Pandora's Box

The music was loud, way too loud for Jacob Donnelly's taste. He preferred jazz and made some Stones and Beatles here and there. He was a much classier guy then whomever his daughter Susanna was dating nowadays.

He patted his pocket, making sure the letter she had sent him was still there. It'd fazed him a bit, her hatred of him. But when Kelly explained it all to him, it'd made since. He had cheated on Susanna's mother, he had been engaged several times, and he'd dragged both of his daughters through all that muck.

What else would she say if she found out about the family business? Would she embrace is like he hoped, or would she go and rat them all out? He'd chosen a good place if she screamed, the music would water the scream down.

He was a little unsettled when he spotted his little Suzie. She wasn't so little anymore. Her hair was longer and darker, her skin paler and less freckled, and she still had her spunk and charisma. She was wearing thick cherry red horn-rimmed glasses and combat boots. She carried herself with too much pride and too much self-assurance. But her smile contradicted it all. It was a lovely, mind-numbing smile. Jacob Donnelly could only imagine how many young men had fallen under the spell of that smile.

"Hullo, Jacob." She sat down.

"Call me dad."

"Why?"

"Because I am your dad."

"Why?"

"Do I have to go through this with you?"

"No." Suzie smirked again.

"Happy birthday." He pulled an envelope from his coat pocket. He'd just cut a deal with Rocky earlier in the week and he was living large. So why couldn't his favorite daughter too?

Suzie took the envelope and skeptically looked it over. "This isn't laced with any explosives is it?"

The two laughed. "Do you care for this racket?" asked Jacob, spreading his arms wide.

Suzie shrugged. "Not this song. Yellow Bird sucks. However, the song coming up is pretty good. The Clash rocks." To Jacob, this was gibberish. What was Yellow Bird? Who was the Clash?

"Don't worry, Jacob. I don't expect an old crusty like you to be up on the latest punk revolution." He thought she was kidding, but he couldn't be too sure. She pocketed the money without so much as a glance. He would have to teach her a few tricks or two about pocketing cash.

"Can I talk about how I make my fortune?" Jacob's hands broke out into a sweat.

"Sure, why not?" Suzie was desperate for conversation. At least he wasn't sinking so low as to ask how Felicity was.

"I'm in the mafia."

"We're not Italian." She replied, not so much as blinking. Suzie's fingers trembled underneath the table. Fuck him! He was going to get them all kicking the bucket!

"I know. I'm in the Irish mafia."

"Lovely." She rolled her eyes. "I suppose this is a traditional talk. You're supposed to introduce your son to all this shit. I'm not your son and I'm definitely not going to be getting anymore publicity for being involved with the fucking Irish mob!" Suzie's voice rose to a significant level.

"Calm down." He hushed. "I'm a deal-breaker. I won't get into any details. Do you remember Seamus O'Reilly? The man who writes all those books you love. Well, he also runs the neighborhood." He shouldn't have told her. He'd made the wrong decision. Seamus was right.

Suzie tightened her grip on the table. "Look, Jacob, I'm not getting involved with any of this. Not one bit. You keep your mob business away from mine. Besides, you're a wizard; you can get yourself out of any bit of trouble. No more talking about this, okay?" she bit her lip in thought.

Jacob let out a breath. "I don't have any magic anymore."

Suzie squinted; he practically could see the steam pouring out her ears. "Why the hell didn't you tell me about this! When did you get your magic revoked?" she leaned on the table with her elbows.

"After I was caught cheating in a Las Vegas casino about last Christmas. That's where I met my Kelly." He was trapped in a memory. One of the most delirious memories he had had the pleasure of looking back on in a long while.

"Susanna Donnelly!"

"Miss. Donnelly!"

"Over here!"

"Hey! Who's that man?"

"Have you heard about Simon Costello?"
"Why aren't you with him?"

The paparazzi attacked, shoving their microphones and cameras in her face. What had happened to Simon? "What's going on?" shouted Jacob. "By the way, I'm Susanna's father!"
"What fucking happened to Simon!" Suzie stomped onto the rickety table and screamed her message.

"He's at St. Anne's Hospital. He was in a car crash."