Billie flushed thoroughly as Noto kissed her hand, "I'm sure you will, Mr. Noto. Good night, and sweet dreams." She smiled fetchingly, giving a dainty wave as he left restaurant. 

She then turned to her two remaining associates and wilted a bit. "I need a cigar... An' tony..." Turning toward the kitchen area she put on her best ghetto-mom face and yelled toward the back, "EY TONY!! WHAT'S TAKIN SO LONG?! I'M GROWIN OLD OUT HERE!"

Clearing her throat, she straightened her blouse and primped her hair before turning back to the table with a sheepish smile; her normal demeanor returning on cue. 

"Oh madon. Now she's yellin' at Tony. Tony's just breakin' balls."

Vito pulled up a bottle of scotch from off the floor.

"He slid this to me and told me to hold it down til you turned red as a cherry, and seein' as your about to pop I think now is the time for you to have it."

Vito fills her glass up with the scotch. And then fills his own and puts the bottle on the table.

"Hey Tony go downstairs and bring one of those case of cigars please, our friend here needs a little cooldown"

Tony and Vito share a smirk at the expense of Billie before he goes off to go and get some cigars.

"Don't worry Billie he'll be back in a second this time"

Thomas couldn't help but laugh at Billie's expense as well. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and a matchbook, lighting the cigarette then tossing the book onto the table knowing the others would need matches soon.

As Tony returned with the box of cigars, he went ahead and grabbed the pizza as well before moving to the table and setting both down. He opened the cigar box and set a cutter beside it on the table.

"Is there anything else I may get for you, Miss Faegan? Mr. Scaletta? Mr. O'Shannon?"

Thomas shook his head as he grabbed for a slice of the pizza and took a bite, trying not to drip hot, melted cheese on his shirt or jacket.

Pizza, cigarette, whiskey, and beer... Business was being handled... Great company... Today was a wonderful day.

Vito took a cigar out the case and put it in his mouth and lit it, taking a drag.

"Nahh that's it, thanks Tony for your service tonight. You really earned every bit of your check tonight. I'll make sure you get a nice extra. Ladies, gentlemen. It was a pleasure being with you all tonight. I really enjoyed it, and hope we can do it again sometime soon. Think I better head on to the back and take a nap before I head on home."

Vito gets up from the table smoking his cigar and tips his hat to Tommy and Billie in respect.

"Billie, Tommy I'll be seein youse around."

Vito says and then walks on to his office

Billie smiled and laughed along with the boys. Hell, if you can't laugh at yourself what have you got left? As Tony came around, Billie rubbed her hands together with a greedy, giddy little giggle. Choosing a slim cuban - primo choice for a lady - she clipped, punched, and lit it expertly. Exhaling a plume of smoke toward the ceiling she slid Tommy's pizza toward her. Since it looked like they'd all forgotten her steak (her included), pizza would do wonderfully. And it smelled like heaven. "Mmmm... yeeeah." She moaned contentedly as she relaxed into her chair. 

Before Tony turned to leave, he asked if there was anything else. Billie perked, spine going straight, with a mischievous grin. "Actually..." She motioned for Tony to move closer. He bent slightly at the waist, maintaining that proper high-end posture you'd expect to see in such a fine establishment. With a shy wrinkle of her nose, Billie shook her head, glancing at Vito and Thomas and then motioning for Tony to lean closer. 

What could she possibly need that she couldn't order in front of them? As Tony leaned in to lend her his ear, Billie suddenly grabbed his face with both hands. Yanking him down to face level - which was a feat given her petite height - she kissed him; deeply, on the mouth. 

Pulling away with a wicked cackle, she left a smear of mocha lipstick on Tony's stunned face. He lingered for a moment, frozen in surprise, before straightening with a dumbfounded stutter. Blushing profusely he looked to Vito, still stammering.

"Who's the cherry now, eh hotlips?" Billie cooed, still chuckling.  With an expression somewhere between fear of getting fired and outrage at being duped, Tony finally gave up trying to speak and sauntered away with a flourish of his handkerchief and one of those touche-you-got-me defeated kind of chuckles. 

Utterly satisfied with herself, Billie savoured a large sip of scotch topped off with a mouthful of sweet, heady cigar smoke, looking smug. 

Thomas nodded to Vito, "Yeh go an' sleep off that drink. Am gonna finish this pizza, or take it home. Maybe take a few cigars too. Me boys o'er seas would love it. I'll have me accountant pay yeh fer them. Soon as I'm done, I'll fock off an' leave yeh be."

Thomas stood and shook Vito's hand before resuming the chow on his pizza.

Billie mumbled something through a mouthful of pizza, smiling like a chipmunk. As he moved away from the table she gave him a friendly wave a thumbs up. So lady like when there's food involved... 

Thomas finished his cigarette and began cleaning up; packing the pizza to go, corking the whiskey, tipping Tony well, and picking up around the table. He pushed the food towards Billie.

"T'anks again lass, fer lettin' me stay at yer place until I get all me things settled here in Detroit. Am nae gonna be headed ta yer flat right away, go' some business ta handle down towards Montcalm. But if yeh take tha' home wit' yeh when yeh go I'd appreciate it. Am sure I'll be a bit hungry when I get back." Thomas looked to Tony, "Make sure tha lass makes it home, safe, hi?"

Tony nodded and looked to Billie, "Miss Faegan, if you give me just a moment I will have the place cleaned and locked up. I can give you a ride home so you don't have to walk."

Thomas smiled and slung his greatcoat over his shoulders, re-situating his piece under his jacket, and walked out the door towards downtown.

Billie nodded solemnly to Thomas as he readied to depart, bidding him be safe and ensuring him she'd have the futon ready before he got home. Slouching comfortably in her chair, she sobered up with a glass of ice water while Tony closed shop. Ensuring her that Vito would likely sleep off the night in his office, Tony walked her out to his car, and they sped off into the darkness toward Corktown. 

Billie flounced into the Royal with singular flamboyance. She tossed her coat to the hostess, who knew by now to simply smile and take it. For one serious moment she stopped by the commemorative wall, kissing her fingertips and pressing them to the plaque with Bishop's name on it. "If only you could see us now. You'd be so proud, my little shillelagh," she whispered softly with a bittersweet smile. But enough of that sappy shit. Today was a good day. Today was a day to CELEBRATE! 

Throwing her hands in the air she spun to face the seating area, eyeballing a good place to sit and calling out for her favorite waiter, "Tony, my darling, my dear, my sweet little turtle dove!" Was she drunk? Maybe high? Maybe both? Or just really excited...? "Champagne! For everyone. On me!" she giggles hysterically, pulling a wad of folded bills from her purse and literally throwing them at the dumbfounded server before doing the rumba over to her favorite seat. 

Vito heard all the ruckus outside of someone yelling and dancing and making noise from his office, It was a bit too early for the drunk crowds to come in he thought as he checked his watch. He got up and decided he'd better take a look. His heavies weren't due in to work until the night time crowd started coming in and the two he had at the office door were told not to leave their position unless they were sure of a threat. There weren't any sounds of a fight so it couldn't have been a threat. Vito steps outside and asks one of his 2 bodyguards

"What's goin' on out here?"

"It's that beautiful lady who performs songs here. The one who you said gets to eat on the house and don't approach her without her knowing because she can be startled and not to laugh if she gets startled." The guard replied.

Vito instantly put two and two together and went to approach the women who he had watched rumba to her seat.

"They told me our lovely songstress was here and she seemed a little bit intoxicated before she even bought any drinks."

Vito said with an honest smile as he sat opposite of the beautiful Billie Faegan.

"Congratulations on your big day dear. It is well deserved and I'm sure you destined to do great great things in your future."

With that said Tony appeared and placed down two bottles of champagne inside a bucket of ice and put down two champagne glasses and four shot glasses. Vito quickly took the champagne glasses and set one in front of Billie and one in front of himself and Tony opened the champagne bottled and filled them up. Vito gave him and expectant stare. The man sighed then filled up a shot glass for himself.

"You may not be a friend of ours Tony but you are a friend of mine and Billie's. Anyway Billie this is to you, and to your big day and to hopes of your future success and to the future success of Detroit. Congratulations my friend. Salut.

Vito says as he raises his glass and clanks it with Tony and Billie's before drinking down his champagne

Billie was grinning from ear to ear. "Thanks, Vito." she said, toasting the boys. "Sorry for the ruckus. It's just been a really. Good. Day." She kissed Tony's cheek playfully, and didn't even tense up when a stranger walked over to the table unannounced. In fact, she kissed his cheek too when she noticed he was wearing a Paragon Tower uniform. 

The man handed Tony a note, which was immediately passed to Billie, the poor sap from the hotel going grave-white when he realized who she was. Frantically wiping her lipstick off his face the newcomer cut out as quickly as he could. But Billie didn't seem to mind. She read over the letter once.... twice... three full times before squealing at the top of her lungs. Which is saying something given her profession. Her heels sounded like black-cat firecrackers as she bounced excitedly in her seat. 

"I'm going to the GRAND!" She noticed several people starting to stare over the commotion, and tried her best to tone it down. At best, she sounded like a kid on Christmas morning, y'know trying to whisper. "Vito! Vito, baby, I'm going to the Grand!" She poured another glass of champagne and downed it, passing the note to Vito: 

"Billie, everything went well, I spoke with a friend from Paris... the gig is yours!... its at Grand Guignol Theatre. Seats 293 people, so you will have quite a crowd. Gig is in 3 days, don't get to famous on me... we still have a date."

"I swear to God, Vito, this day could not get any better..."  

Vito watched Billie celebrate her happiness with a fond smile on his face thinking back to his own excitement on his own big day. Then he watched her kiss a stranger and watched another one, this one an employee at his best friend's business, come over and hand Tony a note. Tony, knowing Vito was paranoid by nature, gave Vito a calming look. He missed Billie kiss that stranger as he kept his eyes firmly on the note. The Tower employee then ran off and Vito watched him go. He then was startled as Billie let out a Squeal. He looked at her and saw her bursting with excitement and heard her say she was going to the Grand. She then handed Vito the note and he read it. He couldn't hold back the smile from his face. He also was moving before he realized it and he wrapped Billie up in a friendly embrace

"Things are just seriously looking up for you today. I'm so happy for you my friend."

Vito said as he released her and refilled their glasses again and handed hers to her and raised his own.

"Here's to you and your singing achievements. Just like with all your other achievements I feel that this is only just the beginning. Congratulations hon."

Vito says as he again clanks his glass of champagne with hers and drinks it down.

Billie was literally hopping with excitement. So much so that she had to avoid bumping her head on Vito's chin when he hugged her. As the toasted again, she tried to talk her self down a little. "Okay... okay... OH MY GOD.... hoo.... umm... I gotta go shopping. I need a suitcase. And new dress... and something for John." Just then a thought struck her, and she looked up at Vito, clear headed for once. "Y''all are close, right, Vito? What do you give a guy like that for doing something like this?" She was scribbling away on the back of the letter, a list of things that must be done before she left... in three days... talk about short notice. A second thought occurred, and she cut in before Vito could answer, "And before you say anything, 'myself ' is not an acceptable answer.... yet." She added with a smirk. 

Vito found this whole thing to be both comical and endearing. He was impressed that his best friend did such a thing, not that it wasn't in his nature but it was just such a nice gift. And seeing Billie be so excited in this fashion was refreshing and so very interesting. He would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't enjoying this change of pace. He let his smile drop a bit. he had to take control of the situation even though he saw Billie start to calm down a bit herself

"Billie, sit. People haven't been able to go back to their meals.  They probably think you went from singing to running comedy routines and that this is part of a show."

Vito says as he looks around and notices that their are a lot of eyes on them. Tony then loudly clears his throat and everyone goes back to their own dinners. Billie then takes a seat and Vito does the same. Tony goes back to his station watching over the floor of the restaurant area.

"Alright, ya wanna know what to give John for this. I think first thing you need to do is truly make sure you enjoy yourself on your trip to Paris. If I know John then I know that he didn't get this gift because he was expecting something of equal value in return. He got it because he wants you to genuinely enjoy yourself and because he wants to see you happy. He's a nice guy like that. But I have a feeling you'd just feel like you have to do something in return so here's an idea. The two of youse got a date comin' up right? At least that's what the note says. So I think you should make sure that it's one of the best dates of his life."

Vito thinks for a minute before saying

"Johnny's been on dates before. But he ain't never dated no great performer like you. So you go out with him you engage in good conversation. You're gonna have to be the confident you that I know you are and just like the trip, make sure you enjoy yourself. That'll make him enjoy himself. Then you get to the restaurant. Sit down with em, talk with em, get him to relax. Then when you get a lull in the conversation, ask to go to the bathroom or somethin' so you can excuse yourself. Then, either when you come back. Put on a show. I'm talking serenade him. Sing to him and only him in front of the whole place on the spot. You'll make him feel extremely special and it would be super endearing to him. I think THAT is how you get him."

Vito then takes a sip of champagne from the glass in front of him

"He would never expect it so you'd really wow him because he'd never see it coming. You'd knock his socks off and you keep your chastity..  in tact."

Vito smirks playfully

"At least for the time being"

Vito says chuckling to himself

Billie blushed -- really REALLY blushed-- just thinking about it. Patting Vito's arm affectionately she tried to hide it, but it didn't work. It was a rare thing to see a really genuine Billie in all her unbridled... well, let's not say glory, it's certainly not glorious. We'll say full blown authenticity. She really was red as a maraschino cherry. "I knew there was a reason we kept you around, Vito." she joked playfully. "But... uh... I'... I've never done anything like that. Are you sure?" she asked with a cheesy, school-girl smile. 'Chastity, my ass' she thought to herself. 

Vito was smiling wide. He had to find something to occupy himself or he'd start laughing and he didn't want his friend to think that he was laughing at her. Though usually he wouldn't mind, she was coming to him with something serious. So it'd be respectful if he took it serious as well. He reached into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out a cigar that was already clipped. He put it in his mouth and lit it up before taking a drag. Exhaling the smoke and letting it linger in the air a bit he then returned his attention to his now cherry faced friend.

"I'm absolutely sure. It's got you someone who performs on a regular basis in front of crowds of people, flustered. Can you imagine what it would do to him? AND on top of that could you imagine what it would mean to him to know you did it for him? His gift was so nice to you because it comes from the heart. But nothin' says from the heart than taking what you love and do best and dedicatin' it even if for one night, to one person. Trust me he'll love the hell outta somethin' like that."

Vito says and gives an encouraging smile to Billie

Billie chuckled ever so softly, fanning her face with one hand. She really was flustered. "Okay. Okay. I'm sure you're right. Umm... heh..." She was on the verge of laughing aloud, again. So instead she followed Vito's lead, pulling a slim cigarette from her purse and lighting it. She inhaled unbelievably deeply before exhaling toward the ceiling. "Is... um... does he..." she chuckled softly, laughing at her self for seeming so childish and giddy. "Any particular song you can think of? Or anything else?" 

Vito takes a minute to think and takes another drag of his cigar while thinking on it.

"Hmm... Ya know I never went over music selection with him. I'm sure that if you wanted to you could pull it outta him what kind he likes during the course of the date and conversation."

Vito then shrugs and smirks at Billie

"Besides, you're the singer. I'm sure you can come up with the perfect song to get your message across."

Vito winks

"Relax Billie, he's very honored you took him up on the offer to go out with him. So with this you're gonna knock him dead."

Vito sighs and with a smile on his face looks up to the ceiling or beyond it to the heavens and says to himself but loud enough for others to hear

"Look at me, I wanted to be a gangster and I'm here, the owner of a restaurant giving love advice instead."

Vito says then laughs to himself

Billie slapped Vito's hand; lightly, playfully. "Hey now. You're running a fine establishment here. A damn fine establishment. And hey, you might have contacts in France soon. The French Connection, so to speak." She winked; equally playful, but loaded with meaning. She stood, slithered around tho the other side of the table, and kissed him on both cheeks. "Thank you, Vito. For everything. I gotta go. I gotta get ready." she straightened up and headed for the door, "I'll see you later, yeah?" She smiled and waved coyly before stepping out onto the street. There was so much to do...