Beggin' DeVito's Story

It was one of those rare and special days, Renee was off of work Tommy was in a great mood and Frankie mirrored his father, the small family sat on the sofa each parent taking it in turns to make the baby laugh, Tommys heart swelled each time he heard mother and son laughing together, even in a dressed down state she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, not a scrap of make up on her face and her hair tied in to a messy pony tail, wearing a pair of pyjama shorts and his jumper, he loved how effortlessly beautiful she was almost like she didn't have to try to win his heart.

He scooped the baby from her arms, sitting the tiny pink lump on his lap,

"Now you listen to your father boy, later on you're gonna go sound asleep okay? you're gonna stay asleep and I'm gonna move your moses basket in to the hallway so me and mama can make a baby sister okay?"

"Tommy!!"

Renee laughed and nudged him playfully,

"What? He gets it he understands!"

She shook her head at him, the phone rang making the baby jump and Tommy laugh even more.

-

She and Joey lent against the car, the hot Nevada sun beating down on them becoming almost unbearable, they stared towards the large stone building waiting nervously, she sighed and rubbed her protruding bump, the baby moved inside leaving Renee feeling as though her insides were being wrestled with,

"You okay?"

Joey asked rolling his toothpick between his teeth and looking at her over his sunglasses, she nodded,

"She's just moving"

He shrugged looking down at his watch,

"Any minute now"

Tommy smirked at the guard as he signed the paper work for the last time, he swore to himself this would be the last time, the last time in a Nevada jail the last time in a Jersey jail, he was going straight, the guard handed his paperwork over Tommy took it with a wink and slipped it in to the threadbare duffle bag they had given him for his meager possessions, it felt good to walk with no one holding his arm its felt good to be wearing actually clothes, he could do with a hair cut but it could wait, the keys jangling on his escorts belt filled the heavy air and echoed loudly around them as they walked to the exit, the guard fiddled for a second finding th ekey to unlock the door it swung open with a loud heavy squeak,

"Get outta here"

he muttered before shoving Tommy out in tot he hot midday sun, he took a deep breath and let out a long exhale feeling a weight lift off of his heavy shoulders, he let the sun warm his skin for a few seconds before using his spare hand as a shield from the glare, he looked around hearing a screech,

"Tommy!"

He looked to his left to see his heavily pregnant wife running towards him, even he wiggle dress couldn't stop her, she threw her arms around him, planting a heavy kiss on his lips and several small pecks all over his face no doubt leaving lip marks, he laughed wrapping his arms around her,

"Hey sweetheart"

with her arms around his neck she squeezed him tightly, it all came rushing back her perfume every curve of her body came back to him, he closed his eyes for a second and took it all in the weight of isolation fell off of him, he was free.

"Hey Joe, I owe you a steak"

He pulled the smaller man in to a quick hug before shaking his hand

"Don't worry about it"

"Thanks for taking care of her, I mean it"

"It was my pleasure Tommy, she's a doll! best cooking Ive ever eaten! You're a lucky guy!"

Joey gushed, Tommy smiled over at Renee before getting in the car.

He spent the next few days wisely, staying close to Renee and savouring every moment, the two curled in to each other on the bed a comfortable silence in the room as they caught their breath from the nights activities, having him so close again was a sensory overload for her trying to take in every inch of his body breathing in his musk and running his hair through her fingers, she couldn't get enough of him in the most innocent way, she needed him to hold her and to hear his voice, he yawned and rolled in to her,

"Why don't you go to sleep?"

She whispered

"I don't wanna be away from you again"

He answered his voice heavy with fatigue, she giggled

"Tommy go to sleep I'll still be here when you wake up"

She kissed his forehead and made herself comfortable watching his features relax as he drifted off before turning the lamp off and closing her own eyes.

The sky held a lilac haze when she opened her eyes a dull ache sitting in her pelvis making her screw her face up in discomfort, she nudged Tommy who slept soundly next to her,

"Tom? Tom? TOMMY!"

"what?"

He replied without moving

"Ya know you promised me that shopping trip?"

"Hmmm"

"You might wanna get the let out on that, I think this is it"

Silence lingered for a few moments before he turned and looked at her confused,

"What?"

"The baby Tommy!!"

He sprung out of the bed panic setting in,

"What do we do?"

"We get some sleep and see how things go, then at a more sensible time we go out and get the babies stuff"

"You don't have anything?"

"No Tommy I was waiting for you I didn't want you to miss out"

He flopped back on to the bed making a mental note of the time,

"You okay?"

"I think so"

"Then why wake me up?"

She laughed and curled in to him ignoring the discomfort, making a list in her mind of the things they would need for their new arrival.

-

"Hello?"

"Hey Renee, it's Frankie is Tommy there please?"

"Yeah sure I'll just get him"

she walked back in to the front room, taking the baby out of Tommy's arms and balancing him on her hip,

"It's for you"

She gestured out to the hallway with her thumb, he looked back at her a look of confusion and concern etched across his face, he rose slowly and left the room, she smiled at her son,

"That's your uncle Frankie" The baby smiled back at her "Let's hope its good news huh?"

She could hear Tommy chatting and laughing in the hallway for a few minutes before he came strolling in grinning like a cat with cream, he put his hands on her hips standing behind her and rested his head on her shoulder,

"Pack your shit baby"

"What why?"

he took the baby from her and kissed him on the forehead,

"We're going back to Jersey!"

He shouted throwing the baby in the air,

"But Tommy? this is my home"