1 One.

27th FEBRUARY 2004

RALPH

"Open this goddamn door I am only telling you once Rafe!!!"

"Open the fucking door!! "

I suddenly wake up only to realize that the banging on the door wasn't a dream, it must be the landlord, what am I going to tell him now!

For God's sake every day I wake up just to shine shoes it is so frustrating, I tell you it is the littlest pay in the whole universe, why is my life so pathetic no wonder Julia left I have to say though she really tried and at the end she just gave up but no worries one day I am going to break out I will become so rich she will come crawling back and I will not take her back I am telling you

I have decided to just hide from the landlord it's no use if I see him because I will tell him the same thing I told him a few days ago so it is really no use, the banging stops and I hear,

"I know you are in there Rafe I will be back don't you think you have survived,"

I don't know how many times I have told him my name is Ralph not Rafe there is a huge ass difference!

I brush my teeth and after taking a bath I comb my hair perfectly, well at least mom left me with one good thing and that is my hair, once I am well groomed I open the door and check if my coast is clear I wouldn't want to run into the guy he probably wants to beat me up right now, I leave and shut the door slowly

* * * * * * * * *

I walk slowly to my little shop well like I said before I am a cobbler I repair shoes and I also shine shoes, I open my little shop and right on queue,

"Stinger my man how is the morning? " my neighbor / friend Hakim came in all smiley, I honestly do not understand why he is always excited,

"Same old same old, " I replied grabbing my items placing them on the table,

"Oh enter my grumpy old friend, " he said laughing,

"Hey I am not old, I am 30--1----31," I replied shooing him away,

He slapped a bit on my back and told me he was going back to his shop, I could tell it was going to be a really slow day

BOOM!

A man fell into my shop, a slightly sweaty tall man in a black suit, wait what! What is happening! While he got up I heard loud noises as people were running by, like a bunch of people, what was that about

The man got up and put a finger to his lips motioning me to not even make a single noise and I complied I mean he is really tall and looks dangerous, I kept quiet and looked outside through the glass on the upper part of the door,

"Per fottuto Pietro dove cazzo sei!!" I was shocked by the loud noise from the man as I turned I saw him shouting at someone on the phone,

I wonder who he is yelling at,

"Perbacco, vieni adesso. Sono in un negozietto sulla stessa strada, chiedi di un uomo di nome Ralph," he yelled again, wait did he just say my name or is that a coincidence!

He got off the phone and inhaled really slow, then looked at me,

"Did you just say my name? " I asked slowly,

He shrugged like it is a normal thing, "Isn't Ralph your name?" he said in an accent and sat down in my chair,

"How_____How did you know my name? " I asked curiously because I have never met this man before,

"It is on that box in the corner honestly I do not understand why a grown ass man would label his box, " he said rolling his eyes and I rolled my eyes too I just saved him from people who were after him and he is talking to me like this what the hell,

"This grown ass man saved your ass while a bunch of people was going after you and you talk to me like that, " I said very pissed off now,

"Do not worry Ralph you will be paid for helping me alright that's all you Americans care about when my brother gets here you will be paid, " he said calmly and continued looking around my shop like he was examining it,

He was about to answer when a man dressed in an all black suit entered my shop and looked at the man immediately, then looked at me, then he looked at the man again

"Fratello, dobbiamo andare, papà ha aspettato abbastanza a lungo," he said calmly and waited for the other guy to stand honestly I didn't understand what the hell was happening

The man whispered to the guy that just came in and the man nodded I looked at them both curiously, he then walked out the door and the guy who just came in looked at me seriously and he came close while I stepped back,

"You will be rewarded very well Ralph, " he said and smirked then he left

What the hell!!

And I thought it was going to be a long day huh

* * * * * * * * * * *

2nd MARCH 2004

I was just leaving work God all I need is a good bath and some good sleep, I said goodnight to Hakim and left for my apartment which is just around the block,

All of a sudden I bumped into a person dressed in all black,

"I am sorry I was not looking where I was going, " I said as I got up and I looked at the person who I bumped into they were already up and an envelope was right in my face,

"What is this? " I asked the person I couldn't see really,

"A gift from the Vettorios, " a voice said which was a lady and pushed the envelope in my face some more and I grabbed it with that she left without another word

I looked at the envelope in my hand and opened it to see what was inside, Oh my God a big wad of cash in the envelope,

I covered it immediately and looked around to see if anyone saw me, I immediately got up and ran home

* * * * * * * * *

When I got home I was breathing hard from the little exercise I need to work out that little distance and I am feeling this bad oh damn,

I locked the door and looked at the envelope I put it on my table and decided to count it I mean if is the logical thing to do right

I finished counting and oh my God 5000 dollars why would anyone give me this kind of money and I remembered the woman said it was a gift but from who really who is that generous to help poor old me,

I almost shivered when I remembered the black suit guy from a few days back, could this be from him, how can someone give away 5000 dollars just like that I mean how rich are they?

Well they did look like powerful men but I wouldn't think of that

"You will be rewarded very well Ralph," I remembered the guy smirking at me and who are the Vettorios I haven't heard of them before are they a powerful family, influential people well I cannot tell,

I looked down at the cash and couldn't help but thank God for such a gift because I have got bills to pay man I just got saved

* * * * * * * * * *

"I wonder where you got the money Rafe, " the landlord looked at me curiously and I got really irritated,

"You got your money and you are asking about where it came from? "I questioned with a disbelieving look,

The nerve of some people I have given you your money just take the fucking money!

He gave me one last look and walked away, I sighed and got back inside

* * * * * * * * *

"So a lady just walked up to you and gave the money, " Danny asked while I paced back and forth, I had called him to tell him about the "gift" I received, Danny is my childhood friend,

"She didn't just hand it to me..... Well she did but... but it was in an envelope and also I bumped into her, " I said and scratched the back of my head still confused by the Vettorios

"Look Ralph calm down what are you thinking about? " Danny asked drinking from his glass,

"Just what she said I haven't yet stopped thinking about it, " I know it has been precisely two days but I am still in shock,

"Well..... What did she say? " he asked curiously,

"She said it was a gift from the Vettorios, " I said and I heard a gasp,

I looked at Danny and he looked like he knew something I didn't know I was curious,

"Danny! Danny! " I shock him and he well came back from wherever he has been,

"All I know is that family is dangerous....well it is an Italian family, they deal in drugs and money laundering Ralph how did you get involved with them!! " he said almost whispering like he didn't want other people to hear and looked like he was scared for me,

"You met one of them? " he asked and I looked at him with curiosity,

"I think I met two of them, " I said and sat down,

"What!! How!? " he asked obviously interested,

"Well the other day I was getting ready for my day at the shop when a man literally fell through the door and then these bunch of other people come running straight down that path and I was confused until I realized that they were indeed after the man who fell in my shop, then he gets up calls someone yelling in a foreign accent probably Spanish I don't know, he tells me I will be paid well I didn't know he meant this alright, " I said pacing back and forth, did I just get involved with the mafia but wait______

"How do you know about the Vettorios Danny? " I asked eyeing him, he scratched the back of his head and looked at me,

"Well I just heard of them you know it is a rather common name but they are from Italy they don't live here, " he said looking at me and I kept eyeing him I wonder how he knows this but I will let it go,

"At least I am glad I paid off my landlord only God knows when I would have gotten the money, " I said laughing with a sigh,

Danny laughed with me and we got up to go grab something to eat,

"Guess who is paying today? " Danny said slapped my back a little and I laughed

* * * * * * * * * *

28th FEBRUARY 2004

SICILY, ITALY

ALESSANDRO

Pietro and I got off the jet at precisely 4:25pm, we found two SUVs waiting for us and standing outside one was my sister Inez, when she saw us she wore a smirk,

"Dad is going to kill you Alex you were supposed to be here 2 hours ago you know that right, " she said as I approached her with Pietro,

Pietro went and hugged her and she squealed what a spoiled brat, I rolled my eyes at them while he raised her off her feet and she squealed more, oh dear God,

"If you are done we can leave, we are already late Inez, " I said rolling my eyes,

"Oh come here big brother I know you missed me you don't have to pretend father is not here, " she said and I smiled, my sister may be a brat but I love her to death,

I hugged her and she squealed again

We got in the cars and she kept telling us what happened when we left to meet with the American mafia, well that didn't turn out great

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

VETTORIO ESTATE

I walked in with Pietro and Inez and the guards greeted us I asked where my father was and they directed me to the backyard,

I went to meet father and found him looking at his horses he sighed without even turning,

"Sandro my boy you are back finally, I thought you had taken residence in America, " dad said and Inez laughed,

"I was just a few hours late there were some interruptions, " I said and looked at Pietro,

"Oh yes I heard_____and the man who helped you ___oh very generous but I will deal with the Americans, " he said finally turning around facing us,

I am not surprised he knows about me hiding in a little shop I wonder how he gets to know some of these things,

"Yes we arrived for the meeting as scheduled but then we realised it was a trap set by Oleg he knew we were going be there and he attacked I am sure it was not the Americans, " I said walking with him while he told Pietro and Inez to go in the house,

"How do you know that? The Americans could have very well let the Russians in because they are the only ones who knew about you going and since we have bad blood with the Russians they were probably offered a bigger deal, Sandro think about it, " he said and I thought about it, it could be true, if I had not fallen in that cobbler's shop who know what would have happened,

"I am going to take care of them don't worry my boy, " he said while petting his favorite horse

"Anyway I want to know about that man who helped you, " he said and I looked at him flabbergasted by his suggestion,

"Why? " I said looking at him curiously, "I just happened to fall in the man's shop what do you want with him now huh? " I added and ran a hand on my face,

"I just want to know him Alessandro, " he said insisting,

"Father what is this about? " I said already exhausted

He may have a point

* * * * * * * * *

RALPH

It had been a full month and I was very happy after that gift I received I was not very sad anymore though I still think about those two men I don't know the name Vettorio cannot get out of my head,

I was brought out of my thoughts when the door opened, I turned and looked and I almost peed my pants,

"Hello Ralph, good to see you again, " the man who fell in my shop a month ago said with a smirk and removed his hat,

"I was passing by and decided to say hello, " he said laughing and I continued looking at him wide eyed

Oh shit!

TRANSLATION

"Per fottuto Pietro dove cazzo sei!!" ~ For fucksake Pietro where the fuck are you!

"Perbacco, vieni adesso. Sono in un negozietto sulla stessa strada, chiedi di un uomo di nome Ralph," ~Great come now I am at a little shop on the same street ask for a man named Ralph

"Fratello, dobbiamo andare, papà ha aspettato abbastanza a lungo," ~Brother we have to go Dad has been waiting long enough

"Sandro ha visto le vostre facce tu e Pietro pensi che sia qualcosa di molto ok, non molte persone sanno che aspetto hai e quest'uomo ti ha visto e se i russi venissero dopo di lui potessero offrire più di 5000 dollari____ quindi pensa Sandro pensa," ~Sandro he saw your faces you and Pietro think it is something okay, not many people know what you look like and this man saw you if the Russians came and offered more than 5000 dollars!! ______think Sandro think!

Next chapter