17. The First One’s the Hardest （Ryan） #2
“All right, all right. Vox was right. You do know your history. And you did answer all my questions correctly. But here’s a bonus question, just for shits and giggles,” I said, reminding myself that I wasn’t going to take up much of Melissa’s time. This was still her meeting. I was just having fun.
“Shoot.”
“Who was Victor Anguilo’s right-hand man?” I asked.
“You mean the most dangerous man ever to walk Boston’s streets?
Frank the Reaper? Frank retired decades ago, and Victor hasn’t had a right-hand man since then.
Also, no one knew where Frank went. After he disappeared, Victor didn’t have the same power as he did back when Frank was calling the shots.
He went by many names like Father Frances.
But his real name was Frances O’Shaughnessy.
Now, do I win this little quiz of yours or what? ” Colby asked.
“You answered my question correctly,” I said. “And now for your prize.”
“Yoo, what is it?” Colby said excitedly.
“Now this little part isn’t in the history books or on Wikipedia, because when Frank retired, he took on another name. Hoffa. Came right here to New York. Paid for his sins and then some. Became a changed man and had a daughter. Do you see where I’m going with this?” I asked.
Melissa held back a giggle with her hand.
“You’ve lost me, man,” Colby said confusedly.
“The woman sitting beside me, you just said her last name. You called her Ms. Frances. She’s his daughter,” I said. Now that I had delivered the punchline, I sat back in my chair and watched as the color drained from Colby’s face.
“I…”
“Cat got your tongue, Colbes?” I asked.
“Ms. Frances,” he stuttered. “I…I didn’t know. Please. Please forgive me.”
Melissa threw her head back and laughed.
“You were really mean to him just now,” she said.
“Hey, but that doesn’t make what I said any less true,” I added.
“You mean she’s really Frances’s daughter? You weren’t kidding?” the lawyer spoke for the first time in a grated voice.
“I wasn’t,” I said, laughing. “And you’re lucky that she forgave you because I don’t know what would have happened to you, man, if she hadn’t forgiven you.”
“I damn near peed my pants,” Colby said, his hands covering his face. “How could I be so stupid?”
“Hey, hey, Colby. I said we’re good. He was just having some fun with you,” Melissa said.
“I ain’t never been this scared in my entire life before!” Colby said. “Does that make us even for what I did?”
“Eh,” Melissa said. “Harassment of any kind is never fun to be on the receiving end. As long as you promise never to do it again, we’re good.”
“Phew!” Colby said, wiping his sweaty forehead with his thumb. “Yo, Mr. Hellerman. You really cooked for a long time with that one. Really let me have it.”
“Now, imagine what we’d be able to do for you if you were a part of our team,” Melissa said.
“If you signed on with us, we’d streamline everything for you.
Monetized playbacks, even the explicit tracks.
You’ll have at least ten times the viewership and listeners than you have now.
Then there’s merch, tours, collabs…it’ll be a whole new world. ”
“Where do I have to sign?” Colby asked, rubbing his hands together.
“Hey, who says we’re going to sign you on?” I asked, still in the mood for jest.
“Come on, now, Ryan. I like the kid. Let’s sign him on, shall we?”
“Please Mr. Hellerman, sir,” Colby said, holding his hands in front of me. “I’ll do anything.”
“Anything, you say?” I asked.
“Anything, man. Just say the word,” Ryan said.
“Will you sing at my wedding?” I asked, not looking at Colby but at Melissa.
That velvet box Sara had given me earlier today had felt like it was burning all day. The weight of it…the promise the ring within stood for. The promise of spending your life with your partner for the rest of your days. The most important promise you ever made in your life.
“Ryan?” Now it was Melissa’s turn to stutter.
“This seems like I shouldn’t be here for it,” Colby said.
“Sara gave me the ring today. The same one that Dad gave to Mom. It bears the Hellerman insignia, passed down for generations. I wanted to do this back at the house, but then this opportunity presented itself. I thought I’d do it after you landed your first client.
Make an unforgettable day even more unforgettable. ”
I was no longer in the seat. I was on my knees, holding the diamond-encrusted ring in my hands.
“Ryan,” Melissa whispered.
“Will you marry me?” I asked.
Those two seconds were the longest pause I’d ever known in my life. I watched as the surprise on her face was replaced by pure happiness. Tears surfaced as she wordlessly nodded at first, then enthusiastically said, “Yes!”
It did not matter that there were only two other people in the room, clapping wildly. All that mattered was that she had said yes, the ring was now on her finger, and she was now in my arms.
I held her tightly. I kissed her, feeling her hot tears on my face.
“I never want to let you go,” I said.
“And I will never let you,” she sobbed in my arms.
We hugged for what seemed like an eternity; it wasn’t until Colby spoke that we let each other go and looked at him. He was crying, his phone held in his hand.
“Y’all, that was the most beautiful moment I have ever witnessed in my entire life,” he said, his voice breaking — sounding nothing like the hardcore rapping voice he was famous for all over the world.
“Please tell me you got the video,” I said, smiling at him.
“Imma AirDrop it to you right now,” he said, his voice still squeaky. “Fucking beautiful, man.”
“You are full of surprises, Ryan Hellerman,” Melissa said, kissing me again.
I held her in my arms, felt her heartbeat against my chest, and clung on tightly to her.
“All my surprises for the rest of my life are for you and you alone.”
Before long, Stacy was in the room, shrieking at the top of her voice upon discovering what had just happened, partly in glee and partly because she was furious that I had proposed without her there to see it.
Colby went to her, showing her the video he’d made, trying to placate her excitement, but it was all in vain.
The next moment, she was hugging us both and doing a strange sort of jumpy dance, making us jump with her.
Though I still for certain couldn’t know or say if there was an afterlife, I could still feel Hoffa’s spirit up above, right alongside the spirit of my parents, all of them looking down on me with love, approval, and smiles on their ethereal faces.
Even if it was just in my imagination, it brought me joy.