The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
75
“The doctor gave him a shot,” Clemenza said. “He’s sleeping.” 
Michael went to Hagen’s wife and bent down to kiss her cheek. They had always liked 
each other. He whispered, “Don’t worry, Tom will be OK. Have you talked to Sonny 
yet?” 
Theresa clung to him for a moment and shook her head. She was a delicate, very pretty 
woman, more American than Italian, and very scared. He took her hand and lifted her off 
the sofa. Then he led her into his father’s corner room office. 
Sonny was sprawled out in his chair behind the desk holding a yellow pad in one hand 
and a pencil in the other. The only other man in the room with him was the caporegime 
Tessio, whom Michael recognized and immediately realized that it must be his men who 
were in the house and forming the new palace guard. He too had a pencil and pad in his 
hands. 
When Sonny saw them he came from behind his desk and took Hagen’s wife in his 
arms. “Don’t worry, Theresa,” he said. “Tom’s OK. They just wanta give him the 
proposition, they said they’d turn him loose. He’s not on the operating end, he’s just our 
lawyer. There’s no reason for anybody to do him harm.” 
He released Theresa and then to Michael’s surprise he too, got a hug and a kiss on the 
cheek. He pushed Sonny away and said grinning, “After I get used to you beating me up 
I gotta put up with this?” They had often fought when they were younger. 
Sonny shrugged. “Listen, kid, I was worried when I couldn’t get ahold of you in that hick 
town. Not that I gave a crap if they knocked you off, but I didn’t like the idea of bringing 
the news to the old lady. I had to tell her about Pop.” 
“How’d she take it?” Michael asked. 
“Good,” Sonny said. “She’s been through it before. Me too. You were too young to know 
about it and then things got pretty smith while you were growing up.” He paused and 
then said, “She’s down at the hospital with the old man. He’s gonna pull through.” 
“How about us going down?” Michael asked. 
Sonny shook his head and said dryly, “I can’t leave this house until it’s all over.” The 
phone rang. Sonny picked it up and listened intently. While he was listening Michael 
sauntered over to the desk and glanced down at the yellow pad Sonny had been writing 
on. There was a list of seven names. The first three were Sollozzo, Phillip Tattaglia, and 
John Tattaglia. It struck Michael with full force that he had interrupted Sonny and Tessio 

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