Chapter 19
Christmas Week
New York
F rankie walked briskly up Fifth Avenue.
She was not scheduled to work, but she still had one more thing to do near Rockefeller Center.
As she passed the holiday windows with the cool air brushing against her cheeks, she felt a sense of renewal.
She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Perhaps it was all of the activity that put that extra bounce in her step.
The doorman greeted her and asked if she had an appointment.
That was the one thing she found annoying.
She told him she was picking up something she ordered, and the uniformed man allowed her to pass through.
She supposed it was a deterrent to thievery.
She approached the concierge, who escorted her to the counter, where the cuff links awaited her arrival.
Each was a simple silver bar with two gold iconic screws at each end.
They cost nearly a thousand dollars, but Giovanni was worth every penny; besides, she had been saving up for this Christmas season when she learned his family would be visiting.
She tucked the precious package into her bag and continued to enjoy wandering past the festive windows.
As she passed the promenade, she noticed Carol ringing her bell in front of the kettle.
She had the biggest smile on her face, chatting it up with passersby.
Every so often, someone would recognize her as the “lady who got mugged by Santa” and would stop for a chin-wag.
She always got a little extra from those folks.
Frankie crossed the street and headed in Carol’s direction.
Carol spotted Frankie walking toward her and proclaimed, “My guardian angel!” The two women hugged and spoke for a few minutes.
“After that day, when you forced me to go to church, well, I have to tell ya, things have been right as rain. My son is back from doing two years overseas and will be in the States again. My sister got a clean bill of health after her chemo, and I sold my house for way over the asking price. I’m planning on moving to a quieter place where I can be near my son and his three children.
” She stopped for air. “And it’s all because of you! ”
Frankie blushed. “Hardly. It’s all because of the good faith we sent out to the universe. It does come back. Sometimes not as fast as we may like, but with patience, we’re rewarded.”
“How did you get so smart?” Carol looked up at Frankie’s beautiful eyes.
“Smart? More like having faith and hope,” Frankie responded.
“But being smart can surely help get you out of a jam or two!” she said, chuckling.
“I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and I wish you all the best with the next chapter of your life.” Frankie gave her a big bear hug and dropped a fifty-dollar bill into the kettle.
By the time she got back to her apartment, it was time to get ready for the Andrea Bocelli concert. This time it was Giovanni’s treat for his mother, aunt, and their companions. He was relieved that Frankie would be seated next to him instead of running across the stage.
Rosevita and Lucia were teary-eyed through most of the concert.
They were overwhelmed with the magnificent voice of the celebrated tenor, especially when he sang “Time to Say Goodbye ( Con te Partirò )” in English and Italian, in a duet with his son.
By the end of the song, they were bawling. It was glorious.
After the concert, Giovanni sent them back to New Jersey in a town car. He could hear the two women nattering loudly as the car pulled away.
“This may have been the highlight of their trip,” Giovanni said, as he put his arm around Frankie.
“Better than my performance?” she said, chuckling.
Pinewood
Charles unloaded his sacks of goods he purchased from Eataly and the farmer’s market. Myra looked at the spread of food, from cheeses to vegetables. “We do have brussels sprouts in Virginia, you know.”
“I know, love. But it was much more exciting buying them at the farmer’s market. And I was able to chat it up with the people who actually grow the food.” Charles patted her on the fanny. “Are you going to help me or simply stare at this bounty?”
“Not before I have a piece of that wonderful cheese,” Myra said and pointed to the taleggio cow’s milk cheese.
“At your service, madame.” Charles opened the pungent package. “And it’s the perfect temperature.” He began to cut a loaf of bread.
“And some of the robiola.” Myra nodded at the soft cheese made from mixture of cow and sheep milk.
“Shall I fix us a charcuterie?” Charles offered.
“I thought you would never ask.”
“We should probably invite Fergus and Annie. He will be very displeased if I don’t.”
“I’ll phone them now.”
“Besides, we have to feed our guests at some point this evening,” Charles said, and pulled out a large wooden plank.
Myra opened the variety of olives and unwrapped one of the salamis. Within ten minutes of the invitation, Lady lifted her head, signaling that company was coming. Myra heard gravel being churned up as Annie whooshed the golf cart toward the kitchen door.
“Oh good, you’re here,” Charles said to Fergus, handing him an apron.
“I think the only reason you invited us was so I could help,” Fergus said, and pretended to pout.
“You are too smart for me,” Charles said with a twinkle in his eye.
Annie pulled out a chair and sat. “How are our guests doing?”
“They’re fine. I believe they will miss the fine cuisine we have been offering.”
“No. Really, Charles?” Annie asked.
“We’re not barbarians!” Charles chortled. “Leftovers, dear.”
“Speaking of guests, how many are we having for Christmas?” Charles asked.
Myra began to count. “Maggie, Kathryn, Yoko, Harry, Nikki, and Jack. Plus us, makes ten.”
“Excellent.”
“What’s on the menu?” Annie asked as she grabbed a piece of cheese.
“We shall begin with a roasted squash soup; then a beet, goat cheese, and arugula salad. The main course will be a pork roast stuffed with spinach, apples, walnuts, garlic, and herbs. There will be extra stuffing as well as Hasselback potatoes, lemon pea salad, and green beans almondine.”
“Is that all?” Annie teased.
“No. We shall also have corn bread and biscuits.”
“Sounds yummy!” Annie said approvingly.
“Nikki, Maggie, and Kathryn are each bringing a dessert, and Yoko is bringing the centerpiece.”
“Splendid,” Fergus remarked.
“I spoke to Desie and informed her that she has less than a week to get the street in shape for a New Year’s Eve block party,” Annie said.
“She was a bit dumbfounded, but I explained I contracted a cleanup service to take care of the sidewalks and power-wash the buildings. Once everything is dry, a crew is going to string lights overhead, back and forth from each side of the street. Five-feet stone-looking planters filled with winter foliage will be placed ten feet apart along each side of the street.”
“Sounds wonderful!” Myra said. “Your ability to get things done in a flash never ceases to amaze me.”
“Thank you. I do my best,” she said, and gave a graceful nod, then snatched another piece of cheese from Myra’s plate.
“Hold on there, your highness,” Charles said, and shook his finger at Annie. “Your gentleman friend Fergus Duffy and I shall present you with a platter fit for a countess,” he said with authority.
“Get busy, you guys,” Annie replied.
“Why don’t we fix something for our guests while they’re working on our snack,” Myra suggested.
“There’s some roast beef in the fridge, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. The bread is in the pantry.”
Annie and Myra began to assemble the sandwiches for Jimmy and Vinny, who were resigned to their situation.
Fergus paused from cutting thin slices of prosciutto.
He reached into the fridge and took a jar of gravy from the shelf and spooned some on the meat.
“Hot roast beef sandwiches are much more delicious.”
“They’ve been very appreciative of our hospitality,” Charles said over his shoulder.
“I think they’re appreciative that we haven’t maimed or tortured them,” Fergus said, and chuckled.
“Have they asked questions? Any conversation?” Myra queried.
“Just ‘what day is it?’ I think they’re too afraid to ask anything else.”
“When are you going to deliver their fate?” Myra asked.
“The blitz for the block starts tomorrow. I’ll tell them in a few days. We still have to get them back to New York before New Year’s Eve,” Annie said.
“You’re not inviting them to the block party, are you?” Fergus asked with a bit of an edge.
“Absolutely not. I have something else planned for them.”
“You’re still not going to spill the beans, eh?” Charles replied.
“I suppose I can trust the two of you with it.” Annie turned to Myra. “What do you think?”
Myra played at looking the men up and down. “They look alright to me.”
Myra and Annie brought the sandwiches and water down to the basement. She snickered at the small Christmas tree. “Nice touch.”
“Gentlemen,” Myra announced, “we are serving hot roast beef sandwiches tonight.”
“Thank you,” Vinny said quietly. “You guys have been really nice to us. I gotta be honest. It’s a little scary.”
“Scary? Why?” Myra asked, and slid the tray through the small opening.
“We kinda think we know why we’re here, but what about Bucky? What has he told you to do to us?” Jimmy was much more talkative. Maybe it was because he was in the presence of women, whom he believed would show more mercy. Good thing he didn’t know anything about them; otherwise, he would faint.
“Bucky? Oh, you mean Buchwald Barflow?”
“Buchwald?” Jimmy said with surprise. “Is that his real name?”
“Yes, but he will no longer present himself as a nuisance,” Myra put it mildly. “He seems to have left the country.”
“No foolin’?” Jimmy asked enthusiastically.
Vinny finally spoke, “You said Bucky left the country?”
“Yes. For good,” Annie replied.
“But what does that mean? I mean, for us?” Vinny asked.