Uncle Joe had recently returned to the states from his home town of Castellammare del golfo Sicily after having been on the lam from a failed gangland hit.

Uncle Joe had been falsely reported dead in the local obituary. He took his time away to heal and spend much needed time in the old country surrounded by friends and family.

Joe had only been back in the states for a short time and noticed much had changed. There had been a brutal mafia war that saw the loss of countless men and women of honor.

Uncle Joe had made his way to the windy city only to discover that his niece, Marie_Lucania was calling the shots these days. Uncle Joe wasn't really her Uncle but had been very close with her mother.

Joe watched the recently appointed Godmother of Chicago grow up. He had watched out for her behind the scenes longer than he could remember. Knowing that she ruled the city he knew it was time to come out of hiding and pay his respect. Especially seeing as how he wanted to start operating in the windy city again.

Uncle Joe made his way to a local tailor for some new threads. He hadn't seen Marie in some time and wanted to look as good as ever for the Godmother of Chicago.

Having purchased a gorgeous double breasted pin stripe silk suit, Uncle Joe made his way to Marie's head quarters, stopping along the way to pick up flowers for his sweet niece.

Upon his arrival he was greeted at her compound by a score of fedora wearing bodyguards. Uncle Joe made his way to her office, flowers in hand. Her door was open. He made his way inside and gave Marie Lucania the shock of her life. Her dear Uncle Joe wasn't dead and looked better than ever.

Standing there is amazement, Marie practically lept into her Uncles arms.

"Uncle Joe, I thought you were dead, I thought I'd never see you again" she said.

Hugging Marie and smiling, Uncle Joe spoke up.

"When the papers reported I was dead I felt it was best to leave the country and return home and recover, let the heat die down. I missed everyone something fierce."

Standing there face to face with the Marie, Uncle Joe noticed something around her neck he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Your mothers necklace." Joe exclaimed.

"I gave that necklace to your dearly departed mother on the night of her wedding so many years ago. I thought I'd never see it again. That necklace belonged to my wife. I'm glad to see you ended up with it."

Marie reaches for her necklace.

"My mother loved this necklace, she was never without it. It was one of the few mementos I could get my hands on after her passing. I never knew you were the one who gave it to her." She always spoke so highly of you." Marie said.

Holding back a tear Uncle Joe addressed his reason for showing up today.

"I just came back to the states a week or so ago. Much has changed since I left. I've been reaching out all over and wanted to come and proclaim my loyalty to you and ask for permission to reestablish myself in the rackets here in Chicago."

Taking in what Uncle Joe had just said, Marie took a moment before responding to think over Uncle Joe's offer of loyalty and his request to start operating in her city.

"You and I go way back Uncle Joe. I've known you all of my life and you were good to my mother and family. Of course I accept your request. A women like me in my position could always use a trusted and loyal man of honor such as yourself. You're a legend in these streets."

A slight smirk came over Uncle Joe's face. The little girl he remembered fighting boys on the playground was all grown up now.

"You honor me with your acceptance Marie. I'll do what I can for you the same as your mother did for me."

Uncle Joe leaned in for another hug and gave Marie a kiss on each cheek as was customary in their culture.

He began to speak again.

"I figured I'd start off small and reopen my deli in the old neighborhood. You'll have to come by and have an espresso with me. I'll have an envelope waiting."

Uncle Joe and Marie said their goodbyes. He made his way for the taxi that had been waiting for him. As Joe made his way to his deli to see the boy's and tell them the good news of his blessing he couldn't help but think about all his years in the life. All the struggles and hardships he had faced. He was glad to be apart of a true family again.

When Joe left her office, Marie sat back down in her chair.  It still seemed so surreal.  She had thought him dead and the world a lesser place because of it.  Now she had discovered that he was alive and well after all.  It was very welcomed news.  There were so few people she could trust completely, but Uncle Joe was one of them.  It would be good to have him working in the Loop with her.  The man was the best when it came to running a racket and he seemingly knew how to turn thin air into money.  Cold hard cash was always something that was needed.

Marie remember back on the time he had tried to teach her as a little girl how to make school yard bets on a few different dicing games.  Her mother would have been furious if she had known, but she did not and that was how a lot of things were between Marie and her Uncle Joe.  What her mother did not know would not hurt her.  She smiled at the memory.  She had learned so much from him and knew he could teach her so much more now that she was older.  Not to mention that her school yard was now a country.