AMORE RAGAZZE
By SomeguyJim
CHAPTER 16
“It’s not working!” Julia whined.
Amy looked slightly annoyed watching the spoiled Columbo daughter trying desperately to erase the blood stain on her white glove. It looked better, but it didn’t seem like any formula of cleaners was going to save her beloved accessory. She was standing over the sink in the kitchen of the Giovanni house with their Consigliere holding a leather cleaner. Naturally, Julia had her gloves on as she scrubbed the leather. There was now a bandage on her face.
“Well,” Amy was patient with her, “This leather cleaner is supposed to do the trick.” Julia didn’t respond. “It would probably be easier if you took them off.”
Julia looked at Amy as if she was asking her to do murder, “I don’t want to.” She went back to washing her glove.
Amy knew about Julia’s obsession with her gloves and Rachel had filled her in on some of the recent details regarding the blonde’s past. The brunette could empathize with her. “Truth be told, I’m surprised your gloves aren’t more dirty since you never take them off.”
“Well,” Julia said as she took the cleaner bottle from Amy, “Have your father lock you in a bedroom for years, you tend not to come into contact with dirt too much.”
“My real father died when I was a baby,” Amy looked out the doorway to the bedroom trying to catch a glimpse of Rachel, “Guess I never had that chance.”
Julia stopped to look at Rachel’s cousin, “Oh yeah, Rachel told me about that. I don’t remember how did he die?”
Amy closed her eyes still facing out the door, “Some things are better left unsaid.”
“Please don’t tell me my father had to do with it.”
Amy finally looked Julia in the eye like she was the enemy. Unfortunately, the daughter of Frank Columbo really didn’t look threatening. In fact, Amy couldn’t get the image of her naked body out of her mind. She did feel a certain connection to this girl. Her hand reached under her shirt to pull out her jade necklace. “This was my mother’s. It’s made of jade. And her name was Jade. Get it?” It was a beautiful necklace. It seemed like Amy always kept it out of sight. Julia examined it closer holding it in her gloved hand. “I haven’t taken it off since she died.” The brunette corrected herself, “Well, almost. Showers and stuff.”
“Yeah,” Julia understood, “The gloves belonged to my mom.”
Amy nodded her head and brought the necklace back into her shirt. “Brings you some comfort right?” Julia nodded her head ‘yes.’ Amy spoke up looking Julia in the eye, “Since my mom left me, Aunt Jackie’s been like a mom to me.” She sighed, “Watching her take a bullet-“ Amy felt she was at a loss for words. She picked up the leather cleaner instead.
Suddenly, Amy felt Julia hug her, “I’m sorry Amy.” Amy was surprised to feel her sister’s girlfriend holding her like this. “I’m sorry for causing so much trouble!”
‘So much trouble,’ was the understatement of the year. Julia was a Shakespearean plague on the Giovanni house. However, there was a innocence about Julia that was so appealing. She could understand why her sister loved this girl. Amy hugged her back, “Julia, my sister loves you.”
They continued to hug. Nothing else was said.
A much different, much less intimidating Rachel Giovanni was sitting in the living room talking to Charlie and Sal. Surrounded by a few bodyguards standing randomly around the room, the two Capos shared the couch while the boss sat in a hard chair facing them. She spoke slow and softly looking down at the floor:
“We went out together a few times.” Rachel took a long time between sentences, “Columbo got wind of it.” Charlie and Sal waited to hear her finish her thoughts, “Angelo took the fall for me.” She looked up to see Charlie staring at her the same way he would stare at Columbo. She looked back down to the ground, “I’m sorry guys,” Rachel almost whispered.
“You should be,” Charlie scolded her. The anger in his voice was barely contained. He shook his head and sighed. “Look, I don’t know how to feel about this Julia situation, but you never told us?”
Charlie was talking to Rachel in a way that reminded her of her father. She didn’t talk back, just continued to stare at the floor. Sal stayed silent, looking like he was gathering his thoughts.
“Marlon did his share of stupid things in the past,” Charlie continued, “But he always kept us informed so we’d be prepared.” He really got emotional now, “Rachel, we could have prepared for this!”
“I know,” Rachel was almost in tears.
“I can’t,” Charlie stopped in mid sentence and got up from the couch. He walked to the window to see the bright summer day lingering on as long as it could. Sal still sat down without a word.
“Charlie,” Rachel finally looked up towards him, “You were my father’s closest friend. If you and Sal think I should step down as boss of the Giovanni family,” She hesitated, “I will.”
The gray-haired Capo turned to see his boss’ daughter. She didn’t look like a boss herself, but a scared little girl. Charlie had never seen Rachel this way, even when she was a kid, Rachel always exuded some intimidation. But Charlie could only imagine what the girl was going through. Her father dead, her mother was in the hospital, her brother murdered before her eyes, and having just survived a murder attempt? The girl needed support no doubt. She had proven herself a worthy successor to the Giovanni throne, he was not about to let her step down.
“No,” Charlie spoke up and moved back to the couch, “You’re the boss of this family Rachel.” He sat down, “We’ve stuck with you this far, we’ll get through this Julia thing.” He pointed at her in a somewhat intimidating fashion, “No more secrets.”
“No more secrets,” Rachel shook her head looking into Charlie’s eyes.
Sal was still silent.
The grey-haired man sighed again, “Forgive me Rachel, but I feel like I’ve always known you were... what did you call it again?”
“Amore Ragazze.” Rachel answered.
“Amore Ragazze,” Charlie repeated, “Che cazzo!”
Luckily Rachel didn’t understand what he said.
Sal finally put his finger up and opened his mouth. He didn’t speak yet, he looked like he was thinking carefully about what he was going to say. Charlie already turned his attention to his friend. “Let me ask you something,” Sal was still hesitating, “How do you girls…” He twirled his hands around trying to find the right word to match his thought, “Do it?”
Rachel raised her head and gave Sal the most baffled look her face could form.
Charlie’s jaw dropped as her turned his whole body to face his taller friend, “Are you fucking serious?”
“What?” Sal looked at Charlie and raised his hands. He looked back to Don Giovanni, “I mean no disrespect or nothing-“
“No disrespect?” Charlie spat back.
“I’m just curious is all,” Sal didn’t see what the trouble was, “I mean our boss is doing it with another gal, I need to know the details.”
Charlie raised his hands in disgust, “Those aren’t the kind of details-“
“I mean,” Sal continued, “Do you like,” once again his tongue was tied, “Scissor?”
“Okay,” Rachel got up from her chair and walked into the kitchen.
Charlie just sat next to his partner hiding his face in shame.
“Or toys?” Sal shouted hoping he would get an answer, “You use toys right?”
Don Giovanni ignored Sal’s comment and walked into see her cousin and her girlfriend hugging. Julia had her back to Rachel while Amy’s closed eyes were facing her. Rachel stopped in her tracks. It was a pleasant sight to see… unless Amy was moving in on her girl. Amy opened her eyes to see her sister moving towards her. Julia felt a pair of arms reach around her and flinched. Amy simply let go and allowed Rachel to take hold of her girlfriend. Julia turned around hugged the taller girl back.
“When are we leaving?” The boss asked.
Amy looked at the clock, “Pretty soon.”
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The basement was hot. Really hot! Bobby Russo and another of Columbo’s men, Bobby’s brother Vincent, were sweating wearing t-shirts. The sat around a large black table with many empty chairs; the room dimly lit. Vince sucked down his cigarette talking with brother. They had two strong men standing near them.
Suddenly, the door opened. Two bodyguards, no relation to either family, entered first. Then one of Giovanni’s bodyguards entered the room followed closely by Rachel. She wore her trademark black leather jacket giving the room a once-over. Amy, dressed in her trademark suit came in next. Then Charlie and Sal also wearing light jackets. The other Giovanni bodyguard came in with someone else lost in the crowd.
“Oh Jesus,” Rachel complained unbuttoning her coat, “It’s a hundred degrees in here. Don’t you have a fan in here?”
“Sorry,” one of the neutral bodyguards said in a shallow manner.
“You’re the one who asked to meet on Gotti’s ground.” Bobby snapped back.
Rachel rolled her eyes and moved towards the table. “Let’s get this over with.” Rachel and Amy Giovanni sat opposite to the Russo brothers. Charlie and Sal took a couple chairs behind them. The last to sit was the blonde-haired trouble-maker herself, Julia. She sat next to Rachel, but on a chair at the end of the table, inbetween the Giovanni and Columbo family.
“So she was with you,” Bobby noted her presence. He reached his hand out to touch her bandaged cheeck, “What happened to your face?”
“Don’t touch her!” Don Giovanni snapped. She stared at Bobby in an intimidating manner.
Amy closed her eyes and shook her head.
Bobby did take his hand away but appeared just as intimidating towards the Giovanni daughter. “I ain’t the one who kidnapped her.”
Rachel laughed, “Is that the bullshit Frank Columbo fed you?”
“All right,” Amy tried to gain control of this tense situation, “I’m sure we can all agree to be civil in this discussion.”
“God damn it!” Rachel yelled, “It’s fucking hot in here!” She got up and threw her black leather coat on the ground leaving her tight t-shirt to reveal her muscular figure. She kept her black gloves on. The Russo brothers noted Rachel’s impressive figure. “You perverts wanna stare at my boobs all day,” She continued, “I don’t give a shit.”
“Rachel,” Julia reached her white gloved hand out to her black covered hand, “Please calm down.”
The Russo brothers noted Julia’s actions. The infamous Rachel Giovanni looked into the blonde’s eyes and did in fact calm down. Julia smiled and let go of her hand.
Bobby sighed, “All right look,” he was not used to speaking for the Columbo family, but with Snakes presumably dead and unable to talk with the Don, Bobby was the de-facto leader. Rachel Giovanni may have been a woman, but she was as intimidating in the flesh as the stories told about her. He took a drink of water and gulped. He spoke as he set the beverage down. “Vince and myself, and a lot of the Columbo crew are unhappy with the way things are.”
Vince simply nodded silently, his cigarette dangling from his mouth.
Rachel didn’t say a word but looked to Amy. The more sensible, glasses-covered Consigliere spoke, “Well, as I mentioned on the phone, no one wants to start a war.” Amy uncomfortably rubbed her neck feeling sweat all over her.
“So what is it exactly you want?” Bobby asked.
“You know what we want,” Rachel folded her arms and sat back.
“Yeah I know,” Bobby sighed, “It’s not like I can just give you Columbo, I’ve known the man since I was a kid.”
Julia looked at the two of them in confusion, “Wait a minute,” she spoke up.
Every eye in the room looked toward her.
“Are you going to kill him?” She leaned into the table.
Bobby looked away from her and shook his head in frustration, “Why did you bring her here?”
“She wanted to come,” Rachel responded.
“Yeah,” Julia spoke up with an irritated tone, “Especially if you two are going to be discussing killing my father!”
The rest of the Giovanni family stayed silent as Rachel had asked them to do. Vince did the same. But Bobby threw his arms up in frustration, “I’m not comfortable here okay? She just disappears, Frank’s driving everyone crazy, probably sent Snakes to his death, and meanwhile the family’s getting weaker and weaker. You know ever since your brother took her-“
“MY BROTHER,” Rachel slammed her fist on the table, “HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!” Everyone jumped back a notch, even the bodyguards. She pointed her gloved finger towards Bobby, “You stood there Bobby and let those asshole bosses of yours kill him. You knew he didn’t do it. You were the one who sent Columbo a picture of the two of them and probably just let him jump to whatever conclusions he wanted to make!” She stopped for a minute and looked at her enemy. He wasn’t an enemy but a pawn in Columbo’s insanity. “I remember my father wishing he could convince you all to kill that son-of-a-bitch, for your own benefit.”
Bobby stared at this woman for an uncomfortably silent ten seconds. Rachel’s eyes did not waver. He spoke in a very soft tone, “What do want me to do Rachel?”
The sound of the door opening startled everyone. Walking in with two bodyguards behind him was Don Gotti, “Next time,” Gotti removed his jacket and handed it to one of his guards, “We meet in a place that’s air conditioned.”
“No argument from me,” Rachel answered.
Sal and Charlie got up to greet him. As did the
“No no no,” Gotti assured them, “Sit sit sit.” Everyone took their seats, except Rachel and Amy who hadn’t gotten up to begin with. The Lord of Manhattan took his throne opposite Julia. He was surprised to see her, “There you are. I heard Frank screaming about how were kidnapped.”
“I wasn’t kidnapped Don Gotti,” Julia spoke up, “I packed my bags and ran away.”
He laughed, “Didn’t get very far did you?”
“John,” Rachel spoke up, “It’s time for Frank to go.”
Everyone was somewhat shocked by Rachel’s bluntness. But Gotti laughed, “Straight to the point, that’s what I like about you Rachel.” He looked to Vince. “You got another cigarette?”
Bobby’s brother quickly pulled out his pack and handed one to the boss.
“Thank you,” Gotti held it, “Light?”
Vince lit the boss’ but for him.
“Thank you again,” he took a puff, it seemed like he was experiencing some sort of nirvana. Bobby and Rachel looked at him curiously. “I stopped smoking these for years,” Gotti spoke up, “But with my age now, what’s the point?” He hesitated and put his elbows on the table, “Rachel, I completely understand your position, more than you’d think. He’s been completely unreliable the past year. He’s acting out irrationally, calling me all the time, ‘I can’t find Julia,’ blah blah blah…” He took another puff of his smokestick feeling more rejuvenation, “But I do understand his frustration wanting to protect his daughter.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. She looked to the blonde, who looked back at her. Rachel threw her black gloves off tossing them to the ground. She violently grabbed Julia’s right hand and started to pull her glove off.
“Rachel!” Julia screamed, “What are you doing, stop!”
“Hey hey,” Bobby screamed trying to reach into help the girl.
A bunch of commotion started before Rachel finally got Julia’s white glove off of her right hand.
“LOOK AT THIS!” Don Giovanni showed the hand to Don Gotti, to everyone.
They all silenced and gazed in horror as this pretty young thing’s badly scared hand. Bobby stopped trying to intervene and stared at her fingers in disbelief. So did Amy, readjusting her glasses. Sal stood up to get a better view. Don Gotti sat there stone faced. No wonder she wore those gloves all the time. The girl herself almost started to cry.
“You see this?” Rachel yelled, “Is this Columbo’s idea of protecting his daughter?”
“STOP IT!” Julia finally pulled her naked hand out of Rachel’s palm and slapped the black-haired girl hard in the face.
One of Giovanni’s guards started to move towards the blonde, but Amy waved him away. She then turned her attention to her sister who held her face. Julia quickly pulled her glove back on like her life depended on it. She smoothed the leather up her arm, letting the sleeve of her shirt come up, until it fit perfectly snug on her arm. She then adjusted her coat sleeve. Rachel sighed and let go of her face. Amy looked at it. A red mark, but no cuts.
Julia soon reaffirmed her attention to her girlfriend, “Rachel I’m sorry.” She held her head and kissed her cheek.
“I’m fine,” Rachel shook off her girlfriend.
“I didn’t mean to,” Julia was apologetic, “But you know-“
“Julia,” Gotti interrupted.
Her attention, and everyone’s attention, turned to a stern-faced Don Goti.
“Who did that to you?”
Julia sighed and let her head fall. She looked back up at the man, “It was years ago. My father came home drunk, angry, let it out on me… it was an accident really. Look I don’t want to talk about it!” She was very insistent on letting it go.
Bobby looked guilty, “I didn’t know about this Julia.”
Julia looked at her father’s friend, “Well now you know.” She was beginning to sound more like Rachel. “Okay yeah, my father burned up my hand and is the reason I have to wear gloves all the time, even in this hot room. So, yeah let’s just fucking murder him for that.”
“He murdered my brother Julia,” Rachel spoke to her, “He put my mother in a coma and he meant to murder me.”
“Look everybody calm down,” Don Gotti regained control, “Julia, maybe you should wait outside while we discuss this.”
“No!” Nobody spoke to Don Gotti like that, but Julia, once an innocent little flower was commanding him, “Remember that whole offspring bullshit you talked about last time? I’m Don Columbo’s daughter, and I, at the very least, get to sit here and hear what you guys are saying.”
Everyone was uncomfortably silent.
“It’s her decision,” Rachel spoke up with more respect.
Don Gotti sighed and took another puff of smoke.
“All due respect Don Gotti,” Sal spoke up. Rachel dropped her head expecting what he was supposed to say, “That’s unforgivable what Columbo did to Julia. Someone did that to my daughter, he’d be dead.”
“You don’t have a daughter,” Charlie spoke to his friend.
Sal hesitated pondering the conversation. He looked around looking confused.
Don Gotti then turned his attention to the next man in line for Columbo’s job. He hesitated and pointed to him, “I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
“Bobby,” He spoke up slightly intimidated.
“Bobby, sorry. Do you think you can run the Columbo family business?”
Bobby sighed himself looking at everyone in the room. “I suppose so Don Gotti, although I think there might be better suited men for the job.”
Julia groaned. Hearing of her father’s fate certainly couldn’t have been easy on the girl. She felt conflicted. Before she had packed her bags, she secretly wished her controlling abusive father dead. But now, it pained her to hear this.
“I hate to make this decision,” Don Gotti proclaimed, “But I can’t honestly make a case for Frank Columbo at this point.” He took another light of his cigarette. “Business must move forward.” His famous phrase seemed to make sense.
“And I suppose,” Julia looked to her girlfriend, “You’re gonna be the one to do it. Right?”
Rachel felt guilty, but she kept her poker face. How could she blame Julia for her frustration. Even her own father who never gave her attention didn’t deserve to die. There was so much left unresolved between them and that’s what made her feel most guilty. Frank Columbo was a million times worse than Marlon Giovanni, but she couldn’t expect the man’s daughter to just accept her father’s death without argument.
The room stayed silent, hot and humid. Shirts were being tugged from sweaty torsos. Finally, the Consigliere spoke up.
“I think I might have a solution,” Amy spoke intelligently.
Everyone listened.
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Frank Columbo looked at his watch: 4:20 AM. He stood at the 21 street station of the G Line with his bodyguard Bobby Russo and his taciturn brother Vincent. His arms crossed and he spat at the train tracks. His light trenchcoat remained motionless in the humid station. It was quiet. There was not another soul around.
“I think Gotti’s got alzheimer's or something,” The boss snorted. “This better be worth it.” He now looked back to Bobby, “You sure he didn’t say anything else?”
“Sir,” the bodyguard held his hands up, “He said he couldn’t discuss it on the phone.”
He pulled out his phone again, “Fuck Snakes, where are you?” He was whispering as the sound of a train increased in volume. The G train ran slower than usual across the tracks. As the G train finally stopped, Columbo and his two bodyguards walked into one of the brightly lit middle cars. There was no one else on the train. Not a single person. No drug dealers, prostitutes, insurance salesmen, the usual people they expected to see at 4:30 in the morning. Columbo sat down and didn’t say a word. His bodyguards walked around looking like they were checking the place. They moved a little closer to the emergency door. Soon enough, the train slowly left the station. Frank Columbo looked bitter and impatient as he felt the tracks slip down into the neutral zone between Queens and Brooklyn.
“I bet I know what he wants,” Frank spoke up, “He wants to meet with that dyke Giovanni and she thinks she’ll be safe in her own territory.” He sighed, “God I wish I could kill that old bastard and run Manhattan-“
Suddenly the train slowed down to a stop. Columbo groaned, “Figures.”
“Wonder what’s going on?” Bobby looked around.
“The MTA sucks,” the boss turned around to his bodyguard, “That’s what’s going on.”
“We’ll talk to the conductor,” Bobby and Vince moved to the emergency exit towards the next train.
Columbo sighed and slowly got up. “I’m too old for this shit.”
Suddenly, the lights went out. It was pitch black.
“Oh Jesus!” Frank yelled, “What did I say about the MTA?”
There was no response.
“Bobby?” Columbo yelled again, he couldn’t move around without hitting one of the polls.
Within half a minute, the lights came back on. The fat man looked to where Bobby and Vince were supposed to be, but they weren’t there. As he looked on, the lights weren’t on in the next train. It seemed like his train may have been the only one. He stayed motionless, “Bobby?” There was still no answer.
“Hello Frank,” a low feminine voice uttered.
Frank quickly turned around, his heart racing and saw her standing at the opposite end of the train car. Rachel Giovanni, the black-haired boss in her leather jacket with her hands in her pockets. The jacket was open showing off her Sopranos t-shirt with her black jeans and boots. Frank Columbo reached in his coat for his gun.
“It’s not there.” Rachel said very matter-of-fact-like.
Frank let out a yelp and quickly felt his heart racing like crazy. He began to shiver thinking this was the end. But Rachel just stood there not moving a muscle. As silent time slowly passed, the Columbo boss began to let every thought in his head about his two bodyguards get the best of him.
“You,” He finally managed to squeak out.
Rachel nodded her head, “Me.”
Columbo looked back at the pitch-black train and sighed, “There,” he turned his head back to Don Giovanni, “Is no meeting, is there?”
Rachel slowly shook her head no.
“And I can assume my most trusted men are in on this… And that Snakes is dead.”
“Three for three,” Rachel didn’t move, “You know Snakes almost killed your daughter.”
Columbo’s anger became more noticeable, “Where is she?”
“She safe,” Rachel replied, “Away from you.”
The older man chuckled, “So you can have your way with her?”
“I saw the scars on her hand Frank.”
There was hesitation. Columbo didn’t blink, but gulped. The memories of how her scars came to be haunted him again. “How did you see them?”
“Do you really want to know?” She was answering his questions like she had anticipated him asking them and had answers prepared.
Columbo shook his head. “It was an accident.”
“Sure it was.” It didn’t seem like Rachel believed him.
By now, Frank Columbo’s life seemed to be flashing before his eyes. He thought for sure this was the end. He woke up every day thinking this could happen at any moment. He even assumed it would be at the hands of a Giovanni. But here, now, betrayed by his own men, by Gotti, even his daughter abandoning him. What a fitting way to die, in a subway on his way to Brooklyn.
“So?” He lifted his eyebrows.
There was no response from Rachel. She was still staring at him with murder in her eyes.
“What are you waiting for?” The man’s voice was cold and intimidating. “You want me to get down on my knees and beg for mercy?”
Still no response from the woman.
Shaking, the man finally yelled at the top of his lungs, “WOULD YOU FUCKING SAY SOMETHING?”
Rachel paused for a second and then replied, “Something.”
The man began to calm down and think of a way out of this. “What do you want Giovanni? You’ve driven me out of Manhattan, you’ve turned everybody against me-“
“You did that to yourself Columbo,” Rachel interrupted him. “And you know it.”
“And now,” Columbo laughed, “You’re gonna get your revenge. I kill your brother, you kill me, and round and round we go.”
Rachel simply shrugged her shoulders.
Enough was enough, Frank let out a long sigh and sat down on the bench. He took out a cigarette and lit it with shakey hands. Rachel finally walked towards him, not taking her hands out of her pockets. The man smoked his cigarette like it would be his last.
“How did you get the train to stop and the light show?” His voice felt calm now, but tired.
“That’s Gotti’s touch.” Rachel answered standing over him.
The man laughed refusing to look at his killer. “Of course.” He sat back and enjoyed his cigarette.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to smoke in here.” Rachel said coldly.
Frank Columo finally looked up at her and rolled his eyes. More silent time passed between the two. Finally the man spoke again: “I lost my wife Rachel.”
“I know,” She decided to sit down next to him allowing her black leather hands to escape from her pockets.
Her enemy took another puff, ignoring her, “Julia’s all I have. You’re gonna tell me I wasn’t a good father? I hurt her, doing bad things to her, am the reason she’s a lesbian.”
“Amore Ragazze,” Rachel corrected her.
Columbo waved his hand at her, “Whatever. I didn’t want anything to happen to her, not after losing my wife. She’s all I have left.”
“I lost my father,” Rachel began to sound more human, “My mother’s in a coma,” She looked to him, “You and I both know what happened to my brother.”
Columbo gave Rachel some attention out of the corner of his eye.
“Truth be told,” she looked down at the ground, “I feel like Julia’s all I have left now.”
There was silence.
Rachel chuckled, “I’m reminded of when my mother said there’s hope for you yet.”
“Yeah, I remember.” Columbo seemed a lot more at ease. He took another puff of his cigarette. “Truth be told,” he mimicked her, “I didn’t mind your mother so much.”
Rachel snorted, “So why did you shoot her?”
Columbo pulled his cigarette away from his mouth, “You know why.”
The two of them looked forward sitting next to eachother.
“I don’t really know,” He looked up at the lights, “Where this family feud came from.” She spoke slowly. “I remember when I was a boy, my father would come home, drunk off his ass, mad as hell.” A hard sigh escaped him. Rachel turned around to look at the man. “He beat the hell of me. I mean just abuse you wouldn’t believe.”
“Is that why,” Rachel interjected, “You’re so fucking ugly.”
Columbo laughed, “Maybe.” He took another puff of his cigarette. He still wouldn’t look at the girl. “I never wanted to give Julia the same treatment, but… just this life.”
Rachel nodded.
He finally turned to face her, “Does Julia know about this?”
For once, Rachel was hesitant about responding, but she eventually answered, “If it makes you feel better, she didn’t take it well.”
Frank Columbo gave out the most painful sigh she had ever heard from him. His eyes closed, almost like he was about to start crying. But his pride was too big for that.
Rachel figured the man had sweat enough. “I’m not going to kill you Frank.”
The man opened his eyes and looked at Don Giovanni.
“But you’re through.” She turned and looked at him in the eyes, “Be smart! Leave!”
Columbo laughed hearing his enemy utter back the same advice he gave her. “See what happens when you try to be merciful?”
Rachel finally stood up and turned to face the car before her. She gave a thumbs up sign. Within a couple seconds, the train started up again and all the lights came on. In one train, Bobby, Vince and a number of Columbo’s men stood looking in. In the train behind him, Charlie, Sal and several bodyguards. Rachel walked towards the train with her fellow soldiers.
Columbo took this moment in as the train inched closer to Brooklyn. Before Rachel could enter the next train, he called out, “Rachel.”
The woman turned around without saying anything.
“Take care of her.”
She hesitated looking at her enemy. Then turned opening the door marked “No moving between subway cars.” Columbo couldn’t hear the dialog between Rachel and her men. Instead he turned his attention to his own men staring at him like he was on his way to execution.
The final approach to the Greenpoint Ave stop (first stop in Brooklyn) must have felt like the longest minute of his life. He really wasn’t sure if this would in fact be his last ride. He began to play a scene in his head of seeing Julia at the platform waiting for the train to come in (at least he was hoping she would be there):
He notices a couple figures on the platform as the train rides by. No doubt, some of Rachel Giovanni’s goons. And there she is, his daughter Julia, dressed in a full white outfit with the gloves to hide her father’s abuse. She stands inbetween two bodyguards watching the train roll into the station. Columbo would look out the window. As the train comes to a complete stop, he runs to the doors. But they don’t open. He watches as the doors on the other cars opened allowing the Giovanni family and the Columbo family to exit the train. Rachel meets Julia, the two exchange in a hug (he wouldn’t allow his imagination to go past that). After some inaudible dialog between the two girls, Julia walks to the car. The door opens and the blonde walks in. She begins to yell at him, telling him off and how he treated her wrong all these years. Of course, Columbo would get defensive, but he can’t order her around this time. But when the smoke clears, he and Julia hug and she says goodbye to him.
Columbo couldn’t decide in his imagination what happens after that. Could he somehow use this to his advantage and get Julia back on his side. Well, the platform became visible. Columbo did in fact turn to look out the window. There were two bodyguards as he had envisioned…
But Julia wasn’t there.
Maybe she was somewhere else on the platform? No. There was no one else there. He watched as the car door for the Giovannis and Columbos opened. His car door stayed closed. He closed his eyes in disappointment. When he eventually opened his eyes, an exchange of words was given between Rachel and Bobby, but Columbo couldn’t really hear them.
The only person who was looking at him was Sal. He was smiling in a cocky way. He grabbed his crotch taunting his old enemy. That didn’t last long as Charlie gave him a smack in the head.
Rachel then motioned for her goons to follow her. Bobby led his troupe in front of the subway car. Frank Columbo didn’t know what was gonna happen.
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There were a few cars waiting outside, but specifically one just for Rachel Giovanni. Amy opened the door from inside and allowed her sister to get in. Not a word was spoken and the car drove off. Except as the car drove back, Rachel began to shiver, she clenched her teeth and growled as if she was in pain. Amy looked at her sister but didn’t know how to react. It looked like Rachel was about to break down. She could only imagine the emotions running through the woman who confronted and metaphorically destroyed the same man who killed her brother, wounded her mother, drove her father to his grave and injured the love and her life. Now she began screaming with her eyes closed, her neck very tense. The driver and other bodyguard up front looked back concerned.
Amy grabbed hold of her sister and held onto her. She didn’t say a word. Rachel allowed her head to drop into Amy’s chest. Don Giovanni tried her best not to cry, but her shell was cracked and tears escaped. Amy too felt emotionally overwhelmed, but needed to keep her strength just a little while longer to console her boss. Rachel’s emotional breakdown began to settle the tighter her sister held her. They never let go of each other that entire car ride.
Rachel deserved a day off as Don Giovanni.