Before starting to eat, Adrianna said off handedly to no one in particular, “John will have a cow when he sees the paper and ties the headlines to Father. He abhors the violence inherent in the family business.” Then looking up at Clay she continued to speak “Why are you here? Are you working with Father?”
Clay had taken several bites from his plate and held his finger up to signal a pause, before shaking his head and answering. “No Annie, I ‘m not in the business.” He hadn’t addressed her by her nickname in years; it just slipped out; but it sounded so good when he heard it aloud. She had always just been Jimmy’s older sister; someone for younger boys to taunt and pick at just because they were boys and she was there.
She smiled, “I haven’t been called Annie since I left home. You and Jimmy were the only people Mother would allow to call me by a nickname. I remember always throwing something at one of you when it was used, but secretly I liked the sound of it. Mother insisted I use my ‘proper name’ with everyone else. I always thought it wasn’t fair when John was little they called him Johnny and James was always Jimmy. I guess John and James are too formal to be names of gang leaders. ” She smiled again, then shrugged and said “We had better finish eating and go up to Father’s room and hope John and Meredith haven’t already arrived. Maybe with help from the two of us Mother can defuse the situation and prevent a family breakup. John can be such a twit.”
When the two of them got to Tony’s room, they learned John had not arrived yet. Clay had bought a large cup of iced tea and a muffin for Anna, who after greeting, hugging and kissing her daughter began to eat. Adrianna and Tony talked about his wounds and his recovery while Clay listened and looked on.
After another thirty minutes had passed there was a light knock on the door. It opened part way and a young man’s head extended around the doors edge. “Is it safe to come in?” John and Meredith had finally made their appearance.
John wore dark blue tailored trousers, a yellow golf shirt and cordovan colored penny loafers. He stood back and held the door open for Meredith to make her entrance wearing a yellow sun dress and white leather heels. She walked straight and stood tall with head held high and shoulders back carrying a large brightly patterned cloth bag from her right shoulder. Both appeared to be models for one of the top fashion magazines. Meredith’s blonde hair was full and cut to shoulder length. Her medium tan was an indication of the many hours the natural blond spent lying in the sun beside a pool.
John approached Tony’s bed, nodded an acknowledgement and simply said, “Father.” Then he turned, gave a big hug and greetings to Anna, then Adrianna, and shook Clay’s hand. Meredith performed the same routine, and then moved over to the side wall where she stood quietly without expression, her hands clasped in front of her. While Anna, John and Adrianna were making small talk, Clay stepped over toward Meredith and struck up a conversation with her.
“Meredith, how have you been? Seems like the only time we meet is when a tragedy occurs. What have you and John been up to lately?”
Meredith smiled thinly, and was cool in her response, “John has been involved in a high visibility corporate tax case, a dispute between his client and the I. R.S., so he is gone a lot. You know, back and forth between Washington and New York. I, on the other hand, have been able to concentrate on my painting. Next month six of my works will be on display at a prominent gallery in lower Manhattan, so I will be dreadfully busy. Neither of us really had the time to drop everything to come today, but we felt it was our family duty to support Anna in her time of need.”
Clay said “It’s good to see you again. I hope to get to talk more to you and John this evening, but right now I need to tell Tony something.” As he walked over to Tony’s bed he felt like the temperature must have risen 50 degrees back up to room temperature. What a cold, snobby, self centered bitch, he thought.
“Tony, is there any thing I can get for you?” he asked.
Tony had a dejected look on his face and shook his head in a negative manner. He didn’t like being ignored by his son and daughter in law, but didn’t know how to change the situation, other than to change his whole life and become a monk. “Naw kid, I’m fine. What I need can’t be had here. So what are your plans now?”
Sitting on the edge of the bed close to Tony he replied softly, so the others might not hear clearly, “I’m going to call the hall and get back to work as soon as they have an opening for me, and go back to what will now be my usual boring routine. After the last three weeks, bull riding, skydiving, or walking on hot coals would all seem tame. But I’ll get used to it again.”
He smiled and gave Tony a wink, then changed the subject. “Has the doctor set a date for your release? And will you be transferred to another hospital or be able to go home?”
“Yesterday morning he said he was considering letting me go home in two weeks, if I get a private nurse to come in and check on me every day and change the bandages when needed”
Anna had been listening to the side conversation while talking to the children and piped in with “I’ll pick the nurse big boy; no nurse Good Body for you. She’s going to be sooooo ugly you’ll be praying to God to get well just so she won’t come around and touch you.”
They all had a good natured laugh and Tony countered her with “Like hell you will, I’m gonna hire a big titted porno star with a girl scout badge in massage to be my nurse.”
John and Meredith exchanged glances and John rolled his eyes upward signaling his disapproval of the crass jokes.
By then it was almost eight o’clock; an electronic bell dinged lightly several times over the loud speaker system while a voice message announced visiting hours would end in ten minutes. Everyone bid Tony good night with kiss’s or handshakes, and the group moved out into the corridor and toward the elevator. Clay signaled to one of the guards to again take his position back inside Tony’s room. The guards would remain with Tony until he returned home.
After leaving the small hospital the group decided to return to the motel where Anna’s children were booked. They all agreed they could use a drink before turning in, or driving back to Chicago.
As the group gathered inside the motel entrance Meredith stated her dissatisfaction with the quality of the motel and the entire area as a whole. “Why in the world would anyone live in a hick town like this? It is totally lacking in culture; no theater, museums, art galleries, nothing. Not even a decent hotel; just three road side motels of questionable quality. There isn’t even a concierge on call to look after one’s personal needs.” Adrianna, Anna and Clay ignored the remark and smiled at each other.
Once inside the bar Clay had a chance to focus on each individual while the Gilianos exchanged personal remarks. He had maneuvered to get seated between Anna and Adrianna and across the small table from John and Meredith.
John was saying “Look mother, why don’t you and Clay stay here tonight. Tomorrow after visiting father again we could all go to Chicago. We can get flights from there easier than driving to Milwaukee where we are currently scheduled. Our rental cars can be left here and picked up for a small additional fee. We'll have more time to chat with you before we leave.” Both Adrianna and Meredith chimed in and convinced Anna and Clay to change their plans. Clay excused himself to go to the reservations desk to attend to arrangements for his and Anna’s rooms. Being as it was as Meredith had described it, “At best a half a horse town” there were vacancies.
As Clay was approaching their table in the bar from behind John, he overheard John talking to Anna, and paused to listen “Mother, I can’t believe you put up with the deplorable actions Father and his gang commit. I saw the articles in the newspaper about yesterday’s killings and knew it had to be connected with his being in the hospital. I’m ashamed for anyone to know I am his son. How do you live with it daily?”
Clay continued to the table and took his place as Anna replied “John, I love your father and accepted him and his line of work when we met. Nothing has changed. You are hi
s and my son and we both love you dearly, but don’t try to mettle in our lives and ask us to change what we are; you don’t have the right. I’m not asking for your approval; you will have to decide to accept us for what we are, or reject us. I understand you disagree vehemently and wish things were different; but things are not different, and are not likely to change in our lifetime. I pray you are not going to put me in the position of having to choose between my only son and my husband; my love for your father is the reason we are married. You are a product of our love, but not the reason for it.” Anna paused to let her works sink in, and then continued “We should end this conversation now, before hurtful things are said. Some things cannot be easily retracted. Why don’t you and Meredith turn in for the night while Adrianna, Clay and I visit a few minutes longer?”
Having been dismissed, John and Meredith left the table after giving Anna a dutiful good night kiss, and wishing sweet dreams to Adrianna and Clay.
Once again Clay had the opportunity to witness Anna controlling and manipulating the situation and was impressed at the power she wielded so adeptly. Not many people could issue an ultimatum while dismissing their child and in the process disarm a delicate situation so artfully.
“I was afraid this would happen” Adrianna was saying. “Don’t be too hard on him Mother; he’s simply reacting the way ninety eight per cent of people would if faced with the same situation. I so wish he could just accept his roots the way Jimmy and I were able to.”
“Adrianna, I don’t want to fight with John, but he has to learn to exist with his father and me and not pressure us to change our lives. I was not joking about cutting him loose if I must in favor of his father; in spite of my husbands philandering and other faults. John is an adult and if he forces the issue he will have serious decisions to make, and to live with. I don’t agree with matters of his life style either; like marrying the bitch of a wife he has. But, I have never before issued ultimatums to him about anything, and will not tolerate his attempt to run my life.”
Clay signaled to the bar maid for another round of drinks and changed the subject.
“Adrianna, I haven’t heard anyone mention what you’ve been doing since graduating from college. I know you work in Washington D.C. but haven’t heard what type of job you have.”
“Well, I was hired before graduation by a lobbying firm and have the best job in the world. The people I work with are intelligent self motivated and have the most fascinating background experiences. Some are ex-military, some are ex-government employees, one girl was in the peace corps and another sold drugs for a pharmaceutical company. I have an apartment in Falls Church Virginia and commute to Washington daily. We're typically hired by other companies to promote services or programs to the members of Congress, the military in the Pentagon, and occasionally deal with the staff at the White House. You wouldn’t believe some of the people I get to deal with. Now, enough about me, what have you been up to?”
She wouldn’t want to know what I’ve been doing Clay thought, at least not in the last month anyway. “I still work on construction jobs as a laborer foreman. I like the work and being outdoors.”
Anna spoke up and saved him from any further embarrassment, “It’s getting late you two, we had all better get some sleep. Why don’t we continue this in the morning over breakfast at, say nine?”
The three of them walked out to the elevator, and rode up to the second floor where their rooms were located. Clay had secured his and Anna’s rooms close to Adrianna rather than on the first floor where John and Meredith had been booked.
Later, while taking a shower, Clay was recalling the previous night with Anna. But when his mind went back to her looking down at him and saying “What are you waiting for,” his mind inserted a vision of Adrianna above him.
Clay was the first of their group to arrive in the motel restaurant the next morning and was on his second cup of coffee when Adrianna walked in. She had dressed more casually this morning. Her gray slacks and white short sleeved blouse showed off a shapely, but not voluptuous figure. She wore her hair pulled back and styled in a simple bun, like her mother often wore. She was definitely her mother’s daughter, tall, elegant and beautiful. But unlike Anna she showed no trace of hardness. She was open and easy to talk to, yet he sensed firmness in her manner and guessed she would be a tough adversary in business negotiations. He had never paid much attention to her in the past; he knew she was slim and pretty, but she was Jimmy’s sister and he considered her off limits. Now she was off limits because she was a lovely and successful business person and he was a common laborer. And then there was his other baggage; things he would not share with anyone.
Anna had come down next and no one would have guessed she had worn the same clothing the day before. She must have coerced room service to press her clothing because she looked fresher than all the other patrons outside of their group.
John entered about fifteen minutes after Anna, saying Meredith would be down shortly. He also had inherited his mother’s looks; tall, about six foot one inches; slim, about one hundred seventy pounds; black hair, straight and styled impeccably. He too had the naturally dark complexion of both parents. He carried himself with long graceful strides and appeared muscular for his slim build. There was a visible self assurance bordering on arrogance in his mannerisms.
John is the kind of successful man the average person dislikes immediately, Clay was thinking. He throws up a wall by appearing to be so far above average, so proper, so precise, he offends others by his mere presence. Not that he intends to. He probably believes he’s self made and believes he can relate to the common working man and his problems. John could likely be courted to run for political office, except for his family background.
Fifteen minutes later Meredith made her appearance, wearing a black skirt with a maroon colored silk blouse. The contrast of the blouse with her golden hair called attention to her, which seemed to be very important to Meredith. She was not extremely tall, but had a way of ‘walking tall’ and appeared to be taller than her five feet three inches. Her build was slim, but she had full cheeks, making her appear heavier than she was.
Both John and Meredith avoided last night’s discussion about Tony’s profession, and did not mention any hope Anna would change him or leave him.
They probably discussed the situation fully before going to sleep last night, and recognized just how adamant Anna had been in her position, Clay thought to himself.
Clay was sitting across the table from Adrianna and found himself repeatedly having feelings of jealousy at the thought of her receiving attention from other men. My God, she is so beautiful.
The group spent the remainder of the morning visiting Tony at the hospital, before driving back to Chicago. The conversation was lighthearted and avoided the subject all of them wanted and needed to discuss.
Once there, Anna asked to see Clay for a few minutes in Tony’s office. With the door closed she removed money from the desk, placed it in an envelope and handed it to him. “This is ten thousand dollars. It isn’t nearly enough for all you accomplished for Tony and I, but it is an expression of our appreciation. Tony insisted I give you this and he won’t accept no as an answer. He said you earned a trip, so go to Las Vegas or Florida for a couple of weeks.”
Clay pulled Anna close to him and kissed her on the cheek, “Thank you, and give my thanks to Tony. I’ll put the money away because I do need to get back to work. I really appreciate this.”
Clay excused himself from the others and headed for home to start back in his usual routine.
Chapter 12
Monday was Memorial Day and he attended a family get together at Little Walt’s house where he helped bar-b-que and endured admonishments from the family about his relationship with the Gilianos. He left early and headed home to get some sleep.
The next day he went to the union hall to sign up to go back to work. New jobs were starting and he was aware travelers were being hired from outside the local union’s ju
risdiction because the local members were all working. The Business Agents assistant made a non-committal statement saying they would call him when something came up, but not to expect anything soon. When he questioned the man further the reply he received was “Maybe the next time you get assigned to a job you’ll stay and finish it.”
For the rest of the week and all of the following week Clay endured his mother’s occasional snide remarks whenever she had an opportunity to mention something about Tony or anything to do with the criminal element. He knew she was worried about him and wanted to dissuade him from getting involved with Tony and ending up in trouble. So, rather than fight with her, he did as Tony had suggested. He flew to Florida for a week to lay in the sun, swim, drink, and chase wild women.
When he arrived back home Margaret was very stern and distant. “The police have been here to see you. They have questions about your being at the Gilianos prior to those killings. A Detective Sergeant John Coleman left his business card; he wants to meet with you soon. Clay, surely you haven’t gotten yourself involved in this mess with the Gilianos, have you?”
Clay smiled and gave Margaret a hug, “Mom, there’s no problem. The police will want to speak to everyone who was staying at Tony and Anna’s house; I bet their parents have already been interviewed. It’s a formality and nothing more.” Clay kissed Margaret on the forehead and exited to his room. After his luggage was put away he called the number on the card and made an appointment for the following Monday to speak to John Coleman.
At the police station Clay was led to an interview room near the detective’s squad room to wait while John Coleman was notified he had arrived. Clay had decided the best action would be to keep all of his answers brief; yes and no if possible. He would attempt to provide a definite answer to all questions; even if he had to lie.
Reverse Metamorphosis book one of the Irrevocable Change trilogy Page 11
