The Aishling Cafe

Part 1

The New York streets were bustling with people. Flappers stood in various locations smoking cigars and drinking out of flasks. Their short hair curling around their ears and their short dresses causing a few men to cast lingering gazes at the women.

Martha walked down the street with her dress trailing on the ground behind her, she accompanied her parents to a dinner in downtown New York City. Martha smiled as they approached the high class restaurant. She had fixed her hair into a controlled pile on her head, and her dress brushed the floor as they walked into the building, escaping the New York summer heat. They were seated rather quickly at a table near the back corner.

The tables were covered in a white tablecloth, the silverware was wrapped in a cloth and that left the three wine glasses left at each seat. Martha's father and the host each pulled a seat out for the two ladies, allowing them to be seated. Martha's father took his seat lastly, settling down in the chair with a relieved sigh. The host set the menus in front of each customer before saying, "Your waiter will be right with you."

With that the waiter turned and left, heading back towards the front of the restaurant. Martha smiled at her parents, "It's nice to see you two again. How's the business out in the South?"

"The Southerners aren't in general favor of us buying out their local businesses. But we're earning more money." Martha's father said as he glanced over the menu, already knowing what he was going to order. "The oil company has yet to run out of money. I'm glad we set up the company when we did."

"Just in time to start earning our money for the family." Her mother added in. Martha smiled at her parents deciding on a pasta dish for dinner. "How have things been with your Uncle Kevin?"

"Fine. Hectic, but I couldn't have expected anything less." Martha commented. A group of five people caught her attention. It was a group of two women and three guys. The two women had an interesting fashion set about. One had long hair falling loose about her shoulders, the other had a flapper-like haircut. Both were wearing slimming black dresses that revealed their shoulders but dropped to the floor. Both had makeup on- bright red lipstick and some light eyeshadow. But then the men drew her attention.

The only attractive one looked like he was about 21, around Martha's age in general, his dark hair was stylishly greased back and his blue eyes glinted in amusement as they caught Martha's gaze. Martha felt a blush cover her cheeks as she looked at her table, ashamed to know that she had been caught looking. Her father raised a slightly bushy eyebrow, "Martha? Are you alright?"

"Yes, what were we discussing again?" Martha questioned, ignoring the group which had drawn her attention earlier as they were set up at the table in the back of the restaurant.

"We were speaking about the companies, but I'm more curious about my daughter." Her father sat back slightly, "How are your friends?"

"Fine, they've all been going out to have some fun though." Martha said thoughtfully.

"Oh, really?" Her father asked. "Turning into flappers?"

"Some, I guess." Martha stated tilting her head slightly. Her mother sighed in disappointment.

"I hope that this age ends soon. The new women don't understand how free they are nowadays." Her mother spoke carefully as the waiter approached the table. After ordering their meals, the family settled into conversation. The night was going spectacularly well, Martha thought as her eyes trailed to the table in the corner. She screamed, because there was the woman with long hair holding a gun across the table, pointed straight at a man with wispy white hair.

The whole restaurant stopped at Martha's scream. Including the woman who quickly hid the gun next to her hip in the booth. Her parents quickly spun around to trace her gaze, only to find the group of pretty normal looking people. Martha's dad questioned, "What's wrong?"