CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Private jumbo jet after private jumbo jet landed at the Jericho, Maine airfield and nearly drove to the breaking point the small staff that had never seen anything like it. Sal Gabrini's plane from Vegas. Tommy Gabrini's plane from Seattle. Reno Gabrini, who had been in Mexico, flew in on his plane. Alex Drakos's plane from Florida. Hammer Reese's plane, with Amelia Sinatra, from Montreal. Trevor Reese's plane. Monk Paletti's plane. Donald Sinatra, Big Daddy's youngest son and a business juggernaut of his own, flew in on his private plane. And although Nikki stayed in Philly with Teddy as they waited while Ursula was in surgery for the third time in a week, and Gloria and Oz stayed back to oversee Bella's recovery, Mick and Roz, along with Teddy and Nikki's daughter and the twins all flew in on Mick's plane the same day Mick realized what was happening in Jericho. Hearing those gunshots and then hearing his brother's agonizing cries nearly gave him a heart attack. It was an awful day.

The funeral was held at Jenay's favorite church and everybody in the town seemed to pack inside. Big Daddy sat on the front pew with Mick and Amelia seated on either side of him. Big Daddy's children were seated on that same pew with Roz with Mick's children, Hammer Reese, and the Gabrinis seated on the pew right behind them. Not a dry eye was in that church. Donald Sinatra, Big Daddy's youngest son, gave the eulogy.

"She brought out the best in all of us. That was her gift. Before she came into our lives, we were just existing. Our mother left our father, and he had to raise his four sons at that time all on his own. But children need that mother's touch. And we didn't have it. We were just going about our lives the best we could. Dad was a lonely gigolo," he said to laughter from the packed crowd. Even Big Daddy found a way to smile. "I mean me and my brothers couldn't get to the honeys for the honeys trying to get to our dad." More laughter.

"My big brother Brent Sinatra was a too-tough police chief who never gave anybody the benefit of the doubt. He thought he was our father too," Donald added to laughter from the audience.

Mick smiled at that one. Brent was such a by-the-book lawman that a part of Mick naturally despised him. But it was Donald that impressed him. He couldn't get over how much he'd changed. From a troubled young man who couldn't keep himself out of trouble to a titan of industry. His great idea to build restaurants and bars and housing developments that catered exclusively to the biker crowd made him a multi-millionaire. Now he was giving his old man a run for his money, which pleased Big Daddy and Jenay no end. They knew Donnie had it in him. It amazed Mick.

"My second oldest brother, Dr. Anthony "Tony" Sinatra, was restless, unable to stick to anything for too long. Not even his relationships with women," he added to some chuckles. "He was all over the map, and Dad was worried about him. And then there's my America-the-Beautiful brother Robert "Bobby" Sinatra, who was a wannabe thug," he said to great laughter and applause. "That's right, folks, your beloved mayor used to be a thug."

The laughter continued for longer than Bobby thought was necessary, but he grinned and took it. He was going to kill Donnie later.

"Dad was really worried about him," Donald added. "But I'm the one that kept him up nights. Because then there was me. The youngest son. The worst of all. I was a mess y'all. I was a biker-chick-loving walking streak of mess." Another round of laughter.

"Then Ma showed up. Jenay. She believed in me, she hired me, she taught me, she loved me, she helped me turn my life around. Now I'm more successful than Dad. Just kidding," he quickly added as the laughter crescendo grew.

"And then she gave us Bonita, who isn't just her and Dad's baby, but our baby too." Bonita lowered her head in shame as her friends giggled. "I'm nobody's baby," she muttered under her breath.

"And she gave us Ashley, my best friend and partner-in-crime to this day." Laughter as party girl Ashley started pumping one fist in the air to prove how little she'd changed. Many people felt Monk Paletti needed to rein her in. Monk felt he needed to let Ashley be Ashley and eventually she'd rein herself in.

Donald continued the eulogy. "And she gave us Carly, whom Ashley and I thought was just too perfect for existence." Laughter. "But we are Jenay's legacy."

Big Daddy started nodding his head as tears welled up in his eyes again.

"We are her children," Donald said. "We were her world."

But Then Donald's look turned somber. "But Ma, it's you who meant the world to us." Great applause from the audience.

Then tears began to fall from Donald's large eyes. "We love you, Ma." His voice breaking. "We miss you, Ma. You gave us love, joy, and peace. You turned our house into a home. But now it's your time to go home. It's your time to have peace. It's your time to take your rest. Rest in peace, Ma. Rest in peace." Then Donald left the podium and made his way back to his seat.

As he approached his father, Big Daddy stood up and hugged his son. Even Mick, Roz noticed, was wiping away tears.