I can hear the ground meat sizzle as I place it to the pan; the aroma of homemade hamburgers clogging my nose and drifting throughout the apartment.  With my baby, Kathie, on my hip, I twist around to put the finishing touches to my masterpiece.  Suddenly, I hear yelling in the candy shop below us.  Who could Tony possibly be yelling at? There's no way children would cause such a ruckus.  The yelling finally stops and I return to making dinner. 

Clunk, clunk, clunk.  My attention shifts again. Each hit reverberating though every square inch of the apartment.  I head over to the door to answer the forceful and seemingly desperate knocking.

It's Tony.  Panting, he says, "Mary Jane, I'm sorry to bother you but it's your father again." Oh no.  Not again.  Why would he follow me here?  A look of dread comes over my face, a look Tony is not surprised to see. "Look, I told him he has to get out of here but he's threatening to break the shop's windows if he doesn't talk to you.  And if he does, you're going to be the one responsible for it."

"I understand Tony, I'll go down and take care of him.  So sorry for all the trouble."  That bastard.  Why does he always have to make my life so difficult?  I bet he's here just to try to get me to talk to mother for him again.  Well that's never gonna happen! He's already done enough to make our lives a living hell.  I scamper down the steps and out to the sidewalk where there he is attempting to stand up straight. He finally sees me, but struggles to make clear eye contact.

"Mary Jane, there you are, come ov'r he'e and give your father a hug".  The smell of his breath fills my body with disgust where vomiting might be my only answer.

"I know why you're here, Mom doesn't want to talk to you, so get your smelly, rotten, cheating self out of here." 

"Your mother and I were meant for each other, I love her.  You need to tell her I want to come home."  By the look on my face, he knows he’s getting nowhere.  Turning away to leave he yells once more, "And if ya don't tell her, ya can let the shop owner know I'll be back tomorrow and the next and everyday after." He sways his head back around and stumbles down the street. 

I head back upstairs to find the burgers ruined.  I turn the stove off and I put Kathie down into her crib.  I sit at the kitchen table.  I've already wasted so many tears on him, what's some more. I can do nothing but just break down and cry...