A workout and a heart to heart.

The next morning is overcast and rainy. Natali informed you that she was heading out shopping that day. With what happened last night you wanted to send her with one of your boys but you had promised her that she would have her freedom, that you weren't going to be like Vincent. You suggested she take a bodyguard but she declined, assuring you that she would be okay. You agreed and asked her to pick you up some workout clothes.

Putting on the boardshorts again, along with a fresh t shirt, you head to the gym. With the rain coming down morning yoga would be out of the question, thankfully, but you still wanted to work up a sweat.

When you get there one of your men, Joey, was just finishing up. He was roughly 25, a bit taller than you, slick black hair, lean yet well built. He was soaked in sweat.

"Hey boss. Gettin a workout in huh?"

"Yeah Joey. Just working out some kinks." You say as you begin warming up on a treadmill.

"Say...boss. About that thing with Rosa. I just wanted to say I'm sorry and you won't never see her round here no more." He had the cocky twitchy movements of your typical insecure low level goomba. Trying to prove his masculinity in every moment.

You had no idea what he was talking about. "Hey, no problem Joey."

He wasn't done. Shit. "You see, the thing is. I-I think I'm kinda fallin for her, ya know?" He was really starting to get agitated. "Maybe I was thinkin of askin her to...uh...ya know, maybe marry me or something like that. I mean, ya know, she's a good woman. A real good woman boss. But I don't want this to be an issue between us. You say the word and I'll throw her to the curb."

You knew he was lying through his teeth with that last statement. You try to keep him talking so you could uncover what this was all about. "Falling for her eh? Joey, I understand where you are coming from. More than you could know."

Joey's gives you a conspiratorial look. "Oh ho! Sounds like you found a nice bit of sugar yourself, does the Missus know?"

You shake your head. "Never mind that. Tell me about Rosa."

He is a bit surprised by your request, but he answers. "Oh boss, she's sooo nice. I mean you seen her. That body, that ass. And she looks after me too, ya know? Makin me lunches and shit like that. I mean my Momma, rest her soul, never even made me lunches. Listen boss. I know she ain't Italian. She's not even a Jew, or even white. But she's a nice girl boss, she treats me real good ya know. And she's Catholic, that's gotta count for somethin right?" He is twitching more than usual, obviously uncomfortable in having this conversation, but feeling he had to do it. "But like I said, you give me the word and the bitch is gone. No problem."

This you were not expecting. It seems Vincent had been a straight up old fashioned racist. With the outgoing Mama Raeni in the kitchen you had just assumed Vincent was actually a man of the 21st century. He probably figured that "colored" folk were good enough for the hired help, but not for anything else. Probably another reason why Louis had been so suspicious of you hiring Soo-yin.

You continue jogging along on the treadmill at a steady pace. "Joey. I don't know if you heard or not, but I'm turning over a new leaf."

"Uh...yeah. We've been kinda talkin about it." Joey admits.

"Call it a change of heart or call it a mid-life crisis but I'm changing for the better. The old Vincent is dead and buried." You quip, a private joke only funny to you. "I've decided to change my thinking on a whole lot of things. Joey, if you want to marry Rosa..."

You get an idea. You stop jogging and step off the machine. "Stay right here Joey. Don't move a muscle okay?"

Now he is looking really tense, and very confused. "Yeah, sure boss."

Trying to keep your heart-rate up you jog through the house to the secret safe you'd discovered. You open it up and snag a nice crisp wrapped stack of hundred dollar bills; ten thousand bucks in cold hard cash. You jog back to the gym. Joey still stands there uncomfortably. Jumping back on the machine you toss him the bundle.

You start jogging again. "Put that towards the wedding. Give her a proper one. And do so with my blessing."

Joey stands staring at the cash in disbelief. "Are you shittin me right now boss?"

"Nope. And she can come round the house to see you whenever she wants, well within reason. Tell her to never mind that stuff from before. Let's pretend it never happened."

You see a huge weight get lifted from his shoulders. He beams from ear to ear. "Oh man. Thanks boss. I mean...I don't know what to say..." You could actually see tears forming.

"Don't worry about it. Go, make your woman happy." You smile. It felt great being the mobster Santa Claus. You tried not to think about all the heinous things this man has probably done in his life. Maybe the love of a good woman will set him on a different path.

"Yeah...yeah...you bet!" He actually hops a few times then starts toward the door. "I'll...uh...I'll be back later. I'll tell her the good news!" Just before he slams the door he says. "I don't care what Louis says, you're the fuckin best boss."

Slam!

"What the fuck?" You say. Louis....Louis, Louis, Louis, Louis! You hoped he and Soo-yin dealt with the contract on you soon. This Louis situation was the thing that worried you the most.

Just then Melanie steps through the door, her yoga mat rolled up under her arm.

"Geez, Joey's in a good mood today!" She says looking over her shoulder as she closes the door behind her. Turning back to you. "I'm glad you're here Dad! And already warmed up!"