content warning: mentions of abortion

Chapter Three

It took a couple days to fully clean up the mess in the casino, and though they didn't have to find new management for it, they were going to have to keep a sharp eye on the man running it to make sure he didn't disobey territory laws again.

Abbacchio was exhausted—was he already getting too old for this many near all-nighters? He supposed it was more the mileage than anything, though, and he sure had a hell of a lot of mileage.

Luckily things seemed to be calming down now, and it was back to paperwork, meetings with the capos, and seeing what needed to be done around the city next.

Maria caught him one morning before he headed out on a couple errands.

"Oh, Leone," she called.

"Need something?" he asked. "A ride to the bakery?"

"I'm going in a little later today," she told him. "But I had something I wanted to send with you. I went and bought a bunch of baby supplies yesterday for Carmen."

Abbacchio watched as she bent down next to the table in the entryway and grabbed two big bags of stuff. "I wasn't sure exactly what she needed, but I got a little of everything just in case. It never hurts to have extra. Did you find out where she lives?"

Abbacchio watched Maria's soft eyes, eager to help, so like Bucciarati, and sighed, defeated. "Yeah, I think I can find her," he admitted.

Maria smiled and handed him the bags. "Thank you! And don't forget to ask her about the job."

Abbacchio gave her a tight smile and hefted the bags in one arm as he grabbed his keys and headed out on the errands.

They didn't take up too much of his time, just delivering a couple messages, a couple reminders, and collecting a few reports from other capos. It was easy stuff, but the bags of baby stuff sitting in the backseat seemed to weigh on him the whole time. He didn't know why. He wanted to help Carmen too, he just wasn't sure she would be comfortable with receiving more help. He didn't want her to think he was asking for something in return again. And yeah, Abbacchio got it. When you went through so much, constantly looked down on, you started to question even the most simple act of kindness. He'd been there. It had taken him a long time to accept that Bruno actually thought of him as a friend and confidante, and not just a tool to be thrown at the enemy because it wouldn't matter if he died. It had taken a lot of Sticky Fingers' zippers applied to his flesh to get that lesson into his thick head.

Maybe he should have brought Maria along to talk to Carmen herself. Might have put her more at ease.

But there was no going back now. It would be worse to face Maria again later if he hadn't even tried to bring the baby things to Carmen. So, with a sigh, he turned toward the area he had found Carmen the other night. Even if she wasn't there, someone would probably know how to get her the stuff.

And as suspected, there were a couple girls when he pulled up and got out of the car.

"Looking for a good time, bello?" one asked, sauntering up to him with a pointed and appreciative look grazing over his body.

The other girl hurried over. "Sabrina, this is the guy Carmen told us about."

"Oh," the first girl said, looking both disappointed and intrigued.

Abbacchio raised an eyebrow. "Is she here today?"

"No, she's home with the baby."

Abbacchio hooked his thumb back at the car. "Look, I just have some stuff for her for the baby, can you get it to her?"

"Aw, sweet," Sabrina said with a grin. "Is it yours?"

"Sabrina!" the other girl hissed. "Sorry, signore. But look, you probably shouldn't bring it here, and you can't stay for long or we might get in trouble. Her apartment isn't far from here though, if you want to drop it off there.

Abbacchio pressed his lips into a thin line. "Okay. I suppose I can do that, as long as you don't think she would mind."

"I think she trusts you. She's in the building three blocks down. Room 224."

Abbacchio nodded and reached into his pocket, slipping the girls a couple bills from his wallet. "Thanks."

"Come back any time," Sabrina called as Abbacchio got back in the car, ignoring her as he pulled back onto the road.

The apartment complex was easy enough to find, pretty shabby and run down—not too different from the one he had been staying in before he had joined Passione. Abbacchio parked and went inside, hauling the bags. He felt like this was even more of a breach of privacy to show up at Carmen's door, but there was no avoiding it now.

The elevator was out of order, but he would rather take the stairs anyway in a place like this. He climbed up to the right floor, and went down the hall until he got to room 224. He was about to knock before he heard voices coming from inside.

The walls in these places were paper thin so it was impossible not to overhear.

"You do realize that you've made a fraction of what the other girls did last week," the male voice said. "You can't keep that up. It's bad for business."

"I'm doing what I can," Carmen's voice replied quietly, tired. The sniffling of the baby could be heard before it started fussing.

"Look, I already had to give you time off for the pregnancy, which I shouldn't have had to do anyway. You're on thin ice, Carmen. If you can't pull your weight I'm going to have to cut you loose."

"Please, I can work four nights but…I need to find someone to watch the baby…"

"That shouldn't even be a problem! It wouldn't be if you had gotten rid of it when I told you to! Both times!"

The baby was crying now, and Abbacchio felt anger rising in him, fist clenching.

"I don't even know how you paid your rent this month. If you're working on the side…"

"No, it's just… something I had stashed away," Carmen said quietly.

"Well, get your act together, because I don't have any qualms about throwing you back to him if you aren't worth me keeping around."

Footsteps approached the door and Abbacchio hurriedly pulled away, surreptitiously heading further down the hall until the door had opened and the man had exited. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing a tall man in a fancy suit that had pimp written all over it. Abbacchio ground his teeth. He hated scum like him.

But giving him a beatdown right now probably wouldn't solve anything. There was time for that later once Abbacchio found out exactly who he was and what they could do about it. He instead crossed back to Carmen's door and knocked.

He heard an exasperated sigh before the door was unlocked and wrenched open, revealing Carmen, holding the baby in one arm.

Her eyes were initially dark and challenging but turned to surprise and shock when she saw Abbacchio.

"S-Signore, Abbacchio," she stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

Abbacchio felt infinitely awkward. So, he just held up the bags. "I just brought a couple things. I didn't mean to startle you. The…your co-workers told me where you lived."

Carmen pressed her lips into a thin line, but the baby's crying softened her face and her shoulders slumped. She looked exhausted as she moved away from the door and motioned to him. "Come in."

Abbacchio reluctantly entered her apartment as she closed the door behind him.

"You really need to stop brining me things," Carmen told him.

"Technically they're for the baby," Abbacchio told her. "And they're from my Capo's wife." He set the bags down on the small table in the kitchen and glanced around. The apartment was about the same size as the one he used to live in before Passione, but it was clean and well kept—something he couldn't say for his. A small crib rested against the wall by the bed on the other side of the room, partially concealed by a curtain in an attempt to divide the room a little.

The baby kept crying, and Carmen rocked her, shushing her gently. "She's hungry, that's why she's crying," she told him, then glanced at Abbacchio before going over to him. "Here, can you hold her for a minute?"

Before he could protest, she plopped the baby into his arms, and Abbacchio could only cradle the tiny bundle to his chest, awkwardly holding this fragile thing as she squirmed and fussed. He kept perfectly still, holding his breath as if afraid even the act of breathing would harm her.

Carmen bustled around the tiny kitchen, preparing a bottle.

"What's her name?" Abbacchio finally asked once he got his voice back.

Carmen glanced over her shoulder and her face fell. "I…still haven't named her. I didn't think there was much of a point before but…I guess I'll have to think of something now."

Abbacchio glanced down at the tiny face scrunched up in frustration, and started to sway gently, hoping to soothe her. "I'm sure you'll come up with something fitting."

Carmen didn't reply. She finished heating the formula and then came to reclaim the baby, sitting down at the table as she gave the eager infant the bottle.

"It might not matter now anyway. I just…I don't know how I can keep her. I really shouldn't have and now I'm even more attached."

Abbacchio moved to sit across from her, shoving the bags out of the way so he could see her. "You don't have anyone to look after her?"

Carmen looked down. "The other girls take turns but if we're all working…I know they don't mind, but I can't keep asking it of them. It's not like any of us are allowed to have excuses for not showing up."

Abbacchio's jaw tightened. "I couldn't help but catch the tail end of that conversation earlier," he admitted.

Carmen glanced up sharply before she turned away. "That's not your problem," she told him.

Abbacchio huffed. "Yeah, I know." Damn Bruno rubbing off on him. He was all too comfortable these days with getting into people's business.

"I just don't get it," Carmen said, almost more to herself. "There's no reason for you to care about me. What you did for me was nice, and it was really helpful, don't get me wrong, but if you keep this up, it's going to raise questions that will get me in trouble."

Abbacchio nodded. "I know that, trust me. I don't want to cause you more trouble. I just want you to know that if you ever need anything, you don't have to hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," she muttered, looking down at the baby who was happily drinking her bottle now. When she turned back to Abbacchio her eyes were wet. "There…is one thing you can do. I'm sure you know a lot of people, and a lot about them. If I…if I have to give her up, can you at least help find her a nice home?"

Abbacchio felt his heart soften and ache at the same time. "I can do that," he promised. "But I want to help you keep her before everything else."

Carmen sighed. "It's not just about the money. It's not really…allowed. Lucien doesn't want us to have babies. He only let me because I paid him off. That's partly why I got so backed up in rent."

Abbacchio watched her for a long moment before he finally took a deep breath and asked. "If you don't mind my asking…why did you choose to keep the baby to begin with?"

Carmen stared at him. "Would you be able to just get rid of a baby?" she asked quietly.

Abbacchio was silent for a long moment. "I don't know," he replied honestly. "Probably not. It's just…not something people in your position would often choose."

Carmen clutched the baby tighter, rocking her gently. "The thought made me sick. I thought…even if I couldn't keep her after she was born, at least someone would be able to. Even if no one really understood my reasoning."

Abbacchio nodded. "I respect that decision."

"Well, you're in the minority."

Abbacchio pressed his lips together, then sighed. "Look, Carmen, I don't presume to know what your situation is really like or anything, and I mean no offense by this, but I was told to ask you if you wanted a job in a bakery."

Carmen's eyes widened and she suddenly laughed, making the baby grunt slightly at the loud noise. "A bakery?"

Abbacchio huffed. "Signora Bucciarati runs a bakery and is looking for employees. She's the one who sent the baby things. I get not wanting charity, but if you want me to help you get out of this life, I can do that."

"No, you can't," Carmen said sharply.

"Look," Abbacchio told her quietly. "I get it. I get feeling like you're stuck, but it's not always—"

"No, you don't understand," Carmen insisted. "I can't leave." She bit her lip and looked away. "It's…I have too many debts to pay and I refuse to let them follow me into another life."

Abbacchio blinked. "If you have debts, Passione can pay them off for you—"

"No! Don't you get it?" Carmen demanded before quieting slightly when the baby fussed again. "I would just be indebted to you then—more than I already am! I'm already working for Lucien."

"It wouldn't be like that…"

"So, just more charity spent on a random whore, I'm sure your capo will approve," she spat.

Abbacchio felt the disgust in her voice and it riled him. "Bucciarati isn't like that, nor is the new Don. They're trying to help people."

"Then they can help people who deserve it," Carmen said bitterly. She got up and carried the baby over to the crib, laying her down.

"Look," Abbacchio stood as well. "Even if you don't think you deserve it, what about the baby?"

Carmen's hands clenched around the top of the crib. "Of course she does. But what can I really do? I'm just…trying my best."

Abbacchio wanted to say more, but knew pressing wouldn't help. So instead, he simply nodded. "Look, I'm sorry I intruded on you. You know where to find me if you ever need anything, okay?"

Carmen gave a single nod, and Abbacchio turned toward the door.

"Send my thanks to Signora Bucciarati," Carmen called after him. "I really am grateful she thought of me."

Abbacchio smiled. "I will."

He left the tiny apartment and drove back to the house, having finished his errands for the day. Now he just had his reports to make to Bucciarati.

It was later that he caught Maria after she got back from the bakery, sitting on the couch in the living room with a sigh.

"Rough day?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Long day," she replied with a tired smile.

"I was just making some tea, would you like some?"

"Please!"

Abbacchio proceeded to make two cups and brought one to Maria, sitting down in the chair facing her.

"I really need to find more people," she sighed.

Abbacchio nodded. "Bruno and I will start looking around. There's always kids he's trying to help keep out of trouble. I'm sure we could find a few of them who are willing to learn something new."

Maria smiled. "And what about Carmen, did you ask her?"

Abbacchio exhaled slowly. "I took the baby things to her today but I don't think she's going to be able to do the job at the bakery."

"Well, if she needs to wait until the baby is older, I don't mind that either, I can always find a place for someone."

"Look, it's complicated," Abbacchio told her. "Her…current employer is not willing to let her go."

Maria frowned. "Even when she just had a baby?"

"She's a prostitute, Maria," Abbacchio finally informed.

"Oh," Maria replied quietly. "Well, doesn't she…"

"Look, I don't know the details," Abbacchio said with a sigh. "But I don't think she can leave. Something about debts."

"So, can't Bruno pay them off for her? Is the man she works for with Passione?"

"I'm looking into that, but…she's still not going to receive charity for the sake of charity, Maria. There's no way to do it without making her feel like she's indebted to just another person."

Maria looked thoughtful, tapping her fingers against the cup. "I can understand that. But I'm sure there's some way to make sure she doesn't feel like she's accepting charity. That's why I wanted to give her a job."

Abbacchio smiled. "Maybe I'll bring you to talk to her sometime then. You and Bruno are a lot better at convincing people than I am. But please don't worry too much about it. I don't know why I've gotten so deep into her issues either." He sighed.

Maria leaned forward with a fond smile. "Because you care, Leone. I know you like to pretend you don't but we all know you're soft." She winked.

Abbacchio growled, glowering into his teacup.

"You were so sweet to me when I first came to stay here."

"That's enough of that," he grumbled. "Look, I just want to help the girl. I guess she reminds me of me before I joined Bruno's team. I just want to do something for someone else who's stuck under their own mistakes, you know?"

"I know," Maria said sincerely. "That's what makes you a good person, Leone."

He rolled his eyes and drank more tea.

However, his talk with Maria only worked to strengthen his resolve in finding a way to get Carmen out of her current situation. He would start by looking into this Lucien fellow.

The next day he didn't even have to bring it up to Bucciarati though, because Maria had obviously already told him.

"I heard you're trying to figure out how to get Carmen out of her current situation," Bruno said as he came into the office with his morning coffee while Abbacchio was working on reports.

He sighed, setting the pen down. "Yeah, I'm going to try."

"You know the name of the man she works for?" he asked.

"She mentioned someone named Lucien," Abbacchio said. "Didn't know him off the top of my head."

"Hm," Bucciarati tapped his chin in thought and started looking through files. "The name sounds familiar. I think he's with Passione, but…ah, here we go. He operates under Renaldo; at a lounge in his area."

Abbacchio grunted. "That makes sense. Renaldo has quite a few skeevy operations like brothels under his belt."

"Yes," Bruno sighed, as he sat down. "But he does always pay his dues and he makes sure to stop anyone under him if they do anything heinous. So skeevy but with principles."

"So what you're saying is we have to have a good reason if we want to make trouble for Lucian," Abbacchio grunted.

Bruno offered him a small smile. "Why's that? We're at the top of Passione, everyone answers to us."

Abbacchio smirked slightly. "I know. I just…I don't know. I wonder if I'm even overstepping my bounds by doing this. Maybe I should just keep out of other people's business."

"Leone, you wouldn't be concerned about her unless you thought she was in need," Bruno told him gently. "Trust your instincts, you have good ones."

Abbacchio pressed his lips together firmly, trying to trust in Bucciarati's judgement, but at the same time, rather skeptical. "So what do you think we should do then?"

"I would first find out exactly what Lucien has over her," Bruno said. "It sounds like it's not just a normal deal, though it's not unusual for pimps to be very possessive."

"No, but it almost sounded like…" Abbacchio shook his head. "It almost sounded like she's working for Lucien because he's keeping someone else away from her."

Bruno frowned. "And you have no idea who that is?"

"No, and I doubt she'll tell me."

"Well, there are other ways of finding out information. Though I understand if you don't want to pry. I could go and talk to Lucien myself. Though I might speak to Renaldo first, and see if he already has any reason to dislike Lucien."

"You don't have to do this for me, you know," Abbacchio told him.

"Leone," Bruno said in annoyance. "Get out of your head. I'm doing this for her too."

Abbacchio sat back, folding his arms over his chest. "Fair."

Bruno smiled. "Good. You are welcome to come with me if you wish."

"That might complicate things," Abbacchio told him, slowly. "But, I'd like to know first-hand."

Bucciarati nodded. "Then tomorrow we'll go see about getting the information and you can decide what to do with it."

"All right," Abbacchio said, feeling a little better. He just hoped Carmen didn't find out someone was asking about her. Or that it was him. Though he was sure he was still going to have to answer for it eventually anyway in one way or another.

Because he knew he would be seeing Carmen again. It just felt like an inevitability at this point.