Let The Good Times Roll!

Honest To A Fault

"... That's one strange childhood you had there," Berga said, not quite sure what he was supposed to think about that.

Was a brothel entertaining customers really an environment someone should expose their impressionable young daughter to? And from some other stories they had heard from Charlie already, it sounded like the brothel's customers were coming and going as though they weren't doing anything more socially deviant than taking a stroll in the park.

Charlie hadn't even realized how strange it was until later on in her life, since she had been living in one of the cribs that her mother shared with a prostitute ever since she could remember. Charlie had pretty much become the brothel's unofficial mascot, and anyone who wanted to stay on the ladies' good sides wouldn't dare mess with her.

"Well, it certainly wasn't boring," Charlie said, smiling wryly. "My favorite game was Black Jack since it was the easiest for me to understand. I was only three, so I couldn't do math that was too complicated."

"I think the fact that you could count to twenty-one when you were just a toddler was already complicated enough," Berga said, chagrined. "Don't tell me you're some kind of genius on top of everything else?"

"No, I'm just your average girl from New Orleans. I actually hate math if it doesn't involve games. I always liked reading better," Charlie replied, shrugging.

"Forgive me, Miss Charlie, but I find it hard to believe that someone with such a 'colorful' personal history would be considered 'average'," Luck said, smiling wryly at her.

"..." Keith agreed.

"Well, I guess it's true that my situation's a little unique, but New Orleans is a very colorful city, so it's full of interesting people and places. It's kind of like New York, only people smile more, and they seem to be more laid back. Even when people would complain about how tough times were starting to get after the stock market fell and banks started closing, we'd all just smile and laugh it off together while we did our best to keep standing on our own two feet. The times are tough, but if we stumble and fall, then we just have to help each other stand back up again," Charlie said, smiling warmly at the fond memories she had of her home city.

"But didn't the Azzurras adopt you at a young age, Miss Charlie? Unless I'm mistaken your adopted father was incredibly wealthy, so why do you speak as though you've recently experienced poverty?" Luck asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Charlie froze, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Ha... haha... about that..." Charlie said, fidgeting a little nervously, as she avoided their gaze. "I guess maybe now is as good a time as any to admit that the real reason why I didn't give Dino any money to pay off his debt to you, is because we've actually lost most of our money? To be honest, I got one of the guys I know to let me do a little train hopping on one of the trains he was working on so I could save money for the return trip... " she said cautiously, preparing to duck for cover.

The three brothers stared at her, slightly stunned.

They had just let Dino skip town to visit a sick relative—the same one he had been led them to believe would give him money to pay them—But, in reality, said relative didn't have any money to spare...

... In other words, Dino was up shit creek without a paddle.

There was absolutely no way that Dino would be coming back to New York now. He was too much of a coward to face them properly, so that meant Charlie would most likely be left holding the bag.

"What the hell? This is bullshit!" Berga shouted angrily as he slammed his hands on the table.

Why the hell did they have to get attached to this kid so fast if it was just gonna end like this!?

"... Charlie, you do realize that once Dino finds out the truth, he'll bolt, don't you?" Luck said seriously, furrowing his brow slightly.

Charlie smiled a little wanly as she looked at all three of the brothers. It was obvious that they were concerned, and didn't want to have to hurt her even though they'd only just met... but a promise was a promise, and if Dino couldn't deliver, then she would pay the price, as agreed.

"Yeah. I know, but if Dino knew he couldn't get anything out of it, he might not've gone to see Mrs. Aggie. I owe her and 'Father,' Mr. Azzurra, a lot for all the care they've given me. So I figured granting her last request to see her son was the least that I could do. I did this for her, not Dino. So I don't feel particularly betrayed or anything since he and I have never been all that concerned about each other to begin with," she said a little sadly. Charlie didn't regret her decision, but... "It's too bad, though. Being with ya'll is kinda fun, but you don't have to worry, because I won't run. I'm a woman of my word."

"... I don't get those guys at all," Charlie thought out loud as she stared at the shopping list in her hand.

After finding out that they probably weren't getting paid after all, she had expected the three brothers to maybe start shaking her down for money or even lock her in a room so she couldn't skip town... but instead of being antagonistic towards her, they had sent her out grocery shopping for them, an errand that required trust. They hadn't even sent someone to watch her or anything.

Charlie was confused. I mean, sure she had promised not to run away, but most gangsters wouldn't just take your word for it, would they?

At any rate, Charlie almost wished they had actually sent someone, because she didn't really know where anything in New York was yet. Where was she supposed to even buy this stuff at? Back in New Orleans, she'd always gone to the French Market with Mrs. Aggie, but so far she hadn't seen anything similar set up in Little Italy...

"... Maybe I should've asked for a map or something?" she mused as she glanced around again.

That was when she noticed him. Standing next to one of the shops ahead of her, was a blond man in a nice navy-blue suit. Charlie watched as the strange man casually leaned against the building and lit up a cigarette.

Strange... why did Charlie just think he was strange? There wasn't anything 'strange' about his appearance. He was fairly handsome and looked a little older than Luck Gandor, and there was something familiar about the way he carried himself, but other than that there wasn't really much to say since she didn't even know the man...

She just somehow got the feeling that this man was... different.

As if sensing he was being watched, the man turned his head slightly, glancing in her direction. Their eyes met. Charlie stared back at him as the man took a draw on his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke.

His sharp eyes took in the girl before him.

How curious.

"My, I never thought I'd meet you here... Ah, no matter..." he said, smiling ever so slightly. He looked like the cat that ate the canary.