The twins entered their parents’ room with bounding energy.
Rita stood with arms akimbo. “It’s our birfday. Get up.”
Tiana stood behind her sister nodding.
Tony and Lilly tried to wait each other out, feigning sleep.
Rita climbed onto the bed and called into her mother’s face, “It’s our birfday. We are three.”
“Really?” Lilly said smoothly. “Does Daddy know?”
Tony chuckled.
Tiana climbed on the bed. “Daddy, Daddy, we are three.”
Lilly sat up. “Girls its Smurf day, Saturday. Papa Smurf and Smurfette,” she said as she led them away. “Let’s go down and leave Daddy to fake sleep like the rat he is.”
Lilly got them settled with Cheerios, banana slices, and sippy cups of milk and turned on the TV.
She went back up to dress. Tony was dawdling in bed, watching his son sleep. Lilly put on jeans. She picked out a blouse and shoulder brace and held up a nursing bra. “I won’t miss this industrial strength thing.”
Tony got up and hugged her. “These are industrial strength tatas.”
She hugged him and rolled her belly against him. He responded, his penis swelling between her breasts. She cupped his balls and kept the pressure on him as she belly danced against him. Her milk let down adding warm sticky fluid. He clutched as he ejaculated. They stayed belly to belly for a minute and then peeled of each other.
“What was that?” Tony asked huskily.
“A sticky belly,” Lilly laughed as she headed for the shower.
“You are a unique woman,” he called after her.
“We are well-matched.”
Isabel was with Tito when Lilly arrived. “Ma, I’ll stay with him while you take a little nap.”
“I need to get dinner going.”
“No, Ma. Nick and Issy are bringing dinner. Please sleep. I’ll take care of him. I promise to call if …he needs you.”
“When are Tony and the tots coming?”
“Around three. Go to your sewing room and get some sleep.”
Lilly stayed with Tito. Issy came up at noon, and they sat together.
“Issy would you get the twins a cake and some food for dinner for everyone? I told Ma you would do it so she would sleep.”
“Sure, Nicky will take me shopping. I can’t tell you what we’ll bring back. He loves to bring me to all these weird little places. We’ll go to Arthur Avenue and come back with an Italian feast.”
“You have become such an Italian wife. Tony always wants me to become an Italian wife – keep dreaming buddy!”
Tito moaned and reached for the air. Issy left, and Lilly prepared a morphine shot. Isabel came back while Lilly was bathing Tito.
“I slept so long. I’ll take a shower,” Isabel said.
Lilly was finishing Tito’s bath when she heard her family explode in the door. She replaced his pajama top, covered him, and got behind him to continue his back massage.
When she heard the girls call “Mama,” she went to the doorway to wave and put her finger to her lips to quiet them. Owen was still in Tony’s arms, and he began to jump. She wasn’t surprised to hear him speed crawling down the hall and he soon entered the room. He crawled to the bed and pulled up, calling out in excited baby language.
Lilly was finished with Tito’s backrub and was smoothing the wrinkles from his top and sheets.
Tito opened his eyes and, seeing Owen, said, “Anthony.”
Tony came to the door and said, “Hi, Pops. That’s my son Owen.”
Tito said, “He could be you.”
Owen scrambled to his mother. Lifting him, she whispered, “Let’s leave Daddy and Pops.”
Tito nodded almost unperceptively and said, “Lilly.”
Lilly said, “Thanks.” And left the room.
Tony sat with his father.
Tito put his hand on Tony.
The birthday party was subdued and was followed by a vigil that carried on into the night. The twins and Owen were put down to sleep in the sewing room.
Frank, who was managing Joe and Rafiel’s liquor store, arrived after ten when the store closed. Tito was too far gone to acknowledge him. Frank and Debbie were separated and the family was breathing a sigh of relief. Isabel had said to Lilly privately, “Thank God they had no children, Heaven forgive me for saying.”
The entire family was in the apartment in groupings that included the kitchen standers, the living-room sitters, and the kitchen-table carrying-on-ers.
Frank was talking about his friend Jimmy’s wedding. “I’m best man, so I got to give him a send-off.”
Tony said, “Your bachelor party was at the K of C.”
Lilly said, “Everett bartends there.”
Tony asked, “How long has he been doing that?”
“Since I’ve known him.”
“Really,” Tony said, waiting for Lilly to catch on. “When you came back from Thailand, was he moonlighting there?” he asked.
Lilly looked at him, “Yes.” It began to dawn on her. “Frank’s bachelor, ooh …” Lilly walked over to Tony.
Tony said, “I know EO is devious, but Everett?”
Lilly laughed, “They are well-matched.”
Tony nodded, then threw back his head and laughed. ”We have take them to dinner.”
Lilly said, “I don’t want them to know it took us so long to figure them out.”
Frank said, “You two speak in code to each other. Someday I want that with someone.”
Tony nodded at the sofa, and Frank turned to see Issy and Nick laughing. “It will come, brother.”
Tito died at two a. m.
**************************
29. April 1985
Lilly brought the children to Isabel’s to be babysat while she returned to Manhattan to record background vocals for another album on which her name would never appear. She had performed on some albums that were so poor, in her estimation, that the omission was not minded. She had re-laid piano tracks by a top-forty star and then heard the work described on the radio as proof of his genius.
Lilly was still employed as a nurse, but she only worked per diem. The children were bored and cranky, recovering from chicken pox. Tiana and Rita fought about who would push the elevator button while Owen whined. He had been sleeping in the car, and Lilly had known there would be hell to pay when she woke him.
The children transformed to angelic grandchildren as the elevator door opened and they ran down to Noni’s apartment.
Rita rushed in, “Noni look, all my pox are cuts now.”
Tiana corrected, “Scabs. We can go to school on Monday.”
Owen squirmed to get down and then marched to Isabel. “Noni, I have the mostest pox.”
Isabel inspected her grandchildren’s pox and uttered appropriate comments, conveying how impressed she was by them.
“Noni has a surprise for each of you in the sewing room,” Isabel told them and waited for them to run off and find the color forms. She turned to Lilly, “You look tired honey. When is Tony coming home?”
“I’m not sure, Ma. He called last night. He has to integrate their system. He went to set up a hospital and then stayed to set up a trade show. Jay flew there to work the show, but it was so big Tony stayed too. That led to a sale to both a huge fruit producer and a cruise line. He had to set them up. Ma, he’s been gone for nineteen days. Hawaii is so far.”
“Lilly, do you have time for a cup of tea?” Isabel said, offering a shoulder.
“I can’t, Ma. I have to be at the studio …oh, what the heck. Yesterday I was there on time, and we waited for two hours. The star came in stinking drunk and worse, they had to cancel.” Lilly followed Isabel to the kitchen.
Isabel asked, “Is something else bothering you?”
Lilly sat down. “Ma, I’m pregnant. I can’t believe it. Tony knows, but no one else. I keep thinking that with the move, I’ll never have the energy.”
Isabel sat, “If you didn’t plan this baby, I’m sure i
t’s a shock, but in my day all babies were shocks that gradually became surprises. Maybe this baby will be a blessing. Moving to the country like that, it will be a friend for Owen. Maybe a little Tito.”
Lilly nodded, “Tony already has that covered. If it’s a girl I can name her anything, but if it’s a boy, it’s Tito.”
Isabel smiled, satisfied. “Your friend Jay, who Tony hired, why doesn’t he do the traveling?”
“He does. He’s been to Cleveland and Toronto since he came back. He’s a good salesman, but he can’t do the actual setting up and integration of the security systems. Tony said they will hire another salesman and another engineer when they move.”
“How is the move going?”
“We closed on the farm almost two months ago. They’re building a new building for Lockout. It will be much better. It’s all been so piecemeal, ever since they started. First in the spare room, where they never had enough room. They drove me crazy before they moved around the corner to the studio. They outgrew that place before they even got used to it. Then they made it a clean lab and moved the offices to the apartment where TJ used to live. Hopefully, they planned this building large enough. We’ll move in at the end of June.”
“How is the house coming?” Isabel asked.
“I hope good. It’s old, and the rooms are big. It’s the old farmhouse. It’s being worked on. Tony wants me to check it, but I can’t, Ma. With all the construction workers around, I can’t go there.”
Isabel nodded, seeing her fear. She sipped her tea. “How is the farm split up?”
“We have fifty-seven acres with our house and a garage and a barn. Lockout will be on the far end with fifty-one acres. My Uncle Dennis and Aunt Ellen have about sixty acres. Jay and Hillary have eleven acres. They are building a gorgeous house. The rest will revert back to woodlands. Most are along a stream and around a pond. There are also some wetlands that are marshy, with some owned in a trust by Lockout. All told, the farm had three hundred and sixty-four acres. Lilly’s mood elevated as she spoke about the move.
Isabel said, “It will be lovely, but you are going so far.”
“It’s six miles from Walkill, and that’s right outside Newburgh. We’ll have an extra bedroom, even with this little passenger getting its own room. I could come and pick you up to visit for a couple of days a week. Our kids love you so much, Ma. We would never take them away from you.”
“You could pick me up on your way from the studios?”
“I’ll be finished with that, unless the music is right. No more junk music. I’ll find a job in an OR or a labor unit or something interesting. That reminds me, I really have to leave. Tiana, Rita, O, give me a kiss and be good.”
The recording went smoothly, and Lilly picked up the children in time to return to Manhattan before Lockout’s office closed for the night.
The three members of the secretarial pool sat in a large common area that was framed by Tony’s, Jay’s, and Dennis’s offices. Donna, the first person Tony and Dennis had hired, jumped up to hug the children and help them find the M&Ms she kept around for such visitors.
Lilly asked Cresta and Millie, “Have you found a place near Newburg?”
Millie told her, “I’ve resigned. My husband’s job is here. My parents live in Queens. I’m a city girl.”
“Millie, I’m sorry you won’t be coming. Cresta, you’re coming, aren’t you?”
“You couldn’t get rid of me that easily. I’d love to get out of this city. You Manhattanites have a gentle view. The Bronx is burning, and I’m not burning with it. Donna and I are going up Saturday to find a place. I’ll get a car, maybe even a driver’s license.”
Lilly laughed, “Cresta, you don’t drive?”
“I’ve never lived anywhere but the Bronx. Anyway, I live for the day-to-day thrills of the subway. They better make me a wide parking space.”
“I’ll remember not to park near you,” Lilly said.
Donna returned to the common area with Dennis and Jay.
Dennis said, “Hello Lilly, Tiana, Rita, and Owen. How is the man of the house?”
Owen answered, “Daddy’s in Hawaii.” He joined his sisters at Donna’s desk.
Lilly laughed. “He’s three. He’s pretty literal.”
Dennis asked, “How is it going with you?”
Lilly answered, “Getting by. Tony called last night. He said you were going to Walkill today to check construction. How is it going?”
“Fairly well. Jay is going the day after tomorrow. Do you want him to check your house? I think one of us should check every few days.”
Jay came up to her. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“I work Thursday. Could you check our house? “
“I’ll check things. You and Hillary could drive up together,” he said, challenging her, since he knew she was afraid to go into the house while workers were there.
Lilly glared at him.
He relented and put an arm around her shoulders. “How is the studio treating you?”
“Miserable. These guys write half a song and then run out of inspiration so they sing the first half again. I finished an album that does that with seven songs. It should be called music for the short-term-memory deficient. The star is oblivious. I sang back-up on some songs, played piano on others; he doesn’t realize I’m the same person. But I’m done with that for a while.”
“Thursday?”
“I’m an OR nurse.”
“After I check the buildings, I’m going to fly out of Newburgh to Miami and then Houston. Call Hillary.”
“I call Hillary every day, silly boy. Eileen and Hillary and I already have a Macy’s shopping date while you’re gone.”
Lilly left Lockout and walked around the block, feeling vaguely uncomfortable as if she were being watched.
Tony’s flight was due at LaGuardia at 11 p.m., but it circled until 1:30. His coworkers weren’t expecting him to return until the following night. That left a day to rejoin his family in privacy before being besieged with the challenges of the business, compounded with the problems of the move.
Tony arrived home in the still of the night. He let himself in and made his way through the house to the bedroom. He refrained from putting on the light, quietly put down the suitcase, laid his garment bag over a chair, removed his suit jacket and tie, and unbuttoned his shirt.
He felt in his bed for his wife and first found Owen. He lifted and carried him to his bedroom. Tony returned, and this time his quest for Lilly turned up Tiana. He lifted her and paused near the night light in the hall, studying the narrow face framed in tight curls, so reminiscent of his grandmother’s. While in the twins’ room, he noticed the upper bunk was empty.
He returned to find the “long lean model” as he called Rita. Rita leaned against him and nearly came awake in the hall.
“Daddy,” her husky little voice said.
“Lovely Rita, meter maid, go to sleep. Daddy will be here all day tomorrow.”
He studied her almond-shaped face and silky straight, long hair.
Tony returned to bed and finished undressing as he slid in beside Lilly. She didn’t rouse immediately. He felt along the edge of her nightgown and slipped his hand under it. He kissed her chin and neck until she reacted.
“Tony, oh Tony. You’re home. Where are the babies?”
“Tucked in their beds. Now it’s only us.”
He pulled her nightgown over her head and kissed her ear as he slid his penis on her belly and leg. Their sex reflected their pent-up desire.
“I didn’t see any residual effects from the chicken pox on the kids,” he said later as they held each other.
“No, you missed it, you dog. By the way you got them each a stuffed chicken,” Lilly answered.
“That was nice of me, wife. That reminds me.”
He got out of bed and retrieved a jewelry case from his suit jacket. He brought it to bed and handed it to her.
She opened it to find a pearl necklace and earrings.
She gasped. “Tony, this is, … this is beautiful. But with the house, can we?”
“Since that pop star is paying for the rewiring and insulation and windows, I think you need to know, Belle, ….” He ran out of words.
“I love you, too, Anthony.”
He reached down to kiss her belly, “Have you told anyone about this baby?”
“No. Well, your mother. I had to tell her. I needed someone to talk to.”
“Lilly, have you been wearing your shoulder harness again?” Tony saw the familiar mark on her back that came from the shoulder harness she had worn daily until Owen reached the age when he wasn’t being constantly carried.
“The chicken pox made them babies again. They are too big to carry. Tony, how did it all work out?”
“I think we’ll end up with a big account, the state government. We’ll be consulting and helping them administer it, but the liability will be all them.”
“Tony, you’re not going back?” Lilly didn’t try to conceal the panic in her voice.
“Not right now, Belle. We’ll have to hire another salesman though. One who can do more of the setting up and reworking of the systems. I’m going to get Dennis to go to MIT and Cal Tech to recruit. Jay is a great salesman, almost too good. When we hire, I’ll have to break the new guy in in.”
“What about the engineers you have?”
“Ravi doesn’t speak English well enough. He can’t communicate. People think computers are …like taking a physics exam every day. Ravi would make them think they are not smart enough to utilize us. Catherine is brilliant and precise, but she doesn’t …schmooze. She can’t read people.” Tony touched her face.
Lilly rubbed his upper arms. “You are so stiff buddy? Was it a bad trip?”
“I hate hotels, airports, rental cars, airplanes, cabin pressure, turbulence, holding patterns, luggage carousels. …Other than that, I missed you. I had a very friendly chambermaid, but she didn’t fuck like you.”
“You bastard.” Lilly took the bait. “Did she do this?”
*******************
“Lockout Data Security,” Millie answered and then said in disgust, “Not again.”
“Not that song again?” Cresta said. “She’s Not There?”
A Yonkers Kinda Girl Page 48
