And they all lived happily Ever After…
The leaves were blowing in the breeze as they all gathered around the casket. The rain stopped while they were in the church and by the time they made it out to the graveyard, the sun had peaked through the clouds. There were a lot of people there at the service which surprised Kevin. They were all there ready to offer their condolences when needed. An extra hug and kiss to the young child and the widow as they streamed down what seemed like a never ending line.
It was getting cold, he thought to himself as he pulled up the zipper of his jacket just as the casket was being lowered into the ground. He felt the hand of his mother reach out for his own which he took and squeezed.
She didn’t have to come to this, but she insisted. “I don’t want Nicky or AJ there but I want to be there, if nothing else, as a shoulder for Anita to cry on.”
It didn’t surprise Kevin in the least, knowing how extremely strong his mother was, that she would put her own feelings for the man they were burying aside, so she could focus on the widow and their child. It was them he found himself looking at next.
Anita sat in a white chair with her head bowed down as she held a tissue to her nose. Before the actual service she had vowed not to cry, but as John was lowered into the ground, she couldn’t help herself. Patty sat right beside her, looking straight ahead as if she had other things on her mind. Maybe thoughts of playing with Nicky or remembering her father in her own special way is what kept her preoccupied.
As the crowd began to disperse she called Kevin and Jackie over. “I wanted to thank you for everything once again.” She said which took the agent by surprise.
“Why are you thanking me?” He asked as he reached down and hugged Patty.
“I wanted to thank you for coming. I know after all your family has been through, all…we have put you through… for still coming out and being here for us.”
“Anita, you had nothing at all to do with what your husband did. I am so sorry for your loss and if there’s ever anything you need we are right here for you okay?” His mother grabbed Anita’s hands into her own and looked her right into the eyes as she said that. Once again proving how incredibly strong she was.
“I didn’t think they would ever release his body to us, for a while there I was afraid I wouldn’t even be able to have a decent funeral for him…not that he deserves one…but for Patty’s sake.” Then she looked over at Kevin and smiled, “Thank you.”
Kevin nodded at the woman; it was his doing that she even got her husband’s body when she did.
“Patty and I are going to stay with my mother for awhile before we make our own start again, just the two of us. Some place far away from here.”
“Well, don’t make it too far; Nicky won’t be able to live without his Patty.” At the mention of Nick’s name Patty looked up and smiled.
“Be safe and know we are always thinking about you okay?” Jackie said just as they got to the black limousine the Nicosia’s were ready to climb into.
“Thank you Jackie.” Anita replied as her and her daughter loaded into the limo and drove away.
It was exactly one month to the day that Nicky was found and John had been killed at the hospital. Even though no one proved it was murder and the hospital ruled it as an accidental death, deep down inside, Kevin knew someone had done John Nicosia in. It was all too coincidental.
“Come and walk with me now sweetheart.” Jackie said taking Kevin’s arm into her own as they strolled back to the tombstones.
“Do you think they will be okay?” She asked her eldest son.
“I hope so,” Even though odds in a situation like theirs weren’t ever very good.
“Nick is going to miss her.”
“I know.”
They continued to walk through the stacks of graves until they came to the familiar tombstone. She placed her hand on it and sighed, “Hello my love.” She said as she knelt at her husband’s grave. The flowers she had placed there on her last visit still lying against his dates of birth and death.
“Hello.” Jackie stood up and smiled as her husband came out from behind a tree, both smiling at each other as he slowly approached his wife.
Kevin senior was walking slowly and with the use of a cane, but other than that he was just fine. The doctors called it a miracle, the fact that he could come back from an injury such as his seemed next to impossible. But when Jackie was given the news she wasn’t surprised at all. “He’s a stubborn old coot.” She had said to the doctor, “He won’t let go after coming back into our lives. He’ll fight until he can’t do it anymore.” And she was right. The next few days were touch and go for the patriarch of the family but then his vitals shot back up and the road to recovery began.
“It’s so weird seeing this after all these years.” Kevin senior said as he bent down to stare at his tombstone. “It’s like I’m having an out of body experience or something. I remember watching my funeral and thinking, wow they are talking about me.”
He looked over at his son and smiled, the two of them trying their hardest to build the relationship they never really had in the first place. As Kevin senior healed, there was a lot of discussion as to whether he should go back into hiding, maybe take the entire family and do things the right way this time. The person most objected to that idea was Kevin senior himself. He didn’t want to put his family through the agony of displacement; changing identities and always afraid, never knowing if they would have to flee the homes they had just created.
After hours of discussion, he declined the FBI’s offer to put him back into hiding, thus Kevin Richardson after being dead for 8 years had finally come back to life.
“Well boys what do you say? I’ve had enough death for one day, let’s go home and have a nice dinner.”
“Sounds good to me mom, you know Howie will want to come over too.”
“Well he’s more than welcome as always, since he does now have a never ending invite to dinner.”
“He’ll be happy to know that.”
Kevin walked behind his mom and dad as they made their way back down the hill and towards the car. He hoped it would be a very long time before he had to come back to this place. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw his parents holding hands and smiling like teenagers in love.
He took one more glance back at John’s plot where the workers were now shoveling dirt on top of the casket. He exchanged glances with the grave diggers for a moment before he turned his head and walked out of the graveyard.
They sat around the dinner table as one happy family, the smells of Jackie’s lasagna wafting throughout the entire house as everyone joked and laughed around the table. The Richardson house was packed for dinner with Howie and Ariana as their guests.
“So, about that tattoo…” AJ said out of the blue right before he placed a piece of garlic bread into his mouth.
“Enough with the tattoo, no son of mine is EVER getting a tattoo!!”
“But mom…”
“Never!”
“What if Kevin did?”
“I’d disown him.”
“But now I have this neat scar; it only makes sense to get a tattoo as well. I earned it.”
“No son, you heard your mother.”
“Aw come on dad…what’s the harm in a tattoo?”
“We aren’t having this discussion any longer AJ.”
“I have something to say…” At that everyone’s eyes went to Brian who had been quiet for much of the fun dinnertime conversation. Ever since he saved Anita’s life he had changed just a little bit, became more grownup and less kid like.
“What is it?” Kevin asked seeing the serious look on his little brother’s face.
“I made a decision…I’m going to the police academy after I graduate high school this year. I want to work for the FBI like the two of you.”
Everyone exchanged glances, “No!” It was the youngest Richardson who spoke up. “I don’t want you to do that!!”
“Nicky…everything will be okay.”
“NO!!!” He screamed. Nicky had changed the most as a result of what had happened. He was very protective and needy, always wanting someone in his family around him at all times. If someone were to even go out to the store, he’d have an anxiety attack and want to go with them. Brian had wanted to go to the funeral with his mom, dad and brother but Nicky had thrown a fit so he stayed home.
“Nicky, it’s going to be okay.” Brian said in a calming voice but the young child didn’t want to hear it. He got up out of his seat and ran out of the room.
Brian stood up to chase after him but Kevin put his hand out, “No, let me…” He said, to which Brian nodded.
Kevin ran up the stairs and stopped when he saw his baby brother sitting on his bed and crying, “Hey buddy…can I come in?” He asked in a very soft voice.
Nick just nodded as he sat with a frown on his face, as tears started to flow down his cheeks. Kevin walked in and sat on the bed and quickly motioned for Nicky to climb up on his lap. Once there, the child rested his head against his big brother’s chest, “I don’t want Brian to work at the FBI…I don’t want you or daddy to either.”
“I know that Nicky…but it’s safe, I promise.”
“No!”
“Nick, if Brian is working with me than I can watch him.”
“Who will watch you?”
“Daddy, Howie and Rob.”
“Who will watch them?”
“We all will take care of each other baby, okay?”
“But there are bad men Kevin…what if they come back.”
“They are all gone Nicky, no one is going to hurt you or any of us anymore…I promise.”
In a few minutes time, Brian also arrived in the child’s room and came and sat on the floor facing his two brothers. “Nicky, I know you’re scared but I’m going to be okay. I am doing this so we can all be safe.”
“I am scared of what might happen to you.” Once again the little boy started to cry which had the two older brothers glance at each other.
“Nick, we can’t stop bad things from happening, but I promise that I will be safe and sound. You have my word.”
“AJ better not join the FBI.”
“Riiight like that’s going to ever happen,” AJ said bouncing into the room.
“Yeah, we’ll probably end up having to hunt AJ down and arrest him for something.” Brian said winking at the subject of the ridicule.
“Yeah like what?”
“I don’t know…running around town without a brain?” That made the child of the family burst into laughter.
“Oh very nice Nicky, and I thought you were on my side.”
Kevin grew serious for a minute, “Nicky…we will always watch out for each other, no matter what we decide to do, If one day you decide you want to be in the FBI or a teacher or an accountant, no matter what, we’ll have your back. That’s what family does…so Brian will be fine.”
The child thought about this for a minute, looking each of his brothers up and down before finally nodding, “Okay…but only if you buy me a present.”
All the boys laughed, “This kid is SUCH a con artist I’m telling you!” AJ said pulling Nicky off of Kevin’s lap and to the ground where he was being tickled mercilessly. Brian then tackled AJ rolling him off the baby of the family as Kevin stood there watching with a smile on his face, grateful for having his entire family back.
“Wow what do you think they are doing up there?” Jackie asked her husband as she cleared away the dishes to the sounds of thumping and laughing from above.
Kevin senior walked behind his wife and placed his arms around her waist, kissing her neck as he did, “No idea but as long as they stay up there we’re in business.”
“We are going to get going now Mrs. R…great meal as always.” Howie said feeling bad for breaking up the moment he and his girlfriend had witnessed.
She turned and grabbed Howie in a hug and gave him a kiss, “Anytime honey, you know our house is your house.”
“I know….same to you young lady.” She said winking at Ariana as she held onto her boyfriend’s hand.
“Have a good night, tell Kevin I said bye.”
“We will.”
When the couple exited, Kevin senior once again grabbed his wife in his hands, “So where were we?”
She looked at her long lost husband as if she was in a dream and placing her hands on his face she simply said, “We were just about to say…and they all lived happily ever after.”
He grabbed her in a hug and twirled her around a few times before stopping, “Oh yeah…that’s right.” He replied as he kissed her passionately on the lips.
Thanks so much guys! Take a minute to read my author's note and soon look for a new story to be posted in this slot. A comedy/suspense called Shadow Woods :O)
