The Mafia’s Flower

Ch. 6 Blueberries and Liquor

“This isn’t working!” Tart argues for probably the hundredth time that night. Czar could feel an impending headache forming.

“Tart, there’s barely any been time for improvement to happen. She’s been here for only a little over a week and we’ve only had one “date.””

“But shouldn’t need to make any improvement! She knew what she was getting into! And you hired her for a job, a job that she’s not doing and making more difficult might I add.”

Czar runs a hand through his dark hair with a sigh. “You make valid points, but think it about it Tart. I have no other use for her, and I already made the deal and sent the money to her uncles account. If she doesn’t pay her dues this way, how is she any use to us?”

Tarts eyes widen. “If you knew it would be that major of a loss, why did you do it? I’m sure we could find another civilian more skilled, in case they can’t pull off the image. Like Chess; despite being a kid, he excelled in math and is the best accountant we’ve ever had. Ivy didn’t offer us any special talents.”

“Because, I could see she’s in need. Besides, we can’t afford to wait around until another civilian comes around;?it’s too risky and suspicious to bring in a member of the crime world, it has to be civilian.”

“… Do… you… like-like her?” Tart asks slowly.

Czar rolls his eyes; how old are they? “Of course I don’t; I barely know her. I’m just helping out a friend of Chess. Try to have some compassion Tart.” He reminds sternly. Tart clenches her jaw.

“I doubt they’re even close.”

“That’s not for us to decide. It’s already happened, we’re moving on,” it a a command more than an offering. Tart stops, finally.

Just in the knick of time too, because Czar was only a moment away from full-on losing his temper with the woman.

“You got another letter, and an email too.”

He sighs. “Yeah, I saw the letter at least. He’s been pretty insistent recently.”

“He has,” Tart hums in agreement. “I think he’s planning to officially ask you soon.”

Czar chuckles humorlessly. “Like the geezer hasn’t hinted enough already.”

“Are you going to reply?”

“I will soon.”

A swift knock interrupts them.

“Come in,” Tart calls.

O steps in. “I got Lenister.”

Both Tart and Czar instantly stand to their feet. “Perfect; injured?”

A wicked smile curls on O’s face. “Sadly only a little.”

Czar grins. “Perfect. Let’s get to work Tart.”

Czar and Tart, followed by O, leave Czars office down to the basement. It has a long white marble staircase down white marble steps. It’s dark and soundproof.

O, Czar, and Tart head down the steps, which leads to a gray, stone room with a few barred cells.

In one of the cells is in an older Indian woman with a pixie cut. She’s tied down to chair, with straps keeping her arms and legs still. She glares heatedly at them with her swollen shut eye and bruised face.

“My Miss Lenister, you’re a hard woman to find,” Czar grins.

OooooooooooooooO

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

Well, this is awkward.

Tum had gone off to grab his sixth snack of the day and to speak to Arma about something, leaving Ivy alone. Ivy stares blandly and curiously at the unknown person in the living room, which she was about to clean. He has dark skin, with short, dreaded black hair, and is a stout, but clearly strong man. He met her gaze at her entrance, but went back to staring at his phone, laid out on the white couch.

She’s hasn’t met him yet, and she’s not entirely sure if she’s supposed to introduce herself. She shrugs, figuring it wouldn’t hurt. “I’m Ivy.”

He gives her a side ways glance. “Cherry.”

Short conversation.

All righ, so maybe he didn’t really want to talk. Ivy understands that; she feels the same way too some times. She starts to dust and pick up around him. He never takes his eyes off his phone.

When Ivy is about to move on from the living room, Tum’s shock of spiky blonde hair appears. “Hey Ivy! Seems like you met Cherry.”

“Yeah I did,” she smiles in greeting.

“Hey Cherry, how’s it hanging?” T greets happily.

Cherry gives him the same side eyed look he gave Ivy and says shortly, “hey T.”

Tum doesn’t seem bothered, his face not changing a muscle as he turns his attention back to Ivy. “You done in this room?”

“Yeah, just finished up.”

“Sweet. Czar told me earlier that they’re gonna order food for tonight, so don’t worry about cooking. Since you finished the living room, after you put your stuff away, I think you’re all done for the day!”

“Thank goodness,” she breathes teasingly; T laughs. The two start to walk towards the closet for Ivy to put away her cleaning items.

After they exit the living room, and tread down the white walled hallway with gold accents, T leans close to Ivys ear, whispering softly, “hey, don’t worry about Cherry. He’s like that with everyone; well except for Tart. He’s a great guy, he’s secretly just a little shy.” He gives her a smile.

“Thanks T. It didn’t bother me though,” Ivy shrugs, returning his smile.

“Good.”

They reached the closet. Ivy sets her cleaning stuff, an apron, duster, a few rags and few chemicals, into the closet.

“Dinner should be here now.”

“Awesome. I’m starving.”

“I feel that,” T agrees heartedly, touching his stomach dramatically.

Ivy giggles. “Your stomach is a bottomless pit.”

“I actually wonder if it is sometimes,” T chuckles.

We arrive to the dining room, which has a white and gray marble table, with gray cushioned chairs, and an array of Mexican food laid out on the table. Her stomach groans at the sigh. O, Tart, and Arma, now joined by T and Ivy, are the only ones here. Not a sight of that annoyin-

“You missed a spot, maid.” Ivy nearly groans aloud. Of course.

Czar smirks at her, stepping fully into the room from behind Ivy and T.

Ivy stares at him stoically, “no, I didn’t.”

Czar raises his eyebrows. “Oh? You’re so sure, are you?”

“Yes.” She states blankly.

“Hm.”

He drops the conversation. Ivy wants to roll her eyes; what was the point of that?

“Hey, I’m here.” A gentle, deep voice says. Cherry steps around Ivy and T.

“Great! Let’s eat!” Czar chirps, that devilish grin on his lips as always.

Everyone sits down, with Czar sitting at the end of the table, and Ivy, unfortunately for her, by his right side, with Tum next to her. They pass the food around the table, filling their dishes.

Eventually, O looks to Ivy. “You know Chess right?”

“Yeah, I do,” Ivy answers, taking a bite of her rice.

“How do you two know one another?”

She’s not sure if she should tell, considering after she pays of her debt she’ll want nothing to do with the mafia anymore. “We‘ve been friends for years.”

Tart snorts, and mutters something under her breath. Ivy sees Czar narrow his eyes at Tart, and decides to figure it out for herself, “what was that Tart?”

“I was just saying that of course you would be friends with Chess. He’s friends with any pretty face.”

Ivys eyes narrow furiously. She considers Rico her brother in all but blood, and she doesn’t take too kindly to people talking bad about her family.

“I don’t appreciate you demeaning our relationship like that. Chess and I have been friend for years, since we were children. We’ve been through all of our life’s struggles together. I think I would know if he only saw me as a pretty face. By the way, never talk about my brother like that again or things will get ugly fast,” Ivy growls.

Tart narrows her eyes but backs down.

“Your brother in all but blood?” Czar repeats, cutting the tension. “I had no clue you two were that close.”

Ivy glances down at her food, her mind rampant with memories of Rico. They both had a few other friends too growing up, but Rico and her always stayed the closest. She suddenly misses her friend; they would have met up by now for a little catch-up chat, if Ivy wasn’t paying off a debt.

“Yeah, we are. I remember even helping him make a poster to ask a girl out to a dance at our school.” Ivy smiles sadly, remembering the horrendous disaster of the blue poster with blue glitter glue that ended up mostly smeared than anything. Of course the girl was still ecstatic to go with Rico; he’s always been a ladies man.

“What was Chess like as kid?” Arma asks suddenly. Everyone at the table also appears curious the answer to Armas question.

It makes Ivy wonder if Rico didn’t tell them anything about his past. Ivy frowns. “Has Rico told you about his past?”

Arma smiles sorrowfully, “some what. He told us about his parents and sister creating a mountain of debt to feed their addiction. And he told us a lot about his younger sister when she was growing up and currently, but he doesn’t really mention himself.”

“He has always adored her above anything else… Well, Chess was pretty shy before we became friends, and then after he just oozed confidence and charisma. Since we met, he’s always been a flirt and am overly cocky confident one at that.” Ivy chuckles with a nostalgic expression. The others join in and I y has no doubt they’ve already witnessed his playboy charm.

“He had a lot of friends, still has many friends. Chess is just a fun guy.” She finishes with a shrug.

“Yeah he is,” Arma agrees with a kind smile.

Czar doesn’t say anything, watching Ivy quietly. She pretends not to notice as she eats and jokes with Tum.

The tone gets lighter in the room, especially when Tum spills his hot sauce on himself.

“Seriously,” Tum groans, touching the red sauce on his white shirt.

The table chuckles. “Hey, Ivy. Has Tum ever told you how he got the nickname Tumtum?” O asks in between deep chuckles.

Ivys curiosity peaks, only increasing at her friends embarrassed face. “No, he hasn’t. How did Tum get the nickname?”

A deep flush spreads across T’s cheeks. “It’s embarrassing.”

Ivy leans closer to him, “I’m even more curious now.”

“I’ll tell it, because it still kills me to this day,” O cuts in gruffly. “When the kid first joined, he told us a story about how when he was a kid, he thought anti acids could be taken in an unlimited amount. And so one day when he got a little stomach while home alone, he ate an entire full container of anti acids. Let’s just say, he felt even sicker after.” O bursts out chuckles once he finishes the story, the entire table joining in, even Tum hood heartedly.

Ivy chuckles a little. Tum rubs his neck sheepishly, but with a comfortable smile nonetheless.

“Yeah it sucked ass. I was stuck by a toliet all day, with my brother yelling at me for being an i***t once he got home.”

“Oh I’m sorry that sounds painful.” Ivy cringes sympathetically.

“Let’s clean up,” Czar interrupts. “Arma and O, you’re on table clearing duties. Tart and Tum you’re on dish cleaning duty. Cherry, I need to speak to you for a moment before you go off for the night. And Ivy, you’re off for the rest of the night.”

“Yes sir!” They all say in unison.

Ivy sends a smug smirk at Tum, who gives her a half hearted glare.

OoooooooooooooooO

Her eyes trail over the corners of the darkened bedroom. Her body feels tired, but her mind feels awake.

She can’t get comfortable; she changes from side to side to back to stomach to side again, and nothing feels right or comfortable.

She tries to get her mind tired, but it’s too busy to shut off. She keeps thinking about random, small things. She thinks of her uncle Hugh. She wonders if he’s all right, if he’s taking care of himself.

Turning onto her side, she reaches for her phone on the night stand next to the bed. She lays back down and scrolls to her messages. With a confused frown, she notices there’s a unseen message from her uncle. She clicks it open:

Uncle

Ivy, when are you coming to visit me? Wish you would talk to me more.

—

Ivy groans aloud, rubbing her forehead. “I already told him I don’t know when I can meet up, and that it wouldn’t happen for a while,” she grumbles angrily to herself. She sighs and replies back to him:

Me

Not sure, I’ll let you know as soon as I do.

—

She sighs deeply, realizing her mind is now fully awake and definitely in no mood to fall asleep. “Maybe I need something to eat or drink.” Ivy thinks aloud.

She gets out of bed, dressed in pajama shorts and cami top, and decides to head downstairs to find something in the kitchen.

The mansion is always unusually quiet, but it feels even more sinister with the darkness.

Ivy softly walks down the stairs, and into the kitchen, finding she wasn’t alone in her troubles tonight.

Czar is sat at the kitchen island with only basketball shorts and a loose tee, a bottle of liquor in his hands. He looks up at her appearance and now Ivy wishes she just suffered with a sleepless night.

“Ivy, it’s a surprise to see you,” Czar greets softly, taking a sip of the bottle in his hands.

“I could say the same to you.”

“Couldn’t sleep either?”

Ivy breathes a sigh, sitting down in the chair next to him. “No. You?”

“I couldn’t either,” he admits with a defeated sigh.

“Could I get some of that?” Ivy gestures to the liquor, he hands it over.

“Go ahead.”

Ivy takes a sip, cringing a little at the lingering taste. She looks at the bottle, reading the name of the liquor, Jimeson, “hm, this would be good with some blueberry flavoring.”

“Blueberry,” Czar repeats incredulously, a bit of shocked humor sliding into his tone.

“Trust me, it would be good.” Ivy chuckles. “I know it sounds unusual since how Jimeson just is.”

Czar seems to actually consider it, “all right, lets it try to then.”

Ivy raises her brows in shock and excitement. “Really?”

“It sounds intriguing, I want to try it,” he shrugs. “We have some blueberries in the fridge if that works.”

“Perfect,” Ivy grins happily. “Well then, two Ivys Special Blueberry Jimesons coming right up!”

“What an unique name!” Czar gasps mockingly, a devilishly grin on his face, clearly poking fun at her. Ivy isn’t annoyed thought but it’s only just for this one time though. “And how ever did the idea for the name come to you?”

“I don’t know, it just suddenly came to me,” Ivy teases back. The shock that she’s actually having a fun conversation with Czar finally hits her. She wonders if it’s the liquor in both of them.

She grabs the box of blueberries and crushes it in a bowl, to the point its mush and juice. She takes the Jimeson and pours a little into a glass, then pours in the blueberry smash and mixes it in. She hands a cup to Czar, who stares curiously at the bluish mixture.

Ivy sits down next to him with her own glass, “cheers,” they say, tapping their glasses before taking a drink.

Czar pulls away with a tight face, “the flavor is good, but I’m not too keen on that after taste.”

“I can see that,” Ivy chuckles, finishing off her glass. Czar seems to like the flavor enough to finish the drink quickly with her though.

“Seems like “Ivys Special Blueberry Jimeson” was a decent hit.” He comments, and Ivy snorts.

“It’s better than decent, it’s the best!”

“And you’re very humble too.”

“The humblest.” She chirps, prompting Czar to chuckle. She likes him like this; light hearted, joking. Not all serious and trying to annoy her or outwardly using her as a pawn.

“Another drink?”

A large, s**t-eating grins curls at Ivys lips. “You read my mind.”

He chortles and grabs the bottle, refilling both of their glasses with the straight Jimeson.

They chug a few glasses down. They both quickly forget their prior sleeping problem. They refill again.

Ivy throws back her fourth glass? Or was it fifth? Ivy isn’t too sure.

“You know, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Czar suddenly says. Ivys eyes widen in shock.

“You don’t say,” she says sarcastically.

“Why don’t we start over? It might be easier for both of us in the future.”

Ivy thinks for a moment. “I’m on board for that. Hi, I’m Ivy.”

“Hi Ivy, I’m Czar,” they shake hands drunkenly, causing Ivy to giggle.

“Ivy, I’m also sorry about questioning your family. I shouldn’t have done that. We don’t need to know about that; if we ever have to worry about them questioning us in the future we’ll just make something up,” he shrugs. Ivy stares at him for a moment.

He seems genuine. Is he actually going to respect her wishes?!

Ivy sighs in resignation. “Thanks. And I’m sorry for getting so upset. I just don’t talk about that stuff.”

“Why is that?” He’s leaning his head against his fist, staring curiously at her. Ivy nibbles her lips, before downing the rest of her glass.

She wipes her lips and looks to him, “my uncle always raised me to not go around saying stuff about our family and what happens behind our closed doors. He said “only those who respect and love their family protect them from others.””

Czar frowns. “I’m sorry Ivy but that sounds a little odd. Was there anything in specific he was asking you to keep quiet about?”

An image comes to her mind, but before she quickly pushes the image and memory away, now matching Czars frown. “I thought you understood I don’t talk about family. I thought you were going to respect that.”

“I’m not trying to be pushy Ivy, I’m just saying that’s a little odd. You know, some times adults tell children to keep secrets for a bad reason. I’m just saying it’s kind of fishy of your uncle.”

He knows instantly he’s gone too far from the glare in her eyes.

Ivys eyes narrow furiously. “I can’t believe I actually believed you were going to respect my request. Ha! I must look like such a gullible clown to you. And here I thought you were willing you start again, but now I see what this truly is,” she snarls with a ugly sneer. “You just got me drunk to butter me up, to open me up. Just to get what you want out of me!”

“Ivy, I promise it wasn-“

“Save it!” She snaps, slapping her cup down hard onto the counter and furiously stalking out of the room.

She hears him faintly call after her, “IVY! GET BACK H-“ before the door shuts on him. He thankfully doesn’t follow after her.

She’s determined to fall asleep and forget her life away for a moment.