55. RoofTop Talk (Bonus 12)

Vienna was standing on the rooftop of one of the business buildings that belonged to the O'Neil family. Tristan had decided to bring her there so they could talk and have a view.

She was looking across the city. It was cold but beautiful. The clouds seemed red. There was snow on the forecast. She heard Tristan approaching. She turned and he handed her a cup of hot drink that smelled heavenly. She smelled it and the aroma was so irresistible. She said "What is it?"

Tristan said "Lets take a seat. Dont you like surprises Vienna?"

Vienna sat down behind a small round table on rooftop and wrapped her fingers around the hot cup of hot drink as she set it down on the table "Sometimes."

Tristan said "Well, you surprised me today. Thats for sure."

Vienna said "Tristan. Dont talk about what happened now... I want to know whats this drink." Vienna then took a sip of the hot drink that was made to be at the perfect temperature. She said "It has Irish cream inside and maybe some orange."

Tristan said "Yes. It is. Its Sicilian orange flavour and Irish cream mixed together in a chocolate drink. Do you like it?"

Vienna said "Whats there not to like? Irish and Italian tastes mixed together..."

Tristan said "Thats how our lives would be like if we chose it to be." He then gave her a knowing smile "Dont you agree?"

Vienna's cheeks felt hot and she shrugged as she reached into a basket that was also on the table and had different types of biscuits and chocolates. She pulled a vanilla biscuit out "Why is everything perfect when you do it? I love these flavours in this basket."

Tristan said "I always live to plan for you..."

Vienna asked "When do you get the time? You are always working."

Tristan said "My father taught me time management."

Vienna looked up at Tristan as she opened the wrapper of a chocolate "How is your work Tristan? You dont talk about your work."

Tristan said "Its nothing I am not used to already. Its what my father has prepared me for."

Vienna said "So why do you need your uncle as mentor?" She put her chocolate in her mouth and it tasted so good.

Tristan said "This is a business he has been managing for years. I wont know half its secrets unless being told. I have other advisors too."

Vienna nodded and then looked away "If I ask you something, will you promise not to get mad?"

Tristan said "Why would I get mad?"

Vienna looked at Tristan "Because... its about your uncle Jackson... Viggo doesnt trust him. He thinks your uncle has a plan and would not have easily passed his business to you unless there was a plan.... My question is ... Do you trust your uncle Jackson?"

Tristan smiled "I am not mad at you for asking. I am glad you do pay attention to what I do and you care for what is happening in my line of work. Your brother is right. There is always a catch. There is always a reason. Do I trust him? I have no reason not to. But it doesn't mean I am not on my guard."

Vienna said "Viggo thinks your uncle is not who he seems to be."

Tristan said "Am I who I seem to be Vienna? I don't think I am. We all have our dark secrets. My uncle is a man who has nothing to lose. He was beaten in love. Your aunt Anna is the only woman who ever held his attention. So he lives with regrets. I don't approve of how he lives loving a married woman. He must accept defeat and move on. He can't change what happened."

Vienna said " Don't Take it the wrong way. I want to know what you think of this. I am curious... If you were in his position will you give up?"

Tristan sat back "No. of course I won't give up but ... I won't allow decades to pass and then take action. If I were him I would have killed Arturo before his marriage ceremony or get killed in the process."

Vienna cringed "But my aunt Anna loved my uncle Arturo. Why shouldn't he just move on?"

Tristan said "You asked me what I would do. I told you. We are not typical families Vienna. We are criminal families. We are never safe. Do you know how many attempts have been made on your life and mine over the years and our fathers blocked the attempts? You must have some idea of why you have so many security guards and no outsiders are allowed into the circle of trust your family has. Needless to say, the circle is getting smaller and smaller over the years. All risky people are excluded. You must know why you can never be safe with people like Edward Blake who your mother approves of. We don't have the luxury of choice. If we become careless we die. I won't lose you Vienna. Ever. I won't give you a reason to hate me enough to not to be with me. If I do then I must fight to be worthy for  you or prove it or I must protect you by making sure a man who can't protect you won't be the one you rely on."

Vienna put her hand under her chin as she leaned her elbow on the table "Times are changing."

Tristan said "But they haven't. Not yet. The day our families are free of crime then we can live like others without fear. I would rather protect you than lose you Vienna. My uncle made mistakes. He lost. He must accept it."

Vienna said "But if you were put in the exact situation as your uncle wouldn't you be like him? He was not allowed to be free when my aunt Anna got married. Only after he inherited the business leadership he could be free to fight for my aunt Anna..."

Tristan mirrored Vienna's posture and put his elbow on the table as he put his hand under his chin "Well. Then I would be looking closer to home that why I found myself in the situation. Was your uncle Arturo some random person off the street who just appeared out of no where when my uncle Jackson was locked up by his father and restricted to do anything? I don't think so. It was an ongoing rivalry that my uncle Jackson never acknowledged and he lost. He didn't fight for your aunt Anna because he saw women like how his father saw women... as a possession."

Vienna gasped "Tristan..."

Tristan said "It's true. Our parents or guardians either teach us what to be or what not to be. My uncle Jackson could learn to love rather than posses by despising his father's way of life. He didn't. Look at your father Vienna. I know you don't know much about your grandfather because no one dares tell you as it will risk your father's wrath. But your father could do what my uncle Jackson couldn't. Your father didn't have a good father. Your father didn't choose to be like his father. So the notion that we are all in image of our parents or guardians is not always right. My uncle became his father knowing that his ways were wrong. A man who took what he wanted by force is what his father was and what my uncle became.  Only by hearing from my uncle Jackson I could see how wrong his father was. My uncle Jackson views himself as entitled. He never asked himself why your aunt chose your uncle Arturo. Did he have something to do with it? He did. He said what actions he took and I don't blame your aunt for not choosing him."

Vienna was listening intently and nodding. She hesitated to speak but then collected her thoughts and said what she felt "You know. Don't take this the wrong way Tristan. But if you think it's wrong to take what we want by force why do you say that you would ... kill anyone I get to be with if it's not you."

Tristan said " Well. Because that's what I would do Vienna. I won't lose you to a man who can get killed easily. If the man you choose is not me, then he must be strong enough to protect himself. Won't he? I never said I would force you to marry me after killing the man you choose who is not me. I said I will kill him or keep trying.... until he marries you. If I don't succeed I leave your life."

Vienna became nervous under his stare suddenly. She picked up the cup and drank the warm liquid trying to look away from his eyes. He meant every word.

Tristan continued. "I don't have eyes for married women. No one should."

Vienna said as she was looking down "But your uncle does. How can you allow that?"

Tristan said "I don't."

Vienna looked up "How do you mean? He has my aunts photos."

Tristan said "Keeping photos is not a crime Vienna. I can't put him on trial for keeping your aunts photos. What kind of excuse is that to give my people to put my uncle under trial on moral grounds? He can't lead with this mindset of course and he has stepped aside from an empire that actually shouldn't have been his."

Vienna said "Shouldn't have been his? When who did it belong to?"

Tristan said "As you know my grandmother, my father's mother and my uncle Jackson's father were brother and sister. I always wondered why my grandmother wanted nothing to do with her family and was always secretive. Well. House of O'Kane has secrets. I only found out recently about this... My grandmother  is a daughter from a first marriage. Her mother died giving birth to her. According to the family laws at that time, the first child inherits the mob. If it's a girl then she has to marry and her husband carries the line with her family game. Also second marriage heirs don't count as leaders. Jackson's father is from his father's second marriage. So there was an agreement that my grandmother will give her son to the house of O'Kane. But she couldn't have more than one child. Grandpa O'Neil also wanted nothing to do with them but made excuse that he needed an O'Neil heir himself. So an agreement was made so the next generation has to give up a son. My grandmother didn't like how they wanted to claim an heir from her and didn't like them because they hated my grandpa O'Neil but didn't mind taking a heir. They were not kind to my grandpa. I don't know who makes up the rules. I don't agree with it. Anyone who worked hard has rights. Whoever is deserving has rights. The elders in all Irish families around New York know of these laws and won't have it any other way. My grandpa O'Neil is one to keep the secrets for the O'Neil family. He has kept it for so long."

Vienna was looking at Tristan with her mouth open "So what happens now? When do people find out about this?"

Tristan whispered "It was officially revealed and sighed last night actually. There was an Irish meeting. My father stormed out hearing this. Well he had a father - son talk with my grandpa O'Neil afterwards. My father never knew the secrets. My grandpa was not meant to tell him until the time came which was last night and it was. I thought I don't need to be so immersed in this syndicate of Irish families but the grip on my life got tighter from the house of O'Kane. With power comes responsibility. So from last night my uncle has been forced to stay out of the business. He is part of the family but he has no say in the leadership. He is going abroad to retire or so he said in the meeting. That's for me to grant. Well judging from how he has caused tension with your family I didn't insist on him staying. He is free to leave. You come first Vienna. Your family comes first to me. Always."