RHAPSODY IN BLUE

Epilogue : SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK

"Merci! Merci!" Eva shouted to uproarious applause as she bowed, with her hand on her heart, walking to different ends of the stage.

She blew kisses and waved, smiling gratefully.

The audience had been on their feet for so long, she began an encore.

She sang the French standard Hymne à l'amour, made famous by Édith Piaf.

Sienna Belle was the name of the club, near the center of Paris, where Eva' was the featured artist. She was now well-known by that name. Her image could be found painted on most of the billboards in Paris. She'd become something of a cult figure among musicians in America, but a star in just about every European country.

Sienna catered specifically to black American musicians. She had the pleasure of introducing and working with likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Billy Eckstine, and Nat King Cole, just to name a few.

Harry attended just about every performance, making his kids go, when he did. His son always complained.

"Dad, I've been to like twenty performances, I think mom knows I support her music."

Harry tilted his head and frowned, taking his pipe from his mouth. 

"Boy, don'cha know this is history you're witnessing here?! Your mom is a legend."

"I know, I know, dad." Aimé said shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Harry popped him lightly on the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"-I saw that boy.", he said pointedly.

Aimé was their oldest at sixteen and he had inherited his father's eyes, looks, and ease with the ladies. The Parisian girls fawned over him.

They also had a daughter Tara, who at twelve was already a bit of a stage ham herself. Though, she preferred broadway singing and dancing.

Tara had the same freckles her father had, when he was a boy with the dark brown almond eyes of her mother. She had a head full of thick black spirals and was already blossoming into a pretty girl with early curves, like her mother. Both of their kids were light-brown, two shades lighter than their mother's skin color.

With Tara's looks and early development, Harry found himself, giving more than a few older guys what-for.

"What's the matter with you?! SHE'S TWELVE!!" he'd yell, in French trying his best to protect her, on their walks home from her dance classes.

Eva' had managed to cut her hours down to weekends, intros, and special engagements, so she could spend time with her husband and children.

They lived on a huge chateau on the French countryside. Between Harry's blood money and Eva's singing, they were a wealthy family.

They both were beginning to grey, though Eva' colored hers for her performances. And Harry had more than a few aches and pains in damp weather, due to his earlier lifestyle. Eva' still had the smooth unlined skin of her youth, though she had gained a few extra pounds on her rear and thighs.

Morning often found him goosing her, while she washed the dishes or prepared breakfast. For him the extra curves were most definitely a plus.

Nights often found them cuddled together by their immense fireplace, still kissing and making out like they did when they were younger, much to the disgust of their kids.

~~~~

Their marriage, which would have been a grand event, was kept private, on their chateau. Though, they did a small press release with a single photo after the fact.

Eva wore a long intricate lacy veil with a bouquet of white tulips filling her hands. Harry looked clean and sharp as ever, in his tailored tux. They had little Aimé by then, so at three he was their ring-bearer.

Now, Aimé was at the top of his class, having inherited his father's love of books and common sense. Harry could only shake his head at him. He was as cocky and arrogant, as he used to be.

Their time in Paris was blissful except for one close call...

~~~~

Jack "Two Steps" Taylor was an old enemy of Harry's. Most of the hoods Harry knew were dead, thought he was, or didn't care anymore, but Jack carried a grudge.  Harry had shot out his knee leaving him with a heavy limp and shortened leg.

It just so happened that he spotted the press release from their marriage.

"Son of a bitch!" he said spitting out his toothpick.

His men had long since died, some killed by Harry as a matter of fact, but Jack's thirst for revenge lingered.

Though the press release did not include the location of their chateau, all he had to do was pay a few key members of the press, in order to get the address.

~~~~

This night had been a particularly happy one, with the children laughing and playing board games with the family.

Harry heard a noise and something just didn't feel right. 

He always trusted his gut. Age and comfort had not taken that away.

He didn't let on to his family.

He simply said, "Honey, I need to check something. I'll be right back."

He gave her a quick peck and went out the back-door.

He stepped into their barn, looking around while he smoked from his pipe...

Something told him to turn around and he did, coming face to face with his old enemy, holding a large piece in his hand.

Harry held up his hands, cursing himself for not bringing his gun.

He sighed heavily.

"Make it quick."

"I don't think so...", Jack said smiling.

"I see you've made yourself a nice life here... Pretty wife, kids... Some should be so lucky.", Jack said, trembling on his cane. 

It did pain him to stand so long, but tonight it would be worth it.

"How's your leg?" Harry asked, sarcastically. "Guess you're "One Step", now."

Jack laughed. 

"You should know, you're the one who gave it to me."

"Ahh, but don't worry. I won't return the favor just yet." he said, adjusting a bit.

"First we'll take a walk up to your home, where I'll have some fun with that pretty wife yours.  And then." He said, chuckling.

"I'll ice both of your kids, while you watch."

There was a click and then his head exploded.

His body, lingered just a second on his cane, before the rest of him tipped over.

Eva' lowered the shotgun and released the empty shell.

"Nobody fucks with my family." she said through gritted teeth.

The kids never knew.

Eva' and Harry waited until they were both asleep and then dumped him in a bog at the edge of their property.

It was a task, but they managed to clean up what was left of his head too, from their barn floor.

Nobody knew or cared for Jack enough for anyone to come looking for him.

Harry, Eva', and their family lived the rest of their lives in peace, even living to see their grandchildren.

Author's Note:  This is the oldest work I've put online, written and completed in January of 2008, so if you see this anywhere under any name other than raewhite or raven white?  Someone is plagiarizing. Please message me about it.   The original *free* version is right here.