I, Vito Scaletta have been through so much you can't even count them on one hand. I've been through the war, jail, and many, many gang fights, but my life turned completely around when I was inducted into "the family" for multiply reasons. The first was when I looked across the Maltese Falcon at the after party for the induction, she was on the phone.

I leaned over to Joe "Hey Joe do you know who that girl is over there?"

"Not a clue, ask one of the guys, I mean I was inducted with you don't forget that buddy I don't know anyone either."

I walked up to Eddie he explained the whole story. She's a part of the family too, as people know women weren't allowed in, but she was repaying a debt for her brother who was in the family. He betrayed them and was killed for it, they took her and now she has to work for them until the day she dies. I wanted to go talk to her but the conversation on the phone looked pretty important, I walked up to her anyway. When she turned around she looked annoyed, but beautiful. She had bright blue eyes, and long wavy brown hair. She had a very exotic ethnic look to her, absolutely unique. Her outfit was to, she was in a form fitted pin stripped suite with a red tie, and her fedora had the same striped pattern. Her shoes were black heels mostly covered by her pants.

"Hi, I'm Vito Sca-"She threw up a hand in front of my face. She turned away from me muffling her voice so I couldn't hear.

"Listen I will get you the money, just give her the best care you can… goodbye." She finally turned back to me "Hello, I'm Rosa, just Rosa."

She didn't stick her hand out to shake until I did first. "Well 'hi" just Rosa." My humor didn't amuse her.

"What was that phone call about?"

"Nothing…" Her face was serious.

She walked out of the bar stopping to get her coat off the rack "You just leaving like that you didn't say one word to me." I don't know why I said that.

"Oh I'm sorry welcome to the family." She was nothing but sarcastic.

I chased her out the door. "Wait, this party is pretty boring maybe I could drive you back to you house."

She kept walking without looking back "That would be lovely but I'm not going home." When she got into her car it wouldn't start, she started cursing and trying to turn over the engine that made me chuckle. "You think that's funny, huh? I have to visit my mother in the hospital, what am I going to do now." She jumped out of her car and started pacing "I have to call a taxi or something, why does everything happen to me!"

"Well I could take you if you would like?" I smiled at her involuntarily.

"I guess I have no other options, where is your car?"

Vito Scaletta, huh? What kind of name was that. And what game was he trying to play with me? He was handsome but I stop having feelings and emotions when I was ten.

I looked over at him and he was glancing over at me with a stupid grin, I'm trying not to admit how nice that smile was. "Why are you looking at me with that ridiculous expression?"

"Am I smiling? I didn't realize sorry." He said that but it wasn't wiped off his face for more than a second, before it appeared again.

We reached the hospital thank god. When I got up to get out he put his hand on my arm, signaling me to wait. He got out of the car and I watched him walk to my side, he smiled before my door opened and he stood there with his arm extended with that sly face of his. I couldn't believe that he did that it took me a couple of seconds to get out of the car I was so taken back by this action. No one ever treated me like a lady, and I didn't treat myself like one either. I was a girl who wore pants when every woman was supposed to wear dresses or skirts. I am spit on daily by the sexist pigs of "the family" and no one respects me because I am in the mafia. I'm disgusted with myself too, what self respecting girl joins the mob…not that I had a choice. "…thank you."

Rosa and I walked into the hospital and up to her mom's room. Her mom didn't look like she was doing so well. She just slightly shook her head to tell us she was listening. The only time she did talk it was something that didn't make Rosa very happy.

"Rosany…whose…th…this?"

"UH, is no one mom, just stop! Well I have to go it's getting late and the nurse will come in and yell." She got up "Goodnight ma, I love you." She kissed her head and walked out.

"Goodbye ma'am it was nice meeting you." I shook her hand, but she didn't let go, I stopped and turned to her.

"She's a tough cookie and has been through a lot, she'll wear down I promise." She smiled before drifting to sleep.

How did she know I liked her daughter? I do smile a lot when I look at her, its hard not to. I never act like this I'm usually the hard ass, but with her I just can't help myself. Maybe I will lay off a little, and maybe she will talk to me about all this stuff she's been trough.

I met her at the car "Alright I can drive you home if that's ok with you."

"No, no it's fine I'll just get a taxi…"

'No why waste your money if-"

"Its fine I said!"

She started to walk away and I knew something was up so I decided to follow her. "Alright if you insist, I'll see you later then." I got in my car and "drove" off down the road. I followed her to a bad neighborhood with a crummy apartment and watched her from across the street.

A man walked out after she buzzed the bell "Your rent is up you don't have the money for your house

and your mom's medical bills, one or the other."

I watched her spit on the guys shoes "I rather die than let my mother die over this crap hole."

The guy looked up from his shoes pissed, he shoved her to the ground "Get out of here you ugly rat, your no women, your just a no good broad."

The door slammed in her face as she moved to the curb to sit. I watched her start to cry when a couple of thugs came up to her. "Hey honey no place to go, huh? I got a place you can stay in my pants."

His friends laughed as they crowded closer "mine too!" another one said.

She got up "Back the hell off scum bags."

"What did you say to me bitch?"

I jumped out of the car slamming the door and pulling out my piece "Hey, let's step away from the girl okay guys?"

"And who the fuck are you suppose to be?"

"Someone you don't want to mess with…" I moved closer to him flashing my gun.

I turned suddenly hearing a gun load behind me, it was Rosa "Get the hell out of here, I'm no ordinary broad." She moved closer almost placing the barrel to their heads "Now!" she yelled and they scattered down the street.

She unloaded her gun "Hey, I saw what happened; you can stay at my house if you want."

"I don't need any help, and why did you follow me here? I am not some baby I said I was alright!"

"You're not Rosa! You're stuck in a job you don't want to be in, you can't pay for your mom's hospital bills, and you just got evicted from your apartment, face you need help once in a while."

I could not believe this was happening to me! My car dies right in front of this guy, he watches me get evicted from my home, and he hears my life story from that cesspool of men. I felt like an idiot. Being taken care of by a stranger wasn't my forte, especially not a guy. I really had no place to go, and I was actually a little afraid to stay on the street so I agreed. Not my proudest moment.

The car ride was silent except for the occasional small talk; you know "So how are you, how about this weather, right." I didn't feel like talking much, I had a lot on my mind. When we got to his street I felt myself shiver. The neighborhood was amazing! There were big houses a fancy park were people strolled, and a diner directly from his house. I thought I was excited with the neighborhood until we pulled into his drive way. He had 4 cars, a Jefferson, Bellaire, some kind of convertible, and an Indian. He had his own pool and a view overlooking the city and the harbor. The interior was even better, I walked into the living room and saw a television which had all three stations, a roaring fire, and a decent sized kitchen attached to it. He had two bathrooms one with double sinks and a show/tub. His bed room was nice with a double bed and large window. I immediately flopped on the couch deflating. He went to the kitchen and offered me a beer, I accepted under the influence of all the intolerable things that happened to me tonight.

I finished one beer which turned into another, then another, until I had five empty bottles on the coffee table. I can tell you that I loosened up real quick. I started to chuckle at everything Vito said, letting my guard down of how much I was attracted to him. I slurred some words at him that I probably shouldn't have said.

"You know you are one…one good looking guy." I burped "And I am really happy to be here!" I started to lean toward him under the influence of the alcohol. Our lips were so close I could feel his breath before everything went black. I couldn't tell if I passed out on the floor or in his lap, but all I was thinking about was…well nothing really.

She fell into my lap. I tapped her head and tried to pick her up, but she was out cold. I carried her to my bedroom. I rested her on the bed taking off her suit jacket and tie. It was going to be a hot night so I unbuttoned her shirt a little and opened a window. I wobbled my way to the door starting to become over whelmed with exhaustion. I looked back at her but didn't see anything but an angel and smiled like I always did when I admired her. I closed the door and got some extra blankets from the closet and went to make my bed on the couch. When the sleep came over me, the last image I dreamed of was her.

I woke up in Vito's bed; I heard my heart pounding in my head. I groaned as I rolled out of bed, it was early, too early 5:00 a.m. early. I walked into the bathroom and washed up. I used an extra tooth brush I found in the cabinet and got dressed. Feeling embarrassed about last night I ran to the kitchen and grabbed some food quietly out of the fridge. So close to the door, then the phone rang. It woke Vito up and I ducked behind the shelf separating the front door from his living room. I heard his velvet deep voice answer the phone.

"Hello? Alright I'm coming…Rosa? Yeah she's here." He started to walk to the room; I tuck and rolled into the coat closet. "Rosa, Hey you in the bathroom...Rosa?" He walked back to the phone and I made my exit when he was facing the wall.

I felt bad for leaving him, but it's not like I won't ever see him again, I'll be embarrassed soon enough.

She left without waiting for me, and she took one of my cars. I didn't understand why she was so distant. She doesn't want to get close to anyone or show when she's weak, but I wouldn't care if she did. I cleaned up, jumped in the car, and drove to Joe's. I speed a little knowing she was there.