1963 - One Bright Summer Morning Read Online Free PDF Page B

bed in which his mother was lying.
    He was always shocked when he saw her again. She seemed to be shrinking. Her handsome, strong face was turning the colour of old ivory. Pain had made deep lines around her mouth, and now for the first time, he saw a look of defeat in her eyes. He sat on the hard chair at her side and held her hand.
    She told him she was getting along pretty well and there was nothing for him to worry about. In a couple of weeks she would be up and about, then she would see what she could do to fix Captain Capshaw. There was still a faint fighting light in her eyes, but Moe had a horrible feeling that she would never set her big, firm feet on the floor again.
    He told her about the telephone call he had had from Kramer.
    “I don't know what it's all about,” he said, “but you know Big Jim . . . he's never steered me wrong.”
    Doll drew in a long, slow breath. The grinding pain in her left side became as nothing at this news. She had always admired Big Jim who had often come to her houses, brutally treating her girls, and then drinking half a bottle of Scotch with her before leaving. He was a man! Shrewd, clever and very, very smart! A man who had got out of the rackets with four million dollars, and now he wanted her son!
    “You see him, Moe,” she said. “Big Jim's never made a mistake! A quarter of a million! Think of it!”
    “Yes . . . if Big Jim says a thing, he means it.” Moe shifted uneasily. “But, Momma, I can't go looking this way . . . he wants me to fly down there. I haven't got the money. I – I told him I was doing fine . . . owned my own restaurant. You know Jim. I couldn't tell him the mess we're in.”
    Doll realized the sense of this and she nodded.
    “I've got the money, Moe,” she said. “When you go down there, you've gotta go in style.” She reached into her bedside locker and took from it a black crocodile bag, one of her very few remaining possessions she had managed to hold on to. She took from it an envelope and gave it to him. “Use this, Moe. Get yourself a good suit: fit yourself up. You'll want pyjamas, shirts and stuff like that. Get yourself a good-looking suitcase. Big Jim notices things like that.”
    Moe peered into the envelope. His eyes widened when he saw it contained ten one-hundred dollar bills.
    “For Pete's sake, Momma! Where did this come from?”
    Doll grinned.
    “I've had it some time. It's my emergency money, son. Now it's yours. Spend it carefully. There's nothing to follow.”
    “But you need it, Momma!” Moe was still staring at the money as if hypnotized. “I can't take it. You'll need every dime you can scrape up if you're going to get well.”
    Doll pressed her hand to her side. The grinding pain was back again and making her sweat.
    “You're going to make a quarter of a million, stupid,” she said. “We'll have all the money we need after you've talked to Jim. Take it.”
    Moe took the money. He went back to the restaurant and told Fransioli he was quitting. Fransioli shrugged. Waiters, he said, came a dime a dozen. He didn't offer to shake hands with Moe at the parting and this upset Moe: these days Moe was easily upset.
    He spent all Wednesday buying the things he needed. Then he returned to his sordid little room and spent some time packing the pigskin suitcase he had bought and putting on his new suit. He had had a haircut and a manicure. Staring at himself in the mirror, he scarcely recognized the prosperous-looking man who stared back at him.
    Carrying the suitcase, he hurried to the hospital, not forgetting to buy some violets on the way. The Ward Sister told him curtly his mother wasn't receiving visitors this day. She was in a little pain, and it was better not to disturb her. Moe stared at the slim, blonde girl, a sense of utter desolation and fear clutching at his heart.
    “There's nothing badly wrong, is there?” he asked timidly.
    “Oh no. She is a little uncomfortable. She is resting. You'll probably be able to see