The Mobster's Girl

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

The morning after the gala, Stella stood in her kitchen, staring at the box that held the Lanvin dress, which was still on the table. Part of her longed to take the dress out of the box and try it on, or hang it up at least, a she knew that the delicate silk material would crease easily, and she didn't want to have to iron it. Another part of her didn't want to touch it, and wanted to return to back to Jack.

Why had he given her the dress? Was this his way of apologizing yet again? Or was it possible that this was another way of ensuring that she'd owe him yet another favor?

She reached over and pulled the dress out of the box, took it to her bedroom, then gently laid it across her made bed, then smoothed out the skirts to prevent any wrinkles. She would decided what to do with the dress later, after she had taken her parents to the train station.

They had called her earlier that morning, insistent that they wanted to return home. They missed Seattle, and were tired of Chicago. So, Stella had quickly gotten dressed and eaten a quick breakfast, and was ready to walk out the door, when she spotted the Lanvin dress again, and had gotten distracted.

Stella was now running late, which her parents would be irritated about.

She rushed downstairs, where she greeted Mrs. Carsen, the two having made up, went outside and hailed a taxi, and was at the Blackstone in a matter of minutes. She walked into the lobby and was greeted by a few of Jack's men, who she smiled and nodded to as she went to the elevator.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed Maggie sitting and chatting to one of Jack's employees. The girl looked up at Stella and winked at her, but continued talking and said nothing more. She was dressed conservatively and wore no makeup, which was odd for her. Maggie was always dressed in the latest fashions.

Something had to be going on.

Stella was going to confront her, but the elevator doors opened, and her parents, who had been waiting downstairs for her, called out to her. She turned to look at them, and immediately wished that she hadn't. They looked furious, and her mother held something in her gloved hand. It looked like a photograph.

She approached them cautiously, a hesitant smile on her face.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said quickly. "Traffic was awful."

Her parents continued to appear angry, and Stella wasn't sure how to proceed. She wasn't certain if they were upset about her being late, or if it was something else entirely, but she was sure that her parents would tell her eventually.

Wordlessly, her mother held out what she was holding her hand, and nodded once to it, prompting Stella to take it.

Stella hesitantly reached out and grabbed it from her mother, then flipped it over, only to see the picture that Jack had had taken on the night that Stella had first danced in the front row. Her dress was low cut, the hem higher than what her mother would approve of, and she wore a face full of makeup. Stella was grateful that the picture only show the girls in regular clothes instead of their costumes, and was even more thankful that there was no alcohol present in the photograph.

"I don't understand," Stella said stupidly, her mouth dry, her heart beating loudly in her ears.

"How can you not understand, you insolent-"

"That's you in the picture, is it not?" Her father interrupted her mother, which left the older woman fuming. "Be truthful now, as we know everything."

Stella looked at him with confusion, which then turned to horror as he motioned for someone, who turned out to be Maggie, to come over.

"Tell Stella what you told us, dear," her father said kindly, as Maggie sidled up next to Stella.