The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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But after Kay gave birth to her first child, she was surprised by Michael asking her, “Do 
you want me to get my face fixed?” 
Kay nodded. “You know how kids are, your son will feel bad about your face when he 
gets old enough to understand it’s not normal. I just don’t want our child to see it. I don’t 
mind at all, honestly, Michael.” 
“OK.” He smiled at her. “I’ll do it.” 
He waited until she was home from the hospital and then made all the necessary 
arrangements. The operation was successful. The cheek indentation was now just 
barely noticeable. 
Everybody in the Family was delighted, but Connie more so than anyone. She visited 
Michael every day in the hospital, dragging Carlo along. When Michael came home, she 
gave him a big hug and a kiss and looked at him admiringly and said, “Now you’re my 
handsome brother again.” 
Only the Don was unimpressed, shrugging his shoulders and remarking, “What’s the 
difference?” 
But Kay was grateful. She knew that Michael had done it against all his own inclinations. 
Had done it because she had asked him to, and that she was the only person in the 
world who could make him act against his own nature. 
* * *
On the afternoon of Michael’s return from Vegas, Rocco Lampone drove the limousine 
to the mall to pick up Kay so that she could meet her husband at the airport. She always 
met her husband when he arrived from out of town, mostly because she felt lonely 
without him, living as she did in the fortified mall. 
She saw him come off the plane with Tom Hagen and the new man he had working for 
him, Albert Neri. Kay didn’t care much for Neri, he reminded her of Luca Brasi in his 
quiet ferociousness. She saw Neri drop behind Michael and off to the side, saw his 
quick penetrating glance as his eyes swept over everybody nearby. It was Neri who first 
spotted Kay and touched Michael’s shoulder to make him look in the proper direction. 
Kay ran into her husband’s arms and he quickly kissed her and let her go. He and Tom 
Hagen and Kay got into the limousine and Albert Neri vanished. Kay did not notice that 
Neri had gotten into another car with two other men and that this car rode behind the 

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