The nightly ritual at the 'Fastball was quickly coming to an end. Ed had closed the kitchen and gone upstairs.

"Hey Vinnie, cover the bar, I'm going out for a smoke." Glory untied her apron and headed towards the back with Tony Pirilla close on her tail.

When she emerged, she DID have a cigarette. She paused at the bar to look in the mirror and run a stray hand through her hair and check the buttons on her blouse. Vinnie was working on a block of ice and glared over his shoulder at her before he resumed with the ice pick.

"Ballsy sonofabitch." though Glory, as she passed through the swinging doors into the kitchen. Here she collected the mail and the plate of veal scallopinni that Ed had left for her before she headed out the back into the alley.

She pulled a crate up against the wall, set the plate on the ground and lit her cigarette.
"Hey there Puss.." she muttered at the grey cat that was winding itself around her feet. The muffled grunting coming from the open window above her told her that Ed would be staying at Sal's tonight. The evening just kept getting better and better. Tony was in fine form, the bar was packed with dick, private and otherwise, she'd have the apartment to herself, and hell, she just might take herself a long bath.

The cat had polished off the veal and was disposing of the sauce when a sharp click from down the alley sent it scurrying behind the dumpster. The glow of the lighter gave an eerie cast to the face of Sammy the Snapper. A car pulled around the corner, and before Sammy climbed in, he pointed his pistol at Glory and made a soft 'POP'.

Bastard. Why did Tony keep that piece of shit around anyways? Not that she didn't trust Tony's judgement, but c'mon, even Vinnie was more reliable. She wasn't gonna rock the boat, Tony took care of things.

She got up and crushed the cigarette out on the sole of her shoe before flicking the butt down the alley. She took a perfumed pink envelope out of the mail, folded it and tucked it in her bra. Dear old Aunt Millie. Once, Tony's thugs came to the 'Fastball and demanded money for 'insurance', Ed dutifully agreed and paid it the first of every month. Auntie's letters came like clockwork too, on the fifth, with a check in them made out to Glory for that same amount. Tony never mentioned this to Glory, and she never told him that she didn't have and Aunt Millie.