"Yeah, I saw that kind of cash during the whole situation when you bailed him out a few times. It's something that I would never forget, a lot of my friends at school used to talk about it. Ron Swanson, the man who my father owed a lot too. For a while, I kinda hated it, I wonder why my dad was so weak for that kind of thing, yet I saw the trust he had in you. From that moment, I didn't question it, I had the utmost respect for you and what you did for my old man."

A smile played at his lips as he looked at the friend of his father, the man had been a brother and a second father to him, of course, he knew about the former problems he had. The gambling, the women, and then there were plenty of other problems that his father should have dealt with alone. Yet it never happened, he went to a teammate and like a family, they always helped him out. 

Rom was upset that he had never truly given them the respect they had deserved at that moment. It was special to get that kind of respect and adoration from his father but now he knew it, Ron had assisted because his father had done the same for him at some point in time, it was...amazing. 

"Yeah, can I get a few doughnuts and a Coffee, four sugars please."

Looking back at Ron, he found himself chuckling, he still had that straight face. His father had always maintained that it stayed there, Ron never once smiled but it seemed that something was there, he wondered if he could ever get the man to break his blank and seemingly uncaring facade. 

"Are you ever going to smile Uncle? Or am I going to have to play some B-Ball and beat you into next week?"

It had been a busy morning for Benny in the city. So many contacts to meet, so much business to be done, and oh so much driving from here to there and every little stop along the way. He enjoyed getting the bulk of his work done in the early hours if he could. It freed up his day for taking things a bit easier in the afternoon. Coming around lunch time he felt like he just needed a bit of an escape for the buildings and the concrete. He remembered someone mentioning the Lakeview Gardens to him a few days ago. That would be the perfect spot to relax and take it easy for an hour, he thought.

He parked his car along the sidewalk in between two much nicer models. He only had a slight envy of them, but he let the thought pass him. Envy served no one well. As he sauntered along the path towards the gates of the park he could feel the day's tension leaving his shoulders already, that air was just so much fresher than the city. It was only reinforced as he made his way down the green towards the café by the lake's shore. The autumnal birds, the light breeze rustling the leaves to fall from the trees, and the sounds of idle chatter and laughter from the lunch diners. 

He found an open table just outside the café with two empty chairs tucked under it. He pulled one out and threw his coat around it. It wasn't exactly the warmest day of the year but he didn't mind a hint of fresh cold air while he sat. From one of the coat pockets he produced a small book. A pocket copy of Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises. He lets it fall on the table in front of the other chair before heading into the café to place his order.

Inside he finds a busy server that had just finished seeing off another set of customers at the register. He smiles and gives her an unrushed greeting.

"Hi there, can I get a coffee with cream and sugar please. And maybe a slice of that mixed fruit cake too if I can." He points at one of the cakes in the fridge under the counter. As the girl begins to get his order together he takes a wallet from his left pocket and produces two dollar bills before setting them down on the counter as he waits for the girl to return.

Usually, Kaya wouldn't waste an entire day tailing some stranger as he went about his daily tasks, but she had heard BennyBohemian's name enough times for her to finally take interest and see him in action. There was fresh meat running around, they said, someone not from these shores but famed for his quick fingers and wit -- and he didn't disappoint. She watched him zip all over Detroit and building his rolodex of contacts, getting business done, and making a name for himself, slowly but surely. After only a few hours of watching him do his thing, Kaya knew she needed to meet him and get him working for her family if he was still on the market. If he wasn't, well, there were ways around that as well.

She watched as he set down his belongings on the table and headed inside the cafe. Kaya took the seat in front of where his coat hung and picked up the book on the table, flipping through its contents to see if there were any scribbled notes or messages in there. It didn't take long before Benny went back outside and her eyes met his, her lips curling up into a sly smile. "You know, my main takeaway from this book is that existential angst can be cured by copious amounts of alcohol. Preferably sipped in Spain and France, but that's optional. The alcohol is what's key."

"Take a seat, Benny. You and I have a lot to talk about." She set down the book gently on the table as she waited for him to take his place across her. Her smirk softened into a genuine smile as she held out a hand. "I'm Kaya. You don't know me yet, but I'm hoping to... work with you. I take it you haven't found employment yet? And I don't mean a nine-to-five --- a job that's... something much more... exciting?"

After lifting his coffee and cake from the counter Benny headed back outside to his table. As he stepped past the door he caught sight of a woman sitting at his spot, flicking through the pages of his book. She looked up and they caught eyes immediately, a devilish smile spread across her lips. As he neared the table and placed his coffee down she spoke. Benny let out just a slight laugh at her comment on his reading material.

He took her hand as she extended it. The distance of the table threatened to make the exchange a little awkward but Benny simple raised her hand a touch as he gave just a small nod of his head as a greeting. He let go and sat down across from her, lifting his left foot up to rest on his right knee.

"A pleasure, Kaya," he said with clear interest, "if I knew I'd be joined by company I would have gotten something for yourself as well." He slid his cup closer and took a sip. Rather than put it back on the table he kept it loosely cupped in his hands, one finger through the handle. "Excitement definitely does intrigue me. If it didn't I don't think I ever would have left home ..." he paused for just a second as his thought seemed to be elsewhere, "I'm guessing you already know what I've been up to here, otherwise you wouldn't be sitting across from me now with what looks like an offer on your mind. Go on then, what is it?" he asked with a knowing yet genuine smile. 'A clear and comfortable day's weather, a hefty envelope of cash in his pocket, and now a sharp-witted lady's company for lunch by the lake,' he thought to himself, 'coming to America was the best thing I ever done.'

A sassy latino of questionable gender wanders into the coffee shop

hey, chollo, how bout you put some a dat coffee over here ese?

"The pleasure's all mine." Kaya tilted her head to one side and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, looking at BennyBohemian with piqued curiosity. He oozed a certain confidence and had a certainty to his words that made Kaya wonder what kind of things he'd seen and done in the past. She's sure she'd learn about that at some point but decided it was probably better not to open that can of worms at the moment and stick to the business at hand. "Yes, you've built up quite the reputation for yourself in such a short time. Impressive, really."

"What do you know about organized crime in Chicago?" Kaya asked, a slight smile playing on her lips. Although she claimed to dislike recruiting new associates, she had always enjoyed the back and forth of selling this unconventional lifestyle to unsuspecting people. Their reactions were always different -- some flabbergasted, some unfazed, others running away screaming -- but Kaya always got the yes in the end, like a hunter stalking her prey. "We both know you've been dabbling in... less-than-legal activities as of late, but have you ever been part of something bigger? Something that can offer you protection, connections, and if you're lucky enough, maybe friendship as well?"

When Kaya mentioned organized crime in Chicago Benny would be lying if he said it didn't catch him slightly off-guard. He knew this was no ordinary lady, no one that you would find making idle gossip about eligible bachelors at the socialites' club, but he did no pin her as a high-stakes gangster. He uncrossed his legs as he took another sip of his coffee, then sat the cup back down on the table again.

"About Chicago I don't know too much," he said trying not to sound out of his depth, the last thing anyone wanted in this line of work was to be seen as being green, "but I'm guessing you might fill me in. You clearly know my business here so you know I don't have any strong ties anywhere yet. If you can offer me all that it sounds like I'd be a fool to refuse you," he laughed, then took another sip, "I might be new here in the States but I think I know enough to guess what my end of the bargain will be. A chunk of my wallet and my 'unquestioning loyalty'." He said the last term with just a hint of something else in his tone. Was is sarcasm, mockery, or reverence? He wasn't even sure himself what it was but the concept of loyalty was foreign to him. He had always been a wanderer and a vagabond, never staying in the one place or with the same people too long, so he had to say it with some form of derision in his mouth. 

He looked again with a smile at the woman sitting across from him and tried to give her a second assessment. Maybe he could see the gangster in her after all, or was that just him seeing it after he was told? He looked at her in the eye and tried to guess if they were the eyes of a killer. Highly probable, he thought to himself.

"A chunk of your wallet, most definitely. Unquestioning loyalty... debatable." Kaya replied coolly as she sat back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. "I, for one, believe that loyalty -- much like trust -- is earned and not demanded. If I were to offer you the world, right here and right now, in exchange for the promise that you'd do anything for me without even knowing what it is you'll be doing or who I am, what good would that be? If anything, it might just sow resentment... that you made a promise without knowing what you've gotten yourself into and who you've metaphorically gotten into bed with. And the last thing I want is for you to resent me... for you to resent this." Kaya said as she absentmindedly flicked her wrist, gesturing to their surroundings.

"Chicago is a fine place to be. People are always out and about but it's not too busy that you'd feel restless. Weather's fine, cool in the summer and a white Christmas. Not too far from Detroit either -- can't complain." Kaya tapped her fingers on the cool table and looked back at BennyBohemian. "Chicago's organized crime scene, however... it's not something I can talk about and give justice. On the outside looking in, it looks so complicated and you can't quite understand it, but when you're on the inside..." she trailed off with a small smile and a shake of the head. "You just can't explain it."

Kaya watched Benny carefully, trying to gauge if she was doing a good job at getting him in on this or if she was driving too hard of a bargain. She just enjoyed cutting to the chase and not wasting time is all, but it wouldn't hurt to get to know the man in front of her some more. "Why did you leave for this country anyway? And where from?"

Benny smiled and nodded as he sipped his coffee and listened to Kaya talk of earned loyalty. She made a good point that was for sure. And she definitely made Chicago sound more appealing than Benny had first thought of it. It was one that was on his list but not a city he had made it to yet. By the time she had almost finished talking he had practically sank his coffee, and it was only then that he realized he hadn't even touched his fruit cake yet. He broke a small piece off with his fingers and tossed it in his mouth, washing it down with the very last dreg of bitter coffee.

"Why did I come here?" Benny asked almost of himself with a chuckle. "To see the new world, experience the greatness of the jewel cities. New York, Philadelphia, maybe I'll even make it as far as Los Angeles and party it up with some movie stars someday," he laughed and imagined it for just a brief moment, "and as to where I'm from, God only knows, Kaya." He laughed more genuinely at that, and stole a glace at Kaya to see the amused confusion on her face which made him smile even more.

"You've convinced me anyways I'll say that. I'll try it out with you in Chicago. Detroit is a nice town for sure but I haven't got any strong ties here ... I mean, you've seen the penny-work I've been up to. Why don't we head somewhere else a bit warmer and I'll tell you a bit more me that you don't already know, maybe then you can decide where I'm from."

Benny delighted in being of a questionable origin. He was born in what is now Czechoslovakia to a rougher family of down-and-out lowlifes, but he left his home as soon as he was able so he could traverse Europe. He would stop for months or years at a time in some of the major and secondary cities living however he could, by usually less than honourable means. 

He took another chunk of the cake in his fingers and tossed it in his mouth. It was good, just moist enough without being soggy, but for some reason he had gone off it. He spotted a few birds pecking in the grass a few feet away and considered throwing them some crumbs.

With a curious look, Kaya raised an eyebrow at BennyBohemian, who was speaking in tongues and making Kaya wonder about his past even more. She stared at him with steely eyes for a few more seconds before letting out a sigh and smiling slightly. "It's okay if you don't like talking about where you're from and what you've done. The Lord knows I'm the same." A shiver ran through her spine and Kaya chose to believe it was because of the cold instead of the bitter memories of her childhood that came flooding in as soon as she said that. "The past can stay where it belongs. I was given a clean slate in Chicago and I'm sure you will be given one too." 

Kaya wasn't exactly famed for her cordiality and friendliness, but made her clam up faster than anyone asking about her past or family life. She usually told people her parents were dead, died in a bad accident or something along those lines. While it's true that her mom died giving birth to her, Kaya would never tell anyone that -- much less the fact that her father is a grade-A asshole who made her childhood a living hell. She'd much rather think of him as dead, and if it were up to her, she'd plant the bullet in his head herself.

She unclenched her jaw and cleared her head of everything she wanted to forget a looked back at Benny, nodding. "Well, we could go for a walk along this beautiful park. That might warm you up. If that doesn't do it..." Kaya met Benny's eyes with that same devious smile creeping up on her lips again. "Maybe the adrenaline rush of doing something you shouldn't be might do the trick. Yes, I have seen you in action and heard what you can do, but never firsthand. Consider it as a sort of... test."

"Picture this -- it's time to pay your tribute to the family in an hour and yet you're a few hundred dollars short of what you're due. What do you do? 'Course, I'll go with you to observe... adds a bit of spice to the whole getting to know each other bit, don't you think?"

It was a beautiful morning.  The sun was shining, birds were singing, and today she was going to be shopping for real estate.  A week ago she was a nobody plugging away in a death-trap factory and today... today she was an associate of one a feared and respected mafia family who was funding her dream project.  

Spotting the coffee house first she went inside and ordered a breakfast roast, two shots of cream and three sugars - to go.  She could have sat inside but why do that when there was perfectly good benches outside and great weather to enjoy?  Soon it would be winter and winters in Michigan were something else.  She'd have cabin fever before it was done for sure!

Coffee in hand Abby wandered out to a bench near the pond and watched the ducks swimming about.  She eyed the bags of bread to feed them and thought about buying some but it seemed wasteful.  Not two blocks from here there was some family that didn't have even breadcrumbs to feed their kids and here well-off folks were throwing them to ducks for entertainment.  She might be a gangster now, but within only a minute Abby decided that there were some things that had to give even criminals pause.

Silent she sat drinking her coffee, thinking about the future.

Here he was again, making his rounds, and he almost thought that this place would have left him for a moment, he thought about the moment's with Ronnie, the times when he was well and truly happy for a moment, the man had known him quite well. Only for this to happen, for a moment he knew he had to forget, so he walked forward and decided to order himself a coffee, lingering around for a moment as he wandered aimlessly, seemingly losing his foot as he bumped into a bench. 

Scoffing to himself, he wondered what was wrong with him at that moment, looking up he found that he had in fact bumped into someone. Sitting down, he decided that maybe this was the best way to simply apologize or maybe he was looking for some to grieve too. Either way, he was doing something that found his lips moving before he even thought about what he was saying.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to do that, just lost myself there."

He gave pause, he did lose himself there, in memories that would best be forgotten. Something that he knew would not do well in these moments, for a moment, he looked at the woman and shook his head a little. It would have been noticeable, yet he played it off like he had done nothing, with a soft smile, he looked at the lake and the almost peaceful existence it had in these moments. 

"My name's Rom, some people call me Rommy, I'm here....well, I don't know exactly why I'm here. What are you doing here?"

He chuckled, quite awkwardly as well, he knew how odd and weird that would come off. Yet he simply stared back at the lake, his eyes unmoving for a moment as he continued watching, wishing for that kind of peace. Even if for a little while, he wished to be dragged into that peace and to not look back, yet that was a fool's wish. His life was what it was because he made it so, he did not regret it, but he could wish for such things in his life. 

How a man bumped into a bench, she couldn't figure.  The only logical answers were either he was a bit slow or maybe he didn't know how to talk to women he was interested in but didn't yet know.  When he spoke, he didn't sound like any kind of waterhead so, the later seemed most likely.  Abby smiled and offered her hand.

"Abby.  Good to meet you Rom.  I'm... uh, just enjoying some morning coffee and watching the ducks.  Seemed like a fine day to get outside so I figured why not come to a park?"  

A reasonable woman would make small talk about the weather or maybe about some local sports team.  It was the sort of thing people did when they didn't know each other but felt compelled to talk.  Abby, however, was feeling a little devilish.  Maybe it was all that hanging out with gangsters that had her feeling naughty.  She hadn't yet done anything criminal but she knew that part was coming... and soon and it excited her.  So, maybe there wasn't any harm in avoiding the expected in conversation.

"You must be pretty distracted.  I hope you don't get a bruise."  She honestly didn't care if he got a bruise trying to flirt.  It was well earned if he couldn't come up and say hello like a normal person.  No, if this was his way of introducing himself she was going to make him work for it and invent a story for his distraction.  At least that way she'd be entertained before telling him that she had no interest in dating right now.

"You... uh... wanna talk about it?  I'm a decent listener and being that we're perfect strangers with nothing else going on - I'd enjoy the company and it might make you feel better to talk to someone who isn't invested in your troubles?"  She gave a gentle nod to the seat beside her.

"Abby, nice name, short for anything? Abigail?" 

He wondered, yet making the small talk was not helping at all, he felt like he was lying to himself ever so slightly, she was clearly not invested, the way she seemed to hold herself. It was like she had been hoping for a game of some kind, turning his head, he finally met her eyes facing her with that boyish grin in place. The one that he always placed with people he never knew, like a barrier from getting to the raw uncut truth with him, something that he had perfected over the last few months. 

"Plenty reasons for that, but they both involved death and kidnapping..."

A seemingly rare chuckle escaped him at that moment before turning his head away, abruptly, his eyes could not help but simply continue to look at the moments of peace. Ones that he wished he had for a moment, ones that he never truly understood for a moment until now. As if everything was finally getting into colour, there were no shades of black, white, and grey. Everything was heading with one direction, red. Missing his friend, he shook his head once again, ridding those thoughts from his head.

"Now why do I doubt those words? We both know that I was not the greatest introducing myself, I bumped into a bench for god sakes. Heh, just have a lot on my mind..."

Watching her, he saw that she adopted one look, he was still cautious. So he tilted his head to the side, wondering if for a moment if she was being genuine, moments like these, ones where you met people and later down the line, you'd find out who they really are. So who was Abby-Whitehill? With a grin that basically said fuck it he found himself opening up for a rare moment. 

"I lost my friend, he got shot...apparently, he was mouthing one night or another. He was a good guy, someone who held my respect...he...got killed by a few people. It's the way of the business I'm in, sometimes, I wonder if that's all this is for a moment. He was the closest thing I had to family, so without him here...his words, wisdom, even. I feel a bit lost, hence why I...bumped into a bench."

His voice was filled with nothing, not a crack in his tone as his voice was low. As if processing the moments he had read the obits in the newspaper, all he knew was that nothing like that had happened to him before. Where he felt such a loss that meant nothing to him. Shaking his head, he gave Abby a little smile that barely reached his eyes, simply wondering what she was thinking right now.

“Gee whiz,  I’m real sorry to hear about your friend.  I suppose you got a good reason to bump in the benches.  Don’t think nothing of it. It wasn’t a big deal. And truth be told I don’t mind the company. I just thought maybe… Never mind what I thought it was silly.  You have my sympathy.“

abby looked out over the water. “This friend of yours, what was his name? Not that I probably knew him but, I don’t mind hearing more about your friend if you want to talk about him. I had some people and you die recently, nothing like the circumstances you dealt with but losses losses it kind of sucks to not have anyone to talk about it with.Better a stranger in a park bench that no one at all.”

Abby looked over to the breadcrumbs again. Forgetting about her altruism earlier, she quickly said to her new acquaintance, “just a moment.”

Abby ran over and handed a nickel to the vendor and brought back a bag, instantly the ducks came running.  Clearly the little things knew what the bag meant. Abby smiled and opened the bag offering a handful to ROM.

”Would you look at that! I think if we don’t feed them they’re going to attack us.”

"Should I guess what you thought?"

His eyebrow rose back to her, a soft snicker escaping him then as he found himself on the receiving end of sympathy. Something that shouldn't have been reserved for him, they had both been involved with the life that had brought them to this moment. For a time, it was just that, the moments where they had been friends and not in the life that had brought them both to their knees. A bitter smile played at his lips as he looked back at her, noticing that she had stood, heading over to the vendor. 

For a moment, the time alone had been welcomed, unlike the moments where booze rested at the side of him. Where he would give way to the darkness that rested currently, wishing for a way to influence him, he shook his head. Rom knew he was stronger than that, he had survived so much to be here...and this is what he became, one of the people in the world that did not start out a gangster but became one out of....circumstance. 

"The ducks? You want to feed....the ducks?"

The pause in his voice was easy to note, he was not currently in the mood to do so. Yet the way the ducks continued running at them, he stood to his feet and looked at her with another blank face. He shook his head, bowing his head as he wondered what he was going to do here for a moment. 

"Fine, feeding the ducks it is...though if I get quacked I'll be blaming you, see?"

Chuckling, he took a handful of crumbs. Spreading it out for the ducks who came rushing as if they were ravenous animals craving a single taste of flesh. It was honestly the slightest bit interesting for him, something like this, it was not what he did on a regular basis. Yet, the peace came over him and all he knew was that this was especially just...relaxing. 

Maybe Abby-Whitehill had an idea, he looked at her for another moment, did she do this on purpose? Rom didn't exactly know, but he loved it nonetheless with a small smile, he continued feeding the ducks....

Sal saw this coffee shop and it seemed something special from the outside view. He decided to take a look. Entered the spot and looked around. It really was something special. He found an empty table and took a seat. Ordered himself a cup of tea, instead of usual coffee, he tries the tea, fuck it. While waiting for his tea, he smoked few cigarettes. Waitress brought his tea, Sal thanked her as always and gave her a little tip for kind service. She thanked him and excused herself. Sal tasted the tea and it was absolutely fabulous. He never had such a good cup of tea in his entire life, not even in China. When he finished his amazing tea, he paid for it, thanked the owner and waitress, he walked out.

A series of thoughts flittered through her mind. 

Quacked... like wacked?  Business?  Is this guy connected? 

His friend being shot didn't mean anything for sure but it certainly did make Abby wonder.  Asking someone wasn't a straight forward thing though.  Folks got touchy when you asked things like that.  

She took a handful of bread crumbs and threw a bit out in front of herself speaking her own witty retort softly.  "Don't worry.  I'll protect you from our feathered friends.  They won't want to mess with me cause I know people who would have 'em turned into patte so fast it would make their little heads spin."

Abby stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye, trying to see if there was a reaction which would confirm her suspicion.  She gave him a reassuring smile and then looked back to the ducks.

"Your from Detroit then?  Not just passing through?"

"Oh! My saviour then, these ducks would want me sleeping with them soon enough it seems..."

With that he lazily tilted his head to the side, his eyes light and filled with some kind of excitement at the prospect of the ducks having those kinds of thoughts. Shaking his head, he knew that it was weird for a moment and maybe it was something that could happen in some crazy world, yet here he was. Stuck for a moment and enjoying his time, for however long he had it and allowed himself to just enjoy at that moment. Turning his head, he met her eyes, he could see that a series of emotions played on her face...his eyebrow rose.

One emotion was most prominent, one that he knew oh so well and that was curiosity, almost like a driving one as well. Yet it stopped there, she never asked any questions, it just stopped, and she soon went back to feeding the ducks. There was still something there, like she wished, but he didn't push and neither did she, he was grateful for that as he continued tossing the crumbs, lazily but still, it kept his mind off the thoughts the life he lived.

"Ah...you'd make this ducks enter a meeting that they would never walk out of? The shame Abby, that duck or those ducks are your friends!"

His own sarcasm was easy to flow, as if he was actually enjoying himself. The smirk that played at his lips, yet he bowed his head and once again, he met her eyes, she kept stealing glances and if he didn't know any better, he would say that she was most definitely admiring him. Only he did know better, so he stepped closer to her ever so slightly as he gave her a genuine smile in return, one that came with ease.

Though her question sure threw him off, Abby-Whitehill sure knew how to slowly move into different avenues of what she wanted. Giving her that eyebrow raise, he wondered what she got from this. With boyish smile, he turned his head away, deciding whether to play a small game here. She seemed curiosity, yet not enough that it would warrant her anger. 

"Why? Are you going to miss me already? And here I thought me being the clumsy man that I am would have ruined my chances..."

He placed his left hand, the one not filled with bread crumbs, over his heart as if surprised. Yet the smirk on his lips gave it away, he was enjoying himself, once again. So he made sure that he could at least give her some kind of enjoyment back, titling his head, he decided what could be the problem with her knowing?

"Yeah I live in Detroit, I love this place a little too much to simply just pass through. It holds a lot of memories, plus, it's where I work, so it's always something I guess..."

With that, he looked at her for a moment, his lips twitching up for the slightest of moments, why did she wish to ask him that question though? He shrugged, maybe he was reading that all wrong...