moment, and then continued, “But to be honest I do, too. It’s so easy living in this city.” The waitress, a very attractive twenty-something dressed as a vampire, strolled up with a coffee pot. “Can I warm that up for you?” Nicolae smiled and raised his hands like claws and said, “Blah, I want to drink your blood.” Laughing, he then lifted his cup. “Please, and if you don’t mind me saying, you look stunning as a vampire.” The waitress giggled. She loved the older couple and their weekly visits. They were always polite, always with compliments, and they tipped incredibly well. “I take it your after-dinner brandy has gone to your head, Mr. Balitiu?” the waitress said in her usual warm and joking manner. She looked to Steliana and continued, “Has he been watching his P’s and Q’s at home?”
Steliana nodded with a laugh that seemed to come from deep in her chest. “Yes, he’s such a pussycat, and he loves it when we come here, and although I’m quite jealous about it you know, he’s so disappointed when you’re not here. He thinks you are so delicious.”
“That’s very sweet,” the waitress said, then she kissed him on the cheek. “Can I bring you anything else? We have a wonderful chocolate cake.”
“A wheel chair,” Nicolae answered in his normal soft and joking manner. “As always, I ate too much.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, where do you live?”
“Cornerstone Manor, and let me tell you, after this meal those three blocks are going to be horrible.”
“I’ve seen your place,” the waitress said in total awe. “That is the most incredible mansion I’ve ever seen.”
“It’s nice. You should come by sometime, we’d love to show you around,” Steliana replied, “But it’s not home.” She sighed.
“That’s because we lived in a castle in Romania and Steliana just cannot get used to living in a small home.”
“Then it’s set. Bring your friend, we’ll cook out.”
“I think what I miss most is the high ceilings and open air. Of course my flower garden was to die for,” Steliana continued in a melancholy tone.
“No, dear, I think we’re full. We just can’t eat like we used to,” Steliana answered after a long moment, touching the young girls hand with the gentleness of a grandmother.
The waitress smiled and then moved off toward the entrance.
Across the street, Jack and Roland leaned against Jack’s mustang, eyeing the elderly couple with hunger. To Jack, like all the other old fucks he’s attacked, this was an easy mark if they had more cash than their monthly social security check, and by the way they were dressed he believed so.
“What do you think,” Roland asked, watching the old man pull his wallet from an inside breast pocket.
“Wait for it,” Jack answered.
Nicolae opened his wallet and withdrew a stack of bills about an inch thick. He then tilted his head, looking over his glasses, and fanned out the cash.
The waitress returned and stopped short when she saw the money in Nicolae’s hand. “Mr. Balitiu, you shouldn’t be flashing your money around like that.”
“It’s these damned glasses,” Nicolae complained. “I can’t see the denomination with these things.” He looked around. “Plus it’s so dark I can barely see my hands.”
“Nicolae, I swear, you really need to go back to the doctors.”
“Shush, woman,” Nicolae spat.
The waitress quickly sat the food bill on the table, and then picked up a few bills from beneath Nicolae’s trembling fingers, and covered the remaining cash with Nicolae’s napkin.
“Count it out for me, would you?”
The waitress stooped beside Nicolae and whispered, “You have over a thousand dollars here...” She took a hundred and put it on her tray. “Now put that back in your wallet and put your wallet away. I’ll be back with your change in a moment.”
“This is for you, dear,” Steliana said, sliding another hundred dollar bill over to her. “And you keep the change from the bill.”
“I can’t—“
“Yes, you can. And, you will,” Steliana said. She then nodded in Nicolae’s direction, “I think he has a crush on you.” The waitress laughed and then helped Nicolae to his feet. “You two be very careful going home, and please don’t carry so much cash on you. There are people here who would really hurt you for that kind of money.” Nicolae kissed the waitress on the cheek. “You are just so nice.” He blew out a sigh. “You remind me so much of our Anna.” He dabbed at his eyes, and then coughed as if clearing a horrible knot of remembrance. “I’m looking forward to you and your boyfriend to come by, did I say that correctly, my English you know. Royalty teaches you things but...”
“Your English is perfect,” the waitress said as she lightly swept her hand across his shoulder and back.
Nicolae then held out a trembling hand to Steliana. “Allow me, my dear,” and he held her hand as she stood.
Across the street Jack whistled. “You see the fucking money he has in his wallet. “Fuck me. He was advertising it.”
“Fuck no. I was looking at the young bitch sitting with him... Damn, son, that’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen...” Roland answered, then more to himself he continued, “I’m going to break me off a piece of that.” Jack gave Roland a look that said he had shit for brains and bad eyes.
“Fuck, man, you didn’t hit the pipe did you?”
“Nah, man,” Roland defended. He stopped, “Where’d the young babe go?”
Jack looked at him and started to say something but then thought better of it and looked back at the old man. “This is going to be fuckin’
easy.”
They watched as the elderly couple strolled across the patio. Then Nicolae stopped and glanced at the two guys and uttered something, which made Steliana take pause before walking a little faster.
“Fuck,” Jack mumbled, “they might be on to us.” Jack bounced off the car and slapped Roland on the chest. “Let’s go, then it’s in and out, mofo, in and out,” and they followed the elderly couple who walked somewhat hastily hand in hand down the street.
Nicolae stopped at the bottom of the steps and drew in a deep breath.
He dabbed beads of perspiration from his forehead and looked up at the entrance. “Five steps never looked so high.”
“After the walk we just had,” Steliana said. “Those piddly steps are nothing.” She then took his arm and helped him up the steps.
At the door, Nicolae hesitated before unlocking it. “I think we were being followed.”
“I think so, too, dear, let’s hurry inside before something happens.” He nodded and said, “Yes, yes, before something happens,” and shoved the key into the lock and gently pushed the door open.
She paused for a moment, “I’m still thinking about that lovely waitress, do you think she’ll stop by?”
“One can hope.” He stepped out of the way and let Steliana in. He said, “Don’t forget the alarm, dear.”
As Jack and Roland were rushing toward the steps, Steliana pressed in the code, disarming the alarm, and as Nicolae pushed on the door to close it, Jack banged through, slamming into Nicolae.
Nicolae crashed down with a loud yelp and before Steliana could turn to help her husband, Roland slammed into her, hurling her into the front room parlor. She crashed down on a center table with a loud scream that silenced before she hit the floor.
“Shut the fucking door, Ro,” Jack yelled out, and then kicked Nicolae in the face. “Lay still you old fuck or I’ll kick you back to wherever you came from.”
“Steliana,” Nicolae moaned. “Please don’t hurt her. She’s not well.”
“From the looks of it grandpa, you ain’t looking so fucking hot yourself,” said Jack with a laugh and a grin that made Nicolae lay back.
