"If you don't get killed, it's a lucky day for anybody."

- Abraham Polonsky

Romeo sat in the lavish waiting room, his hands twitching nervously. The welcoming decor held no comfort for him . Every sudden sound caused him to twitch nervously. His fingers fidgeted with the fabric of his shirt stained with the alcohol and blood. Scratches covered both his arms. It would be apparent to anyone who saw him that he had been assaulted by a very drunk, very mad individual. Every now and again he'd look at a door with dread. The two armed bodyguards who stood flanking it remained stoic. Toro and Asino, he had taken to call them. Bull and donkey, attempting to find some humor in the situation he had found himself in. They'd frisked him when he came in , only to find nothing potentially dangerous on him. He'd long since sworn off guns while he was in prison, but even if he hadn't he would hardly be foolish enough to bring one here. With the booze now wearing off, Romeo tried to recall just how he had gotten there.

It began as a wonderful night. He drank and traded old war stories with members of his crew when he heard his newfound muse was in the city, his legs led him to the Rainy Day Lounge before his mind could convince him otherwise. The moment their eyes met he got lost in the melancholic gaze hidden behind a veil of indifference. They drank and laughed while the time slipped by. It was nights such as these that Romeo had longed for in prison. Nights filled with carefree conversation and nights of peace. 

He should have known that something so good could never last, but his heart had fooled him with hope for possibilities. The slap landed out of nowhere, breaking him out of his merry mood. His ex-wife had arrived and she was none too happy about finding him in one of her favourite haunts. His attempts at civility were a failure and the two of them trashed the place on their way out, airing a lifetime of dirty laundry as they went. She calmed down soon enough and they called a truce, knowing they had fucked up. Sure enough they were summoned , by the Don. 

Romeo had never met the Don, and it made him chuckle when he realized the awful first impression he must have left with his antics. He knew, he was in trouble, anyone would have known that. An old ex convict from a different city given a chance to prove himself, against the respected and beloved Left Hand of the crew. He knew he was the expendable one. When she was invited in first he wondered if this was it, if this was how his life ended filled with regrets and possibilities never explored. He knew he could never hope to run and hide, all he could hope for was some sympathy though he knew it was unlikely. 

The door opened and his ex-wife left, visibly less intoxicated than before. Her sharp blue gaze landed on his and she paused for a second. Then with a nod she was gone and he was being ushered into the room. Toro and Asino had a grimace on their face almost as if they knew that they would be the one asked to clean Romeo's brain off the carpet soon enough. With a final sigh he entered.

.....

"Si Signor, grazie." Romeo said gratefully as he exited. Slowly limping his way out of the building he made sure no one could see him before he burst out into laughter. Things had gone much better than he had hoped. While the Don had heard good things about him, he could not be prejudiced when he made the decision. The fact remained that a non made crew member had gotten into a very public, very drunken altercation with his Left Hand, whatever the circumstance. Yet all Romeo received was clemency, and a suggestion to find a different crew soon, an advice he could not ignore. The only reason that could have happened was if someone had spoken for him, someone who hated his guts, someone who felt guilty about putting him there in the first place. He could scarcely believe it. His batshit ex wife had spoken for him? Romeo was shocked that she was capable of such change, shocked that she was no longer the immature little kid he had married, shocked that despite the bruises and the bad blood she still cared about him enough to not let him be killed needlessly.

He knew he would have to speak to her again and soon. But first there was something else he needed to do. He needed to find a crew willing to shelter a greybeard, unwilling to touch weapons, with a reputation for causing trouble and bringing out the worst in people. It couldn't be that hard could it? For him to find some exoneration, some mercy, some... absolution.