Jimmy took his father’s hand, feeling it shaking in his, and gave it a squeeze. Maury took off his hat as he followed them toward the grave. It had been some time since Jimmy had visited here, but the grave was clean and freshly weeded.
He wondered if Cold had anything to do with it, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth despite the sad occasion.
David touched the top of the headstone, tears freely falling down his cheeks. He fell to one knee and bowed his head as his shoulders shook with silent sobs.
Jimmy crouched next to him and wrapped his arms around him. He was crying before he knew it, whispering urgently, “It’s okay, Dad. It’s okay.”
David inhaled sharply, a whimper leaving his lips next. He was still holding the flowers, pressing a hand to his face as he cried.
Maury stood behind them and dropped a hand on each of their shoulders. He was sniffling with them, his eyes wet as he mumbled, “Eliza was one hell of a woman. She was my friend... and I... I miss her every fuckin’ day.”
“She was my world,” David gasped, forcing a smile despite his sobs. “She was my everything. She was just... She was perfect.” His fingers tightened around the flowers, and he took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “I wish I could have been there to see that bastard go down. I wish... Sometimes I wish I could have done it myself.”
Jimmy shivered at the memory, still able to hear the gunshot ringing when the traitor Rufus Corman had been murdered. It was the final act of Cold’s master plan, tricking his enemy, Matteo Luchesi, into killing Corman for him. Police raided the club, and Matteo was killed when he refused to surrender.
“That’s the anger talkin’,” Maury grunted, squeezing David’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to it. C’mon. Eliza wouldn’t want ya’ talkin’ like that. She’s finally at peace, David. Just let all that shit go down in the ground with her.”
“You’re right. You’re right, Maury.” David wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. He took another deep breath, gently resting the flowers by her headstone. “She’d be so mad at me for even thinking something like that.”
“Her nose would get all scrunched up,” Jimmy said with a weak laugh. “Remember? That little nose wiggle she did whenever she got really mad?”
David laughed, recalling fondly, “Oh, yes. I remember it very well. Used to see it a lot.”
“I think I spied it once or twice myself,” Maury chuckled. “Couldn’t take her seriously for fuckin’ nothin’ when she’d get like that.”
“Sure couldn’t,” David agreed, all smiles now.
“Do you remember when she used to catch you sneaking cigarettes?” Jimmy suddenly recalled. “Back before you quit?”
“Oh, God,” David groaned, cringing at the memory. “She’d find the damn pack and throw the whole thing away. Lighters, too.”
“She always knew when you was fuckin’ smoking,” Maury chimed in. “She could fuckin’ smell it and she’d bitch to me all about it. ‘That fuckin’ dumbass! What kinda doctor is dumb enough to fuckin’ smoke?’ Ha!”
“She always told me I needed to quit to make sure that I’d be around to be a good father,” David said with a bittersweet smile.
“I remember her singing while she cooked,” Jimmy said quietly. “I would sing along with her, even if I didn’t know the words. I always loved the sound of her voice. I just... I loved her so much.”
“Me too, slugger,” David whispered.
“Me fuckin’ threes,” added Maury.
They fell silent, no more words needed to express their love for this woman. When David was finally ready, he stood up and started walking back to the limo with Maury and Jimmy by his side.
Jerry was waiting with tissues and to open the door for them, asking Jimmy, “Home,monsieur?”
“Yes, Jerry,” Jimmy replied, gratefully grabbing a fistful of tissues to wipe off his face. “Thank you so much. Let’s go home.”
They took Maury back to his pawn shop, sending him off with another round of emotional hugs and a few more tears. On the way back to the mansion, David and Jimmy sat beside each other, David’s arm wrapped tightly around his son’s shoulders. They didn’t say much, and when they got back, David wanted to lie down for a nap.
Jimmy wanted to pry, but he remembered Cold’s advice and let his father go with one more big hug. He and Jerry had lunch, and then Jimmy went upstairs to listen to some music. Today had been a hell of an emotional roller coaster, and while his memories of his mother were wonderful, it still hurt so much that she was gone.
Cold’s suite opened into a small foyer that led into a lounge with the master bedroom beyond that. The lounge was full of Cold’s personal things: old furniture, photographs, and his record player. Jimmy had added his records to Cold’s collection, and it made for one very eclectic variety of music.
He turned on the record player and put on AC/DC’sBack in Black. It was his mother’s album and one of her favorites. He made sure not to turn up the music too loudly, crashing in the ratty chair nearby. He didn’t know how many times he got up to restart it before he felt Cold’s hand gently nudging him awake.
“Mmmm, hey there.” Jimmy smiled sleepily. “Shit, what time is it?”
“Time for dinner,” Cold replied, offering his hand to help Jimmy up. He nodded at the record player as he asked, “Did today go well?”
