Piece of Heaven

"Part of her mystery is how she's calm in the storm and anxious in the quiet"     - JMStorm

Mariana's POV

"I heard you nearly died" she said, sat at her grand desk, in his chair
"Yes" I said
"What is it like? To shake hands with death so frequently?" She asked

"I'm not here to talk of death Irene" I said
"Then why are you here? Because Changretta has won his so called vendetta against you and your... family" she asked, cocking her head to the side, pristine hair unmoving

"Irene, I have come here because despite what I think you like to believe, I know you have a logical head, a head for business even when you're so determined to act on emotion... on grief" I said
"That's what Marjorie seems to do, act on emotion" I commented.

"Marjorie is abroad... dealing with business in America" she said
"I know. I keep tabs on the people that threaten to kill me Irene" I said.

She pursed her lips, sitting up straighter
"What is it you want?" She asked
"I want this unnecessary war to come to an end. I'm ending one vendetta and I don't wish to start another" I said.
"You did start this" she said

"Your husband started this when he sought me out, when he kidnapped me" I said
"When he killed your sons" I said
"Stop... stop saying my husband killed his children. He loved those boys" she said

"Tell people whatever you want. Tell them I killed them all, that I'm the monster you want me to be. But deep down, you know what he did. And you know he needed to be stopped. You know... deep down that he was a monster. Just... like me" I said

"What is it you're proposing?" She asked, changing the subject
"Business in America is about to shift, the Changrettas will soon be gone and that means business and land will be for the taking in New York, in Chicago" I said
"How?" She asked

"It doesn't matter how, what matters is, you are going to be flooded in business, and I don't think you need a war hanging over your head" I said
"That's easily sorted" she said, pulling a drawer open, before picking a gun up and pointing it at my head

"No more blood needs to spill Irene. If I die, my people won't stop until you've lost all your children. Then your business... then your eyes" I said
"You still threaten me?" She asked
"No, I'm warning you. I have little to lose anymore. And I don't have the fight left in me to do this, I don't want Ray's business, I said from the start I didn't, call Marjorie off, and handle your own. Leave me out of it" I said.

She slowly lowered her hand, placing the gun flat on the desk
"You're asking us to spare you?" She asked
"I'm asking you not to fight me" I said.

"Because you'll win?" She asked
"Because it won't make you feel any better, because it won't bring them back, and because deep down you know I did what I had to. I killed your husband. But I also killed the monster who tormented me and made me into less than I was" I explained.

"Let's see if your prediction rings true, then I'll decide" She said.
I nodded, taking that as my cue. But she spoke once more.
"I see that sparkle in your eye" She said
"The one your father used to get" She clarified.

I ignored her, I didn't want to hear some wholesome memory of how I looked like him
And I was surprised she had acknowledged him as my father at all.
"He used to get that same sparkle... when he killed men. Good men, when he hit people... who never deserved it" She said, subconsciously rubbing her wrist.

"You have that sparkle in you" She said. And I accepted her words
I know I was a monster
I know I was falling down a dark path
But life seemed... so very pointless now that everything had fallen apart.

•

"Tomorrows the day" Arthur chuckled
"The day we rejoice?" I asked sarcastically
"The day I rise again, back from the dead" he said
"Back from scrounging off me for a week" I said.

"Your life may be misery but you can let the rest of us have some fun" he said
"Misery? My husband tried to kill you" I said.
"Yes. I am aware" he said, lifting his head up and gesturing to his neck

"Have you spoken to him?" He asked
"...no" I said, pausing for a moment before I took Carter from him
"Don't you think you should" he said
"What's the point?" I said, sitting down with a sigh

"Well... in a few days I imagine Tommy will have tracked him down, so in a few days... he'll be dead" he explained
"Might want to say your goodbyes, make your peace before that happens" he said

"Tommy won't kill him" I said.
He wouldn't. He knows that would... destroy me
And he liked to keep people around, play with the pawns of his life.
He wouldn't kill Alfie.

"If Tommy won't, I will" he said.
I rolled my eyes
"You couldn't kill Changretta" I said
"No, but Alfie Solomons, I have a special place in here just for him" he said, putting his hand over his heart

"I'd have no problem pulling that trigger" he said
"Thanks" I mumbled, getting up
The last thing I wanted to hear was how happy he'd be to kill Alfie
As I held our fucking son
And carried his other kid.

"Arthur" I said, stopping by the door
"I know you like to tell Tommy everything... tomorrow, when you come back to life. Don't tell him I'm pregnant" I said
"Why?" He asked
"Just don't. Please. Only you and Polly know. I don't want everyone else knowing" I said.

He was silent for a moment, before he nodded
"Okay, owe you that I guess" he said.

•

"Hello?" I asked down the phone
"Mariana please don't hang up" Ollie said
"What do you want?" I asked
"Help, I heard you've lost a lot of business as well" he said
"Yeah, so haven't you figured I have enough on my plate?" I said, ready to hang up.

"I've begged Alfie for help and he doesn't care, he's shut down" he said.

I stopped, resting my head against the wall as I willed myself to ask the question
"You've spoke to him?" I asked
"Yeah, yeah he's down in Margate" he said
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Information I didn't need to know

"How... how is he?" I asked
"He's... he's been better Mar, I know he misses you, I know he wants to see yo-" he said, but I hung up
I couldn't handle it.
I couldn't even think about it when I had everything else to sort out.

Alfie's POV

"I know he misses you" Ollie said, glancing at me from the phone
"I know he wants to see yo-... she hung up" he said, putting the phone down
"Fuck" I sighed, leaning back in my chair
"Why don't you go to her?" He asked

"Because I'm a coward Ollie... right now I'm more scared of her than I am of facing the people chasing me" I said, rubbing my hand along my beard.

"So you're just going to hide down here? Feed the seagulls on a beach in Margate? That's where Alfie Solomons ends is it?" He asked
"Ollie lad, I ended... when she told me she never wanted to see me again" I sighed, looking out the window.

I had hope. False hope she would come to me
That she would try and forgive me
That we could finally be at peace together.
As a family.
Maybe she was right. Maybe I fucked up too badly this time.

I knew I never deserved her.
And yet...
She's given me more happiness than any other moment of my life.

She gave me a son.
She gave me purpose.

And now... she hates me
Now her family want to kill me.
Now my factories and my business is in the hands of a fucking Italian cunt.

And I'm here... feeding the birds and staring at the blue sky... alone.
Listening to Ollie whinge at me.

Piece of fucking heaven was it?

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