"And that's that eh?" Alfie said, listening to Shelby recount the events. "All neat and tidy?" Alfie could't help but feel a bit skeptical. Shelby was too nonchalant.

"All neat and tidy," Tommy replied coolly. Alfie sat up in bed.

Little snake is probably planning his next move to overthrow me.

"No disrespect, but it all sounds a little too neat."

Anti-climactic. Except for the juicy bits with the Scott getting his brain splattered all over the floor, the story was dull. However, Alfie wished he could have seen that justice dealt out to the Scott.

"Just take a victory Solomons."

Alfie wagged a finger at him. "Now don't start giving me orders Shelby. You got rid of a problem that affected us both. Don't push your luck."

"I'll take that as a thank you."

Shelby's serpentine eyes slid down to his watch.

"Well, I have a wedding to attend."

"Right right… the wedding. Give the bride my regards. A warrior's salute in fact."

That Carleton woman sounded like a real pistol, cold-blooded like Shelby himself, probably was what drew him to her, that and her money.

The gold digger.

"I expect I'll be hearing from you in the future," Tommy said, ignoring his well-wishes. He turned and began walking towards the door. Rude as usual.

"Consider this an on hold-situation Shelby. We're on holiday!" he shouted as Tommy put his hand on the doorknob. Shelby, his back turned, raised his hand as if waving him away before stepping out of the room.

Bloody Gypsy.

"Time for your morphine, Mr. Solomons," the nurse said as soon as Tommy disappeared. Alfie gave her a menacing look. He had a hunch everyone preferred him to be unconscious so they wouldn't have to hear him shout his demands. Here he was, cooped up in this hospital in a bed that was growing more uncomfortable by the minute, and Shelby was out there planning on happily married bliss. It absolutely made his blood boil.

"WHEN THE HELL AM I GOING TO BE DISCHARGED?!"

After his coerced morning nap, his day brightened literally and metaphorically. Blinding sunlight shot through his window, startling him back into consciousness. A perfect day for Shelby's wedding and a perfect day for the sun to try and blind him. He awoke, groggy and not in the best of moods until the door opened, revealing Ada in a light blue blouse, beige skirt, and light blue heels, and Karl in an uncomfortable looking brown suit and checkered cap. Alfie wondered what the special occasion was.

"Well I'll be, if it isn't master Karl Thorne," he said, grinning at the boy. "Back for more bread are you?"

Karl moved slightly behind his mother's skirt, a little shy or maybe a little fearful. Alfie had hoped the swelling on his face had gone down tremendously, but it was still noticeable in the round mirror one of the nurses had tentatively held up in front of him per his request. That had been a rough time for the woman as Alfie, in frustration and rage, had chucked the mirror across the room, roaring to be let out of the infernal hell hole immediately.

But today, he would be on his best behavior.

"Come closer so I can get a better look at you. My eyes aren't too good still, a little swollen, but it's not too bad is it now?" he asked.

Karl shook his head and moved closer to the bedside, showing he had a little courage in him. He had to have some, considering his mother was brave.

"That's better," Alfie said, giving him an appraising look. "I see you're all decked out."

"We can't stay long," Ada interjected. "I just picked him up from school and I wanted to bring him here first. I did make a promise after all," she added, smiling as if they had their own secret.

"That you did," Alfie replied, thinking she looked the prettiest he had seen her since first laying eyes on her outside his shop. Something about the lighting and the soft, almost shy smile on her face made his heart beat at a rather unusual rate. He turned back to Karl who had his hands folded in front of him, a little man already.

"So master Karl, quick now. Tell me one thing you learned today. Teach this old man here something new."

He could see the boy was warming up to him, probably because he observed his mother's interactions and because he remembered the bread. He opened up and told Alfie something about arithmetic or what not that sounded dreadfully dull, but he nodded intently acting profoundly interested. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ada trying not to laugh as her son prattled on, puffing his chest out and looking extremely confident in his new-found knowledge of sums.

When he was finished, Alfie made a deal with him.

"Right now, Karl. I'll make a deal with you, a negotiation of sorts. You keep learning and telling me one new thing when we cross paths, and I'll get you some more of that bread from my bakery."

The boy's eyes lit up at that.

"Oh and listen to your mother," Alfie added, noticing Ada's smile deepen.

The boy nodded and said he would.

"A pleasure doing business with you," Alfie said, extending his hand with the most serious look on his face and shaking the boy's hand. A serious expression crossed Karl's face as he took this deal to heart.

"Karl, why don't you wait in the hall while I say goodbye to Mr. Solomons?"

Karl nodded.

"Bye Mr. Solomons," he said and Alfie quickly told him to call him by his first name.

"Remember our deal now," Alfie said. "I'll hold you to it," he grinned. Karl grinned back, now completely won-over.

Karl slipped past his mother and into the hall. Ada laughed and walked over to the bed.

"You were so good with him," she said.

"He's a good kid," Alfie said, shrugging it off. He didn't have a reputation for being soft-hearted, but he had nothing against kids. He looked up at her, how neat, and bright, and pretty much near perfect she looked and here he was…. Bandaged, and swollen with no word of a discharge date.

"What?" she asked, laughing.

Damn it, I was staring again.

"I'm just wondering, why you're all dolled up," he said, squinting against the light.

"My brother's getting married," she said.

Something clicked then in his brain, some lever or gear, or a switch of some kind. Christ he wasn't a mechanic, but a thought occurred to him that hadn't previously crossed his mind.

"Perfect day for it," he said, watching her closely now and wondering if he was losing his mind. Ada sat down on the edge of his bed, looking into his face.

"I wish you could come with me and Karl. It would be the perfect time to introduce you to everyone."

Alfie raised his hand and rubbed his hand across his beard, which honestly was getting out of hand at this point. For obvious reason's he hadn't made an appointment with his barber.

"You need a shave though," she said.

"You're right, I'm not the most presentable now am I?"

"I don't care. You're perfectly alright," she said lightly.

"That didn't sound very complimentary," he replied, filling any potential silences with words as part of his brain tried to see if his new thought had any legitimacy to it. Maybe it was coincidental…. Maybe….

"Fine then, better than alright. You're splendid Alfie Solomons," she said playfully before kissing him on the cheek, just as she had before. She was about to turn away, but he raised his hands, pulled her towards him, and planted a very forceful, but very satisfying kiss on her lips. The only unsatisfying thing about it was that it had to end. She gently placed her hand on his cheek and pulled away.

"I have to go now," she said, breathlessly, her eyes wide and gave the widest beaming smile Alfie had seen from her to date.

"Go go," he said, waving her away. "Don't miss the wedding on my account."

The sheets rustled as she rose to her feet, smoothing her skirt and preening in front of him. Her lipstick was smudging around her lips.

"You might want to attend to that," he said, rubbing his own lips and grinning at her.

"You're ridiculous," she said, wiping her hand across her mouth.

"No, I'm splendid."

"Goodbye Alfie," she said, giving him a look of mock disapproval before walking out of the room, her heels clicking loudly against the floor as she sped away.

"Karl, time to go," she called and Karl answered from far down the hall. The door clicked shut, but not before she gave him one more smile. Alfie waved and listened as her heels clicked away.

He leaned back, resting his head on his pillow and looked up at the sinking ceiling and laughed.

She's a Shelby, alright.