Thick As Blood

Richard had left Cecelia that morning only to take Gillian to Jimmy’s home. After a few hours of Gillian cooing over Cecelia, both Richard, and Cecelia had endured enough of Gillian and her. It was quite obvious that Cecelia resented her mother in more ways than one. Richard was quite curious as to why Cecelia treated her so coldly when Gillian treated her so warmly. Richard knew that Cecelia was capable of the same warmth because he had been on the receiving end if it… often.

And as expected when they pulled up, a very angry James Darmody greeted them.

“Ya’ have a nice night?” he asked. His lips were playing with a cigarette, his hand held a glass of scotch.

“Jimmy. Not now.” Gillian said promptly while fixing her dress after the car ride.

“No, now mother. You’re not to talk to her… I’ve told you that before.”

“Jimmy that is entirely unfair. She is my flesh and blood, just as yours – you should do to show some respect.” Gillian said, she noticed the flare of anger in Jimmy’s eyes whenever she ordered him around. This time was no different. Jimmy had moved himself to tower over her, showing that he was bigger than her, that he was mad, and that she would not win this fight.

“She’s not a part of my family, or yours – or you would’ve brought her home a long time ago. Don’t try to fill the missing child in your life with her because I pushed you away.”

“Jimmy we can discuss this later, I am still very angry at your actions and I wish to go inside and rest.”

Jimmy grabbed Gillian’s arm, pinching, almost crushing. “You are never to see her again, do you hear me? I’ve told Angela – and don’t you dare ever bring my son near her.”

“Jimmy let go! You’re hurting me!” Gillian cried. Richard could barely recognize his friend that he had first met. His constant drinking, and his out-of-hand actions were becoming worse. Richard wedged himself between Mother and Son, but then it became his turn.

“And you.” He pointed, knowing Richard was the most important of them all. “I’ve seen just exactly how she’s manipulated and trained you. All she is, is a pretty face, but Richard she’s nothing more than a damn whore!”

“Jimmy that’s not true!” Gillian yelled from behind him.

“Shut it mother.” Jimmy said giving her a half glance.

“Your mother. Is right.” Richard said. “This fighting. Mm. doesn’t help.”

“Richard I’m going to tell you again, Stay away from her. Granted this is only a warning. You’re your own man, and can do what you wish with you time – but that girl is going to seem beautiful to you up until the day she leaves and finds something better.”

Richard was silent.

“I consider you my friend Richard, I don’t like to see my friends hurt.”

Richard was trying to no say things he knew would only worsen the situation. Jimmy clapped his hand against his shoulder, like he often did. Richard was grateful for his friendship with Jimmy. He had been the first normal human contact he’d had since he’d come home from the war. Even his relationship wish his sister wasn’t normal, and for a while Richard feared that it was going to stay that way with everyone he met. But then Jimmy came along and introduced him to a purpose, to something new. Because of Jimmy, Richard was able make love to a woman, live in a beautiful city, work for powerful men, and make plenty of money.

Richard watched as Jimmy pushed Gillian back into the house. Richard could see Angela standing back in the hall, her silhouette washed out by the sunlight from the window behind her. Jimmy returned, with more to say: “I’ve got work for us to do… in New York. I wanna leave tomorrow.”

Richard was unable to tell him no. Jimmy had given him so much, and when Jimmy needed him, he could not refuse him.

“Mm. Yes. I’ll… be here. In the morning.” Richard finally answered after a long pregnant silence.

Jimmy’s hand clapped against his shoulder again, he felt that familiar sting of friendship. “Try to… spend some time away from her.” Jimmy said before finishing his glass of whiskey.

Richard first took the hauling truck from Jimmy’s house and wanted to return to the Ritz. He had been informed that Cecelia had been taken back already – and he wanted to see if she was okay. But Richard respected Jimmy in such a way that… he wanted to at least try and see if it was even possible for him to stay away from her. But so far he hadn’t thought of anything but her.

He headed home to try and see that perhaps a change of location could help. After a long night he wanted something to eat and a fresh change of clothes.

He locked his apartment door once he was inside, a habit he had of doing. He went straight to his small kitchen, trying to avoid looking at his bed. He pulled another meal that Angela had sent him home with, and ate it in silence. He ran his hands back and forth through his greasy hair trying to think of anything but the weekend that Cecelia had stayed there. He couldn’t even remember her putting her clothes back on until they finally decided to return back to the Ritz. His bed sheets were still draped over one another, reminding him of her even more.

He striped down after turning on the faucet for a bath. After checking the temperature, he stepped in and sat in the warm water. He didn’t fit in the common household ceramic tub. But he leaned back as best he could while he tried to think of something other than Cecelia. He could remember a time when his thoughts were flooded of suicide, and the war. He could now tell that a casual warmness was reinstating it’s way back into his broken soul, as he put it. He didn’t feel cold and wasteful anymore.

After dressing in a blue shirt and brown suit, Richard found himself sitting at his desk, not looking into his personal scrapbook, or the evenings paper, but instead pulling out stationary. He didn’t write anything on the scrap of paper, instead he pulled out fifty dollars of a concealed wooded box, and folded it inside. He addressed it to his sister in Plover, Wisconsin, before finally sealing the envelope and finishing it for sending. He pulled in his coat, and placed the letter inside his jacket pocket before putting on his page-boy cap, and leaving.

Cecelia was pinning her hair to hide her new stitches when she heard a soft knock at the door. She kept it chained while opening it a few inches to see Richards face. She quickly shut it again to unlock it before letting him in. He hesitated before stepping inside. She could tell that dealing with Jimmy must’ve been hard on him.

“How is. Your head?” Richard asked her.

“Throbbing.” She said. “How was… Jimmy?” she asked him hesitantly.

“Very angered.” He said, “he doesn’t want me around you – and. Mm. asked if I would go with him to. New York this week.”

“When will you be back?” she asked.

“Not till the weekend, Mm. I’m sorry I won’t. Be able to be here.”

“It’s alright, I mean… I guess you’re here tonight, and as long as you promise to be careful, I think I could manage on my own.”

“I didn’t tell Jimmy I was coming tonight. Mm. Mhm. He thinks I’ve gone home.”

“Oh so… this is a secret meeting?” She asked with a smile on her face. “I could keep that secret… if you’re so inclined to do me a favor?” her hair was fully pinned on one side of her head, the other side, fell to dismay. Richard liked the disorder to her hair, it was sweet, and she was beautiful.

“Mm. What would that be?” he asked, expecting and errand, or a common favor.

“I spent all night alone in that hospital bed.” She paused, looking up at him now, he watched as he came closer to him and began to fiddle with his tie. “And… We have half the day before my show.”

“We do.” he innocently assured her.

“I had… so many thoughts about you last night…” she said, he watched as her eyes lowered into an animalistic glare. His stomach flipped as she licked her lips and softly rolled her bottom lip out from underneath her teeth.

‘…thoughts?” he asked.

“You know… those kinds of thoughts that always peak into your mind… and never seem to go away?”

“I didn’t know… I was the. sort of. man. you thought about.”

Richards hands seemed to be fumbling with her shirt, something he’d never really done on his own before. But he liked the way that she looked at him while he did it. She helped him slide the shirt off her shoulders while he pressed his lips to hers. Encouraged by several soft moans from Cecelia, his hand suddenly released her and sought to find the small of her back, pressing her firmly to his body, yet at the same time he forced her back up against the vanity she had so diligently been working before. Cecelia feverishly gasped while Richard began to kiss her neck.

His mask was becoming tangled in her loose pieces of hair, he thought he had hurt her – so he stopped. She pulled her hair free from the wire of his mask before she unhooked it from his other ear. She slowly lowered it, holding it delicately in her hands while Richard returned to kissing her neck. She felt his hands slide up her skirt. She was surprised how comfortable he seemed with her now, he wasn’t as shy as he hand been before. She moaned loudly when he’d reached that sweet area between her legs and arched her back pressing her even more against him. Richard had just begun to make her toes curl when there came a knock at the door.

Both stopped in the heat of the moment, both slightly afraid that someone unkind was on the other side of that door. But soon Cecelia heard the mousy voice of the band director.

She gripped Richard’s neck and rolled her eyes, very irritated with his timing. She tried to ignore him and started kissing Richard on his neck.

“Ms. Darmody it is urgent! I can… I can hear you in there!” he said nervously.

Cecelia jumped down from the vanity, brushing her skirt back down past her knees and throwing her shirt back over her shoulders. She held the front of her blouse shut while she opened the door. The director kindly informed her that one of her key instrumentalists was gravely ill, and that the set would need to be changed as so that they could perform without him, this was something that would take the rest of her day.

She shut the door irritated.

Richard was in front of her, also irritated. She could tell by the size of his pants that he had anticipated more from their act, as had she.

She thought for a moment about canceling the whole show. But Friday’s were the busiest, and Nucky would be very upset if she canceled so late.

She buttoned two buttons to her shirt before she casually stroked Richard’s bulge and promising him that he would not be left unsatisfied, if he stayed the night. She knew he already would – but she apologized over and over again while she got re-dressed.