BABY MAFIA

AN UNEXPECTED DEATH

(A week after Simon's funeral)
***
I stood behind the counter wiping the beer glassses with a damp cloth, when our new boss past by. When he saw me he stopped dead in his tracks and walked back towards me.

"I see you kept your word about your punctuality." He said sounding a bit surprised.

"Yes I did. I'm not one to lie to my boss." I replied.

"Well that's good. You keep that up then you and I will have no problems."

"Will do Mr. Brusilov."

"Good. Back to work now." He said then went back to his office.

"What was that all about?" Nelly asked popping out of nowhere, giving me a freight.

"Jeez Nelly could you stop sneaking up on me?!"

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." She apologised. "So answer the question."

"It was nothing Nel. He was just telling me to keep up the good work."

"Oh okay. Well do you want to know what I heard about him?"

"Yeah what is it? I asked nonchalantly.

"So word on the street is our new boss is a former Mafia leader back in Russia. Rumour has it that he is still part of the Mafia, but is now on the lower ranks. Apparently he's got some bad blood with one of the Mafia members, because that member got him removed as leader and took his place. The only way for him to get his leadership back is by giving that member a young wife that is a direct descendant to him(Brusilov). Now Brusilov is not married, but is looking to settle down so he can have a daughter and so that he can be leader again. That's why he's here."

"Nelly that sounds absurd. I mean Mafia members are like brothers, they wouldn't do that to each other. And as for the reason why he is here, are you implying that Brusilov wants to settle down with me and have a daughter with me?"

"Yeah. I mean why else is he always looking at you with lustful eyes and only pretty much talks to you?"

"Nel he doesn't talk to me he interrogates me."

"Still he is still talking to you."

"Whatever Nel." I said rolling my eyes. "You've always been a sucker for rumour and gossip, but I'm not."

"Yeah, but..."

"Ladies why are we just standing around? Ms. Tray we have thirsty customers waiting to be served and Ms. Newman we have sexually hungry customers also waiting to be served, now the both of you back to work now." Brusilov ordered stopping our gossip session. Nelly went to leave but Brusilov stopped her. "Oh Ms. Newman I would like to see you in my office after your shift."

"Yes sir." Nelly nodded then went back to her pole.

"Back to work Ms. Tray." Brusilov said again before going back to his office.

Nelly's shift ended thirty minutes before mine. Then I saw her go into Brusilov's office. Twenty minutes later she came rushing out of the office with tears trickling down her cheeks. She speed walked right past the bar counter and out the door. I wondered what was wrong with her and if Brusilov said or did something to her. I just hoped he didn't fire her.

When my shift ended I went straight home and phoned Nelly, but her phone kept on going to voice-mail. After a few more tries I decided to leave her a voice message:

"Hey Nelly it's me. I'm worried about you girl. You left work in a hurry and you didn't seem to be in the best of moods. Did Brusilov fire you or something? Anyways call me when you get this."

Weeks went by and I still hadn't heard from Nelly and I was starting to get really worried. So I decided after my shift on Friday to go and visit my best friend. When I got to her apartment I knocked on the door and waited for her to open up, but she didn't. Then I remembered that she kept a spare key under the rug at the door. I fished it out and opened the door.

"Hello! Nelly are you home? It's Melony I came to check on you!" I yelled from the kitchen, but the entire apartment was silent. I knew Nelly was home though because she had a kettle boiling water on the stove. Seconds later the water in the kettle began to boil and the kettle whistled. I grabbed a damp cloth and quickly removed it from the stove and switched the stove off. I slowly walked out of the kitchen and made my way upstairs to Nelly's bedroom.

"Nelly I know you're home. I saw the kettle on the stove, you were going to make tea. Just come on out!" I said out loud. I slowly approached her bedroom and the door was closed. Just another indication that she was home. "I'm coming into your room Nel. I'm going to find you." I said just as I turned the knob and entered her bedroom.

A scream escaped my lips when I saw my best friend hanging by a rope from the ceiling. My friend Nelly commited suicide but why? I immediately pulled out my phone from my pocket and with tears in my eyes dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?" The lady asked.

"My friend hung herself, she's dead."

"What's your location ma'am?"

"Corner Berry and Palm Bridge. Please come." I said crying.

"Okay ma'am. Assistance is on its way."

The ambulance and police arrived within minutes. The paramedics confirmed that Nelly was dead and they put her in a silver body bag and wheeled her out in a stretcher. As I watched my best friend being placed at the back of the ambulance truck, Brusilov arrived on the scene with Digby. Brusilov came running towards me.

"Ms. Tray are you alright?" He asked.

"What did you do to her you dog? Ever since she spoke to you that night she has never been the same and now she killed herself, and it's because of you. What did you do to her?!" I yelled, leaping on Brusilov and I punched him with my tiny fists.

"Hey, hey ma'am calm down!" An officer said pulling me off of Brusilov.

"It's his fault she's dead, he killed her!" I yelled trying to leap at Brusilov again, but the officer pushed me behind him.

"And who are you?" He asked Brusilov.

"I am Konstahnteen Brusilov, officer. I am Ms. Newman's employer."

"It's good that you are here. I have some questions for the both of you, since you were the last people she spoke to before she killed herself. I'll take you down to the station now. The officer put us in separate police cars and we were driven to the police station.