The Russos 9 Read online

  Tony couldn't believe it. "Drake doesn't look a bit like Elvis. How in hell did she come up with that?"

  "She was deeply distressed about the death of Elvis, and---" Drake began to explain, looking at his ashtray with the drawing of Elvis imprinted on it.

  "Elvis had been dead for years at that point. You would have thought she would have gotten over it," Johnny suggested, sitting down on the sofa.

  "Nice ashtray," Tony smiled as he came to stand beside Drake.

  "Yeah," Johnny muttered, "you can buy them in the souvenir shop in Memphis for five-ninety-five."

  "Oh, shut up," Drake replied, not without humour.

  He put the ashtray up on the mantle. "I like to keep that because a fan gave it to me and it represents a memory."

  "Well, the first time I shit my pants represents a memory too, but I don't keep the diaper on my mantelpiece," Johnny returned, causing the whole room to erupt into laughter.

  Mac sighed. "That's enough of this. I'm beat. I'm going to lie down for an hour before I take the plunge. What room can I have, Master?" He looked at Drake.

  "The one on the end, Slave," Drake returned. "I'll wake you at noon. Oscar will be here to do something with your hair if you're so inclined."

  "Well, maybe the roots and a curly perm," Mac suggested.

  "Watch it, Janet will think she's marrying Johnny,"

  Drake teased.

  They all laughed as Mac disappeared upstairs.

  "Is he stressed out or what?" Johnny remarked.

  "Shitting bricks," Drake replied.

  "Were you this nervous on your wedding day?"

  Johnny enquired.

  "I think so. You?"

  Johnny shook his head. "No, in fact, I was naively full of optimism." He ruffled his son's hair apologetically. "I thought Sandy was the answer to everything. Boy, was I wrong."

  "It wasn't a church wedding, was it, Dad?" Tony asked.

  "God no. Our wedding was small. It was just the four of us. Drake and Janet were our witnesses. We stood up in front of a judge and then had a hell of a party later on. I was drunk for days." Johnny shook his curly dark head.

  "Me too," Drake added.

  "Yeah, and you and Janet spilt up what...a month or two later?" Johnny shook his head.

  Drake turned to look out the window. "I think Janet is doing the right thing, marrying Mac."

  "Any man she marries after you has to be an improvement," a voice commented.

  They all turned around to see Angelo standing there.

  "You little shithead." Drake came over to give his son a hug. "Where in the hell were you last night?"

  Tony looked at Angelo. He was dressed casually in a pair of faded torn blue jeans and a navy tank top that showed off his muscular biceps and smooth, wide, bronzed shoulders.

  Angelo pushed some of his hair back out of his face and shook his head. "Grandmother and Grandfather Smith showed up at the house last night. Mom was in a state...you know how she gets around her mother and she practically begged me to stay." He sighed. "Where's Mac? I want to apologize to him for not showing up at his party."

  "He's sleeping," Johnny volunteered. "Tell him later."

  "So, how are your grandparents?" Drake enquired, telling him to come and sit down.

  Tony stood a little uncomfortably behind the sofa, in back of where his father sat. "The same," he shrugged.

  "Grandfather is all right, but Grandmother is a piece of work." He raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

  Angelo came and sat in the chair opposite his own father. "So, you ready for this?" Angelo asked Tony suddenly.

  Tony was surprised that he was speaking to him. He gave him a smile. "Sure."

  "Did they spend the night?" Drake asked.

  "No, thank God. They went back to their hotel, but I thought I would get out of there by ten or so...you know...I thought they would leave but God, it was midnight before they called a taxi and went back to their hotel. By that time, I was exhausted. I just climbed into bed and passed out."

  Tony breathed an inward sigh of relief. So, it wasn't because of him that he didn't show up. He had intended to come. That made him feel better.

  A few minutes later, Drake excused himself to go and answer a question some of the decorators had for him. Pepi showed up shortly after, then Frank, with one of his latest girlfriends.

  Tony remained with his Dad, talking until around twelve-thirty. Angelo had left the room shortly after his father to go up stairs and get ready.

  Finally, both father and son left to get ready themselves.

  Carter pulled out of the driveway at twelve-forty-five and by ten after one he had driven Janet, her parents and her maid of honour discretely into the garage.

  Helicopters had been hovering overhead for at least two hours. Photographers hung out of open planes, just waiting for an opportunity to grab a picture of the wedding party.

  The security guards had already nabbed three members of the press trying to sneak a picture from the neighbour's garden. They were quickly sent on their way.

  Johnny, who was the first to get dressed, began to welcome guests at around one-thirty. Tony scrambled to help him. Over this last year, he had come to recognize many of the people who worked in the industry and they now recognized him in return.

  "I thought Pepi and Angelo were supposed to be ushers too," Tony muttered at his father's elbow as several more people came outside into the garden.

  "Who is at the front door, anyway?"

  "Right now, one of the servants. Don't worry," Johnny smiled at him, "they'll be down in a bit."

  Tony nervously adjusted his boutonniere.

  "Stop fidgeting with that carnation. It's all right," Johnny told him, sounding just like a father. They moved on, only to encounter Frank Carr and his latest girlfriend.

  "Friend of the bride or the groom?" Johnny demanded comically when he saw Frank.

  "Neither, I hope," he snorted. "Johnny, Tony, this is Trish Olson, Cosmo's latest discovery."

  "Hi there, Trish," Johnny grinned at her.

  "Frank told me not to," the girl called Trish leaned toward Johnny, "but God, can I have your autograph later?"

  "Sure," Johnny replied, running his gaze over her six-inch heels and short skirt. He had never seen anyone with legs quite that long before.

  "Is...eh...your brother actually here...like, Drake?"

  She raised her painted eyebrows as she pressed her entire body against Johnny.

  Johnny grinned. "Yeah, he's here. He's upstairs. He's best man."

  "He sure is," she giggled, nudging Johnny in the side. "I can't wait to meet him. I told Frank that Drake Russo has to be about the sexiest man alive! I'd love to do him." After that announcement, she grabbed Frank's arm and he steered her over to a seat on Mac's side.

  "Oh yeah, lady, I'm sure you would, but he happens to be mine," Johnny grumbled under his breath and then made a face at Tony, who shook his head.

  "She's hot stuff. Doesn't Frank mind?" Tony asked his father.

  "Why should he?" Johnny shrugged. "He doesn't care about any of them. He'll have another tomorrow."

  "Was Frank ever in love?" Tony asked his father.

  "I doubt it," was his father's reply.

  "Are we late?" Pepi asked as he came bounding outside suddenly, followed by Angelo.

  Drake's son looked good enough to eat in his black tux and white ruffled shirt. He was placing a red carnation in his lapel as he walked out behind Pepi. His long, straight, silky hair hung loose over his broad shoulders and gleamed in the sunlight like fire. Tony longed to touch it suddenly, but he knew he couldn't.

  Maybe he would never be allowed to touch it again.

  "You guys take the front door," Johnny told his nephew and younger brother. Tony and I will seat them outside when you escort them through the house to the back door.

  Laughing together about something, Pepi and his nephew raced back into the house. Johnny shook his head. "Those two. When they get together...t
hey..." but he noticed that Tony wasn't listening to what he was saying. Instead, he stood at the back door, his eyes fastened on the path that Angelo had taken through the house.

  "What's wrong?" Johnny asked him.

  "How can he laugh when my heart is aching so?" he whispered. "Doesn't he hurt at all?"

  "If he does, you won't know about it," Johnny replied gently. "The younger Drake is a hell of a lot like the older one. They feel a lot, but they keep it inside."

  Tony nodded solemnly and then brightened. "I won't ruin Mac and Aunt Janet's wedding. I'm going to smile and be cheerful if it kills me."

  "That's my boy," Johnny punched his arm. "Take it like a man!"

  Tony shook his head with a laugh just as a sound of appreciation whisked through the assembled guests.

  Mac and Drake stepped outside together. There was applause. They both looked sensational.

  Drake was dressed in a white tux with a royal blue shirt. Mac was also in white, but he wore a red shirt underneath. Someone made a crack about purity and Drake drew a round of laughter by responding, "Mac is putting on an act. I'm the only pure one around here today!"

  "Sure," someone called, "and pigs fly too!"

  "But they do," Drake replied, pointing at the helicopters hovering overhead.

  Again, there was laughter and some scattered applause.

  "I'm going to go tell security that those helicopters are too damn close," Johnny said, moving closer to Drake. "They're really noisy."

  "They're trying to get a picture," Drake replied with a shrug.

  Johnny looked at him for a minute, then said with a moan, "No wonder, you look scrumptious. I could eat you."

  "Later." Drake winked at him, then walked over and stood beside Mac, who looked like he was about to faint.

  "You're a lucky guy, Dad," Tony mentioned to him after he returned from taking the last of the guests to their seats.

  Johnny looked over at Drake. "I know...I know," he said, rolling his eyes. "But he's going to keep me on my toes."

  His father left his side now, going up front to join Pepi and Drake. Tony moved toward the back, not sure what was going to happen now. He noticed that there was a drum set and amplifiers set up on a little propped up stage.

  Angelo came and stood at the back also, behind the rows of seated guests. Tony gazed at him, then moved a little closer.

  It was close to two o'clock. Mac took his place in front of the minister. Drake was asking for quiet.

  "Welcome, everyone, to this joyous occasion, where---"

  "If you're going to preach, Drake, don't forget to put on your collar first," Frank called out. His girlfriend Trish giggled loudly.

  "Shut up, Frank," someone returned, and everyone laughed.

  "Unfortunately, I left my collar at home and the good Reverend Susan Nixon here," he smiled at the minister, "has agreed to fill in for me today, since I can't be both minister and best man. Anyway, as impatient as you all are for it, I'm not going to do the best man's speech now, you'll have to wait for later. What I want to tell you is that in a very few minutes, one of the most beautiful brides you'll ever see will be walking down that aisle to join my best friend, Mac. Janet and Mac asked me and my brothers if we would sing their favourite song while Janet came down the aisle."

  Pepi was now taking his place behind the piano while Johnny picked up his guitar and adjusted his microphone. Drake got up behind the drums and picked up the drumsticks.

  "I didn't know your father played the drums," Tony blurted to Angelo, forgetting that he might not be talking to him.

  Angelo looked at him. "Dad plays everything. He just prefers the guitar." He looked away again.

  Drake pulled the mike to his mouth. "This is a song that will be familiar to you, and unfortunately, it isn't one of ours." He scowled.

  There was laughter again.

  "This is a song called 'Heaven' by Bryan Adams," Drake drawled and then looked at Pepi and Johnny.

  With a nod and a look toward the back, the piano began to play and then Drake's deep voice began..."Thinking about our younger years...there was only you and me...we were young and wild and free..."

  Johnny and Pepi joined in singing. Their rich voices blended like magic, the music perfect as Janet made her walk down the aisle with her father. She was beautiful.

  Mac turned to watch her as Drake was singing, "Now nothing can take you away from me...just hold me now...Baby, you're all that I want, when you're lying here in my arms...I'm finding it hard to believe...we're in heaven....and baby you're all that I need...and I've found it here in your heart...we're in Heaven...heaven..."

  The song ended. There didn't seem to be a dry eye in the house.

  The minister paused to let Drake come down from behind the drums to stand beside Mac. Pepi and Johnny came to join Tony and young Drake at the back of the room.

  The ceremony began as Jack Smith gave his daughter's hand to Mac Hayes.

  Johnny placed a hand on Angelo's shoulder, not sure what he was feeling as he watched his mother get married but as he looked at him, he noticed that he was smiling.

  Drake handed Mac the ring. He and Janet exchanged their vows. The minister pronounced them a couple and a great cheer went up.

  Johnny looked at Angelo and asked him if he were happy.

  Angelo nodded. "I know Mac will be good for Mom, and Mac loves her so. That's all I care about. It's Dad I'm worried about."

  "Why?" Johnny's face paled.

  A slow smile spread over Angelo's face. "I'm afraid you're going to burn him out before he's forty."

  He was laughing before Johnny finally figured out the joke. He socked him hard in the arm. "What an ass. You'll pay for that, kid."

  Johnny moved forward all of a sudden to get to Mac.

  "Aren't you going up?" Tony asked Angelo, who stood leaning against one of the tables that had been set up for refreshments.

  Angelo met his eyes. "I can't get to them anyway. I'll wait." After a short pause and glance at the crowd, he said, "So, your mom decided not to come, I guess."

  Tony took a breath. A conversation, God, he was actually initiating a conversation with him. "No," he managed to say, "I guess our mothers are never going to be close again."

  "You can blame our fathers for that," Angelo muttered.

  Tony sighed. He couldn't argue with that. "At least," he leaned closer to him, "your mom got over your dad. Mine never did."

  Angelo nodded slowly. "It seems like it, but it took years and still...who knows," he shrugged nonchalantly, eyeing the crowd again.

  "Love...real love doesn't just..." Tony began. He entwined his fingers. "Love doesn't just go away...it takes time, and---"

  "Tony," Angelo raised a dark eyebrow at him, "are you trying to tell me something?"

  "I already told you and you laughed at me, remember?" Tony said softly. "Would you like me to say I'm in love with you again so that you can laugh at me a second time? Maybe you'd like me to explain just how much in love with you I am and how much I want you right now. Then you could really be amused."

  Angelo tilted his head a little as he was speaking and when Tony finally fell silent, he shook it. "You really are planning to carry this to the bitter end, aren't you?

  Can't you just give this a rest?"

  "I can, but my heart won't," Tony told him.

  "God," Angelo scowled, "spare me the dramatics... I will, but my heart won't? What kind of horseshit is that? Give me a break! Should I bring out the violins now?"

  "You can be so cruel, can't you?" Tony looked at the ground, tears stinging his eyes.

  "Yes, almost as cruel as you can be," came the cold response.

  Tony looked up at him. He was about to respond with anger; instead, he suddenly wanted to cry. "How I hurt you...I didn't mean to...I never thought that..."

  "That's just it. You never did think about anything, did you?" Angelo's chocolate-brown eyes looked misty.

  "Anyway, fuck it! It's over and done with now. I'm partly
to blame anyway. I could have just said no. Let's just try and make it through this wedding without any more talk about love or lust or sex or heartaches or..."

  He sighed deeply. "Just stick to small talk. I can handle small talk, I think." After a few seconds of silence, he flashed him a smile and held out his hand. "Truce?" he invited.

  Tony's heart flipped and flopped at that smile. God, he had a magical smile. Tony took his hand in his and held it just a little too long.

  Angelo pulled his hand away.

  Tony nodded at him. "Anything you want."

  "Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I can get to Mac and Mother now," Angelo said and moved toward the bride and groom.

  By six o'clock, two hundred people were sitting down outside eating lobster and drinking from the champagne fountain.

  Members of the wedding party began to give speeches. Tony sat between Pepi and his father. Angelo was sitting next to Drake who was placed beside Mac, across from them.

  Drake got up now and raised a glass. "To the bride and groom," he said, "may they always be in health, wealth, happiness and love."

  A round of 'here here's' rang out as people clicked their glasses together.

  "Now comes the moment you've all been anxiously awaiting and Mac has been dreading." There was laughter. "I promised Mac not to make jokes at his expense and to say only the truth in this speech, so I will honour his request. Mac is the best friend I have ever had. We have known each other since grade school. I rescued him from a bully, actually, and Mac told me that after this, I had to be his friend for life so you see, I haven't had one hell of a choice, and I did feel sorry for him. Anyway, he is my best friend, because how many men do you know would allow their best buddy to marry their ex-wife?"

  There was uproarious laughter and a shout of protest from Janet.

  "Anyway, he is a pretty good drummer, so I figure better to keep him happy by letting him marry Janet than run the risk that he might leave the band one day to chase women. Men do have mid-life crisis', and Mac is getting up there. Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much, Janet, about Mac being unfaithful, he's the only guy I know who falls asleep when a five-foot-seven, heavily stacked woman climbs out of a cake and begins to take off her clothes."