A customer came in, and Millie managed to help them with their order. For Millie, every minute that passed felt like an hour. On one hand, she hadn't heard any more shots; but that could mean far too many other things. She was beginning to try and make up her mind to go and investigate if she didn't hear from her brother or Garou in a few more minutes. After the customer was gone, Millie began to pace. She was trying so hard to be positive, but there was a nagging heaviness in the pit of her stomach. Every now and then she'd stop at the window and look again, praying to see two figures heading back toward the bakery. 

"Don't try to speak Anthony. I'll take care of it, of everything."

His knee touched down on the ground as he simply waited beside his friend, knowing that on this occasion, time was the one thing not on his side. His mind was becoming flooded with thoughts of Millie, how she would react, her words, her sorrow. As his gaze turned back to Anthony, he saw the lights finally go out as his eyes gently closed for the final time.

"My dear friend, rest well with the angels."

Turning his head back to the two men, his pulse soon quickened, the adrenaline being allowed to rage through his system once more. Rising back up, clutching the gun in his grip, he briefly inspected it before pointing it at the larger man whom had clearly been the one to take on this pathetic act.

"Right, let us begin." Garou spoke clearly.

"I am going to explain the situation to you both but I can assure you of this, it's not going to be to your liking. Firstly, you shot a man on our turf. That was mistake number one. Next, you shot a man who was actually a friend and part of my family. If you didn't already understand the severity of the situation you find yourself in, you now should."

He looked at the smaller man was was shaking, clearly more of a novice at this than his counter-part who saw himself as some kind of hotshot. "We are gonna have a chat and I am gonna gather some information which I should never have been privy too. The twist on this is, I don't need two of you to gain that intel."

Lifting the gun, he shot the larger man at point blank range as he watched the body collapse to the ground in front of him.

"I'm not one to allow one of my own to die without some form of compensation. Anthony, this was for you."

Flinging the incrimanting weapon to his bodyguards, he then gave them his orders. "Discard of the gun. Discard of this body. Bring Anthony somewhere safe so that we can prepare his funeral, then I want this Queens gentleman here brought to a warehouse we recently procured within the Bronx, I will provide the address shortly. In the mean time, I have a tough talk that I need to talk care of..."

Leaving the alley, he began his slow walk back to the Bakery, to the awaiting Millie.

Millie had taken her seat back at the table they had all been sharing lunch over just a few minutes ago. Over and over, she tried to tell herself that any minute her brother and Garou would return and they could finish eating together. No matter what she told herself, though, the words felt hollow. She watched out the window, her hands folded tightly as if she'd been praying. 

Finally, she saw Garou round the corner. Millie rose from her chair, her heart leaping up into her throat. Her eyes looked past him, waiting to see Anthony. Nothing. Millie swallowed hard and ran to the door, pushing her way outside to the front. Again, she looked at Garou, who was nearly to the shop, but there was no Anthony. Her eyes flickered back to Garou, whose face was even, but grim. 

Something inside Millie suddenly felt very broken. It physically hurt her. Her eyes had already started to spill over with tears. As Garou reached the sidewalk, her hands reached for the front of his shirt. Gripping it with shaking, weak fingers, she pleaded with him not to bear the news her heart already knew. 

"No...please...please. Anthony...."

Millie looked up to Garou, trembling like a little girl, and not sure she could bear the words. 

​​​​​​

His heart wore heavy on his soul. This day had begun as something truly special. The glow in Millies' eyes at the bakery when he had first arrived and she brought him her freshly made specialities. The shining aura of happiness that eminated from her as she effortlessly glided around the shop floor, proud of her little business that she had helped to build up into something truly fantastic. It all flooded back to him in one single moment.

"Millie, I...."

The words. They just didn't want to leave his lips. Almost like some form of protection mechanism was trying to prevent him from uttering that which he knew would break her heart.

As he looked at her, he could visably see the flood of emotions flow through her form. The sadness, the anger, the sorrow, the frustration, all mixed into a cocktail of despair.

"I.....was....too late.."

He was never usually a man who didn't know the right words for the situation that he found himself in. His sharp tongue had managed to help him evade many close encounters during his younger years but this was entirely different. Reaching out, he put his arms around Millie and simply held her tight.

"I am sorry Millie."

Pulling tighter, he could feel her rage and tears begin to take control. All he could do was be there for her and take on the role of protector, an attempt to try and fill the new void in her soul as much as possible, knowing that there would never truly be a way to remove the pain entirely.

At first, Millie just stared past Garou as the shock overtook her, like a wave at high tide that would pull her under. Her hands gripped his shoulders as she suddenly didn't trust her knees to keep her upright. Finally, she just let the tears come. 

Just like that, in the middle of lunch, her brother was gone. His meal was still sitting on the table. He'd just been right there. How was he never coming back? What would she do? How could she support their mother in her failing health? 

Millie bit her lower lip, trying to pull herself together for Garou. He was one of the kindest men she'd ever met, but he was her boss and she didn't want to ruin his shirt. Straightening herself up, she swiped at her tear-stained cheeks with the back of her hand. 

"I'm...I don't know what to do right now. I have to tell Mother. Oh, God what in the world do I say? She didn't know Anthony was doing anything...other than working at the docks. What do I tell her?" 

There were a million questions now racing through her mind. Glancing up at Garou, she asked sheepishly. 

​​​​​​"Would you please take me home?" 

His hand remained rested on her shoulder as he watched panic set in. Her mind racing through question after question, it was all part of the shock factor and he knew it. It was difficult as no words would be able to fully fix this situation. There was no click of the fingers, no large lump sum payment, no quick solution.

Looking down for a moment, the falling rain increasing in volume now as the weather almost seemed to mourn with the pair, he finally spoke. "Millie, let's get you home. I will accompany you and I will remain nearby for as long as you need me there, just so you feel safe."

Placing his arm further around her shoulder for support, he began to escort Millie to the nearby vehicle, the hardship of the day being far from over. Looking over to his Bodyguards who maintained their watchful surveillance over the area, he raised his hand from his pocket and signalled for them to clear his schedule for the remainder of the day.

"Millie, I don't want you to worry about anything for the future. In term's of finances, you will have my full backing. I know that Anthony adored the Bakery as much as you so let me make you this one promise before we go anywhere. The Bakery, it's yours. I will speak to Vito and ensure he receives a substantial offer to transfer the deeds of the property to your name. It's the least I can do."

Arriving at the vehicle, he opened the backdoor and helped her slowly step inside. "For now, focus on you and your mother."

Garou's words were both stunning and comforting. Before she got into the car, Millie hugged him tightly again, closing her eyes as if it would somehow slow the tears. 

"Thank you...thank you so much. You're...you're just...so kind."

In truth, she was kind of at a loss for words. What came out was the best she could do at the moment; but she suspected that Garou understood. 

The ride to the Forman's apartment building was long and quiet. Millie watched the city pass by from the window, only speaking to give the driver directions. Everyone was going about their day as if the world hadn't just ceased to turn. It felt like she was in some strange reality that only sat parallel to the rest of the world. For the first time in her life, she felt so terribly alone, and vulnerable. Anthony had been a constant force of calm and protection in her life. Now, she felt exposed. 

Her eyes flickered to Garou as they made the final turn into her neighborhood. He wasn't what she had imagined when Anthony first told her he'd agreed to work with the New York mob. Of course, she knew Garou had a side that she certainly wouldn't want to be on; and he had just run toward gunfire in an alley way; but the man sitting beside her right now didn't seem the cold, ruthless criminal that the papers painted a picture of. Without a second thought, he'd promised to pick up where Anthony left off. She broke her gaze before he noticed, and instead looked at the building coming up. 

Their apartment building was in a blue collar part of town. Kids played in the street with hand-me-down clothes and worn through shoes. The building was at least 30 years old. Millie sighed, looking down. She cleared her throat and managed a grateful smile. 

"Thank you for the ride. It's a long walk to make alone."

She hesitated a little. 

"I'd ask you in, but I don't know how Mom is going to do with this. Sometimes she doesn't really even recognize us."

As the vehicle pulled to a halt, he turned to Millie, placing his hand into his jacket and removing a small envelope containing a healthy stack of freshly pressed banknotes.

"I want you to have this money. It's not a huge amount but it's something at least. Keep it in a safe place and use it as needed for anything your Mother or family home may require."

The night was quickly beginning to consume the final light of the day but his thoughts continued to be lost in the events that has transpired. Could he have done anything different? Could he have seen the signs before Anthony had left? He stuggled to calculate all the possible scenarios at this point, the weight too heavy. Opening the rear door on his right, he swiftly moved around to her side of the vehicle and gripping the handle, gently pulled. Extending a hand to assist her step out, he then sent a warm smile in her direction.

"The next few hours won't be easy for you, I am aware of this. Just handle it the best that you know how, this is all you can do Millie. She will need your support right now, that is all that matters. Be by her side and take the time you both need to mourn. Don't be ashamed to cry, to feel, to love. He was a special man and he deserves every ounce of emotion that we hold for him."

As Millie stepped out of the vehicle, he offered her his forearm to hold onto as they began to walk together towards the place she had spent much of her youth growing up in. If the pain he felt was this severe, he couldn't even fathom the full range of emotions running through her body right now. Reaching the entrance, he gave her one more quick embrace, a transfer of whatever internal strength he count spare for her at this point.

"I will remain out here for a while. I need to handle some business which must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Should you need me for anything, I am but a few small steps away Millie."

As a second car arrived shortly behind them, he walked over to it, the window slowly lowering. Within, sat four of his most trusted bodyguards, some of the best in the business at what they do. "Keep watch over her and her Mother tonight. If you see anything out of the ordinary, I expect you to handle it, no exceptions." With all four men simply nodding in confirmation of his orders, he then returned to his own vehicle, taking a seat and starting to play through a number of future scenarios he saw upcoming.

Late That Night

Quietly, Millie closed the door to her Mother's bedroom. With a heavy sigh, she leaned against the door frame and closed her eyes. It had been harder to explain everything than she thought. Millie had chosen to tell her mother that there had been an accident at the docks rather than the horrible reality of the situation. Mrs. Foreman had tried to understand, but for most of the time kept asking who Anthony was. Now, Millie was shattered inside and out. Dragging herself to her bedroom, she forced herself not to look into Anthony's room. Everything was too fresh, too raw. Looking into his room where he was supposed to be would just break her. 

Once in her own room, she drew back the sheer curtain slightly and looked down. In the light of a street lamp, she saw a dark sedan parked with a few figures inside. She knew the car to be one of the ones driven by Garou's men. Their presence was a comfort, and finally Millie sat on the edge of her bed

There was a glass of water and a pill waiting for her. The day nurse that stayed with Mrs. Foreman had given it to her to help her sleep. Gratefully, she took the pill and drank the water. As she laid down, she felt an uneasiness deep inside her. With Anthony gone, she was the sole provider now. She had to make sure her mother was cared for, and try to make her own way in this world. She'd only just turned 20. Up until this point, she'd felt quite grown up. Now, curled up in her bed, she just felt like a little girl that had lost her big brother. 

The Next Morning 

When the day nurse arrived, Millie was already up and dressed and had coffee on the stove. She sat at the small kitchen table, holding her cup in both hands as she wondered how the rest of the day would go. Her Mother would wake up the same as every day, mostly oblivious with only brief moments of full lucidity. Maybe, in a way, that was a blessing. No mother should have to live through burying her children. 

When the clock struck 9, Millie stood and took her purse from the back of her chair. After a few words with the nurse, Millie headed downstairs to the street. The men from the night before were still there, and one got out to open the front seat door for her. Nodding her thanks, Millie climbed in and sat back. She wore a black dress that she'd only worn once before, when her Aunt Erma had passed away. It was a simple dress with elbow length cuffed sleeves and a black Peter Pan collar. Her hair was swept back into a bun. 

The ride to thy HQ was very quiet, and passed by quickly as she was lost in so many thoughts. One of the guards helped her out of the car and escorted her into the large entrance. Millie suddenly felt a bit nervous. She'd never been there before. For that matter, this would be only the third time she would have met with Garou; though they'd already been through quite a lot more than strangers. The guard showed her to a comfortable wing back chair and went off to let the boss know she was there. Millie sat and waited, clutching her purse and looking down at her fingers.