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Jana has spent several months searching for and examining religious orders online and after narrowing it down to a few, has written them down. She's decided to allow a random choice decide for which order of Nuns she'll interview. By doing that she feels she is allowing Jesus to pick it for her. She's decided to only pick orders located in North Carolina from the three she initially chose. Her final choice is a cloistered order located in Charlotte North Carolina, an order called Sisters of the Poor.
Contacting the religious order she's chosen, she queries them for the requirements to join their order. The first thing she learns is that at sixteen she can be considered as a candidate, but that it would probably be more beneficial both for the initiate and the order if she completed her higher education at a catholic university, and then, if the desire to serve God is still as intense, she would at that time begin her novitiate.
She is subsequently invited to meet with the mother Superior for an informal interview and is also invited to keep in touch with the order. She learns that in the intervening years she may participate in the many functions at the convent, thereby getting the experience of being cloistered but not fully taking the vows required for full participation until finishing her education.
Peggy is temporarily satisfied with this scenario and hopes that by the time Jana finishes college she will change her mind about joining a religious order. Jana's desire on the other hand is that by the time she is ready for her vows, her mother, with God's help, will come around to understanding and accepting her decision.
***
Frankie is thoroughly enjoying his new career as an entrepreneur-builder. With Tim's help he's bought and renovated five houses to date, reselling them for prices ranging from modest to medium-high and best of all they sold rather quickly and profitably.
Tim has been a good friend to Frankie, introducing him to influential people that can be of help to him in his new business. He is still convinced, however, that he can get Frankie elected sheriff of the county.
“I was over in Raleigh and spoke to my friend, Carter Engelhoff, the Attorney General about you. He looked up your record while I was there and says he doesn't see anything that would preclude you—-those were his words, preclude you from running for sheriff of Wake County. They'll have to have the county board waive the felony restriction, but he doesn't see it as a big problem.”
“I appreciate you wastin' all this time on me, but I don't see it—-I like what I'm doing. I'm making pretty good money and I don't have to answer to nobody—-besides, I'm a Northerner, how would that go over, a Yankee felon from Brooklyn running for sheriff of a Southern County? I think you're dreaming, Tim.”
“I still say you're what this county needs, someone with your background and experience to deal with the bad guys, after all, you know how they think, you was one of 'em.”
“Thanks for pointing that out.”
“I'm not gonna give up on ya, so keep it in the back of your mind, the election's next year. We can talk some more about it down the road.”
“I think that road is a dead-end,” says Frankie.
“We'll see.” says Tim.
***
As Peggy and Frankie's wedding day draws close, the couple decides they should be in Brooklyn at least a week prior to the nuptials to finalize things and make plans toward that goal.
Peggy has arranged with Nat to take off from the diner for a whole month to allow time prior to the wedding for preparation and time after for a Caribbean honeymoon. Frankie, being self employed allows himself the time-off he needs.
Since learning of her son's plan to marry Peggy, Connie has come to terms with her feelings toward her and has accepted the fact that whoever her son chooses as a wife must be unquestioned by her or face the possibility of alienating him. It is a bitter pill for her to swallow, but decides it is the lesser of two evils.
***
It is a Friday in November and the days grow short. Frankie works overtime directing a carpenter crew on the final details of his latest house renovation, hoping to get it done prior to his trip to New York. Tim drives up and quickly makes his way through the construction debris to where Frankie is helping put the finishing touches on a new window frame.
“Reno called me, he's been trying to reach you” says Tim “He says your phone isn't on and it's important.”
“Oh shit—-yeah.” says Frankie as he examines his phone and switches it on. “Did he say what it's about?”
“No, he just says it's important and you should call him.”
The phone on the other end rings twice before Reno answers.
“You rang?” says Frankie, humorously.
“Yeah, Frankie, but there's nothing funny about this call, I've got some severe shit to tell you.”
The tone of Reno's voice causes Frankie's stomach to do a flip.
“What's up bro?” he asks.
“I just heard from Rossi and it's about you.”
“What about me?”
“Rossi just came from Provitera's war room and it seems he's planning a hunting party and you're the big game. You and you're family.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just what I says—-it looks like crazy Jimmy's planning to kidnap you and your family and he's planning on doing it on your wedding day.”
“Kidnap? Are you shittin' me?” asks Frankie.
“I wouldn't joke about something like that.”
Frankie doesn't answer.
“Frankie-—are you still there? What're we gonna to do about it, should I let the authorities know?”
“What? Holy shit—-No. This is great, are you kidding me? I love it. Wow, I couldn't ask for better.”
Reno is stunned. Apparently Frankie has lost his mind and gone off the deep end.
“Are you okay, Frankie... did you understand what I says? He wants to grab you and make you spill the whereabouts of Biff's big fortune. That lowlife son of a bitch is planning on kidnapping and possibly killing you and your family.”
“No, I understand what you say. Calm down Reno, the thing you don't understand is, that this is the first real chance I've had in almost three years to even the score with that rat-bastard fuck for what he did to Peggy and Jana in their own house and especially what he did to my father—-my father who was his Compare—-Jimmy was the best man at my father's wedding and he baptized me. So you see this kidnapping thing is not going to turn out exactly like mister Provitera thinks—-We're going to be up there in a few days. We'll talk more about it, then.”