The Alpha Mafia King
Chapter 82

By the following morning, Alonzo went and retrieved the cremains of his grandfather from the Russian doctor. He held the beautiful black urn whose mid region was adorned with a gold band. He drifted away just studying the beautiful flowery designs etched into the band for a while. His eyes darted to the urn’s cover that had the same golden flowery design. His fingers fiddled with the cover for a little while as if he’d open the urn but as soon as the cover was slightly raised he decided against it. A distorted vision of Mazza appeared in front of him but when he blinked, looking again, the person was gone. He exhaled after recovering from the mild hallucination. The reality was that Mazza was no more and all that was left of his physical body was the ash remains contained within the urn in Alonzo’s hands. Yeah, it was a sad reality to accept but it was the truth and it was clear as day. Alonzo was in fact about to take the urn to Italy where he’d scatter grandfather Mazza’s ashes into the ocean.

Before he went to the airport himself, Piccolo went to have a word with Alyona on Alonzo’s request. Piccolo stood before Alyona who had two menacing-looking guards stationed behind her. About a dozen more guards stood just right outside the living room door. Piccolo was hardly intimidated by the sight of the guards even though they had their hands resting on their revolvers strapped to their waist.

“Alyona, this is Mazza we are talking about, the man who found and rescued you,” Piccolo said, sounding incredulous. “So, just for clarity, you want me to tell Alonzo that you will not be flying with us or even alone at that matter to attend the funeral?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I said earlier, do you need someone to interpret it in your lingua franca?” Alyona retorted, sending Piccolo a murderous look.

“Come on, that is a little irrational, do you not think so?” Piccolo’s voice increased with irritation and he could see the two guards glare at him intensely.

Alyona scoffed. “Mr. Durante, please it’s Time for you to leave now, or should I start yelling for help? Perhaps your boss has left you with further instructions to kidnap me if I don’t come willingly.”

Piccolo gulped and replied, “Nothing of that sort. It is fine, you do not need to shout for help, seeing that I will be taking my leave now.”

A few minutes later Piccolo was on his way to the airport to join the rest of his pack mates who had gone before him. He knew Alonzo made a dash to the hospital and would not have likely reached the airport by now.

Alonzo had just received word of Alyona’s declination to attend his grandfather’s funeral. He stood with the phone still pressed to his left ear, looking transfixed at the entrance to the hospital premises where a signpost clearly read: NO LOITERING. NO PHONE CALLS.

“Hello, Don, are you still there?” the sound of Piccolo’s voice brought him back.

“Yeah,” he replied with a heavy heart.

“You should start coming to the airport now, so we can arrive in time,” Piccolo said. “I know Alyona’s decision is heartbreaking but it should be respected and not affect you so much so that you will not be able to fulfill the task at hand.”

“You should start coming to the airport now, so we can arrive in time,” Piccolo said. “I know Alyona’s decision is heartbreaking but it should be respected and not affect you so much so that you will not be able to fulfill the task at hand.”

“Sir, please you can’t be making a phone call here,” said a security guard out of the blue. He pointed towards the sign for Alonzo to see.

“I’m on my way,” Alonzo finished before turning his attention to the security guard. “I’m sorry, yeah, you’re right, clearly I must’ve missed the sign or something.”

The guard nodded to him with a smile. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Alonzo said hastily, shrugging.

Alonzo walked to the parking lot where his driver awaited him in a black range rover. It was just him and his driver that had come to the hospital. He had instructed everyone else to wait at the airport despite their suggestion that he at least leave with a few of his security details. He slipped into the comfort of the back seat of his ride. He placed the urn beside him feeling relatively sad.

“To the airport, boss?” said the driver.

“Yeah,” Alonzo whispered.

Not long after, Alonzo had joined the others in the airport. They boarded the jet and soon they were cruising at a high altitude to Italy.

Alonzo held a drink with one hand watching as everyone chit-chatted. Once in a while, someone would pose a question to him about a conversation they were having but Alonzo made it clear that he wasn’t interested in talking. Even Piccolo had to let him just be for the moment.

“My pain and suffering were all for nothing,” said Alonzo’s over-analytical mind.

Alonzo had barely known Alyona for some time and yet he felt like his whole world revolved around her love. Even right now, all he could think of was how he seemed to be leaving a huge part of his life behind.

After a while, everyone just stopped talking and it was then that Piccolo looked to Alonzo. It hurt him to see how dull his best friend looked and what was worse was that Alonzo chose silence over talking about his worries. Piccolo knew all about Alonzo’s worries and he knew the particular one that was making him feel this way. He wondered how anyone could let someone have this much effect on them. He’d known Alonzo ever since he was just a boy and he was certain he had never seen him this unhappy for any reason. He hated it when people sabotage themselves for the sake of love. Love goes as it comes, naturally.

The men got to Italy, deplaned, and went straight in three different cars to the funeral’s venue. The beach had been cleared ahead of the event. Only those who had been invited to the funeral were going to be admitted to the beach until it was over.

Like a mother receiving her long-lost son, Lady Tanya leaped towards Alonzo and embraced him. “It is so good to see you. It feels like an eternity.”

Alonzo pulled away from the hug, holding Lady Tanya by her hands, staring at her. “It’s good to see you too, I admit. Thank you so much for making such a beautiful preparation for me.”

“There is no need to thank me,” Lady Tanya replied. “Where is Alyona?”

Alonzo exhaled sharply. “She broke up with me after replaceing out what I was.”

The news was not complete but Lady Tanya didn’t press for more information.

“Come now, there’s an early guest you should meet,” Lady Tanya said, gently pulling Alonzo away.

“What? But we-“

Alonzo lost the strength to protest and he just let himself follow Lady Tanya loosely.

“Alandro, he is finally here,” Lady Tanya sang, letting go of Alonzo’s hand.

The name registered in Alonzo’s mind. So that was Alandro, Mazza’s friend and lawyer who had kept Mazza’s will. Alonzo thought he had arrived at the funeral overly early. The event wouldn’t start until about thirty minutes.

“Don Alonzo Marcovic, it’s such an honor,” Alandro said, sounding energetic. His voice didn’t match his looks. They both clasp hands in a firm handshake before letting go.

“Mr. Alandro, you said my grandfather had left me a will, did you come with it?” Alonzo asked.

“Right, just a moment let me fetch it,” Alandro said. “I have it in my inner breast pocket.”

Alandro drew out a single envelope and handed it over to Alonzo.

“Thank you,” Alonzo said, slipping the envelope into his breast pocket.

“I see you don’t want to go through it immediately,” Alandro said.

“No please, I’ll do so after,” Alonzo said.

“Very well then, take your time,” Alandro said with a simple smile.

Since they had arrived shortly before the time set aside for the funeral, in next to no time guests had begun pouring into the beach.

Alonzo stood before a sea of crowded faces giving his eulogy from his head. He didn’t need to write down what to say about his grandfather. The urn had been placed on a decorated table. Apart from Alandro, he knew virtually everyone else.

At the end of the eulogy, Alonzo picked up the urn, opening up the cover.

“Let the wind guide you through into the afterlife,” Alonzo said, emptying the ashes into the ocean, some of which the wind carried into the distance.

It was night proper and Alonzo was back at home. He, Lady Tanya, and Piccolo were together in the living room and they were drinking together. Alonzo had shared his feelings with them over several glasses of drinks. Alonzo was still cladded in what he wore to the funeral.

“What do you men know!” Lady Tanya said, shaking her head. “Don Alonzo, do not fret, I will speak to Alyona for you.”

“What could you possibly tell her to make her forgive me?” Alonzo asked Lady Tanya, truly curious.

“Oh, I will replace the right words when it is the time!” Lady Tanya assured him confidently.