“Baby; you know you are going to have to run this family business… and me and your Uncle Sam… We think you can do it; we think you can do it now…” He assured me. “You were already controlling Manhattan, Brooklyn and Providence…” He said. “You don’t think I’ve noticed all of that….” He said; his voice had some sort of emptiness into it. No father; I didn’t think you’d notice or care. I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t even think straight so muttering a word to him would be pointless. Jesus; Los Angeles underworld… under me?

“Is it the girl? Is it… Carmen?” He asked. He remembered her name; I was pleasantly surprised. I looked at him and away again. Would he be disappointed if I said yes?

“She’s a keeper; I gotta say that to ya…” He said and looked at Sammy; who laughed at him. “I’m not asking you to stop seeing her; she seems like a nice girl… and if you’re happy with her and so be it… she’s not a Peabody… thank god…” He muttered and the three of them laughed. “But… there are risks… consequences… if you are with her. You do know that; do you?” He asked me.

“Yes; I do…” I said.

“Good…” He said easily. How I wish I can not feel like him.

“But… but, there are already a family here… it’ll just create more problems for us…” I said; thinking maybe he’d think about what he asking me to do this for a second.

“The Garcia’s family?” He questioned me.

“Yes; them…” I said.

“They’re nothing Shane… they are amateurs at this; they’re wanna be gangsters Shane… they’re small and weak… I mean; for crying out loud… they carry baseball bats… just a bunch of street thugs. You and Jenny can easily handle them in a two weeks time…” He said confidently. And; he was right they are just a bunch of thugs.

“Your dad is right Shane… The Garcia’s are still small; they don’t know what to do and how to control… they are struggling with their own people… hell; I’m not surprised if they fall under you…” Uncle Sam said.

I still stayed quiet. Is this real right now? Have my dad and Uncle Sam flew all the way to LA to deliver this supposedly good news? I thought of Carmen; can she handle this if I tell her.