"I did see the advertisement, MIss, yes.  I wasn't sure which publication it was in but that sounds as though it might do.   I was reading it a railway station coming into Detroit. "

She looks down at the dress and chuckles, shaking her head ruefully.

It's hand made, truly Miss.  My mum's the one what sewn it though; I've no hand for a needle and thread.  I can spin and weave though, but I don't see much use for those skills here.  So many tailors I've seen!

"So many tailors and so many requests. Everyone looks the same after a while. No one gives a damn anymore about originality or the decadence of something handcrafted and made with love. Your mother is gifted. The dress is beautiful and you wear it well."

She pulls out the chair for Siobhan and then seats herself opposite her. 

"Now as for the advertisment, I kept the description vague because I'll be needing a Jack of all trades. My time's been cut short lately so what I'd initially hoped for as an apprentice has become the need for someone more independent. Have you managed a club before? Or served tables at least?"

I've nae managed before, but I am handy with pulling a pint now and again; I helped in my uncle's bar for a couple years before he closed it down. 

Siobhan looks around, her dark blue eyes wide.

Nothing quite so lovely as this though; truth be told.   I'm a quick study though; I think I could handle it given a chance!

"I wouldn't need you for any book work. I'm pretty hands on about that. A lot of things I have to keep off the books. And some people to keep on." Via looked over and her smile was soured a little bit by the sight of the police commissioner on the floor with who she assumed would be his fourth wife soon.

"I just need someone to look after the place for me. You'll get a very fair wage, two squares, Mondays off and a small room upstairs that's furnished, but if you have your own things, I can have that stuff placed in storage. I'd need you to start as soon as you could get your stuff settled. If you've worked in a bar before, you'll do fine here. There's just one thing you have to know about this place."

Via leaned in, and placed a finger on gently pursed lips.

"You see nothing, you hear nothing, you say nothing."

Siobhan blinked, then grinned against the finger pressed to her lips.

Miss that'd never be a problem; Uncle Jimmy ran numbers from the snug in his pub...you'll nae hear anything spread by me.

Now, if ye're the one what needs to hear about the happenings, I can help there as well.  I'm small and folks don't think twice to see me and tend to talk around me, a lot!

Will had returned to his seat downstairs, and he waited.  He didn't look at his watch, he wasn't impatient, he just waited.  He was enjoying the music, and had nowhere to be.  He sipped from his wine glass, watched the band, and occasionally glanced toward Via.  She was hard at work, and it made him smile.  

He sat back, crossed his legs, and enjoyed the music.  He took it all in.  

A handshake later, an exchange of keys, and a drink for her newest employee and the deal was done. Via made a mental note to arrange a special basket at the Menagerie to leave in the room as a more appropriate welcome. Siobhan had been exhausted, Via could tell. She had no problems letting her have the room upstairs early, and the youth would start bright and early in the morning. It was terribly late after all, and with the chill, Via didn't want her out on the streets, especially in this part of town. 

After Siobhan excused herself, Via stood, smoothed her skirt and made her way back to the doorman. The coat would be hung outside the room to let upstairs, and Via slipped a small note in the pocket after the doorman retrieved it. Finally done with what she hoped was the last business of the evening, she made her way back to the table which had been cleared of the wine glasses and bottles from before except the one that he'd reserved and currently held in his hand. All that remained was Will, who sat comfortably, watching.

She approached behind him, the noise in the bar making it unnecessary for her to sneak. Laying her hands on his shoulders, she massaged gently and bent down so that her lips were at his ear. 

"Thank you for meeting with her. I wanted you to get a feel about her as well before I just hired Sofia. I needed to make sure too."

She took the chair next to him, her hand trailing on his shoulders as she sat, then folded in her lap.

"Enjoying the show?"

He smiled, and his eyes followed as she sat in her chair next to his.  He turned his head slightly, and their eyes met.  His smile grew, and he leaned a little closer.  

"Oh yeah, the band is great."  

He slid his hand onto the back of her chair, to the mid of her back.  He turned and, for a moment, they both watched, and listened, and finally had a chance to relax. 

"So, business is done for the evening, right?"

His legs crossed, he leaned back and sighed. 

"What a night."

The laugh was soft and ended in a pleasant sigh.

"Everything that I'd planned and set up for this evening is dealt with and done. But I guess it seems as if business will always come and go as it pleases." 

She too leaned back and allowed herself to relax, slightly at first and then exhaling deeply until she felt as if she'd become one with the chair. The band WAS great, and now finally she felt as if she was truly able to enjoy the music. And the company. Via turned her head again now that Will focused on the entertainment and watched him briefly. Sure, appearances were important, she thought, and you never knew who was watching. But right now the room could have been empty.

Via turned her gaze back to the band in full swing and leaned her head against Will's shoulder.

"What a night, indeed." 

They sat for a few, occasionally stealing glances, and enjoyed the music.  It was getting later, and Will hadn't forgotten his promise.  He smiled, rose from his seat and held out his hand.

"Come on."

He waited as Via rose and joined him, and together they walked toward the dance floor.

"I haven't forgotten, I promised you we'd finish our dance before the night was through."  

He smiled and took her in his arms.  

The room could have been empty for all the people she noticed. Via's eyes were only on Will and his smile. He started to ask a question but she cut him off as soon as the first slip of work talk escaped his lips. She had been content to relax and sit and enjoy the revelers. But finishing that dance? It was the perfect end to an evening of both business and pleasure. But the business day was done. 

The song wasn't necessarily slow, but the room swayed and Will and Via with it, not in time to the band but in time to each other.

She sighed. Everything seemed to be coming together at last. 

✩  ✩  ✩  ✩  ✩  ✩  ✩  ✩  

The Rose Tattoo's capacity for the past two weeks had been underwhelming. A lot of activity in the downtown area, and her own recent endeavor with WillHayes had kept her away. But she walked in on a Tuesday afternoon and surveyed her domain.

In the bright light of the day, the place looked almost dull. It only came alive under the veil of twilight and the lively heartbeat of the house band. Rays of light illuminated dust and dirt in the air, and she wondered if the construction a few block over would leave the place covered in a blanket before long. 

Sofia sat alone at the quiet bar.  A newspaper lay open in her hands, but her eyes were not focused there.  The feeling that sat heavy in the pit of her stomach was an uncomfortable mixture of sadness and suspicious anger.  The article on the newspaper page told of a terrible mass-death due to an outbreak of Spanish Influenza.  The victims- the Celtic Club.  

Closing her eyes for a moment in an attempt to keep back tears, Sofia saw a flood of memories from college run through her mind. Danny and Sofia had been the dearest of friends.  They'd been with each other through so much.  Time and circumstances had taken them apart for a time, but since she'd returned to the US, they had resolved to see each other again.  Now, all of those plans and hopes were gone.

A single tear fell to the bar, muddling the ink on the page.

Kevin_McTaggart and DannyGreene had been friends since they were kids.  Both were the tough kids on the block in a rough Cleveland neighborhood.  As teenagers they used to beat up the neighborhood kids just because they could.  They would skip school and hang out with the local mafioso, getting in trouble with the law at an early age.  They even had their own gang, The Celtic Club.  It was just the 2 of them with a couple of other friends, hassling local businesses.  Everything was great until Danny had dreams of going to the big city.

Kevin warned him.  "Stay away from New York, Danny boy.  They'll take you in, give you a home, and treat you like one of their own.  Then they will stab you in the back and rip your heart out."

But Danny was a stubborn Irishman.  He headed to NY and took The Celtic Club name with him.

3 YEARS LATER

Kevin wasn't taking the news well.  His friend Danny had met the fate that he warned him about.  He wondered the streets all night looking for a place to disappear.  A place to drown his sorrows and just drink the night away.  After what seemed like hours he stood at the door of a place in Detroit.  He looked at the sign.....THE ROSE TATTOO.  

Kevin opened the door and made his way in and went staight to the bar and had a seat.  

Whiskey....make it a double.  And keep them coming.

Sofia hadn't noticed anyone else come to the bar; but at the sound of the rough, Irish-American accent, she almost smiled.

"Damn, that sounds like Kevin" she thought to herself.

Using the back of her hand, she dabbed the thin stains of tears from her cheek and gently cleared her throat.  Looking up to the bartender, she nodded, signaling for another gin.  Out of habit, she glanced over at the new body at the bar; casting a small, polite smile his way.

Then, her heart stopped for a moment.

Sofia looked again, sure she was seeing things. Her voice came soft and surprised from behind a lump in her throat.

"...Kevin?"

Kevin heard his name and took a deep breath before shooting the rest of his drink and sliding his glass back toward the bartender. He wasn't in the mood for some broad that would not understand what he was going through on this night. He had lost his best friend and didn't think she would want to listen to his sob story, let alone care how he felt on this terrible night. As the bartender slid another drink to him, Kevin began to speak before turning to the attractive woman that had spoken his name...

No disrespect lady, but I'm probably not the best compan.........as Kevin turned his head and his eyes met the attractive lady, he knew that this wasn't just a stranger in a bar.....

Sofia?....

"Dios...it is you.  Oh my god..."

It had been at least six years since she'd seen Kevin McTaggart; but time hadn't changed him.  His was the kind of face a person wouldn't easily forget; a face that meant business.  He had been Danny's closest friend and confidante.  Sofia and Kevin had met on a few occasions when she would visit Danny, and when they were all younger.  

She could hardly believe what she saw.  Sofia stepped closer to him.

"I didn't see you at the funeral....I thought...you had been kill- that you were gone, too."

Her voice was actually trembling a bit.

When Kevin was sure who he was sitting by, he could not get words to come out of his mouth.  He broke down and pulled Sofia into his arms for a hug that only two grieving people would understand.  He squeezed her close to him, knowing that his hurt was probably no worse than hers.  After a long embrace, Kevin pulled away just enough to look into Sofia's eyes.  

I got out of there when some of the family went to Philly.  I warned Danny, just like I did before we went to NY.  But his pride kept him there.  He was too loyal to Rayln.  Leaving him was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I didn't trust them.  Maybe if i would have stayed....

Kevin's voice trailed off as he finished the words, and he sunk back into Sofia's comforting embrace.

No, Kevin...don't say that.

It was almost unreal.  Of course, Sofia was relieved to see that he was alive; but she knew he must be shattered.  They held each other tightly for lingering moments.  Memories flooded back again and she felt hot tears coming to her eyes again.  She shook her head and pulled back from him a bit, wanting to look at him again.

God, it's good to see you.  What brought you to Detroit?  

Realizing the bar area might be a bit too public for this line of conversation, Sofia glanced over Kevin's shoulder and spotted a booth in one, dim corner. That would be perfect.  She grabbed his hand and led him to the booth.  

Kevin was so glad to see Sofia. She couldn't bring Danny back, but she understood.  He took her hand and gladly followed her to the cozier, more private booth.  They sat close together, continuing their conversation.

i needed a change of scenery.  New York wasn't working out.  I didn't want to go back to Cleveland, that seemed like a step backwards.  So I got in touch with some people and they connected me with some people here.

Sofia was so easy to talk to.  After a short time alone with her, Kevin understood why his buddy had doted on her so much.

Enough of my sob story.  Tell me about Sofia.  What have you been up to since I saw you last?  What's it been?  5....6 years?