"The villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction."
- William Shakespeare
The morning was brisk and crisp, my breath fogging up as I stood in anticipation outside of the gates of Stateville Correctional Center. An uncontainable sense of elation welled up in my heart. My Uncle Ben was about to take his first steps into freedom after being wrongfully convicted for a grueling twenty two years. I shifted from foot to foot, eagerness causing my nerves to jitter with restless energy.
"Why is it taking them so long?" I mumbled under my breath to Sawyer. The waiting felt endless, like hours were crawling past in slow-motion.
Sawyer let out a soft laugh, brushing a comforting hand against my arm. "Give it a minute," he said, an easygoing grin stretching across his face as he also watched the massive prison doors.
Suddenly, the anticipation was cut short as the steel doors swung open, and standing there, was Uncle Ben. It was like watching a mirage as I squinted, letting reality sink in. My uncle, flanked by two lawyers, took his first breaths of freedom. An avalanche of emotions descended on me, joy for his freedom, but sadness too for all for the years he was robbed of due to a ghastly miscarriage of justice.
But my thoughts quickly turned to revenge, to making sure the person responsible for his imprisonment paid the price.
Driven by the magnitude of the moment, I rushed towards Uncle Ben and threw myself at him. The tightness of his hug, the smell of him; everything felt exactly the way I remembered it. His gentle whisper in my ear cooed, "Don't cry, my baby girl, I'm here now."
Just as I was getting lost in our reunion, one of his lawyers cleared his throat, reminding me of their presence. I quickly extracted myself from Uncle Ben's warm embrace, hastily wiping my tears away and forcing a composed façade.
Gratitude overpowered any remnants of distress in me. I offered my hand, "Thank you," I spoke to both of them, trying to convey my heartfelt appreciation through these simple words.
In response, they simply nodded. "We were just doing our job," the older one responded nonchalantly, gesturing to a waiting driver who produced a large briefcase. "Mr. Lombardi has sent this for you," he said cryptically.
My interest piqued as I took hold of the briefcase, trying to guess its contents by the weight. I dismissed the burning curiosity for later. Today was about Uncle Ben's freedom.
Returning to my uncle, who wore a mirror of my big smile, I said, "Let's go home." My arm looped around his as I led him towards the car.
As I saw Uncle Ben settling into my car's passenger seat, he seemed lost in disbelief and in awe of everything around him. He examined each and every feature of the car meticulously. He hadn't been in a car since the day he was arrested - and that had been over twenty years ago. It made me realise that, even though he was out of prison now, the feeling of true freedom was still a pretty foreign concept to him.
"You alright?" I asked as I settled next to him.
"I'm more than alright, baby," he said with a wide grin, "I'm ecstatic. It feels like a dream come true."
I tried to suppress my own overwhelming emotions, feeling this unbelievable wave of happiness for him, and a strong gratitude to Big Solly for helping to make this all happen. At that moment, nothing else in the world mattered.
Pulling up into the driveway of my house, I could see Uncle Ben's face turn to shock. "You live here?" he asked me, eyes almost popping out of his head.
Nodding in agreement and squeezing his hand tightly, I said, "Yes, we do."
But he seemed reluctant and uncertain about this arrangement, "But, Frankie, I don't want to intrude upon you and your space. I don't want to add to the pile of responsibilities that you already have."
"That's nonsense," I retorted immediately. "We're family, Uncle Ben. That means we stick together."
"But I have my own place," he tried to argue.
"I need you to stay here, with us," I argued back, sounding more insistent, "so that I can make sure you're alright."
Uncle Ben raised his hand, tracing my cheek lightly with the tips of his fingers. "Baby girl," he said softly, "it's supposed to be the other way around. I'm the one who should be looking out for you and Noah, not you having to care for me."
I found my eyes misting over. "Then stay with us and keep us safe."
It took him a while to let his defenses down, and the warm smile on his face revealed that he had finally accepted the arrangement. It was a huge relief and in the joy of the moment, I threw myself at him, holding him tight.
──●◎●──
There was a warmth and joy welling up in me that I just couldn't suppress. Seeing Noah's face light up upon Uncle Ben's return home had done that. And it was all thanks to one man - Big Solly.
Shifting on the cushions, I couldn't ignore the briefcase that had been passed over to me from Big Solly's slick-suited attorney. Filled to the brim with curiosity, I flicked the latches and flipped it open to reveal a violin case, personalised with Francesca etched right on it. Slowly lifting the lid, my heart seemed to stutter in my chest. Resting snugly inside was a Stradivarius violin, a thing of absolute beauty, and unmistakably valuable.
But how did Big Solly even know I played?
Without wasting a second, I snagged my cell off the table, punching in Big Solly's number.
"Francesca, mia cara, (my dear)" was the warm, friendly greeting that met me.
"I hope I'm not interrupting, Mr. Lombardi," I answered, maintaining a professional tone. "I just wanted to express my deepest gratitude for everything you've done for me. Because of you, Uncle Ben is finally safe and home, and for that, I will forever be indebted to you."
"You don't owe me a thing, Francesca. I am simply grateful that I could be of assistance. What truly matters is that Benjamin is now a free man, as he rightfully deserves after all those years of injustice," he replied, his sincerity shining through his words.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart," I responded genuinely. "But I can't help but wonder, how did you know about the violin?"
A soft chuckle resonated through the phone as Big Solly replied, "I was talking to Conor on Christmas Eve, and I heard you play so beautifully. I was beyond captivated. I only hope that you like the one I sent you, and who knows, maybe one day I'll have the privilege to witness you play for me." His voice trailed off gently.
My heart warmed at his words. "I absolutely love it, thank you."
"Remember, Francesca, I am here for anything you may need," he assured me before ending the call.
Sitting there, enveloped by gratitude and relief, there was still a niggling doubt at the back of my mind. Just why had Big Solly gone through all that trouble for me?
──●◎●──
The past couple of weeks had zoomed by, especially after Uncle Ben's return home from prison. Seeing the close relationship develop between him and Noah brought a much-needed smile to my face during these busy days.
Skimming through the files stacked on my desk, I stumbled onto the wedding invitation card I had received from Allegra two weeks ago. I cursed inwardly, realizing I had completely forgotten about it. Frantically tearing it open, I hoped it wasn't too late.
I skimmed over the card quickly:
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
WITH JOY IN OUR HEARTS,
ISABELLA MARINO & GIANLUCA CAPANO
REQUEST THE HONOUR OF YOUR PRESENCE AT THEIR WEDDING CELEBRATION
SATURDAY, THE TWENTY FIRST OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND TWENTY THREE AT HALF AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK
THE PLAZA HOTEL
NEW YORK CITY
~ BLACK TIE WELCOME ~
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
Thankfully, the wedding was tomorrow, and I still had a chance to attend.
I pressed the buzzer and waited for Scott to answer.
"What can I do for you, Frankie?" Scott said as he made his way inside the office.
"Have you done your homework on Taylor Williams's arraignment?" I asked.
"Yes, I've read through the case brief and I've got everything we need. Client statements, evidence, and witness testimonies, you name it," Scott replied, proud of his detective work.
I couldn't help but grin. Scotty was one heck of a paralegal.
"Great. Don't forget to make sure that the witnesses are lined up for the arraignment," I added.
"You betcha. I've already secured their appearance in court. Nothing gets past me, boss," Scotty said with a wink. "Did you have a chance to review the documents I left on your desk?"
I leaned back in my chair and studied Scotty. He was a real gem, but this case was no ordinary one. We had to be extra careful with every move we made.
"I did. I've reviewed everything and have already planned our defense strategy. I hope you didn't forget to dot your i's and cross your t's. We can't afford to make any mistakes on this one," I reminded him.
"Understood. I've already begun drafting a written plea and made sure that all relevant court dates are on our calendar. Is there anything else you need me to do before the arraignment?" he asked, going through the notes on his Ipad.
"I want you to set a meeting with Taylor, so I can go over all the evidence with him and prepare him for the hearing. The guy's got a bad case of entitlement, and we need to make sure he's taking this seriously," I said, irritation creeping into my tone.
I'd always hated spoiled brats.
"Ha! You've dealt with brats like him before," Scott laughed, earning a sharp glare from me. "Sorry, Boss. Do you have a specific time frame in mind for the meeting?"
"Let's aim for next week. That should give us enough time to go over all of the necessary details before the arraignment."
Scott nodded, "Alright, I will schedule the meeting accordingly."
"Great, let's go over the documents again and make sure that we've got everything in order. The stakes are high for this case, and we can't afford any missteps," I said.
"Don't worry, I won't let anything slip through the cracks," Scott promised.
"I know you won't."
As we sat intensely pouring over some important papers, the peace was interrupted by an abrupt knocking on the door. It broke our concentration instantly. Scott was swift to leap out of his seat and swing the door open, leaving me puzzled as I watched him.
But my confusion dissolved in no time as I caught sight of Hector. He had an almost swagger in his stride as he entered my office, wearing that charismatic smile that I was well accustomed to. My heart did a somersault.
"I'm gonna step out for a bit, Frankie. Just call me if you need anything," Scott gave a hushed chuckle, slipping out of the room.
I stood up from my desk and walked over to Hector. "It's a surprise to see you today," I whispered, my body humming with anticipation at his sudden appearance.
"I just couldn't help myself. I had to see you," he whispered back, his lips landing lightly on my cheek in a gentle kiss. The affectionate gesture made my body feel weak.
His intense charm hit me once more, making it almost impossible to keep my thoughts together.
"So what brings you to me?" I asked softly, sitting down beside him on the comfy couch.
His voice dropped even lower, almost to a whisper, "I missed my girl. Plus, there's a last-minute wedding invitation for Gianluca Capano's wedding in New York and I want you by my side." His thumb moved gently against my lips and that alone sent a fluttering sensation down my spine.
"I actually received an invitation as well," I admitted, even though I was still in two minds about whether or not to go.
"Then it's settled. Ronan will be joining us too," he added, his beaming smile revealing those charming dimples that always made me weak in the knees.
After considering it for a moment, I decided to give in. "Alright, I'll join you."
His lips found mine in another gentle kiss. "I can't wait to see you tomorrow, babe," he breathed out before finally making his exit.
"Yo, check it out! It's our missing in action partner!" Dave hollered, lifting his scotch glass to acknowledge me.
"Finally!" The gang exclaimed together. "You almost had us thinking you ditched our squad forever!" Carl ribbed me.
"Word up! You could have at least texted or something!" Kevin teased.
I grabbed Kevin's drink and put on a fierce face. "Yo, I've got a life, you bozos need to find one too!" I joked. "So, how was the gig newbie?"
"Terrible," groaned, pulling a face. "I screwed up big time."
"That's putting it lightly!" Carl interjected, chuckling at the newbie's predicament. "The schmuck here hit the snooze button one too many times and didn't roll into the precinct till nearly 11 in the morning!" Everyone was set off on a riotous cackle.
I suppressed my laughter to spare the rookie's feelings. "How'd Garcia take it?" I asked, genuinely interested.
He turned into a non-stop ranting machine. "Been a nagging flea in my ear all day. Dragged me into his office for a dressing down," Sean grumbled, downing his brew.
"What'd you say to that?" I pressed him further.
"I flipped him off!" Sean chirped.
Kevin and Carl went hysterical and almost spat out their sips. "Quit bluffin', son! There's no way on earth you actually flipped him off!" They exclaimed in disbelief.
"Swear on my mom's grave, I did!" Sean affirmed, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Of course, not till after I was outta his sight.
I shook my head at Sean's cheeky boldness, downing the remainder of my chilled beer. "Imma get us a refill, fam. Yo, don't let these goons haze you too hard, ya dig?"
As I got up to grab another round, I did a quick scan of the bar out of police habit. My eyes caught the sight of a man aggressively grabbing a woman's arm, whispering something into her ear. I felt my blood boil.
"Excuse me. She ain't diggin' your vibe," I said with a serious look.
Just then I realized that it was none other than Daniel Pierce. The same dude my sister got out of jail, just so he could go back to his nasty ways.
Daniel sneered at me, "Mind your own business."
I shook my head, trying to rein in my temper. "Actually I am, I'm stopping you from harassing this woman. Now take a hike."
Daniel turned to his friends and they all laughed, mocking my intervention. Then suddenly he sucker punched me.
I didn't expect the hit and fell to the ground, but I was quick to react. I stood up and before Daniel could make another move, I hit him with a mean left hook. Daniel fell backwards, his nose broken and blood spilling down his face.
Everyone in the bar had turned their heads to witness the brawl. I looked around, breathing heavily, as Kevin rushed to my side.
"Are you okay, man?" he asked, genuine worry lining his tone.
I shot him a grin. "Are you kidding? I've been itching to give him a knuckle sandwich for years."
Kevin chuckled, slapping me on the back. "Let's dip before things get uglier."
We left the bar and hopped into the cars. Carl looked nervous as he asked, "You know who his old man is?"
I just rolled my eyes at him. Obviously, it was Daniel Pierce. And sure as eggs are eggs, he was going to whine to his daddy. But that was the good part. Daniel had it coming to him.