,” Tony said.

  “When Nana died?”

  “No, when Francine and Kelly were born. Anyway, Dennis Kelly. Do you think your mother would let me see Lilly.”

  “Tonight?” Colleen asked.

  “It has to be if she is being shipped out tomorrow. You go in, and in a while, I’ll stop by.” Then he added, “You bring in the note anyway, so she’ll have it if your mother puts me off.”

  “Your mind is almost as sneaky as Lilly’s. You’re quite a pair.”

  Tony let Colleen out down the street from her house, and then waited twenty minutes.

  Bridget, looking very overwrought, answered the door. She hesitated.

  Tony said, “Hi, Mrs. O’Dwyer. I know it’s a school night, but I stopped by for a minute to give Lil a little encouragement for school tomorrow.”

  He enjoyed Bridget’s confusion. She walked him into the living room and asked him to wait. Tony surveyed the bloodstained carpet and walked back to the parlor.

  He heard Bridget firmly instructing Lilly, “Now I won’t have a scene. He doesn’t know you’re going, and he won’t know. You’ll ruin your life and his if you force him to take a stand. You have two minutes, and I’m listening.”

  Lilly came downstairs looking defeated. She had been crying. She couldn’t look at him. Tony met her at the bottom of the stairs. He chose his words carefully, mindful of Bridget’s ears.

  “Lillibelle, don’t look so down-hearted. School will be better. You’ll see. It’s going to be OK.” Lilly buried her head in his chest and sobbed. He whispered, “It’s going to be OK, Angel.”

  He waited a moment and then said quietly, “Call me when you can.” He whispered in her ear, “Bring your pills and bank book.”

  Lilly looked up at his face and saw that he knew. Tony lifted the ring finger of her left hand and kissed it, then held it up his own.

  He whispered, “They’ll look good in gold.”

  Bridget came downstairs because of the whispering. “Tony, she needs to rest for school. You’ll ha
ve to leave.”

  Tony nodded but kept hugging Lilly.

  Lilly reached up to kiss him and said, “I love you so.”

  For Bridget’s sake, Tony said, “I’ll stop over tomorrow after work, OK?”

  Lilly walked him to the door.

  He cupped her ear and whispered, “I’ll make your mother squirm,” and then he left.

  Bridget said, “Does he know something? What did you say to him?”

  Lilly said, “All I said was that I love him.”

  Bridget told her to pack.

  Colleen was waiting for her. “Lilly, I’ve been here forever. Where have you been? Did Tony already come?”

  Lilly sat on the bed. “You told him?”

  Colleen nodded. “He gave me this to give you. He said to bring your driver’s license, bank book, and birth control pills.” She stopped, hearing her mother on the stairs to the third floor. Lilly buried her pills and bankbook in a pair of jeans in the suitcase.

  Her mother walked in. “This is your birth certificate and insurance papers to give your uncle. He’ll need this to enter you into school.” Lilly took them grudgingly.

  Bridget said, “Lillian, look at me.” Lilly watched the floor. Bridget said, “Lillian …”

  Lilly interrupted her, “There’s nothing more to say. You’re trying to separate Tony and me. It will never happen. I don’t know when or how, but we’ll be together. You’re making me choose. Maybe you have too many daughters anyway.”

  Bridget said, “You’re talking crazily.”

  Lilly didn’t answer, and Bridget went downstairs. Colleen pulled out the letter from Tony. Lilly opened it carefully. It read:

  Lilly, my love,

  Colleen is here and told me the latest piece of your mother’s misguided sense of rightness. The plan for us is:

  1- Call me to check dates when you are settled. Don’t call from their house.

  2- Leave school at one p. m. and take a bus to Atlanta, Georgia. Then get a second ticket to Johnson City, Tennessee. The reason for two tickets is that they’ll be harder to trace.