Nicky must have passed out after speaking to Steve. It was five-thirty when he awoke. He took a quick shower and felt pretty good when he left Marco’s, his new sanctuary. He knew he had to show at Val’s. He passed the newsstand on the corner of Fifty-third, amazed at how many people were out on the street, some going home and others up and going to work. It was another quirk he loved about his city: any time of the day or night there was always someone around. He flipped through the pages of a magazine—a photo of Val and him graced the cover. They looked good, and it was a decent story.
“Nicky Venuti. In person. I don’t believe my eyes.”
He looked up and saw three guys he knew from the coast. They went to the same dance bars in L.A. The same three always hung out together. They loved to dance and were good at it, too.
“Hey, what the hell are you all doing here?”
“Rudy just got cast in a new musical. He’s going to be in the chorus. A Broadway gypsy at last.”
“Ricky and I flew in with him for moral support. It was a good excuse to breathe in some New York pollution and maybe meet Mr. Wonderful.”
“That’s great, Rudy. Congrats. What’s the name of the show?”
“The Best of Families. It’s major for me.”
Nicky pointed to the picture on the magazine cover.
“That’s the one Val’s gonna do”
“I know. I couldn’t believe it. How’s the romance going?”
“Let’s say it’s going. Good luck with the show, Rudy. I read some of the script and it’s good.”
“I can’t wait.”
Rudy did several pirouettes around him before the three of them blew kisses and danced off down Second Avenue.
Nicky let himself into the apartment and went straight to the den. The sofa was still down, but Val was nowhere to be seen. He closed the door and lay there in the dark. He had just made himself comfortable when he heard the door open. Thinking it was Val he didn’t bother to look up.
“Nick, I think it’s time for a talk.”
He nearly jumped out of his skin.
Anne lit the small lamp on the side table and sat rigid in the chair opposite him.
“What’s on your mind?”
He wanted to keep it light. Anne took a deep breath.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush. I received some startling news today that concerns you.”
He was surprised at the calm in her voice. He could have cared less. Speaking just to fill the pause.
“You did?”
“It came to my attention that you are…”
She hesitated, pulled herself up in the chair, and blurted out. “You have the reputation of being a homosexual.”
She seemed to relax a little after saying it. He hadn’t seen that coming and just sat there saying nothing. Finally she spoke. “Well, don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”
“Not really.”
“You are a despicable person.”
The hate in her voice was scary. He sat there.
“I am not concerned about anything else right now except my daughter. I don’t care one iota about you.” She let this sink in now, feeling sure of herself.
“I am going to do everything I can to make sure my daughter is not going to be hurt by you anymore,” she continued. “As you know, this is a crucial time in her career and I am only interested in what’s best for her. I repeat, I am not at all concerned about you. My child thinks she’s in love with you. Or what she thinks is love. I have been advised that the best thing you could do right now is leave town as soon as possible. You will both continue your long-distance romance, or whatever you want to call it, until after the Première. Then we’ll let this whole mess peter out. You will not marry my daughter!”
She paused, looking at him. There was still no expression on his face, no reaction in his movements.
“I knew I didn’t like you from the start. Whatever perverted lifestyle you wish to pursue is entirely your own affair. I just hate you for taking advantage of someone so young and innocent and involving her in your sickness.”
“Just a minute. Whatever I did was as good for Val as it was for me. We both got our names plastered all over the world. It worked. She’ll get over this. Six months in this town and she’ll forget she ever knew me.”
“That is what I pray for.”
“Trust me on that one. Val’s one of the few nice people I’ve ever met in my life…
Before he could continue, she cut him short.
“Stop with the fancy talk. What exactly are your plans?”
“My plans, funnily enough, go right along with what you have in mind. I was hoping to keep this going till the movie opens.”
She sighed, suddenly exhausted after saying all the things she’d had bottled up for so long.
“The sooner you leave, the better. I hope the only time I have to lay eyes on you will be on the screen. You can disappear from this earth as far as I’m concerned. You are a user Nicky Venuti. But this time you’ve used the wrong person.”
It wasn’t the first time Nicky had heard something along those lines. Usually he let it slide off his back, but coming from this woman, who was a user herself, it bothered him.
“You can continue to leave your things here, but if your business in the city keeps you away, it would be appreciated.”
With that she stood up. As she was leaving she turned to him. “Tell me Nick, does your mother know?”
“I don’t think so.”
She quietly closed the door behind her.
He felt depressed. His own plan to keep their thing going until after the movie came out was about the same as hers, yet here he was, the bad guy. Daylight came through a crack in the blinds, reminding him that Marco was coming to pick him up. He got up and packed most of his stuff.
“Shit. Son of a bitch. God damn it.”
Getting out of the apartment turned out to be a lot easier than expected. Val didn’t want to face the day, so she slipped three more yellows in her mouth, and when Marco arrived, she couldn’t be roused. Nicky took his bag and left, figuring he’d stay at Ma’s or Marco’s. He didn’t give a shit. Either one of them would be better than the apartment.
Anne got up, dressed, and busied herself getting out her good china for tea with Karen, and let her baby sleep.