Four Delinquents

Chapter 13: Baby Face Nelson Doesnt Smoke

That night we sat and ate dinner with George and Hera. He told jokes straight off the cob and she laughed at them like shed never heard them before. I knew better though. Those were the jokes I had told her when I still thought it possible to change her mind about me.

    You should’ve seen how angry she was when we got home. His arms around us and laughing at the jokes we were telling him. She was sitting on the steps waiting for him and he insisted we get to stay and eat with them.

    He stayed till about 4 in the morning. By this time Hera had fallen asleep drunk and was totally incoherent. He sat and smiled at us drinking from his glass. We hadn’t seen Pretty Boy all day long and I was kind of worried about him.

    I stood up to head upstairs and look for him. But George grabbed me and pulled me back down. I turned over and looked at him

    “where you goin?” he asked

    “I was gonna go look for Will. We havent seen him all day.” I explained.

    “oh I saw him around town earlier he was gonna go get a hair cut he said. He said you gave him money to go do it.” replied George.

    I looked around at Baby Face.

    “did you give him money?” I asked

    “ no I didn’t give him no money.” he said “did you?”

    “nah” I answered. “probably got it himself.”

    “he got a job too?” asked George

    “uh yeah.” I said looking down at the table.

    “yeah wheres he work?” asked George

    “a uh…” I looked around at Baby Face for him to finish it.

    “a bakery.” finished Baby Face. “he works at a Bakery.”

    “oh?” said George sipping his whiskey “ill have to drop by and see him some time… you want some?”

    “want some what?” I asked

    “bake goods.” said George sarcastically “do you want some whiskey?”

    “I….” I stuttered

    “yeah we do.” said Baby Face. “long as we don’t have to share glasses with you.”

     George let out his open mouthed laugh and pounded his fist on the table. He grabbed a couple of glasses and filled them with the whiskey. He set them in front of us.

    “no I wont make you share cups with me.” he replied.

    “this all?” asked Baby Face picking up his glass and looking at the miniscule contents of it.

    “start with that.” said George “then if you want more you can have some.”

    Baby Face rolled his eyes and threw back the liquid. He hesitated then he started coughing. George laughed again. I looked down at the whiskey in my own cup do I really want to drink this?

    “see that’s why I didn’t give you more.” laughed George “that’s what the bad stuff does to you. Then again the good stuff not much smoother. You still choke on it when you do something like that. Your turn Dodger.”

    “wait… you know my…” I began

    “course I know your nickname. Nobody actually calls you by Hades. I mean really who names someone Hades. that’s a really stupid name. after a greek god or something isn’t it?” he asked. I nodded in response. “I know all you boys nicknames.”