A Mother's Love

Angie set up a get together with Gaetano for the following Saturday. Gaetano said he would host the get together if Angie brought some of his divine pastry for consumption. Angie agreed to that only if he could bring his adopted grandson Peter. Gaetano was delighted at the suggestion of bringing along Peter. In fact he told Angie that he was going to suggest it and to bring along May and Parker if they can make it. Gaetano also told Angie that since he was bringing the dessert that he would supply a great Italian meal to go with it.

“After dinner we can sit, have some wine, and reminisce about old times. “We can entertain Peter with some stories of our antics when we were kids. Remember those days.” Gaetano said. “All too well.” said Angie.

Saturday came and May, Parker, Peter and Angie head north out of Boston towards the town of

Winchester. Gaetano had purchased a wood frame cape style home on Arlington Street about ten years ago.

As kids he and Angie would talk and dream about moving out of the city into the country. Where there were plenty of trees, and lawns and clean fresh air. Not just concrete and smog like in the city. Gaetano lived there by himself mostly, but occasionally a lady would reside there with him until he got bored with her, or she got angry with him and walked out. At present he and a lovely woman named Gabrielle had been cohabitating there. She was a raven haired beauty of Irish Italian decent with big blue eyes. He was twelve years her senior, but that didn’t seem to matter to either of them.

They arrived at the house about noon time and pulled into the driveway and parked Angie’s nineteen sixty four Cadillac right next to Gaetano’s brand new Lincoln Town car. The Caddy was Angie’s Pride and joy.

He purchased it brand new that year and today it still looks like it was just driven out of the dealership. Angie put only the best gas in it and had it washed and waxed every week since he bought it. Parker once asked Angie if he could borrow the Caddy because his car had broken down. Angie told him right out that no one drives that Caddy but him and no he couldn’t use it. Angie did offer to give him a lift though. Parker asked Angie why he wouldn’t let anyone besides himself to drive the Caddy. Angie replied “Would you let another man make love to your wife, even if that person was your closest friend” Parker understood what he was meant by that statement and never asked again.

Gaetano came out of the house and waved to them and said “Hope the traffic on the highway wasn’t too heavy. Glad to see you could all make it. You did bring the pastries? ” Angie nodded and held up two pastry boxes he was carrying. Gaetano shook hands with Angie and Parker and gave May a hug. He looked down at Peter put his hand on his head and messed his hair saying “You get taller every time I see you. Pretty soon you’ll be taller than me, Angie or your Dad. Peter smiled and brushed his hair back in place with his hand. Gabrielle was waiting inside and she greeted all of them by name as they entered. Angie demised that Gaetano must have prep her on who they were before they arrived. She asked if anyone would like to have some wine and all but Peter agreed to have one. Gabrielle poured the wine and served it to each of them.

Gaetano sat down in his favorite chair and invited the others to make themselves comfortable. They all found a place to sit and relax. Peter sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace where a warm fire was burning.

Gabrielle asked Peter if he would like a soda or anything. He opted for a soda and Gabrielle brought in a glass of Coke for him. Peter thanked her for it and was about to take a sip when Gaetano said “I like to make a toast if you don’t mind. May the good Lord bless and keep you all safe, my good friends, Salute.” They all raised their glasses and all took a sip of their drink.

At first the conversation was one of catching up on what was going on in each other’s life. Gaetano and Gabrielle had been together for six months and still together. That was a new record for Gaetano. Most of his female friends only lasted about three months before he cuts them loose. May and Parker were thinking about talking a few weeks off and travel down to Florida with Peter. Angie said that he was just happy to be alive and with his friends today. Peter sat there quietly and listened to what each had to say. Their words and thoughts seemed to mesh so Peter concluded that they were all being truthful. This made him happy because he now knew he was going to Florida and going to visit the greatest amusement parks in the world.

After all the formalities of catching up were done Gaetano asked “Are you all were ready for a good Italian home cooked meal prepared by Gabrielle. Her ravioli’s and meatballs are almost as good as your cannolis, Angie my friend.” Gabrielle looked at Angie and said “I’ve heard Gaetano rave about your pastries ever since I met him. I can’t wait to have one for dessert.” “We’ll I hope they live up to your expectations, I hate to make a liar out of Gaetano.” Angie said laughingly. Gaetano slap Angie on the back and Gabrielle on her ass and said “Will you two quit talking and let’s eat. The rest of us are hungry.” They all filed into the dining room and found a seat around the table. The dinner was all laid out on the table. There was an antipasto soup, a fine salad with an Italian dressing, garlic bread, large size raviolis, and meatballs the size of a tennis ball. Gaetano ask Gabrielle to say Grace and she stood up and said it in very fluent Italian. When she was finished Gaetano said Amen and made the sign of the cross. “Dig in and enjoy my friends. We only live once so let’s make the most of it, Mange.”

After the meal they all help clearing the table and Gabrielle brewed up a pot of coffee and brought out the pastries. Gabrielle was the first to try the pastries. With the first bite it was evident from the look on Gabrielle’s face that she was experiencing the magic of Angie’s pastry. She turned to Angie and said “Sir my expectations have been surpassed by this heavenly morsel of delight. You sir are a wizard of the culinary arts.” Angie smiled and thanked her for the compliment. He then turned to Gaetano and said “I think this lady is a keeper my friend. Her taste is eloquent for food and men.” Gaetano laughed and said “Angie you old dog.

You’re still the same old Angie I knew as a kid. Always ready with the right remark that rings true.” Angie winked at Peter as a signal that he was going to open the conversation to the information he was seeking.

“Gaetano, remember when we were young teenagers and we use to go into downtown Boston every Saturday.” Gaetano smiled, for they were golden memories to him, and said, “I remembered them well.

Window shopping on Washington Street till we hit the Combat Zone. Then it was the photos of those lovely ladies on the outside billboards of every bar. We had a lot of fun back in those days.”

Images flashed through Peter’s mind’s eye of two young lads laughing and enjoying themselves.

Talking about how someday they would be able to afford those things they saw as they window shopped. He also saw them standing in front of a billboard in the Combat Zone and talking about what they like to do with some of the pretty ladies. Peter cut off the connection just as Gaetano started imagining a sexually graphic image that Peter cared not to share with him. He turned to Angie and shook his head sending a signal to try another angle. Angie nodded back and said “Yeah those were the days. Do you remember the time we were riding the subway out of Maverick Station and we saw that drunk asleep and you tied his shoe laces together.” “Oh yeah, I remember that. We rode the train all the way to the end of the line just to watch the conductor wake him up. When he tried to walk off the train he tripped over his own feet. It was like watching a live presentation of the Three Stooges.” Once again images flashed through Peter’s mind. He saw the event just as Gaetano described it only with more detail. He saw the drunk hit a metal pole on the train as he fell. He observed the blood that flowed from the open wound on his head that the fall incurred. Peter saw nothing funny about it. It was a tragic event. He saw no humor in the misfortune of others, though he understood that is what slapstick comedy is all about. Then an image flashed through his mind that was unrelated to the event. It was an image of a dimly lit room full of old rusted train parts, rails, and stacks of railway ties. It lasted only less than a second, but Peter knew it was what he was looking for.

Gaetano took a bite of a cannoli and washed it down with some coffee, He looked at Angie and said “Do you remember the time we tried to walk through the tunnel at Milk Street station and we found that old work room filled with junk. We were going to make it our hideout till those railroad guys showed up and ruined our plans.” As Gaetano and Angie recollect that day Peter searched Gaetano’s memories associated with the place. At first it was just images of what they were talking about, but then an image appeared of Gaetano and another man sitting in a café in downtown Boston. In his memories Peter found the name of the man he was talking to. It was Doctor Caleb Scull. Peter probed deeper into Gaetano’s mind and replayed the memory.