The Imagination and the Heart

Richard Galucci studied the large squares of terrazzo on the floor as he walked to the elevator.

"Mr. Galucci," a voice said. "You forgot your umbrella."

Galucci turned to see the nurse walking briskly toward him holding his umbrella.

"It's really coming down out there, you're going to need this."

"Thanks," Galucci said as he took the umbrella from her.

He followed her with his eyes as she walked back to Dr. Shepherds office. Nice movement. As he started to let his mind roam to a fantasy tryst with the young woman he recalled the last thing Dr. Shepherd had told him.

"Your heart is very weak, the slightest strain could be catastrophic. You need to take it easy."

Galucci snapped himself back to reality and continued for the elevator lobby just as his cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID he answered the call with a wide smile.

"Hello my Angel, I'm on my way," he said, knowing that she was probably waiting impatiently at the restaurant.

"You better hurry, Daddy," she said. "There's a really cute guy looking at me."

Galucci laughed and humored his daughter.

"I'll bet every guy in the place is looking at you, Gorgeous."

He never missed a chance to boost her ego, even though they both knew he was lying. Richard may have been many things, thug, killer, thief, but he was also a father and in his eyes his daughter was the most beautifully perfect creation God had ever put on Earth. Unfortunately he was also aware that he was perhaps the only one who saw her that way.

"What does this Prince Charming look like?" he asked.

"I'll send you a picture, hold on."

Galucci heard some odd sounds before she came back on the line.

"OK, Daddy, I took his picture and sent it to you."

His phoned beeped, alerting him to an incoming message.

"OK, I got it Angel, I'll take a look and make sure he's good enough for you."

He pressed the elevator call button as he navigated to the new message on his phone. The image appeared on the screen. Galucci stared at it wondering why he recognized the face. Something about it bothered him, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

The bell chimed alerting him to the arrival of an empty car.

"OK, Angel," he said into the phone. "I'm getting into the elevator so I'm gonna lose you, I'll see you soon."

"I love you, Daddy, but you better hurry, he just bought me a drink."

"Don't marry him until I get there," Galucci said as he disconnected.

The elevator doors closed and Galucci pressed the button for the lobby. As the car began its 47 floor descent he looked at the photo on his camera again. Where had he seen that guy? His ears popped as the car plummeted.

Suddenly it came to him. He remembered where he had seen the face. His name was George O'Brien, but he called himself Georgio hoping it would sound more Italian and help him fit in better. He was second rate muscle for the Marzilli family and he was sitting in a restaurant buying drinks for Galucci's daughter.

The Marzilli's had sworn vengeance on Galucci after he had whacked one of their men but Galucci was never intimidated by the threat. After 45 years in the life he was getting out. The news of his failing heart was the deciding factor. He was going to take Angelina and start a new life away from the only other one he had ever really known. No more shakedowns, no more strong-arming and no more contract hits. He was out.

Galucci closed the phone and paced the elevator, trying to will it to fall faster so he could get to the restaurant and save his daughter from Georgio.

Somewhere between the 47^th floor and the lobby the car stopped abruptly, causing Galucci to drop his cell phone, and the lights went out.

Fury flooded through him. Not now - he needed to get to the restaurant as soon as he could. With a psycopath like Georgio every second counted.

Maybe he could call her and warn her.

Galucci's hand trembled as he dialed Angelina's number. After hitting the send button he was greeted by a tone that told him there was no signal.

The pacing resumed with heightened desperation, he looked at the phone display again, as if he expected his dread to change the read-out.

Sweat began to form in his armpits. He turned to the panel of buttons and pressed the L button repeatedly. His eyes went to the floor indicator hoping for a change. The red "34" stared back at him.

He pushed several buttons, no result.

He could feel his heart beginning to race as he scanned the cab for an alternate solution. The ceiling was made of brass, there was no panel to punch out, and even if there was, in his condition he wasn't about to go doing a Bruce Willis imitation in the elevator shaft.

He pounded the elevator buttons again.

"Come on," he yelled at the panel. "You filthy son-of-a-bitch."

Angelina's face appeared in his mind. As his mind's camera backed away he saw her sitting in a booth with Georgio drinking wine. That smug punk smiling at her, stroking her fragile ego and letting her believe that he found her attractive.

Before he realized it, he was doing frantic laps around the elevator, his breath coming in frustrated pants.

He scanned the panel again. Relief flooded over him when he saw the small door labeled emergency phone. He opened the panel and removed the phone.

"Hello? Hello?" he yelled into the phone.

Silence. He looked at it in the dim light and put it back to his ear.

"Hello!"

More silence. The storm must have knocked out the power. Why the hell don't these buildings have emergency generators?

He let the phone drop and resumed his pacing. Glancing at his watch he thought about Angelina. She had been alone with Georgio now for nearly fifteen minutes. Galucci could feel the sweat building up on his back; his breathing was beginning to become labored. It seemed as though he couldn't take in enough air.

With his back to the cab wall he slid to the floor and placed his head in his hand. His hair was drenched with sweat.

In his mind Georgio was putting his hand over Angelina's and smiling that big white smile, and she would fall for it. She had always been too trusting, making her an easy mark. She would check her watch and assume that her father wasn't coming and they would leave together. Georgio would take her to his car and drive her to a night club for some more drinks and some dancing. Angelina loved to dance and she'd be blinded by his good looks.

After a few more drinks and some dancing he'd offer her a ride home and when they reached her apartment he'd con his way inside.

Naturally Angelina would offer him a nightcap and he'd accept.

Galucci's breathing was like that of a dog in August when he pictured Georgio taking his daughter to bed. Maybe he would go through with the sex before he killed her, most likely by holding a pillow over her face until she stopped struggling.

Galucci screamed when the pain in his chest hit. It felt like a knife being driven between his ribs. Then came the sensation of having a truck parked on his chest. He couldn't breathe and his head swam with confusion.

When he fell over one hand clutched his chest while the other released the cell phone.

Galucci's head hit the floor of the elevator at the same time as the cell phone; the display of the phone blinking to announce a dead battery. Richard Galucci gasped his last breath as a vision of his dead daughter, lying on the bead with a pillow over her face, filled in his imagination.

* * * * *
Angelina gazed into the brilliant white teeth of the perfect smile.

She was completely taken with his charm and fully bewildered at his interest in her.

When he slid into her booth with a glass of wine in each hand she felt like a school girl with a crush.

"Hi," she said shyly. "Thanks for the drink."

"You're welcome," he said, flashing the smile again, "I see it's empty and I thought you'd like another while you wait for your husband."

Taking the glass of wine, Angelina blushed.

"I'm waiting for my father," she said with a small giggle.

"Well do you mind if I wait with you, I hate to drink alone."

"No, I don't mind at all."

He placed the glass of wine in front of her and offered his hand, Angelina shook it.

"I'm Angelina," she said. Angelina Galucci.

"Nice to meet you, Angelina, my name is Dave Ryan."