From: Susan Richmond <susan@webspan.net>

Hi everyone!		


				THE CITY UPDATE	
			   Thursday, March 13th, 1997


DEAR TONY,
Starting Location: Ally's apartment

Tyler's getting ready to go to a sleepover at a friend's house. Ally
looks in his bag, notices he forget his toothbrush, and sends him back
to get it and to brush his teeth. While he's gone, Ally re-reads a
letter that she's written to Tony, telling him that she has decided to
go to France. This has to be good-bye for good, she writes, she doesn't
want to see Tony again... ever.

Ally and Tyler are riding downstairs in the elevator and Ally is staring
at the letter with "Tony" written on the envelope. She stops by the
mailboxes and asks Tyler to hold on minute. As she stands there, she
remembers Tony admitting he's made a lot of mistakes, but there's
nothing he can do to change that. 

DADDY DEAREST
Location: Tony's apartment

Tony and Carla, dressed in black, return from Gino's funeral. At Tony's
suggestion, they go a sit on the couch. It was a nice ceremony, Tony
comments, Gino would have been proud of all the things that were said
about him. Every word was true, those and more, Carla agrees. Tracy's
having everyone over to her place, Tony's going to go up there to see
his parents. Carla doesn't want to go, and Tony doesn't think she should
go, either. As Tony leaves to go upstairs, Danny is lurking on the
staircase, waiting for Tony to go. As soon as the elevator doors close,
Danny is knocking on Carla's door.

Carla brings Danny a cup of coffee and thanks him again for rescuing her
the other day. If he hadn't come along when he did, she might have lost
the baby. When they heard the heartbeat yesterday, it all suddenly
became real. Carla's first thought when she woke up this morning was to
tell Gino about the baby, but the she remembered.... At the cemetery
today when they were lowering the casket into the ground and throwing
the dirt on top of it.... She knew that he was gone, but a part of her
wanted to believe it was all a big mistake, "but the sound of that dirt
was like something hitting me across the face". "I knew that he was
really gone, I'd never see his face, he'd never get to see the baby",
Carla starts crying. She would have given anything to see the look on
Gino's face when he saw the baby. Danny hugs her as she cries.

Carla apologizes for losing it, she's a grown woman, not a lost little
girl. In a way, he almost envies her, Danny says. Danny's father died
right in front of him and he didn't feel anything, except relief. He
didn't love his father any more than his father loved him, which was
zero. Carla comments it must have been awful, growing up that way. It
was, Danny agrees, but living with him was like reading a book on how
not to be a father. It's going to be a very different story with their
baby, Danny says, rubbing Cara's stomach. Carla removes his hand and
shakes her head no.

Carla's sure that one day he will make a wonderful father, but not to
this baby. That is my baby, too, Danny reminds her. She's better talk
Tony out of moving to L.A. or all bets are off, Danny warns. Carla
promises to try, then says its been a really horrible day and she's
going to go get some sleep. Danny agrees to leave, "but I am not leaving
that baby, Carla".

MARRIED TO THE MOB
Location: Tracy's penthouse

Tess and Buck step out of the elevator on Tracy's floor. Buck's not too
anxious to be there, he doesn't know any of the Soleito's except Tony
and he barely knows Tracy. Tess explains again that she knew the
Soleito's growing up and used to babysit for Carla, so she has to be
here. "You're my husband, so wither I goeth, so do you. Now let's
goeth", she commands. Tess rings the bell, "stick with me, I'll keep you
out of the East River", she reassures him. Joey opens the door and Tess
tells him how sorry she was to hear about Gino. Across the room, Zoey is
helping Tracy set out the food and is telling Tracy yet again what a
crazy idea this is. Gino's goons are still spying on her, Zoey reminds
Tracy, she can't believe Tracy is inviting them in to have a drink. Have
you ever heard the expression, "hold your friends close, but your
enemies closer", Tracy asks. Zoey, who has seen Gino's goons come in the
door, wouldn't want to hold them close, "they make Gino look like Brad
Pitt". Tracy turns and surveys the four mobsters who have just arrived.
She squeezes her eyes closed tightly, and the opens them again. "Wow!"

Tony leads the four men in and introduces them to Tracy. Their names are
Rico, ?, Percy and C.C. What colorful names, Tracy comments, as Tony and
Zoey quickly desert her, leaving her alone with them. Tracy's glad that
they all could come, and she hoped they understood the invitation
included their wives. Rico, the spokesperson for the group, explains
that his wife died a year ago and that the other's wives don't get
involved in family business. This is hardly business, Tracy says, but it
is a pleasure to meet all of them, Gino spoke so highly of his friends.
Rico is surprised that Gino ever spoke of them to her. Gino was married
to Rose for over 25 years and he doubts if Rose even knew their names.
Tracy is interested in business, in anything that concerned Gino. That's
probably why he talked to her about things he never told Rose. The
mobsters start commenting on the redecorating, how it must have cost a
bundle, but Gino was rich enough to afford it. Tracy comes right out and
asks if they are accusing her of killing Gino to get his money. "If we
believed that, we wouldn't be here, and neither would you", Rico tells
her. 

If they're not accusing her of anything, then why are their men watching
her every move. It's for her protection, when someone in the upper ranks
of the organization dies, his widow can be in a very awkward position,
Rico explains. As long as they are around, nothing will happen to Tracy,
Rico promises. He apologizes for any misunderstanding and Tracy has
their heartfelt condolences, Rico tells her, kissing her hand. Tess
comes over to say Hi to Rico. Tessie Wilder?, he says, greeting her with
a BIG hug and kisses on the cheeks. Tess introduces Buck as her husband
of a few weeks and Rico jokingly curses his bad timing. Rico wishes them
good luck. Across the room, Tony is telling his parents that Carla is
downstairs resting. Tony's mother can't help wishing that it were Ally
having Tony's baby instead of Carla. Tony's going to go downstairs to
check on Carla, but he'll be back up later, he tells his parents. He
leaves at the same time as the four mobsters, who tell him how sorry
they are about his uncle. There's an opening in the organization,
though, is Tony interested? "It ain't going to happen", he replies. 

Back in the apartment, Tracy and Zoey are clearing the food off the
table and Zoey wants to know what happened with those goons. One minute
they looked like they were going to feed Tracy to the fish, the next
they were shaking her hand.  Quartermaine charm, Tracy claims. Did she
ask them about the key, Zoey asks. No, Tracy wasn't about to push her
luck, the key will have to wait. Tess is reminiscing with Tony's parents
about the old times and a 4th of July party at "the old place". What 
old place is this, Tracy questions them. Tess explains that she, the
Soleitos and Rico used to live in the same apartment building in
Redhook, Brooklyn. Once they became rich, the Soleito's bought the
building for elderly people to live in it, rent free. They all keep
their own apartment there, Gino had one there, too. Tony's dad suggests
she might like to come see the place, but Joey says he doesn't think
Tracy would be interested. "I'd be extremely interested", Tracy says
with a smile. 

As Tony's parents leave, Tony's father compliments Tracy that she is a
lovely lady and he wishes Gino had more time with her. Tracy thanks them
for coming, she'll keep in touch. After they leave, Tracy claps her
hands together and laughs, very excited. Zoey doesn't understand why she
is so excited. Gino kept an apartment in that building on Atlantic
Avenue, Tracy explains, the key must be to that apartment. Now all she
needs to do is find out which building it is. Zoey tries to warn her,
but Tracy is too excited to listen. "Atlantic Avenue, here I come!" 

The elevator must have been running very slowly:-), because Tony and the
four mobsters are just now getting out of the elevator on the ground
floor. Before leaving, Rico reminds Tony his job is to take care of Tony
and Gino's grandchild. They leave, and Tony notices an envelope with his
name on it wedged on the top of the row of mailboxes. He opens it, reads
the letter from Ally and looks very upset.

ON A MISSION FROM GOD
Location: Hospital Chapel

Lorraine has tracked Angie all the way to the hospital to deliver
Dorothy's (the surrogate) references to her. Lorraine didn't just come
to deliver the references, she knows it's none of her business, but she
wanted to warn Angie that there's something strange about Dorothy. Angie
bluntly tells her she's right, this is none of her business.

They both say they're sorry, and Angie admits that she's having
reservations about Dorothy, but it's no concern of Lorraine's. Lorraine
starts babbling on about being drawn back, being chosen to come back for
some reason, something that has to do with Angie. 

Angie's tired of Lorraine talking about being sent, or chosen, or
whatever. Last time they went through this, things got very scary, and
ugly. Lorraine claims there's some sort of force at work here, there's
nothing they can do about it. Angie suggests that they best thing they
can do is keep some distance between them. Lorraine says it's too late,
there's already a connection between them. Angie walks out on her.
Lorriane doesn't know the reason yet, she says to herself, but she will
soon, and Angie will know, too.

That's it for today, see you next Thursday. Only two more weeks to go:-(

-- 
Susan

