Legend

Meeting the Families

And so Reggie and Kaelyn dated a few more times, with Reggie falling deeper in love with her. She understood him more than anybody else in the world, more than even his own twin Ronnie. 

Ronnie wasn't pleased. Reggie took Kaelyn to meet Ronnie at the apartment they were sharing currently. Their parents lived downstairs. It was a comfortable apartment, much bigger than the shoebox the four of them were living in previously. The Krays were moving up the social and financial ladder one step at a time. 

Ronnie thought Kaelyn was taking advantage of Reggie and going to sabotage the Kray's expansion plan.

Kaelyn was sitting in the living area while Reggie and Ronnie were yelling at each other in the room.

Ron: She's just out to get you. She's planning and plotting this with her family. She will take over our businesses and get us locked up, that's her plan.

Reg: Shut up Ron, she's a wonderful girl, who happens to be an Astor. She loves me and I love her.

Ron: She loves you?! You know about love? Who loves you? I love you! Only I love you!

Reg: I can be loved by others as well you know.

Ron: NO! People like us will never be loved by others! Only I love you and you love me!

Kae rolled her eyes.

Ron: She's out to get you. (shouting) That whore is out to get you!

Reg: (shocked and worried she heard that) Shut up, Ron! Shut up!

Kae: Look Ron. 

    Theyboth turned around in shock, she was leaning against the doorway.

Reg: Kaelyn! (oh shit she heard everything?!)

Kae: I was born into the gangster family. If I wanted to get Reg, I would have killed him. No two ways about it. Settled this issue once and for all for my family. And there were plenty of opportunities to do so. But I didn't, because I am not doing this for my family. I am with Reg for me. Because I love him.

Ron shut up at last and looked at Reg, who looked a little sickened at the idea that Kae could have killed him if she wanted. Yes, he made himself very vulnerable to her. Those makeout sessions in the car, she could have slit his throat easily. Or poisoned him each time they dine together. Shit. But wait, the whole point was she didn't kill him. And she said she loved him. He grinned.   

Ron: NO, no, if you had killed Reg I would have come after you.

Kae: Ron, you fight with knuckles. My family fights with guns. You think they would let you come after me without protecting me? With guns? How would you stand against a barrage of guns? And it's going to be self-defence, my family would never have gone to court for it.

Ron: Damn. 

Kae: Ron, I love your brother. Maybe an Astor and a Kray together would mean bigger better business. Why do we have to think of it as one of us taking the other? Why can't we work together? My father is no longer interested in this bootlegging and protection racket work, he wants to open casinos all around Europe legitimately. That's his expansion plan.

Ron looked at Reggie, who was staring at Kaelyn like a lovesick puppy. Damn. But she made sense, and he admired the fact that she's addressing him directly. There was honesty in her eyes, most people could not look Ronnie in the eye, Kaelyn did and spoke her mind to him. This girl has guts, and deserves to be with a Kray.

Ron: Whatever. I'm going out for a drink.

He walked off.

Reggie came up to Kaelyn and hugged her.

Reg: That's as close to admitting defeat as you can get from him.

Kae: That's good enough.

Reg: (kissing her) I love you too.

Kaelyn brought Reggie home to meet her family. She had to tell her father first.

Fred: I heard you're bringing your boyfriend back home for dinner tonight?

Kae: Yes daddy.

Fred: He's a nice man?

Kae: Very. Daddy....erm...I'm dating Reggie Kray.

Long pause.

Kae: Daddy?

Fred: Reggie? Kray? The Kray brothers of East End?

Kae: Yes daddy.

Fred: (looking intently at Kaelyn) You've always been the smart one. Did you....did you do this on purpose?

Kae: On purpose?

Fred: To stop the Krays from expanding into our territories? You don't have to do that you know. Erwin and I are ready to take them on. We have the police and the party behind us.

Kae: No daddy. Well...initially I just wanted to know the Krays, find out more about their plans, maybe spy a bit and if possible see how to stop it. But I...I fell for Reggie. He's really a wonderful man.

Fred: And he's good to you?

Kae: Very. He treats me like a princess.

Fred: Because you are my princess. (kisses her forehead)

Kae: Forever. (paused) Daddy, you tell Erwin ok? I don't want him to be shocked and say something stupid at dinner. And if I tell him he'll just say I'm silly and blind blah blah.

Fred: Ok. You're not silly, not at all, you're the smartest one in the family. You figured this out on your own....you're my daughter.

Reggie came over with flowers for Mrs. Astor. Despite his cockney accent and funny colloquial style of speaking, Reggie was indeed very charming. Erwin was staring at him throughout dinner, but that was expected. What Reggie didn't expect was how reasonable Freddie King was, and it was obvious Kaelyn was the apple of his eye.