CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SEVEN DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

“This is utter madness,” Reno said as they sat on the single engine jet. “A week before Christmas and Big Daddy’s ordering us to the Catskills? The Catskills? I didn’t think people went there anymore. But we’re going there like I got time for this shit. What the fuck?”

“What are you complaining about now that you’re on the plane in the air, Reno?” Sal said. “We’re here now. The time to complain and say no was when Big Daddy called you. But did your ass say no? Big Daddy said jump and you said how high. Like all the rest of us. So cram those complaints up your ass and leave it out for once in your life.”

Tommy and Grace grinned as they sat on the plane across from Reno and Sal and watched them go toe to toe with their loudmouths. Until even they got tired of zinging on each other.

Then Reno stretched out his legs. Tommy, who was known as Dapper Tom because of his pristine dress style and overall attractiveness, noticed how his cousin Reno had already managed to get the expensive, tailored suit he wore so wrinkled and roughed up that it looked as if he had slept in it. And his thick hair was already wild too, and he still kept running his hands through it: Something Tommy knew was a nervous tick of Reno’s since they were kids.

And Reno ran his hands through his hair again. “Another thing,” he said as he was looking around at the mid-sized plane. “Why we got to ride on this tugboat to get there? I mean it’s aw’ight, but you, me, and Tommy’s got better looking, bigger planes than this thing. Why couldn’t we just take our own transportation over there?” Then he looked at Tommy’s wife as she sat prim and proper next to her husband. “What do you think, Grace?”

Sal knew Reno was asking Grace just to needle Tommy because they both knew how Tommy didn’t like them involving Grace in any of their drama.

But Grace didn’t hesitate answering him. “I think Big Daddy wanted to ensure that we, number one, showed up. And number two, he didn’t want us to have an easy way to escape once we got there.”

Tommy laughed a hearty laugh. “That sounds about right,” he said, as he squeezed her hand.

“But that still don’t cut it with me,” said Reno. “It’ll still be easy to get away from there. The Catskills are in New York, not on the moon.”

“That’s what you think,” Tommy said, and they all laughed at that.

Then Grace stood up. “Excuse me, guys, I need to go to the potty.”

Reno elbowed Sal as Tommy ushered her over his long legs since she had the window seat. “Say Grace,” Reno said, “why aren’t you on the plane with all the other wives?”

“Tommy felt we should travel together,” she said with that sweet smile of hers as she made her way to the restrooms.

Reno mocked her sweet, innocent speech. “Tommy felt we should travel together,” he said.

“Watch it, Reno,” Sal said. “That’s my sister-in-law you’re mocking.”

“But give me a fucking break,” Reno said. “It’s always Tommy said this, Tommy felt that.” Then Reno looked at Tommy. “You don’t have her under your thumb, you got her under your whole body.”

“Sure Reno,” Tommy said unbothered. “That’s the difference between you and I.”

“Oh yeah? What’s the difference?”

“My wife is on this plane with me. Your wife is not on this plane with you.”

It was a hard, cold fact and even Reno had no comeback zinger for. Sal didn’t either. And silence took over the cabin.

A few minutes after Grace returned to her seat, the pilot ordered them to buckle up as they were soon to land in Philadelphia.

“We can land all we want,” said Reno, “but I doubt seriously if Uncle Mick and Teddy T are coming anywhere near this marriage retreat.”

“Oh yeah?” Tommy said.

“Hell yeah,” said Reno. “I’ll bet you a million dollars cash that Uncle Mick and Teddy don’t be at that airfield when we land, and they won’t come to that airfield either.”

“Oh I’ll take that bet,” Tommy said.

“Tommy!” Grace was mortified. Tommy was a very wealthy man who could cover the bet easily, but that was still way too much money to just throw away. “ A million dollars ?”

“Yes, Grace. You know why? Because when Reno loses, he’ll be the one covering that bet.”

“And if you lose, you’ll have to cover it,” Grace reminded him. “Which means our family will be covering it. Which means no way, Tommy!”

“You better listen to your wife,” Sal said to his older brother. “Because I agree with Grace: A million dollars on something like this? Ridiculous.”

“It won’t be ridiculous when Reno deposits it into my bank account.”

Sal was staring at his brother. Of everybody in the family, Tommy was closest to Mick. “You talked to him, didn’t you?”

“Talked to who?”

“Uncle Mick.”

Tommy shook his head. “Nope. Sure didn’t.”

“Then what makes you so certain he’s gonna show? Because I’m with Reno. Why would somebody like Mick the Tick come to some marriage retreat? It’s so against brand for him it’s insane. Why would he show up?”

Tommy exhaled. It was no laughing matter anymore to him. “He’s going to show up because Roz has filed for a divorce.” He looked at Reno and Sal. “That’s why he’ll come.”

It was news to both men, and their playful ways ceased. And they sobered up. Because they knew they all were in bad shape. They all needed this marriage retreat to work like they needed air to breathe.

And even the ultimate strong man like Mick Sinatra, they knew too, was no exception.