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Soon it got colder and Christmas and New Years came and went and soon Salomi’s 7th birthday was approaching. However, this upset Abe because again he couldn’t afford to give her anything. It bothered him so much that it distracted him at work.

“A penny for your thoughts?”Vernon asked him

“Sure, Im broke as hell”Abraham said

“Ok so somethings wrong and it has to do with money”Vernon said,”What is it?”

“Salomi’s birthday is tomorrow-“

“That’s all I needed to know”Vernon said,”Tell you what. Abby hasn’t seen Salomi in the longest, bring her over and we will have a big feast in her honor”he said,”And don’t even object to it because we wont take no for an answer. Leave your pride aside and celebrate your daughter’s big day with us”

Abraham smiled,”Ok”

“Good, whats her favorite food?”

“Bread”he said,that’s all they ate.”Of course she loves candy”

“We’ll think of something.Bring her over tomorrow at around 8 ok?I havent seen the little bugger in awhile either”

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

“Where we going?”Salomi said as her father washed her face and put on her dress. He combed her naturally wavy black hair and put on her shoes.

“We are going to celebrate your birthday the right way”he said to her

“The right way?”she asked him

“You’ll see”he said to her,”Lets go”he said to her as he took her hand and they walked to Vernon and Abby’s place.

“Theres my little girl!”Abby said as she ran out of the house to greet Abe and Salomi.She kissed Abe on the cheek and picked Salomi up and spun her around and gave her a kiss,”How’s my birthday girl?You are getting so big!”she said to her as Salomi giggled.

“Im fine”she said with a laugh

“Well come on in. I made a big dinner for you and its almost ready”she said to her. Abby’s cat came outside to see what the commotion was about and Salomi ran over and started to play with her.”How are you Abe?”she asked him

“Im good, Im alive, Im breathing”he said to her,”Its just weird seeing her get so big”

“Hey that’s the best way to be”Abby said to him,”Hey in a few years boys will be falling all over themselves to get to her”

“Just like her mother”he said. He was surprised when Salomi chose him. Out of all the rich boys that vied for her attention, she chose him. He didn’t get it but he was the happiest man in the world,”But please don’t say that. Shes still my baby”

“Ok I wont crush your dreams”she said as they walked into the house. Abraham looked around in shock. It was way different than when he last saw it. They had more furniture, gas lamps, they looked middle class. How could they afford all this?

“The place looks nice”he said to her

“I know,I love it. I was against Vernie buying all these things but now it seems like a real home”she said,”The factory is paying him really well”she said as she went back to cooking,”He’s in the bedroom if you want to see him”she said nodding back to a different part of the small house that was separated by a bigger and now nicer curtain.

“I see you redecorated-“he said as he pulled the curtain back and walked in but then stopped suddenly.

“Shit”Vernon said as he continued to hide little pieces of paper into a box and under the floorboards. Abraham saw that they were $5 bills.”I didn’t know you were here”

“Where the fuck did you get all of those?”Abraham asked him in shock

“Shhh”Vernon said as he closed the curtain,”Shit…now I gotta tell you”

“Um yeah!”Abraham said

“Just be quiet. They’re not real”he said as he put the box under the floorboards

“So if they are not real….they’re not worth anything…but you are hiding them like they are worth something”

“They’re counterfeit”he said and sighed.”I mean,fuck, Abe, did you really think that working at the factory helped me to afford the new clothes and everything in here?”

“I stopped believing that. Abby sure believes it”

“She thinks that I got promoted”he said,”You gotta promise to not tell anyone. It will kill me if anyone knows”Vernon said to him, looking panicked.Abe nodded,”These are counterfeit fives but no one knows, they still take them. I work for this guy on the side. Morietti. He’s this big shot Italian from Italy….well of course. He prints these bills and I deliver them to whomever and I get some for myself”he said

Abe sighed with relief, he thought that he robbed a bank.But then he stopped,”That’s still illegal”

“You think I don’t know that?”Vernon asked him,”But its making things so much better for us. This place feels like a home now instead of bunches of wood. Abby wants to have a baby, but we cant…..but there’s this doctor in New York that I read about….he could help”he said. Abby has had 2 miscarriages in the past 2 years. She has a certain condition but no one knows what it is. The doctors who know and could provide a cure need a lot of money for their services.”I want a boy of my own, hell I’ll take a girl too. But whats even better?Its those rich motherfuckers in town, they respect me when they see me buying nice things. They don’t give me dirty looks anymore. Im respected. Accepted”he said and paused,”You should help me”

“What?No-“

“No listen, a lot of these deliveries are hours away and I get in trouble for being late and Im late….a lot.Im only one person”he said,”Now that you know about this….you might want to consider joining me in this.Think of what it could do for the two of you.You can give Salomi the life you always wanted her to have”

Abraham shook his head,”Vernon,this is organized crime we are talking about here-“

“Just think about it. We could be a good team”he said as he went behind the bed and picked up a small doll and a dress.”I got this for Salomi”he said to him,”Now which one do you want to be from you?”

Abe sighed,”I’ll take the doll.She loves those”he said as he held it,”I just wish I didn’t have to lie to her”

“You wouldn’t if you joined me. You can buy her nice things-“

“Yeah and I’ll also get killed for it. I cant leave her alone. Its bad enough she doesn’t have a mother around, she needs me. I need her”

“Ok….I respect that”he said to him.”I’ll say this dress is from me and Abby”he said,”Just keep your mouth shut. Don’t tell Abby or anybody. What they wont know, wont hurt them”he said

“What are you two doing in here?”Abby said as she walked in,”Oh that is precious”she said as she looked at the little blue dress

“Its from us”Vernon said

“Baby, you bought these for her?How sweet of you”Abby said as she gave him a huge kiss. Vernon gave Abraham a knowing smile. Abe could see that Vernon was getting a lot of ass from all the stuff that he was buying.”Well dinner is ready”she said,”Salomi and I are setting the table now”she said as she walked back out.

The two of them walked out and left the doll and the dress in their room for now. They all sat down and dug in to the huge feast which was chicken, potatoes, veggies and milk. It was the most that Abe and Salomi have ever eaten. If he joined Vernon, they would be able to eat this everyday. He shook his head. He didn’t want to resort to crime to make it.

“Done!”Salomi said, she cleaned her plate quick

“Good girl, do you want anymore?”Abby asked her

“I want potatoes”she said

“She loves potatoes”Abe said with a laugh.

“I’ll give you a little more, but we gotta save room in your stomach for your cake”Abby said

“I love cake!”Salomi said happily. They all ate all of the food until there was none left. Then Abby brought out the cake and lit the seven candles that were on it. Salomi squealed with joy as the cake was set in front of her,”This is the best birthday ever!”she said,”Daddy can my 8th birthday be exactly like this?”she asked him

“Sure”he said with a small smile. He just wished by next year that he could afford this. He looked at Vernon and he gave him a knowing look. He looked away.

“Make a wish baby”Abby said to her.Salomi closed her eyes and did so for a long time.They all smiled, what was she wishing for? Then Salomi opened her eyes and took a deep breath and blew out all seven candles. They all clapped. “That’s my girl”she said to her and gave her a knife,”Lemme help you cut the first piece, you want the first piece?”she asked her.Salomi nodded.Abby nodded and then looked at Vernon,”Get the presents”she mouthed to him.

The both of them got the presents and walked back out with the two items behind their backs. By then they cut all the pieces. “That’s your piece daddy”Salomi said to him

“Thanks baby”he said to her and then brought the doll from behind his back,”And this is for you”he said to her

“Daddy!”she said excitedly as she put his cake down and jumped in his arms and hugged him,”Ive always wanted a doll like Evie has”she said to him and kissed him on the cheek,”I love you Daddy”she said to him

“I love you too”he said as he held her close, not knowing that she would be this happy over a doll.

“We got you something too”Vernon said,”You like dresses?”

“Yes”Salomi said and gasped when he showed her the little blue dress.”Oh my goodness oh my goodness!”she said as she jumped down,”Thank you-“she said as she touched the dress.

“You can have it on one condition”Vernon said,”If you call us Uncle Vern and Aunt Abby”

“Ok Uncle Vernie”Salomi said as she hugged him and then hugged Abby,”Thank you Aunt Abby”

“You’re welcome baby,lets try it on”she said to her and then led her to the bedroom.

“Will you at least think about it?”Vernon asked him

Abe nodded,”I’ll think about it”

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Abe sat up in bed and got up quietly so not to wake up Salomi. He lit a candle and went outside to the outhouse and did his business. He walked to the well and lifted up a small amount of water and washed his hands when he heard a sound in the bushes. He turned and didn’t see anything. He quickly put the pail back into the well and walked inside. He felt a small gust of wind blow against his neck. He stopped and turned and looked at Salomi’s grave. She was here. Was she trying to tell him something? This bothered him and he blew out the candle and laid in bed next to his daughter, he laid there and stared into the darkness and soon fell back to sleep.

But then something made him wake up, he saw that the candle was lit and sitting on the table. How did it get there? He got up and reached under for the gun that was latched under the bed. Then he saw her. He gasped.

“Salomi?”he whispered.

She turned to him,”Hey Abe”she said to him,”How are you?”

“Im officially going crazy but that’s fine….”he said.He wanted to touch her, he wanted to hold her, kiss her but this was his craziness getting the best of him.”I would ask how you were, but that’s a stupid question”

“No its not, just because Im dead doesn’t mean that you cant use your manners”she said

“Don’t remind me”he said to her sadly.”What are you-“

“Is that her?”she asked him,”Little Salomi right?”she asked him as she looked toward the bed.He nodded.She walked over to her.

“Don’t, you’ll scare her”he said

“She wont know Im here”she said as she knelt down and watched her sleep.”She does look like me….snazzy little dress she has on…..precious little doll she has…..precious little face, smile, hair….”she said as she ran her fingers through it. But Salomi didn’t stir. She gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked back over to him,”I gotta go but I was sent here to give you a message. I don’t understand what it means but you have to believe me”

“Is it a good message?”he asked her

“Yes. Now there’s a new business prospect in sight for you. Take it no matter what the cost”she said.

“That’s the message?”he asked her

She nodded,”So Im telling you to do so. I mean if it gives you a better life for you and our baby….go ahead. Fight for what you want”she said. That was her motto.

“What kind of prospect?”he asked her.”How will I know?”

“I don’t know”she said as she walked towards the door,”I have to go-“

“No stay….please….you left me so quickly-“

“I know”she said as tears came to her eyes,”I miss you so much, I would give anything to be with you two. But I know if I stayed I wouldn’t be too good. I would just be sick and wasting away. Death is whats best for me. Im always here. Im always watching over you. I love you Abe”she said and kissed him on the cheek and then disappeared.

He then sat up in bed suddenly, tears already rolling down his cheeks and sweat on his brow. It was just a dream but it seemed so real. Then he looked and saw that the candle was still burning. It was real. It was all real. But what was she talking about? He missed her. He laid back and looked at Salomi laying next to him. He sighed as he laid closer to her and held him in his arms. Whatever this prospect was, he would take it. If Salomi thought it was best, then he would do it. Even in death, he would do anything for her.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

“Go home”their boss said to a select group of men, this included both Vernon and Abe.

“What?What the fuck are you talking about?”one of them asked.”I need the money, I have 5 kids to feed!”

“No one told you to fuck your wife that much”he said to him.”Look theres a rumor that some important people will be coming to the factory today.Higher in authority than I am. They wont like that all of you are here. Im not supposed to have so many workers.So if you want to keep your jobs then get the hell outta here and quick. Come back tomorrow”he said as he gave each of them 50 cents. Abe sighed and took it and followed the other angry workers out.

“Great, I cant even afford to get something for dinner”Abraham said.He then looked at Vernon. He had a smile on his face? “Why arent you upset?”

“Because this gives me more time to make some deliveries”he whispered to him

“Oh have fun”Abraham said

“Have fun with me….you said that you would think about it.Just think about how much money you would have? I mean we both can make enough money, quit the factory which would actually do em some good”he said,”This is the best business prospect ever, I don’t even see any cons to the situation….”

Vernon kept talking but Abraham couldn’t hear him. Once he said “business prospect”, his ears perked up. Was this what Salomi was talking about? She wanted him to do this? It was a sign from her and he had to take it. “Ok”

“Im not gonna take no for an answer”Vernon kept talking and then he realized that he said “ok”. “Ok….good then, lets go”he said. They walked toward town and took the trolley to get to town. They got off and Vernon said to him,”Don’t say a word.Let me do all the talking”he said to him as they walked into an office building, they went to the bottom floor and Vernon whispered something to a guy. He led them down a hallway and then he stomped on the floor three times and then lifted a big floorboard up.”Thanks”Vernon said and they descended down the small and steep stairs to a makeshift cellar. A makeshift cellar that was full of cash. Abraham stared in shock. He has never seen so much money in his life!

*_____________________*









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