Part 10 (1/2)
”Try not to go down that road, okay?” he said. ”The pot will only make it worse.”
”I just feel nervous lately, anxious, like something very bad's gonna happen. Do you understand? Like I'm gonna die soon, or something. Do you know what I mean? Maybe it's just because we're so close to A.C.”
He knew exactly what she meant. Lately, a lot of the time when he was straight he felt like he was going to die soon too, a feeling only the right drugs could take away, but he didn't want to tell her that. ”Kind of,” he said.
”I wish we were back in bed in Fort Lee doing it together. That's what I wish.”
”We can drive back right after we see Ike. I'd like that too.”
”Really?”
”Yeah, really,” he said, although he still wanted to see the beach, if only for a few minutes, where he once swam with his father. Maybe he could go there alone for ten minutes while she stayed in the car or else while she was in the motel in Ventnor packing (if they really were going to leave right away), though he wished somehow they could go there together.
”I like that all the time,” he added to rea.s.sure her, ”being in bed with you. Even in my grave I'll want it with you.”
”No kidding?”
”No question about it.”
”So you're not thinking of ditching me here and taking up with some loose bimbo you meet in a casino?”
”No way, course not. It's just you I want, always.”
”That's not the pot talking, is it? You don't just love me when you're on drugs, do you?”
”Course not. I love you all the time. So, you feeling better now?”
”Yeah,” Rina said, taking his hand and squeezing it.
”Okay, we're only a block from Ike's. I think we should go see him now, okay?”
”Sure,” she said. ”I'm ready.”
He noticed the tight, smallish white beach houses of Ventnor were suddenly sparkling. He felt blissed out. He looked at her and thought she was feeling the same thing.
”What are you feeling?” he said to her when they were two houses from Ike's. There was a strong breeze blowing in from the sea and it moved her hair in an attractive way.
”Like my problems are a million miles away.”
He gave her hand another squeeze. ”Me too.”
Then they started to walk up the steps to Ike's house, the largest one on a block where a number of low- to mid-level Mafia reputedly owned homes.
He rang the bell, hoping he wasn't too stoned, but still glad that he'd smoked. He waited, then rang a second and third time. It probably took Ike longer to get around now that he was in his early seventies. Stacy continued to wait until he felt a pair of eyes staring at him through the peephole. An unfamiliar voice said, ”Who is it?”
He felt then that he'd made a mistake and should excuse himself and leave. Instead, he said, ”I came to see Ike. It's Stacy.”
A few seconds later the door opened. The man who let them in was huge, both taller than Stacy by three or four inches and heavier by fifty to seventy pounds. He was wearing a loose T-s.h.i.+rt that said h.e.l.l Busters on it, loose light blue, low-slung jeans, black boots, and lots of tattoos on his arms and neck, making Stacy think he might be Ike's bodyguard.
”Hey,” Stacy said. ”This is Rina.”
Rina nodded and said a soft h.e.l.lo. There was something birdlike and sad in the little sound she produced.
”I'm Dom,” he said, without extending his hand. ”Ike ain't here. Wanna beer?”
”Sure,” Stacy said.
”You too?” Dom asked.
”Yes, thanks,” Rina said, a little nervously.
Dom left the room and came back with the drinks, walking in a herky-jerky halting kind of way. Neither Stacy nor Rina felt they could risk looking at each other so both stared straight ahead.
”Sit down,” Dom said, pointing to the generic-looking couch in the living room. ”Take a load off.” They sat down on the couch, Dom on a straight-back chair facing them. While they made small talk about the weather Stacy strained to see something that would remind him of Ike but couldn't. The furniture was much cheaper and more ordinary than Ike's would be. Ike was a man who liked nice things.
”Want another?” Dom asked.
”No thanks,” they replied in unison. Stacy couldn't help staring at Dom's tough, inscrutable face-a collage of scars, wrinkles, and stubble. He was definitely on some drug but Stacy couldn't tell which. ”So you have any idea when Ike will be back?”
”He's not coming back. Ike's gone forever, I'd say, wherever forever is.”
”That's too bad. I'm an old friend of his and I just thought I'd drop by.”
”Yeah, I know who you are,” Dom said, in a voice both matter-of-fact and sullen.
Stacy looked harder at him, but there was a blurred haphazard quality to Dom's face as if it had run away from itself.
”You don't remember me, do you?” Dom said.
”I feel embarra.s.sed but I can't say-”
”I'm Ike's kid, remember now?”
”Sure, he talked about you a lot.”
”I'll bet he did. Ike's not here though. I run things now.”
”Oh, I didn't come about business.”
”Really? You sure about that? I remember you were very interested in business. I remember you muscling me out of a number of deals. Yeah, you wanted to get my territory in Atlantic City, and G.o.dd.a.m.n it if my old man didn't give it to you.”
”That was so long ago.”
”Was it? I remember it real well and I ain't even gone to college like you did. See how much I know about you? I have an excellent memory.”
Stacy shrugged reflexively. ”Well, I'm not in the business now. Anyway,” he said, looking at Rina, ”I think we should get going now. Thanks for the beers.”
”Really? I think you're still trying to give me the business is what I think,” Dom said, putting down his empty beer can with emphasis, next to the three other empty cans on the little white Formica table beside him. Stacy stared hard at him as Dom slowly withdrew a gun that his T-s.h.i.+rt had previously hidden. ”I was wondering when I'd see you again, college boy. I was thinking of visiting you, but I couldn't find you. You must have been working on something big you wanted to keep secret from me and Ike, but now presto/chango you've come right to me.”
Seeing the gun, Rina let out a little gasp.