Sequel: Two Lives As One
Status: Check out Two Lives As One! Picks up at Christmas time after the events in this story :)

One Life To Live

A Family Matter

I drove home from NYU feeling a little off kilter.

Who was Melanie Cavlavier?

I had not acted as I’d planned to. I figured on begin smooth and displaying my usual air of bravado on dates. Since when was I such a sap?

How odd.

My phone buzzed loudly in my pocket, and I took it out pausing to look at the Caller I.D. It was Paulie.

“Hey.” I answered.
“Yo. Pops is having us over for a meeting tonight about the ordeal goin’ on. Wants us to be there by nine o’clock, he said.”

“He was lucky he said nine instead of seven.”

“Why’s that? Hot-ass date tonight, bro?” He had a smile in his voice.

“None of your business, asshole.” I smiled. “A’ight, be there by then. You want to drive with me?”

“Fuck, you think you’re the only one who had a date tonight? I happen to be one of the most eligible bachelors in this damn city.”

“Or so you think.” I smirked.

“F you.” He laughed. “Just dropped off Kat. That woman’s smokin’. Who’d you pick up on the side of the street?” He joked.

“She just happened to be at our party last Friday night. Gave me a phone call tonight.”

“Damn. You finally taking notes from me?” Paulie responded.

“Notes from you. That’s funny. Naw, she’s some med student lookin’ for a fun night out from all the shit, I think.” I conversed.

“Oh really? Goin’ for the smart ones now?”

“The airheads are gettin’ a little irritating.” I said truthfully.

“Next thing we know you’ll be pickin’ out flowers for this girl.” Paulie said.

“That’ll be the f-in’ day.” I shook my head. “Things getting serious in The Business?”

“I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Dad just wants to lay down the game plan I think.” He said nonchalantly. “Dad gets worked up about everything.”

“He has a right to. That damn guy has legions working behind him. We’re going to have to watch our step.”

“Eh. I think he’s just a frightened rat who has his dad’s loyal servants to cover it all up. I’ll be at the apartment in ten.” He declared.

“All right. See ya.”

“See ya, man.”

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There are specific roles we play in The Business.

Paulie is the last option in every plan. He’s the instigator, the fighter, and the immediate conflict ender.

Vinn is the back-up. Whenever you need help desperately on a mission, he’s a phone call away. Since he’s the youngest, Ma likes to think he’s more vulnerable than any of us.

Meg is the bait. She’ll taunt and flirt with the enemy all the while giving us exact specifications on where his men are, and what they are doing. Our spy, pretty much.

I’m the talker. I chit chat with the enemy group in order to come to some sort of peaceful resolution. Whether it is a treaty, or the other side gets a debt repaid. If that doesn’t work out, I help Paulie kick their ass.

Dad is the head man. He keeps us in the know with the status of the enemy, and what’s going on in the “inside”.

And Ma…she feeds us.

“Paul, eat your dinner.” She chided, waving her spoon coated with marinara. “I should’ve known it was a bad idea to let you move into that apartment with your brother.”

“Ma,” he whined, “I already ate. Pops sprung this meeting on us twenty minutes ago.”

She shook her head. Dad gave him a look. “You should’ve been expecting it. His men are advancing. He has men on the inside of us. Trust nobody.”

“Do you have any suspicions?” I asked.

Dad raised his eyebrows in a grave expression. “Ed.”

“No fuckin’ way.”

Ma shot Paulie a glare. “Your mouth, Paul.”
“Sorry, Ma. Eddy? What the hell! I thought he was-”

“We all thought that,” Dad interrupted, “we all thought he was in line with Frederick. I’ve gotten news however that he’s working for Giorgio – being a rat, telling about our plans and advancements.”

“His son, Angelo is just a weakling. I wouldn’t worry about him.” Meg cut in. “That’s all bravado thinking that he’s up to some intricate plan. A bluff. He’s coming up with another bigger plan to uproot us.”

“Meg is right.” Dad nodded. “He is. I don’t know what it is, yet. That’s not something I want to have going on for quite some time. Paul and Lance will have to find Ed and straighten him out. He’s a nuisance.”

“You bet,” Paulie responded, “I’m so ready to rip him a new-”

Ma raised her eyebrows, chewing her spaghetti.

Paulie grinned. “So when you want us to do that?”

Dad contemplated this. “If you could get it done as soon as possible that’d be good. How about tomorrow night?”

I nodded. “Sounds good. You want us to take him out?”

Dad understood the code when I said this. He shook his head. “Just make sure he knows he is not welcome with us. Give him a little reminder that we ain’t playin’ games. Break him so that he can’t fight with Giorgio’s group.”

Paulie nodded. “All right. Where does he like to hang out?”

“The bar on 7th.” Dad replied.

“You done, Xavier?” Ma asked him, giving a pointed glance to his plate.

“Yeah – yeah, thanks darling.” He said smiling, giving her the dish.

Vinn made a gagging gesture, and grinned at Dad.

“You got a fuckin’ problem?” Dad questioned, grinning from ear to ear.

Vinny laughed. Paulie had a mischievous grin on his face. “Lance’s got a girl.” He sipped his drink
.
Dad leaned back in his chair, turning his curious glance on me. “Is that so?”

I rolled my eyes. “It was one night. Give it a rest, Paulie.”

“Hey now. I call ‘em like I see ‘em, bro.” He said, his palms up in the air.

Dad leaned forward. “It’s not the best time to be on the prowl for women, Lance. Anyone could be-”

“She doesn’t have anything to do with The Business, Dad. She’s a white girl from the Midwest for God’s sake. A med student. She’s not a threat.”

Ma poked her head back. “A med student?” She smiled, “That’s my boy. Getting smart, aren’t you?”

I waved her off. “Like I said, she’s got no ties anywhere, trust me.”

“If Giorgio sees you with her, it will not be good for you or her.” Dad warned.

“I know, Dad. Like I said it was probably a one night thing.”

Yeah, right.

“All right, all right. I’m just warning you.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Have you guessed what Lance does for a living?
:D
I hope it's obvious!
Will be posting!
x.peace!