Page 137 of Working for the Mob

Outside the window, Officer Brighton ambled to the door, leading a figure on crutches limping behind him. When the figure hopped into the door, Art popped the lights on.

“Surprise!” we yelled, and Lance Necci’s face lit up. “Welcome home!”

Two weeks later he still had signs of Valuncia’s fists on his face. Old bruises blossomed into yellow splotches on his right cheek and stitches ran over his left eyebrow. The doctors said he was lucky to have pulled through at all.

We would try to forget that. Lance limped his way around the room as townsfolk shook his hand and patted him on the back. No one let him sit down until everyone was able to ask how he was doing and wish him a speedy recovery. At last, Cissy ordered him to find a chair and stay seated in the middle of the room.

Later in the evening, after two more renditions of “Cozy Lovin’” by Mrs. Jenkins and Miss Dunham, Lucy brought out a triple tiered cake with “Welcome Home Lance” on it.

I was in the middle of a conversation with Virginia about the new streetlights going in outside her house when Art whispered in my ear.

“I have a surprise for you, as well,” he said, and lifted me to my feet

“What is it?” I threw an apologetic wave to Virginia, who returned a “goodbye” gesture.

Art pulled me next to him and banged a spoon on his coffee cup.

“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Art called, and everyone quieted down.

He shot me a grin and continued.

“Thanks for coming. It's incredible to look around and see the entire town in one room for my jackass of a brother.”

I frowned. A few people laughed, including Lance, but the joke fell flat. I felt the awkwardness for him, but Art took it in stride and went on.

“Thank you, Lance, for putting your life on the line for the two girls who have become a welcome addition to the town.”

He held up his coffee cup and nodded to Lance, who waved back. Relief washed over me when the room clapped this time.

“A couple announcements I wanted to make; I talked to Lance about these this past week and he signed off on both decisions. The first one is that we will be closing down the café.”

Several people gasped. I tried to hold in a grin; I think I knew where this was going.

I found Lucy, who bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows. Art should’ve talked to us first before announcing this to the whole town.

“We will be reopening as a sandwich shop that Jamie will be managing. We will be hiring for new roles,” Art said, with unenthusiastic applause.

I knew what they were thinking. Where will everyone get their coffee? And I couldn’t pretend that the news didn’t sting a little. I knew Jamie would be managing the café again, but to have it announced like this felt like a slap to the face.

Art continued:

“We would also like to announce the approval of an application for a new business, located here in East Lannington. It is an application for a bakery, one that sells coffee, namedThe Baker Sisters,owned by our very own Lucy and Genevieve Baker.”

This news did receive an uproar of applause. Jamie even tried to stand up and clap until Cissy pulled him down.

Art just grinned at me, fully aware that I didn’t like the attention. I’d make him pay for that later tonight.

Officer Brighton had retrieved my clutch from the Valuncia’s factory that night. He found it in the room we were kept in. Lem must have dropped it when he broke through the door. It only had five-hundred dollars, but that was enough to get the bakery started.

Two arms tackled me from the side. “Genny! Our own bakery! Just you and me running the show. I’m going to name all of my new creations after my favorite designers!”

Even though I had submitted the application a week ago, I was still stunned. I’d actually be running a small business. ThatIowned. I couldn’t stop the tears from welling in my eyes.

“And now, for one last thing,” Art said. He cut through the crowd and beelined for me. People backed away to give him room, and even Lucy stepped away.

I felt alone in the middle of no-man’s land. Exposed. Confused, I shot her a pleading look to ask what was happening.

“Genevieve,” Art said. He addressed only me with his back to the crowd.

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