Angelo walked into the bar, head held high. Confident he would get what he wanted. Prepared to do what needed done if he didn’t. He held the hand of a small, blonde haired child. He sat her at a booth nearest the door, facing away from the dimly lit interior.
+++++“Play with my phone honey,” he said sweetly, handing her his cellphone. “I’ll be back in a few minutes and then we’ll go for the ice cream I promised.”
+++++“Yes Poppy,” she half smiled, turning her face to him, her left profile partially revealed to the only other patron.
+++++Sitting in its darkest recesses Walter watched Angelo enter. The bar wouldn’t open for another hour, providing them with the privacy they needed for business. Angelo took a seat across the table from Walter, nodding a hello as he did. Walter had two glasses of wine set out, an old country custom for a meeting such as this.
+++++“You know why I’m here.”
+++++“Yes,” Walter said sympathetically.
+++++“I need the boy Walter, you need to give him up.”
+++++“I can’t give him to you Angie,” Walter said, using the name Angie from their childhood. A name only he could use and not sound deprecating.
+++++“We go way back Walter. I’m here out of respect.” He took a drink of the wine Walter had set out for them. “One way or another I’ll find him. If you give him to me he won’t suffer, I give you my word. If I have to find him…” he shrugged his shoulders, “I can’t make any promises.”
+++++“I’m sorry but I can’t do that. He’s my sister’s only child.”
+++++“He’s an addict. The boys gotta habit, a bad one and everyone knows it.”
+++++“You’re putting me in a hard spot here.”
+++++“He’s a fucking heroin addict, plain and simple, and he almost killed the girl. Eye for an eye.” There was firmness in his voice he had never used on Walter.
+++++“Aint no eye for an eye shit Angie,” he said calmly, “she’s still walking around breathing. You killing him wouldn’t be fair.”
+++++“Fair?” he questioned. “The girl will need multiple surgeries. She’ll never be the same.”
+++++“You’re taking this personal, it was an accident.”
+++++“It is personal. It was my restaurant he crashed the truck into.”
+++++“Personal yes…but its bad business, for both of us, do we need more bloodshed over this unfortunate accident?”
+++++“Was it good business putting your nephew in that position?”
+++++Walter had no answer for that. He had given the boy a job and the boy had fucked up. “Family is family,” was all he could think of to say. He’d already offered to pay for damage to Angelo’s place and had been politely turned down.
+++++“I hoped to appeal to your personal side, but now I suppose we must do it the hard way.”
+++++“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Walter meant what he said but couldn’t give up his nephew just because a girl had gotten hurt. Eye for an eye, he believed in that saying, but the girl hadn’t died.
+++++“I came to you to try and stop a war. I don’t feel I’m being unreasonable. Blood will be on your hands not mine.”
+++++He stood slowly, old bones creaking. Frustrated he glanced down at Walter and then to the door. Walter stood. Out of mutual respect Angelo knew he would walk him to the door and into the sights of the marksman on top of the building across the street. The shooter would kill Walter as soon as he left if given the nod. Walter followed one step behind until they reached the booth. The child, playing a game on the phone, didn’t hear their approach.
+++++“Marie,” Angelo said quietly, “I want you to meet someone.” The girl turned to face them. “This is Walter. He’s an old friend.” The hideous scar and empty socket on her right side where her eye had once been came into view.
+++++“Walter this is Marie…my grand-daughter.”
+++++The sight of the girls damaged face shocked him deeply. “Jesus Angie, I didn’t know.”
+++++“No one does. My daughter, she’s a very…private person. She has never been involved in the family business. She prefers her independence, to make her own way.” He looked out the restaurants front window. He couldn’t bring himself to look Walter in the eye. “We chose the path we’re on, you and I. She didn’t, but she does work at the restaurant cleaning in the evenings, saving for college, and sometimes Marie tags along.”
+++++“We’re going for ice cream,” Marie said and smiled crookedly at Walter. She would have been beautiful if not for the disfigurement. He paused and smiled back.
+++++“Have your Poppy take you to Santella’s for your ice cream. They have the best in the city,” he said to the girl.
+++++“Come back tonight, I’ll make sure he’s here,” he said to Angelo.
+++++Angelo nodded, took Marie’s hand and walked outside. Stepping onto sidewalk he signaled to the man on the roof, not with a nod but a shake of his head.

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Donald Glass

Donald Glass lives in Altoona, PA. He writes mostly about the underside of life that dwells in every city … including yours. He’s had work published in all the usual places online including Shotgun Honey, Dead Guns Press, Yellow Mama, Near to the Knuckle, Spelk, Out of the Gutter, Thrills Kills ‘n’ Chaos and has had 2 stories published in the Dead Guns Press anthologies Crime Scene and Dames and Sin.

Latest posts by Donald Glass (see all)

• Dyin’ Down The Road - November 6, 2017
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• Yard Work - October 31, 2015