After a busy day I Stumbled upon the Majestic Business, The Royal 313. I turn into the doors and is immediately greeted by the Hostess to take my things and she asked me where i would like to suggest to seat.. I had asked if i could sit at the bar, and the hostess gestured in the general direction and i smiled and nodded and went on my way. On my way to my seat, I seen an old friend; Jennie that i have not seen for quite some time.. she looked very busy, and slightly glanced as i was approaching the area.

I smiled and Nodded " I'm Glad that you're doing well! Long time to see! Maybe at some point we should get together sometime soon! "  I sit down close by; asking the bartender for a Gin and a small Steak Salad.  I hope that the rain dies down soon.. never liked dreary evenings!  I  reach into my pocket and pull out my smokes and light them with a match that was sitting on the bartop. I take in a heavy draw and exhale. "What an enjoyable night this is turning out to be.. always good for a break. " I lightly murmur while waiting.

Thomas shook his head, "Nil, yeh hear'd wrong lad. Na'er had a place this side o' tha world. Lookin' ta maybe open one, but currently go' nothin' meself. Maybe a place in Corktown area."

He shrugged himself at the notion. "It could help wit' me business from Ireland."

Taking a moment, he spooned some of the soup in front of him and took a bite with a happy sigh.

"I swar, yeh serve some o' tha best soups here." He took a drink of stout and spooned more soup before pouring another shot of whiskey for himself and one for Vito.

Jennie glanced up at the sound of a familiar voice. A grin spread over her face as her buddy Veronia took a seat next to her. "Hey stranger, its been a long time since I've seen you around these streets." she told her before pushing her ashtray closer to the woman. "What brings you here? Aren't you normally in Chicago these days?" she asked her. 

Raises shot to Thomas as a sign of thanks and then drinks it.

"Man, it's been awhile. Forget just how strong that stuff is. And yeah the soup here is great, but ya gotta come in for a steak sometime.  The previous owner used to swear by them.  I haven't had the pleasure to try one myself, I was too busy makin' sure the Italian food here was up to snuff and gotta say, it exceeds expectations. If you open up a food place I may convince the cook to give you the recipe to some of the soups that he makes. What kinda business are you lookin' to open up Tommy? 

Vito paused for a minute

"Ya don't mind if I call ya Tommy do ya?"

Veronia chuckles as she flicks ashes into the tray; "  Indeed, it has been quite the while! I am currently finishing up a few long errands .. on my way back to Chicago.. nothing major but been helping out a friend in a business in Las Vegas and decided to take a bit of a detour so to speak. "

 I draw again on my cigarette. 

"  Thought i would come in and visit a few places but i really didn't think that i would see you here!  Sadly i have to before the night is up be getting on my way back.. but its time for a well needed break! "

   The bartender serves me my drink and i nod in return. 

"So hows life treating you here so far.. you definitely look a bit busy! "
 

She glanced down at the pile of papers on the bar top next to her glass of wine and then at the stack of notebooks that she'd been scribbling in. She looked at Veronia with a sheepish smile and shrugged, "Got a new job, personal assistant to my boss, Kate Logan." she told her friend with a shrug. "Everything thats happened in the last week or so has piled up, so its on me to restore order to the chaos that is Kate's administrative life." she said with a laugh. 

I gave a sheepish grin back at  Jennie  "Oh wow that's awesome! Congratulations on being Ms Logan's assistant! I've seen the paper around here if i do remember.. The Logan Review? was it? That's very awesome!  Again, Congratulations!"

  I take a sip of my Gin and  i receive my Salad and nods towards the waitress.

"It has definitely been a rough week or so.. and it takes a bit to get everything back into the motions so i feel for you there! " I say with a grin.

 

She nodded her head, "Yeah, Kate definitely has her hands on all sorts of business." she told her friend before reaching out and plucking an olive out of her salad. Popping it into her mouth she watched as the bartender brought over her food. "Well, why don't you eat and I'll get some more work done." She told her gesturing at her notebooks. She resumed writing notes once Veronia nodded her head and smiled at the way her friend dug into the food. She had to admit it did look delicious. She put a hand on her stomach and promised herself she'd eat after she got through some more work. She hunched over the bar and started writing down notes from the pages in front of her, occasionally pausing to take a sip of her wine. After a while she sat up and blinked, wondering where the heck her friend had gone. Next to her was another full glass of wine and a note scribbled on a napkin, "Had a flight to catch and you seemed so engrossed I didn't want to bother you. Thanks for the company, and enjoy this glass of wine on me. - V." Jennie chuckled at her own absorption into her work and picked up the fresh glass of wine. 

Thomas laughed. "Tommy be fine. Most me army broders call me 'Tommy Boy' anyway." He poured another shot for the two of them and raised his glass. "Sláinte," he toasted as he and Vito both tossed back another shot.

"If I open a business fer me, than I be thinkin' a pub o'er in Corktown. Nothin' like yer fancy restaurant here, lad... Just pints, shots, smokes, an' bar wenches. O' course thar be a backroom fer family business an' tha like. A safe place fer us. Maybe a basement or somethin'."

Thomas sat back and drank the last of his beer as Tony arrived with Vito's pizza. "Can I get another beer from yeh, Tony?" Tony nodded, setting down Vito's food, and turned away to get another pint of stout for the Irishman.

Vito ate a bit of his pizza while listening to Thomas talk about his idea for a business and the location of it.

"I think a pub would do good over there in Corktown.  Actually that sounds good to me.  We got a restaurant and a hotel in the state already. So a place to just strictly kick back and relax and sounds like a good thing for the city.

Vito looks around to make sure there aren't extra ears listening

"I'm actually workin' on devlopin' an idea for a downstairs here.  Gonna make it a gamblers little paradise.  I'm inquiring about seein' if I can bring in or pick up a few nickel slots, get some tables down there for some poker games and some blackjack games. Maybe a some dice. And probably openin' a sports book.  But I'm still workin' out the particulars."

After that Tony comes over with the beer for Thomas and places it in front of him

"Thank you Tony, and tell the chef he did a great job on the pizza.  The touch of the Mozzarella was a good idea."

Tony accepts the thanks and the compliments and then walks off to the kitchen

"That Tony, he knows the business well.  He used to be a bodyguard for an old don back in Sicily.  He's perfected the ability to show up when you need him or want somethin' and recognize when you're talkin' business and shouldn't be disturbed. Everybody should have a Tony for their business."

Vito laughs a bit to himself before going back to eating some more of his pizza

Thomas chuckled at the Tony comments and raised his beer above his head. "Ta fellas like Tony then." He drank and then set his glass down, enjoying more of his soup before readdressing the conversation.

"So this idea o' yers. Sounds like a good one ta me, Mr. Scaletta. Yeh could bet on horses, baseball, whate'er yeh think yeh can make a buck on. An' them nickel slots be a good idea too. But do'nae forget tha roulette tables, lad. They bring in lo's o' odds fer yeh."

Thomas continued spooning the soup into his mouth until just the broth was left. He then raised the bowl and drank it. No matter HOW nice and proper he looked, he was still an army boy. The beer followed and he drank until it was empty, setting the empty glass on the table and looking at Vito.

Vito filled the up Thomas glass with more of the beer that he was drinking as Tony had somehow placed a couple bottles of it on the table at some point, and he didn't see him. 'Drinks must be gettin' to me' Vito thought to himself

"Please Tommy, Vito will do just fine. Callin' me Mr. Scaletta reminds me of my old man, and makes me feel old, well older than I already am.  But anyway a roulette table didn't escape me. I can't break the people too much though I mean the main thing I want them focused on is betting sports.  So if I can't fit it in mine maybe when you open up a place of your own maybe we can put it in there to spice things up a bit.  They'll already be in there drinkin' and smokin' why not have more ways for you to take their money. IF they don't get lucky."

The interior of the Royal was briefly illuminated by the brilliant glow of the mid-morning sun as Billie entered from the street; her petite figure silhouetted perfectly against the bright light. As the heavy wooden door swung closed and the room gradually returned to normal, Billie lingered in the doorway; allowing her eyes to adjust. With a sweet smile, she passed her coat to the host, who gave an ill-disguised look of incredulity before allowing Billie to seat herself.

As she did almost every day now, Billie paused at the memorial wall for a moment of silence before turning her attention to the restaurants patrons. Spying the men at the men at a back table she sauntered over, bending over the table to rest on her elbows.

“Bull, business, or broads? And mind if I butt in?”

Thomas laughed at Vito's comment about being old, and he nodded, "Fine, fine lad, Vito it be. But do'nae think it will be Vito when around tha other wick bastards that work with tha Paragons. Yeh be a business share, an' respect need be given yeh." He winked. He was attempting respect himself.

He took a sip of the new beer Vito had poured, nodding along with Mr. Scaletta's ideas.

"Maybe I be puttin' a roulette table in me place, if I open one." He chuckled as the door to the 313 flew open. His hand moved to his gun inside his jacket for a moment, until the light and his eyes adjusted. The formed silhouette of Billie began to take shape and he smiled to himself, relinquishing his hold on his piece.

"Vito, yeh go' a damned fine woman workin' here. Her voice be velvet. An' she be good fer a buck. Just look a' that backside." He stifled his laughter as Billie made her way to their table, signaling Vito to not comment.

"Bull, business, or broads? And mind if I butt in?" Billie huffed out, playfully, bending at the waist and setting her elbows on the table while looking between the two.

Thomas shrugged, "Wee bit o' all, lass. Yer plenty welcome ta join, long as Vito nae be carin'." He poured a shot of the whiskey sitting on the table into his shot glass and offered it to Billy.

After the tour from the manager he graciously heads into the Employees only section. I begin to walk towards the podium again.

Can I have a seat for one please?

The hostess who is making small talk while we walk to our table grabs me by surprise already in my head I’m giving this place 5 star.

The hostess drops the menu and mentions as she leaves. The streaks here are phenomenal.

I begin to open my menu...

Tony makes his way up to the table where Augustus was seated. He cleared his throat and looked the man over, "Good evening sir, and welcome to the Royal 313. My name is Tony, sir, and I will be taking care of you tonight. We have an assortment of beverages to choose from, and an open bar."

Tony offered the man a drink menu. It listed your typical; tea, coffee, water, juices, and an assortment of sodas (Dr Pepper, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Ginger Soda/Ale, many assorted varieties of Root Beer, etc.). On the back side, it offered long list of spirits, wines, and beers/ales.

As Augustus looked over the menu, Tony continued.

"We also have a few soups that make for a wonderful antipasti; or if you'd rather, we have salads as well."

At this point, Tony grew quiet, allowing Augustus to take in the information and make decisions on what he wished to drink, and if he wanted an appetizer or not.

Vito watched the interaction between Thomas and Billie with a small smile on his face.

"Of course, Billie is always welcome to 'butt in' or join us whenever she feels like it. With the amount of people who come in to see her she's pretty much got the run of the place. I had no idea the two of ya know each other though."

Vito laughs to himself as he catches Tony going to wait on another guest.  It amazed him how sharp and quick that man was on the uptake even though at this point it shouldn't.

Thomas laughed and smiled.

"She been tha first one ta actually meet wit' me when I arrived. Took me ta see me broder's grave on Belle Isle."

Thomas stood and pulled out a chair for Billie and waited for her to sit, sliding the chair up to the table. "There yeh go, lass. All nice an' cozy like. Drink up. Do'nae be waistin' Mr. Scaletta's good bot'les." He grinned before returning to his own chair.

Lifting his glass of beer, he toasted, "Ta tha fallen broders an' sisters that we have los'. Ta tha new business adventures that come from it. An' most o' all, ta Detroit an' it's families. May we be united against all that t'reaten us, an' remain united as we take o'er an' rise ta power..." He trailed off momentarily before raising his glass higher, "Slánte!" With that he clinked glasses with the others and drank.

Billie smiled affectionately as Thomas poured her a drink and pulled out a chair. She graciously accepted, keenly appreciative of the peculiar fortune she’d been awarded in this city. She nodded in quiet agreement with Thomas before toasting the men. “To absent friends and present adventures,” she concurred, lips quivering into a bittersweet mocha smile, “May the best of our past be the worst of our future.”

Expertly she knocked the shot back, with a hoarse exhale. “Whoo… that’s some fine hooch, Vito.” Pouring herself a second shot she took that too with a mischievous grin, “Cheers, motherfuckers.” Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to matters at hand. “So, what’s the scoop,” she asked looking expectantly between the two men.

"To Detroit, to both the past and our glorious future, to family. Salut"

Vito says as he knocks back his own shot. And looks at Billie as she takes her seat and takes another shot.

"Us we ain't been up to nothin'.  Just two degenerates enjoyin' drinks, food, and conversation. You should enjoy some too.  You know your food is always covered. Unless we get into the red."

Vito says as he laughs to himself a bit. The drinks definitely getting to him some now.