Addie sat on her stool and stirred the pasta and the sauce she was preparing for Billy.  She had just gotten moved into her new apartment and he was coming over to visit it.  Normally she would have made him an elaborate meal, but she had found the bummed leg was more of a hindrance than she had anticipated.  So tonight it was going to be Fusilli with a tomato based meat sauce.  She had a bottle of Pirnot Noir open on the counter which she was cooking with.  It would also be the wine pairing for the meal.

Standing up she used the crutches, to take her the few steps to another counter that held her purse.  Reaching into it she pulled out an envelope with her pain medication in it.  She had a few more doses left so she hoped the pain started to get better soon.  She couldn't imagine trying to function with that kind of pain.  Popping the pill she put the rest back into her purse and went to the cabinet that held all the dishware.  Pulling down two plates and two wine glasses she left them on the counter.  Billy could put them on the table when he got there.

Billy had taken far too long at the florist. It was nice out, and that meant he should get bright flowers, but he didn't know what kind. Eventually he decided on some yellow ones which looked pretty but didn't smell all that much. Either way, he knew the florist overcharged him. Flowers were never this expensive anywhere else.

He reached the apartment and knocked on the door, only to turn the handle and let himself inside.

"Hey Addie. It's me. I hope you only leave this door unlocked like this when you're expecting someone. You know there are people who would gladly kill any of us better than most."

He smiled as he smelled the cooking coming from the kitchen and followed his nose to find his cousin sitting in front of the stove.

"Smells great! What are we having?"

He placed the flowers on the table and then started to open cabinets to look for a vase, or a glass big enough to hold them at the very least.

"Oh those are lovely!"  She pointed to the cabinet next to the refrigerator.  "Top Shelf.  Also can you set the table?"

She smiled at him and stirred everything a final time.  Slipping off the stool she turned the gas off.  Then she moved the pasta pan to the hot pad next to the sink before she hopped herself over.  Using the strainer, she drained the pasta.

"We are having Fusilli and meat sauce with nice Pinot Noir, and for your information I have picked up some security.  If you did not see them than they must be doing a fine job of blending in outside like I have asked them to do.... also the door was unlocked because I knew you were coming."  She grinned at him.

Billy reached up and grabbed the vase with ease, setting it down next to the sink.

"Alright, you fill that with water for the flowers and I will set your table for you."

He winked at her and then picked up the dishes making his way over to the table.

"I'm glad that you've got some guys watching over your place now. Also, dinner sounds great, I just have one question. You didn't mention dessert at all. Was I supposed to bring that?"

His face fell as his eyes darted around the room. There was no sign of anything prepared. He might have to send Oscar out to the bakery sooner rather than later.

She smirked at him and grabbed the vase.  Setting the strainer and pasta out of the sink and on the counter, she ran water into the vase.

"I have a cheese cake chilling in the refrigerator that I made earlier.  Will that do?"

She chuckled at him and shook her head.  Do he really think that a born and bred Sicilian woman would be without a dessert to offer?  Leaving the vase for him to come get she hopped back over to where her crutches were.  With a sigh of frustration she also left the wine on the counter for Billy to grab.  She hated not being able to do the most simplest of tasks.

"Speaking of guards.... how would you feel if Charlie and I went out on a date sometime?"

Billy almost dropped the plate he was holding.

"Charlie? Really?"

He gently placed the plate on the table and then turned to get the vase and the wine she had left on the counter.

"I thought you liked Silvio? Also, why Charlie? He's a great guy, I just, I've never seen him with a girl before."

For the first time in Charlie's emplyoment, Billy had a recollection of just how much time the man really spent in his company. Billy was going to have to find another body man. Charlie deserved time away to live his own life.

"I wouldn't have a problem with it though, no. We just have to find me another body man, cause Charlie is the best there is, so you'd be covered."

He smiled then and picked up the vase and wine to put on the table.

"Why don't you go take a seat and I'll bring the pasta in a second. You did all the cooking after all, let me do something."

He knew it was the most un-Italian thing to say. For the woman to sit down? In her own house? He wasn't even sure Nonna knew HOW to sit down, and that's who Addie had grown up watching. But she was still hurt, so she should rest.

"Oh Silvio is fun to hang around usually, but it isn't like we are a serious couple or anything.  I just saw Charlie looking at me the other day and I know he would never come ask me directly because he works for you.  He is too professional for that."  She took a seat resignedly, knowing she could do nothing else.  

"I mean he is a bit older than I, but obviously he has a great sense of humor.... he works for you."  She grinned mischievously, her eyes sparkled with her playful manner. 

Billy nodded as he poured a little bit of sauce into the pasta to keep it from sticking together.

"You're right about that, he would never ask you without coming to me first, and I doubt that he would do that seeing as you're actually family."

He picked up the pasta and ladled some extra sauce into a separate bowl, bringing them both over to the table. He set them down and then made his way back to the icebox to look for cheese.

"Where do you keep the cheese?"

He turned then and lowered his gaze.

"Why don't you two have a conversation about it? You know, go on a sort of date thingy. Coffee or something. I'll give him the day off tomorrow and you two can talk about what you want to do. Cause what if he wants a long term thing and you don't? Or what if you do, and he doesn't?"

He turned back and mumbled.

"Cheese, cheese, cheese."

"Down on the bottom shelf.  All the way to the back with the cheesecloth wrapped around it."

She opened the bottle of wine and poured both glasses for them.  

"Coffee might be fine idea.  Did he come with you tonight?  I could ask him before you guys leave."

It was then that she realized the bread was not on the table, but this was something she could do herself.  Getting up she went over to the cabinet where she pulled out a loaf.  Grabbing the cloth bag that hung nearby, she placed the bread in the bag and flung the strap over her head.  It was in this manner she managed to get it an herself back to the table.  The success created a huge smile on her face.

Billy guffawed when he turned around to see Addie crossing the room looking like a sort of backwards beaver.

"What are you doing? You're being real silly you know that?"

He wiped his eyes then and set the cheese on the table before scooping some pasta onto Addie's plate, and then his own. He did not sit across from her, but rather sat on the corner next to her, just like when they were kids.

"Of course I brought my body man with me. He's outside keeping an eye on things. You want me to go get him?"

"Are you serious?  The poor man will think he is being interrogated or something.  I will talk to him just before you leave."

She cut a piece of bread for each of them and put them on the plates.  "How are things with you and Roar?  It seemed to me that you guys had pretty much picked up from where you left off."

She waited for Billy to start eating first, but hungrily joined him once he had begun.  

Billy nodded.

"Kind of I guess. I don't know there's something about it all that doesn't fit right just yet. There's a lot of 'I love you' both in word and deed really, but not a whole lot of other substance right now, and that worries me a bit."

He cut off a small sliver of cheese and dipped it into his pasta tasting the two together.

"We are gonna get married though, so that's progress I guess. And she's pregnant, so I'm gonna be a dad. I'm scared of that part."

His voice lowered seemingly of it's own accord, as if speaking ill of the dead might invoke their wrath.

"I just don't want to be like my dad. I want to give the kids everything you know? I just want to show them that they are loved. And I thought I would have more time to show Aurora before kids came into the picture. I gotta pound it into her that I love HER and not just what she is doing for us."

He put down his fork and leaned back in the chair.

"You... you think you might have any ideas on how I can do that? I mean you don't know Aurora really, and she's not like most women, but she IS still a woman, so maybe you have some magic sight that I don't got."

"I am not like most women."  Addie never felt like she was qualified to give anyone life lessons, especially in the area of relationships.  Either she felt to young or something.  She did not feel like a wise old sage.

"Well I would think loving her children would go a long way.  Other than that I would say become a partner with her in all things.  Let her know that she comes before anything else.  Listen to her.... I mean really listen.  Be honest with her.  Communicate with her."

Addie shrugs.  "Find out what it is that makes her feel loved.  I think it is different for different people.  I know I feel loved with physical touch, but maybe for her it is receiving gifts or just spending time with you."

She chuckled, "I don't know how good of advice any of that is, but it is the best I have.  I am usually the one come to Gio and you for advice"

She picked up her wine glass and took a sip before taking another bite of the pasta before leaning back in her chair.

"To be honest I feel like my life is in many regards a disaster right now.  I have no idea what I am doing or even where I want to go.  Worse I have not the slightest idea how to go about fixing it."

Billy swallowed and then shook his head.

"I didn't know you felt like that. Why didn't you say something? What is it that's bothering you. Don't let me just sit here and go on and on about my shit. Addie, we are family. I love you, there's no way I'm going to be happy until you are."

He leaned forward in his chair and put the wine glass down, setting down everything so it was just him, and her, and her wine.

"Well, spill it. What's up?"

Addie chuckled and shrugged.  "That is what I am trying to tell you.  I can feel and see that my life is a mess for the most part, but I don't know why it is like that.  I am all over the place.  I have no direction.  I don't even know what direction would bring me fulfillment and happiness.  Or if a direction chosen would only tie me down to a life of mediocre."

Addie buried her face in her hands and mumbled into them, "I am sure I am sounding like a crazy person here."  With a sigh she looked back at him.  "Just ignore me.  I will work through this.  I have just got to find who I am and I know that no one can answer that except me.  This is something that I have to do."

Billy nodded.

"Nah, I get that."

He reached out and picked up his wine.

"But I'm not going to ignore you. I'll tell you what I would do if I were you. Try something. Literally anything at all. See if it brings you any joy or fulfillment. And if not, you can always leave it to someone else to continue. In the end you might figure out that there's nothing that's doing it for you, and that's alright, because you can give other folks something to do, some purpose until you figure out what drives you."

He sipped his wine and then looked at his cousin.

"Does that make any sense?"

Addie nodded and looked at the wine her cousin was drinking.  "Maybe that is it!"  She smiled and looked back at him.

"What about a high-end social wine club?  I can showcase all kinds of wines, and cheeses, and exotic foods.  I would charge for a membership and as well as for the amenities.  What do you think about that?"

Billy smiled.

"I like it. I haven't ever seen anything like that here. Not just in Vegas mind you, but in Detroit or Philly either. There were cheese and wine shops, but nothing catering to high end clients and certainly no exotic foods."

He sipped at his wine and nodded.

"And God knows you know enough about wine."

He laughed a bit.

"We just need to find you some contacts, and then get you some money to get it going. What do you think you'll need? How can I help?"

"I will sit down with pen and paper after supper and start to work on a business plan.  I will let you know."

She finished her dinner.

"Any way before my trip to crazyland... you were talking about you and Roar?  Do you think she may just need some time to re-adjust to having you back?  I mean she has to be afraid of losing you again and fear makes people act strangely at times."

Billy nodded and went back to eating.

"Maybe. But there's a real connection between us. Always has been. It's deeper than just being in the same place. It goes back to our parents. There's a reason we found each other. There's something bigger than us alone."

He meant every word of what he said, and yet, he was very afraid. Afraid mostly of what the bigger thing was. He did not like knowing what was coming. Or rather, he didn't like not being able to be ready for whatever it was. If you were in a fight, at least you knew what the other guy was fighting with. It was the guy hiding behind the trees that jumped out that really pissed Billy off.

"So, are you gonna come to the wedding when we decide it's going to be? You always looked real pretty Addie, but if you try to upstage the bride that day I might have to cut you off."

He winked at her as he picked off a piece of bread and cleaned his plate of sauce.