The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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have to force it at all. Easy, easy, just pouring out. Johnny realized that the bad time 
was over, he had it all now. And it didn’t matter a damn if he fell on his face with movies, 
it didn’t matter if he couldn’t get it up with Tina the night before; it didn’t matter that 
Virginia would hate him being able to sing again. For a moment he had just one regret. If 
only his voice had come back to him while trying to sing for his daughters, how lovely 
that would have been. That would have been so lovely. 
* * *
The hotel nurse had come into the room wheeling a cart loaded with medication. Johnny 
got up and stared down at Nino, who was sleeping or maybe dying. He knew Nino 
wasn’t jealous of his getting his voice back. He understood that Nino was only jealous 
because he was so happy about getting his voice back. That he cared so much about 
singing. For what was very obvious now was that Nino Valenti didn’t care enough about 
anything to make him want to stay alive. 
Chapter 27
Michael Corleone arrived late in the evening and, by his own order, was not met at the 
airport. Only two men accompanied him: Tom Hagen and a new bodyguard, named 
Albert Neri. 
The most lavish suite of rooms in the hotel had been set aside for Michael and his party. 
Already waiting in that suite were the people it would be necessary for Michael to see. 
Freddie greeted his brother with a warm embrace. Freddie was much stouter, more 
benevolent-looking, cheerful, and far more dandified. He wore an exquisitely tailored 
gray silk and accessories to match. His hair was razor cut and arranged as carefully as 
a movie star’s, his face glowed with perfect barbering and his hands were manicured. 
He was an altogether different man than the one who had been shipped out of New 
York four years before. 
He leaned back and surveyed Michael fondly. “You look a hell of a lot better now that 
you got your face fixed. Your wife finally talked you into it, huh? How is Kay? When she 
goons come out and visit us out here?” 
Michael smiled at his brother. “You’re looking pretty good too. Kay would have come out 
this time, but she’s carrying another kid and she has the baby to look after. Besides this 
is business, Freddie, I have to fly back tomorrow night or the morning after.” 
“You have to eat something first,” Freddie said. “We’ve got a great chef in the hotel, 

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