Author's Note: I own only my OC.
Chapter 1: It Starts with a Party
December 1930, New Year's Eve. New York.
Charlie sighed as she stood in the alley behind Alveare.
She watched quietly as her breath floated up towards the heavens, where the stars were struggling to compete with the bright lights of the city. A feeling of melancholy had begun to seep into her bones along with the cold.
It had been about a month since she became immortal, along with the executives of the Martillo family and the three Gandor brothers. She had been waiting, expecting to feel… well, she didn't know what she expected, but it had been a whole month, and she still didn't feel any different from how she had before her body unknowingly underwent such an amazing change with a single glass of liquor.
Though she had asked Firo and Maiza to explain it to her, she was sure there were still some things she didn't completely understand. But sometimes, when she was alone at night, the thought of a future that now seemed to stretch on endlessly before her scared her a little.
"You're going to miss the celebration if you stay out here."
Charlie lowered her gaze and glanced behind her when Ronny spoke. He was leaning casually against the wall while lighting a cigarette.
"Oh. I keep forgetting my watch is broken…" she said, raising her wrist as if to check it. The watch seemed to be stuck wavering between one and two minutes after five o'clock.
Tick-tick
Tick-tick
She continued to stare at it, watching as the minute hand flicked continuously back and forth, stuck repeatedly going back to a fixed point in time. Just like them.
Charlie wondered if she would ever see her mother again…
"Have no fear, Charlie," the ever mysterious chiamatore said, straightening up to come stand beside her.
"Should you ever tire of this endless existence, and feel as though you've 'done your best' for long enough and wish to join your mother… well, no matter. As one who gives immortality, I can also take it away. Should you ever grow weary of this eternal life, I can end it for you."
He followed up the solemn promise with a small, reassuring smile as he placed his left hand on top of her head. Upon hearing those words, Charlie's eyes widened. She suddenly remembered something she hadn't thought about in years.
"I can sense that your mind is preoccupied with many questions concerning life and death. But, unlike these three, you do not seem to be interested in an immortality elixir… why is that?"
The question was asked by the large shadow looming over her in a darkened room of the sporting house where she had once lived with her mother. The older girls who had performed the summoning ritual called it a "demon," but the shadow itself had claimed to be something else entirely.
"'Cause it won't do me any good. My momma's alweady dead,"
Charlie had replied sadly, lowering her head a bit as she glanced down at the floor.
"So if I can't die, then how'm I ever gonna see her again? Madam says that if I'm a good girl, then I'll be able to see her again when I go to heaven."
"You want to die?"
The shadow sounded genuinely surprised.
Charlie shook her head.
"No, not yet. My momma said we all gotta die someday, but 'til then, she wants me to keep smilin' and enjoyin' life… She made me promise to do my best at it, even if it get's tough, so that's what I'm gonna do."
"You… It can't be…"
Charlie stared at Ronny Schiatto in shock as if seeing him for the first time. That experience—that conversation—was something she had never shared with anyone. For him to know of it could only mean one thing.
Charlie swallowed the lump in her throat and asked:
"… Mister Shadow?"
"In the flesh."
For a moment, Charlie thought she might faint. But she didn't. This world really was full of impossible things and amazing coincidences, wasn't it?
"No kidding… You're a lot more 'solid' now than I remember."
"That's because I've taken on a human form as part of a promise I made 200 years ago—well, no matter. If you want to know more about that, you can try asking Maiza. For now, you should probably get back inside. It's time for the countdown."
Having said this, the "demon" tapped his watch. Charlie gasped and quickly dashed back inside.
With everyone counting down to midnight, Charlie took a seat at the piano. When everyone let out a cheer and popped their party poppers, she began playing Auld Lang Syne. One by one, everyone in the bar joined her in singing the song to say farewell to the old year and usher in the new. Ennis and Firo, and many of the other executives had gathered around her, spreading their cheer with warm smiles as they poured her a drink.
Charlie smiled warmly as she watched them move on to Mr. Molsa and Mr. Yaguruma's table. Whatever happened in the future, right here and now she was happy. It was moments like this that made her glad she was still alive.
"Don't worry, I'm not in any hurry to die," she said when she felt Ronny standing beside her again. "Especially since, even if I do, there's no guarantee I'll be able to see my mother again… After all, I'm not a 'good girl' anymore."
Charlie finished with a rueful smile while the two of them watched the other members of the family cut up.
"Hey, Charlie! Ronny! Get over here!" Firo called out to them with a big grin, waving for them to come over and join the fun.
Charlie and Ronny did as Firo said and enjoyed the party, but it was soon time for her to leave. She had promised the Gandors they'd be her first visit on the first day of the year, since the Martillos had booked her for New Year's Eve.
Seina came over to Charlie and said, "Your escort is here."
Charlie looked over toward the door that led into the corridor to the shop and saw Luck standing there. She smiled at him, then said goodbye to everyone and left with him.
"She sure is popular," Pezzo said, watching her go. "You think he's getting serious about her?"
"Nah, from what I've heard, he likes having her around, but he hasn't made any moves on her yet," Randy said.
"Why not?" Pezzo asked. "It's obvious he likes her."
"Well, what's the hurry? It's not like they're getting any older. They got nothing but time."
"I guess that's true."
As they walked out of the honey shop, Luck said:
"The meal you left with us was a big hit."
Charlie had cooked up a storm between the dishes she made to eat with the Martillo Family and the ones she had left for the Gandor Family. She had made the traditional Italian New Year's Eve meal of lentils and pork sausages for the Gandors to share at their party. And since Seina had them covered with the traditional Italian cooking at the Matillos', Charlie had made the New Orleans New Year's Eve staples: black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread.
"Glad to hear it," Charlie said. "Thanks for coming to get me. You didn't have to."
"Well, you may be immortal, but the streets are still dangerous, particularly at night."
"That's why Mr. Ronny is teaching me how to defend myself."
"And how is that going?"
Luck was a little jealous of the time she was spending with Ronny, and he fully intended to protect her, but he liked the idea of her being less vulnerable. As he had learned when Dallas tried to kill her, he couldn't be with her all the time. It would be better if she could defend herself, though there wasn't much one could do against machine guns.
"Good, I think. I can at least defend myself against Ennis, though I can't beat her yet."
"From what I hear from Firo, that is good."
—∞—
"Hey, Charlie!"
Berga greeted her loudly when she stepped into the basement of Coraggioso with Luck.
"Pull up a chair! Grab a hat!"
He pushed a shiny party hat into her hands.
It was obvious he'd had a lot of the spiked punch that had once filled the punch bowl on the table that had been set up with cups and plates for the food that was on the table next to it.
Charlie could see many of the men who were sitting at the other tables in the basement were also enjoying the punch. They were all smiling and laughing and talking.
One of the noticed her.
"Hey, it's Miss Charlie."
"Hey, Miss Charlie!"
"Come on in!"
"Your cotechino con lenticchie was great!"
Charlie saw that the dish that had held her meal was bare, almost completely clean.
"…..."
Keith handed her a plate full of food from the dishes that were left. He had been taking care of some end of the year business, but now he was free to celebrate, too.
"Thanks."
Charlie put on the party hat to free up her hands. She accepted the plate and sat down at a table with the three brothers.
"So, how was the party?"
"As you can see, it's still going," Luck said.
"Yeah, everyone's waiting for you to play us the first song of the year," Berga said.
"I guess I'd better get to it, then," Charlie said. She stood up and went upstairs to the piano.
Everyone else followed.
"All right, you guys! It's the first song of the new year!"
Berga made the announcement as they all grabbed a chair in the jazz hall.
The men clapped and cheered.
"Any requests?" Charlie asked.
There were lots of requests, but Luck said, "How about Georgia on My Mind?"
"Good choice, boss!" some of the men said.
Charlie smiled and started playing the song.
The Jazz hall became quieter as the men stopped talking to listen, and she sang:
Georgia, Georgia
The whole day through (the whole day through)
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind (Georgia on my mind)
I said Georgia
Georgia
A song of you (a song of you)
Comes as sweet and clear
As moonlight through the pines
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you…
Charlie continued to sing and play her song until she reached the end, and they all applauded. She smiled and gave them a small bow before going over to the Gandors.
"You just keep getting better."
Luck smiled at her.
"I think Mrs. Kate still has me beat."
"…..."
Keith neither confirmed nor denied this statement.
Charlie had met his wife when she first got involved with them, she rarely saw Mrs. Kate, because Keith preferred to keep her away from the business. She was fully aware of what her husband did for a living, but he did his best to keep her out of danger.
Charlie wondered if Kate knew her husband was immortal. Charlie felt bad for them. It would be hard on both Keith and Kate. Him, watching her grow old and die. Her, watching him remain unchanged while she alone aged.
And then there was Berga and Kalia. They would have the same problem.
Charlie reminded herself that she was at a party, and there was no point in worry about something so far into the future. She could worry when it actually became a problem.
"Something wrong, Charlie?"
Luck noticed the subtle change in her expression.
"Oh, just thinking about the future. Sometimes it seems to stretch on like a horizon you'll never reach… doesn't it?"
"I know what you mean. It's like this vast, great unknown."
"You two think too much," Berga said.
"…..."
Keith was quiet.
"I guess the important thing is to enjoy the present while we can."
Charlie spoke on a brighter note, not wanting to bring the party down.
Keith nodded in agreement.
Luck smiled. Not his polite business smile, a real smile.
"You always bounce back so quickly."
"My father used to say I was like one of those dolls that always stands upright no matter how far it's pushed down."
Charlie smiled wryly as she related this anecdote.
"I'd have to agree."
Berga cut in with:
"Yeah, you're easy-going, but then you'll get weirdly stubborn about some things. Like learning how to fight. You know you can just come to us if you've got a problem."
"Yeah, but you can't do much for me if I'm alone in a dark alley when danger strikes."
"What would you be doing in a dark alley?" Berga asked.
"Taking a shortcut."
She said so simply that Berga didn't know what to say to that other than:
"You're something else, you know that?"
Luck kept smiling.
"And wipe that grin off your face! Don't encourage her."
Charlie laughed, and Luck joined her.
"I'm warning you two! It's not funny!"
Even though he was doing his best to sound stern, Berga was in danger of cracking a smile, and it showed.
Keith watched their smiling faces, and it made him happy.
"… Heh."