“All the more reason,” Hillary said, “that she cannot possibly be in our league.”
“Mom,” a voice said just behind them and all three women turned. It was Joey, Cathleen’s son. “Dad’s here,” he informed them.
And as if fire had been placed under their feet, they quickly smoothed down their outfits, spruced up their hair, and then hurried into the living room. The cook staff, all of whom were people of color, shook their heads.
“She’s not in their league,” one of them mocked. “They’re in league with the devil. Who wants to be in their league?”
The cook staff laughed, and continued to do their jobs.
Outside of the beautiful home, a home bought and paid for by Mick, was Mick’s Maserati grinding to a halt. The valet opened his car door for him, and he stepped out, but he was certain his facial expression reflected his mood. He cared about his children. He loved them. But being in the same room with them and their mothers unnerved him. Just seeing all of them together crystallized his failure in such a way that it almost made him feel debilitated. He had been an awful father, in a lot of ways as bad as his father had been to him. And even though, at this late date, he was trying to make it right, he still didn’t really know what he was doing. And, he felt, as he headed toward the entrance, it showed.
The door was opened by Cathleen’s butler, and Mick walked into the foyer. As soon as he was escorted into the living room, and he saw three of his children, minus Adrian, and three of his baby mamas, minus Gloria’s mother, he felt that twinge of guilt hit him like a sledgehammer. Especially after this morning. Especially after seeing the pain in Gloria’s eyes when she realized another man had let her down. Because he knew it all started with him. He knew every guy his daughter ever dated were all closer to his age than hers. She had a father complex that he created. He was protecting her now from creeps like him, but that still didn’t erase his part in her pain.
“Welcome to my home, Mick,” Cathleen boldly proclaimed, as if her hard work and tenacity made it possible for her to secure such a home when she and Mick both knew it was the work she did on her back for him that secured it. He was young and dumb and so thuggish back then that he didn’t bother to wear condoms. Now he was the proud father of four children from four different women. It took him long enough, but when he finally learned his lesson, he learned it well.
“How’s everybody?” Mick said as he made his way toward the group. Each one of his children gave him robust hugs, as if seeing him was the best thing in the world to them, and he loved the fact that they felt that way about him. He felt the same about them. But he would never be so naïve as to think they didn’t harbor other, less charitable feelings toward him too. And rightly so.
With his ex-lovers, however, he was far less demonstrative. He spoke to them cordially and respectfully, asked how each of them were doing, but there were no outward displays of an affection they did not share. They were the mothers of his children. That was their elevation in his eyes. He was their financier. That was his in theirs.
They all sat down in the living room. Joey and Gloria, his two youngest, managed to sit on either side of their father on one sofa, while the mothers sat together on what felt, at least to Mick, to be the opposing sofa. Teddy, his most independent child and the one who favored Mick the most, sat in one of the two archtop chairs. Mick leaned back. So did Gloria and Joey.
“We’re happy you could make it,” Cathleen said as they all settled down. “But we’re a little surprised. We thought your bride would come too.”
Mick hated discussing Rosalind in front of any one of his ex-lovers, let alone three of them. But he agreed to this meet and greet. It couldn’t be helped. “She had to handle some business at her office,” he said. “She’s on her way.”
“Good,” Cathleen said with an over exaggerated smile. Cathleen was the youngest of the three mothers, and her son, Joey, was Mick’s youngest. Of all the mothers, she was also his least favorite. Too many airs for Mick, when her ass was a stripper when he first met her.
“Bella gives her apologies,” Hillary said. “She can’t make it. Again.”
Everybody, except Mick, looked at Bella’s daughter Gloria. Mick continued to stare at Hillary. She was another one he didn’t care for, even thought she was the polar opposite of Cathleen. Hailed from a prominent Pennsylvania family. College educated businesswoman. Drop dead gorgeous. Smart. But after she became pregnant, she and her family insisted he marry her. She even tried to stalk him for a minute. Until he told her, in no uncertain terms, that he would just as soon kill her than pay child support. She didn’t believe he had that in him, but she left him alone all the same.
“It is a shame,” Cathleen said to Gloria, “that we have to meet without your mother once again.”
But Gloria wasn’t going along with the bashing. “It’s fashion week,” she said, in defense of her mother. “She couldn’t get away.”
“We have busy lives too,” Hillary said. “We got away.”
“We all know how important it is for us to stick together as a family,” Ursula said. “So we came.”
Ursula Mastriano, Teddy’s mother, and Bella Caine, Gloria’s, were Mick’s two favorites. Ursula for her kind heart. He broke her heart and hated himself for it. With Bella, it was her great looks. And the fact that she had enough respect for herself to dump him before he dumped her.
“It’s the principle of the matter,” Cathleen added. “We need to maintain our unity. That’s why your mother has to find a way to get here. Wouldn’t you agree, Mick? What do you think about it?”
“Who gives a shit,” Mick said with a frown, and Gloria inwardly smiled. Teddy outwardly smiled.
“I give a shit,” Cathleen said, offended. “Right is right and Bella Caine is always on the wrong side of right. You should stop allowing her to get away with that.”
Mick rolled his eyes. He wasn’t about to get into it with Cathleen and her nonsense. He, instead, asked about Adrian’s whereabouts.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Hillary said. “You know how he is.”
The conversation would remain in that kind of tense mode until the announcement was made that Rosalind had arrived.
Mick stood up, forcing everybody else to stand too, but instead of waiting for her to enter the home as they assumed he would do, he left them and went outside to greet her. Every one of the mothers made their way to the front window, to see just how he greeted her. Their sons shook their heads.
Roz was still talking on her car phone, to her office staff, when Mick first came outside. The valet backed off when he made his way toward the driver side door.
“Isn’t that Mick’s Bentley she’s driving?” Hillary asked.
“Looks like it,” Cathleen said.
“He bought me new cars when I was dating him,” Hillary proclaimed.
“Me too,” proclaimed Ursula.
“Me three,” Cathleen chimed in.
“Oh, well,” Hillary said. “Maybe she isn’t as special to him as he’s letting on.”
But all three of them knew Mick’s actions didn’t bear that out. Not the way he raced outside to greet her as if he couldn’t bear her showing up anywhere near them alone. And the way he was now opening her car door, and helping her out, and giving her a long, passionate kiss as she stood in his arms. And the look of her.
Cathleen all but declared she was nothing to write home about, insisting she was not in their league in the looks department, but both Hillary and Ursula now realized that was a lie. The woman was gorgeous. No ands, ifs, or buts about it. And she looked far younger than they had assumed her to be.
“How old is she?” Ursula asked.
“Joey says she’s thirty-three or thirty-four,” Cathleen said. “I can’t remember which one he said. But she looks much older. Doesn’t she?”
The reverse was true, and even Cathleen knew it, but the other two mothers kept up her charade. “Much older,” Hillary agreed.
Outsi
de, Mick placed his arm around Roz’s waist and escorted her toward the front door. “You aren’t worried?” he asked her.
“No,” Roz admitted. “I’m not worried. Would I rather have a root canal? Yes. But I’m not worried.”
Mick laughed, and the Butler escorted them in.
The three mothers had returned to their seat on the couch, with looks of derision from their sons, as Mick and Roz walked in. Joey, Gloria, and Teddy were still standing up, and each gave Roz a warm embrace. Mick, to his credit, Roz thought, didn’t bother to do any formal introduction with the women. He didn’t attempt to rub it in. But he, instead, sat Roz down on the sofa beside him. His big arm was partially on top of her arm, as if he was her shield of protection. Gloria remained on the sofa at Mick’s side. Joey sat beside Roz.
“So you’re Rosalind Graham,” Hillary said.
Roz knew the woman was well aware that she was a Sinatra now, but she didn’t bother to correct her. Mick, however, did. “Her name is Rosalind Sinatra,” he said. “She’s my wife.”
Hillary’s lips tightened, and so did Cathleen’s, but Ursula smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Sinatra,” Ursula decided to say. “I’m Ursula. Though most people just call me Sue. Theodore has spoken very highly of you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sue,” Roz responded. “And you’ve raised a very special young man. Teddy’s a gem.”
Ursula smiled. “I agree. And thank you for the compliment.”
Cathleen and Hillary wanted to throw up, Mick could tell, and their looks alone made it worth the price of admission for him. But the fun didn’t last. The chef informed them that dinner was served, and they all made their way into the dining room.
Mick was placed at the head of the table, Cathleen at the other head, and Roz was bookended by Hillary and Ursula, with the children on the opposite side of the table seated together.
But after dinner, Teddy, Gloria, and Joey had lives to live and left as quickly as they could. Mick and Roz wanted out too, but the mothers requested an additional few minutes.
They settled back into the living room, with the mothers on one sofa, and Mick and Roz on the sofa across from them.
“The reason we wanted to come together,” Cathleen said, “is to get a better picture of everybody’s standing.”
Mick and Roz stared at the mothers. They weren’t about to help them along.
“Specifically,” Cathleen continued, “the children.”
“We need to know where we stand,” Hillary said.
“We need to know our standing,” Cathleen echoed.
“You stand,” Mick said, “wherever the fuck you wanna stand.”
Hillary shook her head. She hated dealing with him! “What percentage of your money is she getting?” Cathleen asked bluntly, motioning toward Roz.
Mick frowned. “None of your damn business,” he responded, equally bluntly.
“You don’t understand what we’re going through,” Hillary said. “We depend on your ass. If you stop taking care of us, what are we supposed to do?”
“Here’s a novel idea,” Mick said. “Get a job.” He began to stand. Roz stood too.
“We are serious, Michello,” Cathleen said, as the mothers rose too. “You need to tell us what to expect, and what our boys can expect.”
“My children will always be taken care of. They know that.”
“And us?” Ursula asked.
Mick looked at her. He couldn’t be harsh to her. “Nothing changes,” he said. “Now my wife and I will have to leave.”
“You are such an asshole!” Cathleen spewed out. “You treat us like dogs, yet you treat that bitch like she’s the cat’s meow? Her? You expect us to accept that bitch? What do we get?”
Mick broke away from Roz. “Mick,” Roz said, attempting to pull him back. But he jerked away from her and continued to progress toward Cathleen. Cathleen’s heart was pounding, but she stood her ground.
Mick stood toe to toe with her. “You, on the other hand,” he said, “is officially cut off. You will not get another dime from me. And this house has only one name on it, and it’s not yours. I want my house back. You have twenty-four hours to vacate these premises. That’s what you get. Now who’s the bitch? Bitch.”
Mick stared at her a moment longer. Then he reached his hand out to Roz, Roz grasped it, and they left the mothers where they stood.
Hours later, Roz got out of the tub after a long bath, dried off, and got in bed. Mick had showered earlier and was already in bed, lying on his back. He pulled her freshly scrubbed naked body on top of his.
She looked down at him as he covered her body with their silk sheets. “Are you really going to take that house away from Cathleen?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Mick,” Roz said.
Mick looked at her. He began rubbing her ass.
“I’m thinking about Joey. He loves his mother. It’s going to hurt him if you put her out like that.”
“Then he’ll have to be hurt.”
“Oh, Mick, you don’t mean that.”
But Mick did mean it. “I don’t play that shit, Rosalind,” he said. “And Cat knows it. But she still calls my wife a bitch. She talks about you as if you’re beneath her. She feels entitled to my money. I don’t play that shit! That gravy train is over.”
“What are you going to tell Joey when he finds out his mother is homeless?”
“Buy her a home if he doesn’t want her homeless,” Mick suggested. “The trust fund I set up for him pays him monthly. He can afford it.”
“He can afford to buy her a house,” Roz said, “but nothing like the one she’s living in now.”
“She should have thought about that before she disrespected you. She’s known me a long time. I assure you she can’t recall one time in all of that time when I didn’t mean what I said. She’s out. No counter argument is going to bring her back in.”
Roz closed her eyes and laid her head back onto his shoulder. She was hesitant now to bring up her Hamilton Sturgess problem. Hamp needed help, and Roz was anxious to help him, not only because he needed it, but because it would be a good business move on her part. But Mick was so damn hard. He might not allow it.
That was why she thought again. Because if she allowed him to have veto power over her business decisions, when she was certain he wouldn’t give her that privilege when it came to his own business decisions, he would effectively control every aspect of her life. She would be taking an awful risk if she tried it.
But she had to tell him about her past history with Hamp. She wasn’t keeping that kind of secret from her husband. As he continued to massage her ass to a point where he began to close his eyes and moan, and as his familiar finger began rubbing the outer hub of her vagina before it slid in between her folds, she knew she had to come clean. She also knew, for the sake of her own autonomy, that she had to frame it differently.
“Hamilton Sturgess paid me a visit today,” she said to him.
Mick continued to massage her ass and rub outside of her vagina, as he thought about the name. “Am I supposed to know that name?” he asked.
“If you know anything about Broadway, you would know the name. He’s a very accomplished actor. We worked on a couple plays together. Off Broadway. Before he hit it big. But even then it was obvious he was the best around.”
“And he paid you a visit today?”
“He did. It shocked the shit out of me, but he did.”
Mick continued to rub and massage, as he waited for her to tell him more. Soon one, and then other one of his fingers entered her as he waited for her to tell him more.
Roz was all too familiar with Mick’s way. He was not the kind of man who asked a lot of questions. He was the kind of man who knew how to patiently wait for explanations. “He wants me to take him on,” Roz said, accommodating him. “He wants my agency to represent him. His own agent dumped him after he had an affair with this famous director’s wi
fe. Tony Bellamy is the director, but you probably never heard of him either. But Tony’s a big deal on Broadway. He makes and breaks careers. He broke Hamilton’s.”
Mick waited for more. But no more came. Roz was too hesitant. “You’re telling me this why?” he finally asked.
Roz remained hesitant, but she knew she had to say it. “I’m telling you because Hamp and I slept together before.”
Mick’s fingers remained inside of her, but they suddenly stopped all movement. They went still. His massage stopped too, although his hand remained on her butt. “You slept together?” he asked. Then he looked at her. “You had sex?”
Roz nodded. “Long before I met you, but yes. I felt you should know.”
Mick lifted her chin, so that they were eyeball to eyeball. His greatest fear besides failing to protect her from harm, was failing to protect her from a wonderfully normal, unburdened guy taking her away from him. He also knew it wasn’t just that she had had sex with the guy. They’d just spent their evening with three women he had had sex with in the past. But it was the feelings behind the sex that would be more telling. “Were you in love with him?” he asked bluntly.
Roz thought about it. It was a long time ago. She was so over Hamp it wasn’t even funny. But she couldn’t lie to Mick. “Yes,” she said. “But he told me going in that our relationship would go nowhere. Falling for him was my mistake, not his. But that was a long time ago.”
Mick continued to stare at her. Something wasn’t adding up for him. “Why would he suddenly show up here?” he asked. “The two of you had been in touch?”
“No. Not at all. But his circumstance has changed. They blacklisted him on Broadway. Tony made sure of that. Now he needs somebody to fight for him. Since all I do all day long is fight for my clients, I believe we could really help him. And to have an actor on our client list of his prominence would be a fantastic addition to the Graham Agency.”
Mick was calculating. He was thinking. Roz could tell, by the movement of his eyes alone, that his mind was in overdrive. Then he reached a conclusion. He looked at Roz. “You want him as a client?”
Mick Sinatra 3: His Lady, His Children, and Sal Page 6
