Page 21 of Falling for the Knockout

“I need a little help,” she said. “Things have been a bit tight.” That was always what she’d say to Elio to give her cash. But he wasn’t there to be suckered into giving her anything anymore.

“So, you decided to show up at my grandfather’s gravesite and ask me for cash?” Tony asked. “Now that Elio can’t help you anymore, you’re moving onto me, right?”

“It’s not like that,” she insisted. “Elio wanted to help me because I’m your mother. You should want to do the same.”

“You haven’t been my mother for a damn long time now, Tina,” he spat. She always hated it when he called her by her first name. It was one of the ways that he liked to try to get under her skin.

“You don’t need to use my first name, Anthony,” she insisted. “I don’t need much,” she said.

“Well, you’re not getting anything from me,” Tony insisted. She gasped and took a step back from him as though he had physically assaulted her. “Oh, stop being so dramatic. I’m betting the only reason you showed up here was because you heard about my big fight.” From the look on her face, he had hit the nail on the head.

“I might have, and that’s wonderful for you, honey. I always knew that you’d make it big in boxing,” she lied.

“Bullshit,” Tony spat, “you didn’t want me to even go into boxing. You told me that I had to quit or that you’d kick me out. I choose boxing, and now, you think you should benefit from my hard work. It’s not going to happen, Tina,” he said.

His mother’s expression grew mean, and he suddenly remembered the joy of living with his grandparents after she kicked him out. Elio told him that his mother started growing bitter after her husband died, and that was really the only way that Tony remembered her. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time that he saw her happy.

She looked at Aurora and Tony wanted to stand between them because he knew what was about to happen. His mother lashed out at people around her when she got angry. “Be careful, sweetheart,” she warned, “he’s just like his father and that will only lead to heartbreak—for you.”

Tony stepped in front of Aurora, as though shielding her from his mother’s wrath. “You think that saying that I’m just like dad is an insult, but I take it as a compliment, because I never want to be like you, Tina,” he said. Tony took Aurora’s hand and led her away from the evil woman who had given birth to him. That was all she was now to him—his birth mother, and if he had his way, that was all she’d ever be.

Aurora

The graveside service was hard on Tony. She could tell that he was ready to collapse, but first, he had a lot of goodbyes to say. She almost wanted to tell everyone that they needed to just leave him alone, but she wasn’t brave enough to do that. Nevertheless, she was still worried about him, especially when his mother showed up asking for money. Tony all but shut down after that.

The ride home was silent, and she wondered if there was anything that she could say or do to help him. They got home and Tony ran up to the bedroom and when she heard the shower running, she knew that he was trying to clean away the dirty feeling that his mother left behind. She felt it too, but she could wait to shower. Tony needed time and space, and she could give him that much.

When he finally came downstairs, he found her in the kitchen making them something to eat. She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Tony and when he didn’t do the same back, she knew that she was right to worry about him. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” she begged.

“I’m thinking that this has all been a mistake,” he whispered. She looked around the church to make sure that no one was close enough to listen to their conversation. Aurora was sure that Tony was going to say something that he might regret later, and she wanted to save him the embarrassment that might come from others listening in.

“What has been a mistake?” Aurora asked. “Are you having second thoughts about the fight with your mother?” she asked.

“No,” he breathed, “I don’t want her in my life. I just lost the only person on earth that cared about me.”

Aurora took a step back from him, dropping her arms to her sides. “That’s bullshit,” she whispered, “I care about you, Tony. In fact, I love you, but you don’t want to hear that, do you?”

“No,” he whispered. “You can’t just say things like that, Aurora,” he insisted.

“I’m not just saying it, Tony. I mean it. I love you and you’re pushing me out of your life for what?” Aurora asked.

“I just need some time,” he whispered. He didn’t seem to be able to even look at her and that pissed her off. If anything, he owed it to her to look her in the eyes and tell her that he didn’t want to be with her anymore.

“If you’re going to break up with me, Tony, at least be brave enough to look me in the eyes when doing it,” she spat. His eyes darted up to hers and she could see all the hurt and pain behind his hazel eyes staring back at her. She wanted to wrap her arms around him again and tell him that it was going to be all right, but she knew that he wouldn’t allow her to do that.

“I think that it would be best for both of us to end things now,” he admitted.

She barked out her laugh, “You think that it’s best for me to have you break up with me after Elio’s funeral? I loved him too, Tony. I lost him too, and now, you expect me to accept that I’m losing you as well. Don’t do this, please,” she begged. Aurora didn’t care if she sounded pathetic, she would beg him if she needed to. He silently stood in front of her, and she knew that he had already made up his mind.

“You two trying to cause a scene? I can hear you yelling from outside,” Rocco said.

“Oh, God,” Aurora said.

Tony looked at his friend and smiled, trying for casual, but failing. “We’re trying to have a private conversation, Rocco,” he said.

“Yeah, well you’re both failing miserably at that. How about you two take a step back and breathe? It’s been a long day for both of you,” Rocco said. He was right, they needed to calm down or they both might say something that they’d regret later.

“I’m done talking, actually,” Tony said. “I’ve said my peace, and now, all I ask is to be left alone so that I can sort everything out.”

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