Beggin' DeVito's Story

The hours dwindled by most of the time taken up by Tommy talking lazily about his home town, recounting the first time he got drunk with Nick the first time he got Frankie drunk and how he met Bob, the baby was sound asleep upstairs giving Renee chance just to sit and watch Tommy enthuse about the state he loved so much.

"It would be a fresh start" she thought to her self "For both of us" she listened to him talk a little longer before interrupting him "Tommy? what am I meant to do about work?"

"Sweetheart once we're back in Jersey you won't have to work"

"And whats that supposed to mean?"

"I'd work I'd go back to working for Gyp throw in a couple of club nights here and there and we'll be raking it in, so you wouldn't have to worry!" He took her hands in his "I swear to you Renee you haven't seen the best of me yet give me chance to prove to you"

She looked down at their matching wedding bands, a small sadness tugging at her stomach,

"I took a bullet for you DeVito don't let me down"

He smiled and dragged her in to a tight hug,

"I'll get boxes from the store tomorrow and we'll start packing if we leave soon we could be in Jersey by Saturday"

"Todays Monday!"

"So we need to get started"

He winked and jumped off of the sofa hunting around for newspapers to wrap the plates and glassware in, she folded her arms and shook her head, no matter how much they had been through already she had a feeling she was in for the ride of her life over the next few weeks.

She wasn't wrong, she had watched their whole existence be packed down in to boxes and put in to the back of a truck that Gyp had laid on for them, the stood in their empty front room, his arm around her shoulders, tears in her eyes, she remembered cleaning Tommy up, she remembered pacing the floor whilst in labor, she remembered the night she nearly lost her life all at once it flashed by her leaving her sniffling, he kissed her head and patted her butt,

"Lets go sweetheart"

She took his hand and walked out, taking one last look at the long shadows the sun had casted across the empty floor and smiled to herself, Tommy turned out the strong passionate person he is because of Jersey, maybe Vegas wasn't the place to raise their son after all.

Tommy pulled the door shut and posted the keys back through the letter slot, walking hand in hand over to the truck with Renee, Frankie on his hip cooing loudly,

"See he's excited"

She smiled

"He just likes travelling"

"Well get used to it buddy, we got 37 hours of it ahead of us, its rest stops and bad food for the next 2524 miles"

Tommy strapped him in to his car seat and kissed him on the head before pulling his own seat belt around him,

Tommy was right, the drive was long and tedious, thankfully Frankie behaved for most of it, only moaning when he wanted a drink or needed his nappy changing, they drove late in to the night before finding a motel and booking in for a few hours, juts so Tommy could get some rest Renee was concerned he was running on fumes and adrenaline.

Tommys heart thundered in his chest as a sign came in to view "Welcome to New Jersey, The garden state" he felt his heart and stomach flip inside of him a small smile spread on his lips and he placed a hand on his sons small chunky thigh giving it a gentle squeeze,

"We made it buddy, we're home"

Renee smiled across at him, finding his happiness infectious this was their fresh start.

They pulled up outside a small house on a suburban street, she looked around all of the buildings identical the air thick with humidity, an older man stood on the porch of the house, Tommy climbed out of the truck and walked over to the older man, she remained in the truck watching from a distance only the sound of her sons gentle snores to keep her company, the older man pulled Tommy in to a tight hug breaking away to shake his hand, the man carried an air of importance to him she wasn't sure what it was about him but she knew he was someone to respect, Tommy turned and pointed at her the mans face warming in to a smile, he beckoned her over with one hand, she climbed out of the truck folding her arms across her chest, she stood next to Tommy,

"Gyp this is my wife, Renee, sweetheart this is my guardian angel, Gyp DeCarlo"

She smiled and took his hand to shake it only to have the back of her hand kissed lightly,

"It's a pleasure" He smiled "I hope you know what you're getting in to with our Tommy"

He laughed and smiled warmly at the young couple,

"Theres someone else you need to meet Gyp"

Tommy left quickly, returning with his sleeping son in his arms,

"I don't believe it Tommy DeVito married with a child, hey maybe Vegas is the best thing to happen to you!"

"I'll say, Gyp this is my Son Francesco"

"Beautiful name"

Gyp smiled and held his arms out taking baby Frankie in a firm but delicate embrace,

"He looks like Renee"

"Lucky him"

Tommy laughed, the elder man roaming in his pockets with one hand and pulling out a set of keys,

"Let's take a look around"

He unlocked the door showing the couple around their new furnished home, taking them through the living room kitchen dining room bathroom bedroom and nursery before turning to the couple to speak,

"Renee? what do you think?"

She was dumbstruck with awe, she couldn't believe the kindness of a single person who she had never met!

"It's beautiful, how did you know we needed a nursery?"

"I have friends Renee, someone had to keep an eye on Tommy"

The older man roared with laughter passing Tommy his still sleeping son

"It's beautiful Mr DeCarlo thank you so much"

"It's the least I can do for you after taking Tommy on, you saved him"

His words echoed inside her head for a while as Tommy continued to talk to him,

"Do the other fellas know you're back yet?"

"Not yet, I'm gonna visit tomorrow, they all in the same place?"

"No new place, house share until the new material is written they've poured everything in to this one!"

"Jeeze"