25
(Season 2 Episode 12)
Face to Face
Then…
Her father was a big man, both metaphorically and physically.
In the physical sense he wasn’t actually that tall, but
given the fact that Patty was only four at the time, he was tall to her. He was built like a truck. He was a professional boxer at the height of
his success. His arms and chest bulged
and threatened to bust out of his shirt.
In the metaphorical sense he was big, as in great. He was a single father. Patty’s mother had died giving birth, but her
father had never given up, having climbed the ranks in Europe while never
losing track of Patty and what was best for her.
Now they stepped off the plane and on to American soil for
the first time, her dad had gotten a break and an offer to fight in the big
leagues, possibly for the word title one day.
“Are you scared, wee lass?” Her father said with the same
broken English that Patty would come to speak for the rest of her life.
Patty nodded.
“Did you forget who you are standing next to?” He asked with
a grin.
She smiled. “I’m
standing with my da.”
He nodded. “And your
da is the strongest man in the world, right?”
She nodded happily.
Like all parents, Patty’s father lied.
****
Now…
The first shots where Patty’s signal.
She didn’t take time to look around and see what chaos was
happening around her. Patty’s eyes were on the prize as she burst into forward
motion, her eyes locked on the man who stood in front of her.
Elmo Kincaid.
She hit him full force and wrapped her arms around him
pushing him backward, shoving him back through the entrance hallway that he had
been standing in front of. The two
crashed into a folding table that was next to the wall.
The two broke the flimsy wood and hit the floor in a heap. Patty reached into her pocket and found her
brass knuckles. Before she could bring
them out to drop the hammer on Elmo she felt his boot against her chest. He thrust his foot forward and set Patty
backward across the hallway and smashing through the door to the locker room.
Patty lost her footing as she went through the door. Falling backward she tucked and rolled to her
feet, her hands came out of her pockets with her signature brass knuckles.
Elmo stepped in after her. His teeth were gritted and his fists were
clenched. “Alright girl, let’s do this.”
****
Then…
Patty watched as her dad’s trainer taped his hands.
He was minutes from stepping foot into the ring with a
former champion. This would be the
biggest chance of Patty’s father’s career.
“Who’s the strongest?” The trainer would ask over and over,
his words meant to psych up her boxer father.
Patty repeated the words in her own head with the trainer as
she watched. Her father, her hero, was
preparing for battle.
It was at that point that her father’s sponsor, fight
promoter and benefactor walked in.
Elmo Kincaid.
Patty smiled. “Uncle
Elmo!”
Patty ran to Elmo and hugged him. He chuckled. “Jesus girl, you have got to start speaking
English.”
“Sorry sir, she takes after me.” Patty’s father beamed with pride.
“No problem with that, it only means she’s going to be one
tough woman.” Elmo replied, smiling.
“I haven’t won yet, sir.” Patty’s father said seriously.
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Elmo said with a
grin. “Stop calling me sir. Now go win me that fight.
Patty’s father did not win the fight.
During round four, a punch to the temple gave him an aneurysm.
Patty’s father died that night.
****
Now…
Patty didn’t need to think about it.
She charged forward and threw a big right hand but Elmo was
ready, blocking with his forearm before jabbing with his left to Patty’s chin. The blow hit flush and stunned her. Kincaid
snapped off another two quick right hands to her chin.
Patty staggered and Elmo stepped in with a big left cross. Patty regained herself in time and she ducked
the heavy haymaker and brutally uppercut him to the abs. The blow made Elmo wheeze.
Elmo would have staggered if he had time. Instead, Patty brought her other hand into
Elmo’s other side driving her hand deep into the left side of his rib cage.
Elmo knew he was in trouble and he stepped in with a hard
forearm to the side of Patty’s head. The
blow was hard and she flew over one of the benches and crashed to the floor.
****
Then…
She was twenty-two now.
She dropped the ring on the table. It was a man’s ring, covered in diamond studs.
It was easily worth $1,200.00.
Elmo looked at it with confusion, then back to Patty. “What the fuck is that, girl?”
Since Patty’s father’s death, Kincaid felt responsible and
had taken her in. Patty had always been
grateful.
“It’s Ricky Bartly’s ring.
It’s a down payment on his debt. He
won’t be needing it since the finger it was on is broken now.” Patty briefed Elmo.
Elmo picked it up then dropped it and leaned back, staring
at her. After years of living with her
she had refused to drop the accent and he had gotten used to it. He had done everything in his power to keep
her out of the business.
“You want in. I get
that, but this business is ugly.” Elmo said sternly.
Patty raised her eyebrow. “Maybe so, but I ain’t pretty.”
Elmo decided she wanted this, which was sad to him because in
the end it meant she was going to get hurt.
****
Now…
Elmo stepped on and over the bench to advance on Patty. She was attempting to scramble to her feet But
Elmo was faster, catching her head and driving his knee into her nose.
It broke and blood began to flow as she stumbled and fell
back to one knee.
“What did you think was going to happen?” Elmo asked her as
she tried to shake it off. “You wanted
into this business and this business is about kill or be killed.”
Patty came to her feet with a rising uppercut. The speed and suddenness of the attack took
the gnarly gangster off guard and connected on the bottom of his chin. His front teeth slammed together and one of
them shattered.
Elmo was thrown off his feet and crashed backward through
the bench, the wood snapping in half.
Patty staggered back to her knees, the blow having come from
a place of desperation would give her time to recover.
Elmo rolled in pain, the blow more than stunned him.
****
Roberto gasped like a fish. He was bleeding to death from the high caliber
bullet wounds that had struck him in the chest, mere minutes ago.
How had it gone so wrong? Someone had been waiting, and who was that
woman?
He felt the lights dim and thought death was finally coming…
Antonio was standing over him, grinning.
“Brother…” Roberto managed to wheeze out the words, hope
filling him. “Brother. Help me…”
Antonio bent down over him.
“No, I don’t think so.”
Roberto looked at him confused. “Brother… what are you doing?”
“You know brother, you never had any fun.” Antonio explained. “You were always so determined to follow in our
father’s footsteps, you were all business. Do you know what the problem with being all business
is?”
Roberto stared as he began to realize his brother was not there
as a savior.
Antonio answered his rhetorical question. “When you’re all business, no one likes you.”
Antonio shrugged. “Me
however, they love me.”
“You can’t do it alone…” Roberto said desperately. “You don’t have the commitment…”
Antonio nodded. “I couldn’t
agree more, that’s why, while you were trying to get that mythical flash drive
back, I was finding your replacement. Goodbye brother.”
Antonio put his forty-five caliber handgun to Roberto’s
forehead and pulled the trigger.
****
“You were my fucking da!” Patty screamed pulling herself to
her feet and charging forward. She
cought Elmo’s pants and neck as he was standing and slammed the man face first
into one of the wooden lockers, shattering the wood.
Patty pulled him backward out of the wooden mess, his eyes
where unfocused. Patty fully cocked her
left arm then launched her brass knuckle covered hand foreword, breaking Elmo’s
face. The blow cut his cheek and sent Elmo
crumpling to the floor.
Patty wiped the blood from her face and stepped in for
another shot but Elmo’s hand went up in surrender.
It was over.
“I’m done girl.” He
coughed out through the blood. “I’m
tired and I’m old, and I’m done.”
Patty stood over him breathing hard from the vicious fight. “Why?”
“I never wanted to.” Elmo said pulling himself to his knees. “You made yourself part of the business. I wish you had never dropped that ring on my
table.”
“Fuck you,” Patty said coldly. “Ain’t that simple. Fuck you for making it sound like it was.”
Elmo was shocked by her response but nodded. “Maybe you’re right.”
Patty’s shoulders sagged. She now saw Elmo for what he was, an old,
over-the-hill ex-gangster who was trying to hold on the something he had lost
long ago. The fight left her. She realized he couldn’t hurt her.
Two gun shots broke the touching moment. Blood misted from the fresh holes in Elmo’s
chest and he went down.
Patty spun around to see Antonio standing there smiling,
holding the smoking gun. “I am glad to
see you two reconcile. I never got the
chance with my father.”
He turned the gun on Patty and fired.
Patty was suddenly tackled as the shots went off, the shots
meant for her.
Elmo had found a way to use the last of his life to save
Patty. After she hit the floor she felt
Elmo Kincaid fall on top of her.
She looked up into his eyes and he smiled through the blood
and the broken teeth. “I’ve never said
this to anyone. Patty… I’m Sorry. I love you”
Elmo Kincaid went limp.
“God damn old man.” Antonio said as he stepped up to finish
Patty.
“Boss!” A Cuban man ran into the room yelling. “Boss the cops are her. We have to go!”
Antonio nodded and ran out after him leaving Patty still
breathing.
She didn’t move, however. Instead she just wrapped her arms around the
body and did something she hadn’t done since her father died.
She cried.
Elmo Kincaid.
The Muppet.
Uncle Elmo.
Was dead.
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