Jack's Rebirth Pt. 03

"I don't know, sir, but I just wanted something different. My mom always took me to get my haircut, or cut it herself. I just want something different." He thought for a moment, then added, "But I don't want to piss her off, either." Chuckles and grins from around the shop. Then Odell dropped the bomb.

"Well, what does your dad think?"

Micheal turned to me innocently and said, "What do you think, Jack?"

The silence returned. I think even the jazz took a break. Odell looked at me with wide eyes.

'Dad?' he mouthed.

I straightened up and tried not to blush too much. "I'm working on it, Odell. See if you can come up with a compromise, and I'll handle the flack, o.k.?"

The conversation resumed, as Odell stared at me. He turned back to Micheal. Then- "I got an idea."

He turned to the counter, picked up a small loose leaf binder, and started thumbing through it. He found what he was looking for and showed it to Micheal

"What do you think about this?"

The little guys eyes lit up and he crowed, "COOL!" He was looking at a photograph of Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback. I scoped it out and thought it would look good on the young man. Give him some character.

"Go for it, if that's what you want. If it doesn't work, you can live in my truck till it grows out and your mother talks to us again" I smirked. Odell laughed and said don't sweat it, all the ladies like this look. Odell started his ministrations and the razor hummed and worked it's magic.

While he was working, I got up and moved over to his other side.

"Do you know a Rafael Santos?" I said in a low, conspiratorial voice. Never missing a beat while cutting Mike's hair, Odell said, "Not a decent sort, Jack. I've kicked him out a couple of times, him and his cohorts, for trying to peddle his shit in my neighborhood. I got a hold of Clint in Narcotics and told him about it. He said they were trying to put him away and that I should keep him informed.

"I also know a guy in the State Police, up in the Willis barracks. Sgt. Joseph La Pierre. He said the Feds are interested too. So I'm pretty much covered. What's your connection?" He looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"This 'person' is trying to get to Mike's mother and him and his little sister. I take exception to this. I want to put this scumbag away."

Now I had Odell's full attention.

"Damn, son, this lady must be some-thin else."

"I think so. And the little guy thinks I might be a candidate for dad-hood. We just came from T-ball practice. And I got another stop to make, for some decorative jewelry for the ladies left hand" I grinned.

Odell grinned back at me, and guffawed.

"You sly dog. About time you broke out of your funk."

He finished Micheal's haircut and whipped off the towel from around his shoulders.

"There you go young man. What do you think?" He held up the traditional mirror and showed Mike the back and sides. The boy's face split into a huge grin.

"COOL!" he exclaimed. I had to admit he looked good, and different. More confident. I was impressed with the young man. I thanked Odell and offered to pay him. He blew me off, saying it was his honor. Then he shook my hand again and said, "Don't be a stranger, Jack. Bring him back for the next one, and I'll let his dad pay." He chuckled. "And good luck, buddy. You deserve it."

We said our goodbyes to the other gentlemen and took our leave.

"Where we going now, Jack?"

"We need to go see another friend of mine, to see about getting your mom a car" I said. We left to go to Val-Lone Automotive.

Louis Vallone was my best friend. He had been since before high school. We were 'running partners' as my dad used to describe us and we were always together (and in trouble, like most boys). He had been my best man, over Lauren's objections, because she 'didn't think he was upscale enough to be in HER wedding party.

I should have realized at the time where her head was. Looking forward, past us, as it turns out. Live and learn.

'Louie' was married to a local girl, non-Italian, and they had three kids. I was jealous. His parents were so in love with her that they told them that if they ever broke up, she could come live with them. He had to find some place else to go.

And he was their first born.

He graduated from high school, served two years in the Army, and attended a technical school, earning his ASE Certification, and backed by his dad's money (he was a banker) set up his repair shop. He worked his ass off, and married his childhood sweetheart, the girl he had met in church, and they were happy. She worked as his receptionist/bookkeeper, and they flourished. They were happy.

Like I said, I was jealous. I was godfather to his oldest, a little girl. She had just turned nine.

We rolled up, and went into the tidy reception area and there sat Mary Vallone. She absolutely glowed when she saw me and jumped up to run to me.

"Jack! Oh, my goodness, you look a sight. How have you been? We were so worried about you. Louie said you almost dropped off the grid when the bitch shit on you. I was so sorry to hear about it." Then she noticed Micheal.

"Oh, hello". She turned back to me.

'UHH, and who is this?' she asked softly.

I grinned at Mary's slight embarrassment.

"Mary, allow me to introduce Mr. Micheal Ortiz. He is my protege" I said with a grin. "Michael, this is Mrs. Louis Vallone, my very dear friend. She is my best friends wife, and the mother of my goddaughter." Mary bent down and looked at Micheal as he blushed and held out his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am", he said with a subdued greeting.

Mary looked at me and I was chuckling. She looked back to him and immediately wrapped him into a she-bear hug. After a motherly squeeze, she rose and looked at the two of us.

"I'm guessing you've been busy, Jack. There's a story here and I want to hear it."

"Oh, you will, Mare, you will. I promise." She smirked, and turned to the counter and grabbed the mike.

"Louie, get your ass out here. NOW!" I laughed and told Mike to go sit down for a moment. Mary grabbed my arm and squeezed. Mike grabbed a truck magazine and started to read.

"So tell me about this young man. How do you know him? What are you doing with him here?"

"His mother is a lady I am very interested in getting to know better. She's the one I should have married instead of Lauren."

"Huh, the Wicked Witch of the West would have been a better choice than that bitch" growled Mary.

"How do you really feel, Mare? Don't hold back, now" he grinned. She smirked.

"I'm sorry, Jack. We all thought Lauren was a piece of work, but you were so in love with her. I felt so bad for you. Louie was devastated. He moped around and talked to himself for days. He was going to find the bastard and 'fix him up', but I pointed out to him that it would come back on you. That would not be good. He calmed down and said he didn't know what to do.

"It sounds like you figured it out all by yourself" she smiled. Just then my best friend in all the world walked out of the shop area, wiping his hands on a shop towel, and holding a 24 oz. ball-peen hammer.

"Did that meth-head Santos show up here again? Get Clint on the phone, or try to call....... JACK!!"

I grinned. "At your service, buddy."

He rushed up to me and hugged me, then grabbed my hand and pumped it.

"How you doing? I haven't seen you in forever. Mary, what is he doing here?" Mary shrugged and looked sideways at the little guy sitting reading a magazine. Louie turned to stare at Micheal and then back to staring at me.

'Who is that?' he whispered. I was having a great time. Being my closest friend, I always enjoyed jerking his chain. 'Just like another brother' I thought to myself.

"I don't know. I found him at T-ball practice and he followed me home. Can I keep him?" I asked, looking at Mary.

'JACK!!", she squealed. I started to convulse. I turned to Micheal who by now realized he was the topic of conversation. I motioned for him come over by me, and as he approached, I placed my hand on his shoulder and made introductions again.

"Louis Vallone, allow me to introduce Master Micheal Ortiz. He is my sidekick and 'running partner'. I'm trying to keep him out of trouble". I lowered my face to be closer to them, and in my best stage whisper, said, "Actually, I think his mother sent him with me to keep ME out of trouble."

Micheal looked at me with wide eyes and swallowed real hard.

"Micheal, this is my very best friend in the whole word. This is Louis Vallone."

To his credit, Louie studied Micheal and then dropped to his knee and extended his hand.

"Any friend of Jack's is a friend of mine. Shake, pal."

Micheal was back in suspicious mode. Being hugged and accepted my a pretty lady was one thing. This was a guy, just like Jack, and possibly just like every adult male he had met. He studied Louie also and then turned to Jack.

"Is he really a best friend, dad?"

A small nuclear event occurred and Louie's mouth dropped open and he sagged to the floor on both knees. My best friend was one of the straightest, most honest men in the world. He didn't have a prejudiced bone in his body. But this was a bi-racial CHILD! Obviously. That meant a women was involved. Again, OBVIOUSLY!! And it looked to all the world like his best friend was involved, too. With this woman. He turned and stared at Jack.

'DAD??' he mouthed.

It was time to put this to rest.

"Micheal's mother is the source of all my happiness. I think the world of her. Her, her little daughter, and Micheal. I am going to propose to her and hopefully she will accept. If she doesn't, I don't know what I'll do. I believe she will, though. After we finish here we go to pick out an engagement ring and then home to propose-officially.

"I'm here to see about a car for Gloria. Also" I grinned another shit eating grin, "I'm going to need another best man performance."

Ballgame. Louie lost it and spun around to face me. He looked like he was going pass out. Then he turned around and faced Micheal.

"You know what you're getting into with this guy, Micheal, don't you? He's a real piece of work." He stuck out his hand again, and said, "And I think he will make an excellent dad."

Micheal was floored. He reached out and took Louis's hand and then broke into a grin. He turned to Jack.

"I like him, Jack. He's just like you."

"That's good, son, because he's going to be a big part of our lives from now on. Him and Mary both. So you better like them."

Mary lost it and started to cry as Louie got up off his knees with a big grin. He was still smiling as he wrapped me in a hug and shook my hand.

"So, what did you have in mind for wheels for the lady?" said Louis.

"Something reliable, economical, not to flashy, and one I can afford" I said.

Louis looked at Mary, she returned the look, and the two of them said, simultaneously, "The Explorer."

I looked at them, and said, "O.K., what about the Explorer?"

Louis explained. "I picked it up at a police auction. I'm pretty sure its an older fleet vehicle. White, plain, automatic, AM/FM radio, air conditioning, and someone in the past installed a cassette player. Black interior, fabric seats, solid mechanically, 10 years old, high mileage, about 137,000. I put a new battery in it".

He chuckled.

"We fixed the bullet holes in the body and went over the interior with a fine tooth comb. My guy just finished the body work and repaint. Doesn't look too bad." Mary saw the look of horror on my face, and said, with a grin, "There weren't too many holes, Jack."

"I tell you what, sign the title over on the Toyota and we'll get it registered and delivered on Tuesday, straight up swap. Come on, let's take a look."

We went out to the shop area, and waved to a bunch of the guys I knew. Louie called to a guy, Harold, who was installing a windshield wiper motor in a Buick.

"Harry, where's the Explorer?"

"Mark is washing it. The paint came out pretty nice, boss. Hey, Jack, how's it going?"

Harry was another classmate of ours. He joined the Marines out of high school, and when he got out, Louis gave him a job. Friends stick together.

Mark was out back as we went outside and went over to the car. Plain, clean and nondescript. The car was just what I was looking for. Louie got in and turned the key. It started right up. Ran quiet and smooth. Mary came over to my side and squeezed my arm.

"Our wedding present to you two" said Mary. "If you end up not getting married, I'll make you buy it," Louie snickered. "We'll bring it over Tuesday. Because we love you, Jack."

I didn't know what to say. I wiped my eyes and turned to look at Mary. Louie came up to us and he put his hand on my shoulder. I hugged Mary and shook Louie's hand. Mike was climbing all over the car and came over to us, saying he thought it was really nice, what they were doing for us. Mary hugged him again and Louie ruffled his hair.

We took our leave after I made them promise to spend some time Tuesday evening to get acquainted.

"Where to now, Jack?"

Micheal was antsy. He was looking for the answer to his quest for a family, a quest he didn't even know he was on.

"Well, we've got one more stop. I have to get a ring for your mother. You should always get nice things for your favorite girls. Remember that. It will serve you well in your later life."

"What do you mean, 'girls?' How can you have more than one favorite girl?"

"Well, I have several favorite girls. My number two favorite girl is probably my mom. Number three is my Bronco. Then there is my sister, your sister, and then Mary Vallone".

Micheal laughed. "Your Bronco is your number three favorite girl?? It's just a truck, Jack."

I looked at him, feigned shock, and decided to 'enlighten' my new friend.

"I think you may have some idea about how bad off I was, in my personal life, before I met your mother. The only bright spot in my life was my Bronco. It was always there for me and was reliable, and faithful. I know it may sound silly, but those are things a man needs to help him be a man."

I hesitated. Sort of a dumb explanation, huh?

"Then you have women in your life that are important to you. I have several of those. And now one more. The most important one. My number one favorite girl."

Micheal thought for a moment.

"My Mom?" he asked.

Can't put anything over on him.

"So I need to get something for my number #1 girl to show her how much she means to me. That's where we're going now."

He thought for a moment.

"What did you do for your mom to show her what she means to you?"

"Well, that's easy. I am in the process of hopefully giving her two more really neat grandchildren." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.

He was not really paying attention to the gist of the conversation but all of a sudden his eyes lit up.

"Marilyn and me?? You mean us???"

"Hmmm, let me think. Yeah, I guess I do" I grinned.

He was thunderstruck. He hadn't put it all together yet, but was 'hitting on all eight' now.

"THAT MEANS I'LL BE YOUR SON.... FOR REAL!!" he blurted out, with tears forming.

"'Fraid so,... Son" I said.

He was crying as he launched himself across to me and grabbed my side. His family does this a lot, I noticed.

He motored on to Na's Jewelers. Frank Na and his brother Martin were two more friends of mine. Their dad, Alvin, had retired and left his thriving up-scale jewelry store to his sons. Alvin and his wife, Naomi had moved to Florida (don't ask me) and the boys were doing a thriving business. I was about to give them a little more.

We parked in front and were about to enter when I noticed that all was not right inside. There was a black Chevy Suburban backed into the spot in front of the door. Two spaces over was a Cadillac. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed 911.

"911, police, fire or ambulance?" responded the operator.

"This is Detective Jonathan Stone badge 564. I am at Na's Jewelry on 336 North. There is a robbery in progress. Two, repeat, two Hispanic males, armed, are in the store. There is a black Chevy Suburban backed up to the front door. At least one male, in the driver's seat. There appear to be at least three civilians inside and approx. two employees. Send supervisor and backup ASAP."

"Copy, Detective, units on their way."

Now I kicked into Dad mode.

"Micheal, listen to me and do exactly as I say. Get out of the truck, go around the back and across the parking lot. Go over the low wall to the Pep Boys Tire Shop and go inside. The man's name is Jethro. He owns the place. Tell him Jack Stone says to call 911 and tell them there's a robbery at the jewelry store. Then stay inside, behind the counter. DO YOU HEAR ME, SON??"

Sheer terror on Micheal's face. "Yes, sir. ..... Be careful, dad. I love you."

WOW!! "I love you too, son." This may be the last thing I say to the boy.

This could suck.

He bailed out, and ran across to the tire store. I knew Jethro (No, I don't know everybody, just a lot of people), and I knew he kept a 12 ga. shotgun behind the counter. Mike would be safe. I turned back to the jewelry store and pondered what to do. I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture of the Suburban and the license plate, just in case. I eased the Bronco into reverse and slowly backed up a few feet.

I shifted into low. Unfortunately, the hubs were not engaged so I didn't have 4-wheel drive, but I didn't think I would need it. I checked the harness and restraints on my seat belt and took a deep breath.

Then the two individuals came out from inside the store. One got in the front, the other got in back. The driver pitched his cigarette out the window and went to shift into drive, but me and the Bronco were too fast for them.

I accelerated to about 15 mph and took out the left front fender, left front wheel, half the bumper, and the radiator and grill. We wound up slightly on top of the corner of the Suburban. My powder coated front bumper and brush guard took the brunt of everything. I hit the release on my harness and bailed out, pistol in hand.

Groan!! At 28 years old, I'm not spry as I used to be. I felt a twinge in my lower leg, but it was minor compared to the bad guys.

Steam and smoke were pouring out from under the hood of the Chevy. I briefly looked at my truck. Not too bad.

Sorry, baby.

I came around and pointed my weapon at the driver.

"POLICE!! Hands in the air and don't move!" That was wasted.

The air bags had deployed and the driver was out cold, with a deep gash on his forehead. By this time, Jethro was out the door with his shotgun and was kneeling behind the trunk of the Caddy. I yelled at the groggy perp in the front seat.

"Out of the car, hands in the air, face down on the ground!" I pulled him out of the truck and with that two black and whites and a sergeant's car rolled up. I turned to the back seat and yelled 'Hands up' at the miscreant in the back seat. He was stunned too, and offered no resistance. I pulled him out and cuffed him. I relieved him of the S&W revolver he was carrying. and shoved it in an evidence bag. Officers Smith and Jones were cuffing the rest of them and the other cops were securing the area. Then Micheal came running up and launched himself at me. Jethro was standing there grinning. He pointed to Micheal.

"That's one tough cookie you got there, Jack." Then he safetied his shotgun, and turned to talk to the other officers.

Turns out the three were members of Santos's gang and had been instructed to 'generate some income' for upcoming operations.

But that would all come out in the subsequent investigation. Meanwhile, Jack gave his statement, and he and Micheal went in to talk to the Na brothers.

Frank came around from behind the counter to greet Jack and thanked him for stopping the robbery. Martin grinned and said it was nice to have 'friends in low places'. Jack chuckled and told Marty, "The feeling is mutual, pal."