Surprise and invitation

Lorenzo stepped out of the jeep, his army duffel bag slung over his shoulder and his crisp uniform a contrast against the gritty Lower East Side streets. The engine rumbled softly as Caesar, the young soldier driving, turned to him. "Colonel, we're already here."

Lorenzo nodded, his gaze sweeping the unfamiliar yet familiar surroundings. It had been two long years since he'd last set foot in this neighborhood. He patted Caesar on the shoulder, his fingers lingering for a moment. "Good luck out there, Caesar. I have great expectations for you and McDonald together."

Caesar's face split into a proud grin, and he saluted. "We won't disappoint you, sir."

Lorenzo returned the salute, his chest swelling with pride. "I know you won't." As the jeep disappeared into the distance, he took a deep breath, the smells of the city washing over him. The aroma of freshly baked bread from the corner bakery mingled with the scent of exhaust fumes, transporting him back in time.

Lorenzo adjusted his duffel bag, his boots clicking on the sidewalk as he strolled through the bustling streets. "I'm back," he said to no one in particular, a small smile playing on his lips. The passersby glanced at him, some offering nods of respect, others making way for the uniformed soldier. He returned their acknowledgments with a nod or a brief smile, appreciating their support.

As he walked, his thoughts drifted to Deborah and Adam. He hadn't told them he was coming home, relishing the idea of surprising them. In fact, they still believed he was on the frontlines, as he hadn't informed them of his return from the war and relocation to Fort Dix.

The first place Lorenzo visited was Gelly's Deli, hoping to catch a glimpse of Deborah. The moment he stepped through the door, the familiar scents of pastrami and pickles enveloped him.

Fat Moe, Deborah's rotund brother, was behind the counter, serving customers with the same efficiency he'd always had. When he glanced up and saw Lorenzo, his eyes widened, and he dropped the sandwich he was making.

"Lo-Lorenzo!" he exclaimed, but caught himself before attracting too much attention.

Lorenzo gestured for him to be quiet and leaned in. "Shh… Is Deborah here?"

Fat Moe nods, his face flushed. "Y-Yeah, she's in her practice room, practicing… acting."

Lorenzo chuckled, "So, she's into acting now, huh? I remember when she was all about dancing last time I saw her."

Fat Moe nodded, wiping his sweaty brow. "Yeah, she's been really into it since she joined that community theater group." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice even more. "She's gotten pretty good too, you know. Won some awards and everything."

Pride swelled in Lorenzo's chest. "That's my girl," he said with a grin. "Listen, Moe, can you do me a favor? I want to surprise her. Can you… distract her for a few minutes? I want to sneak in and catch her off guard."

Fat Moe's eyes twinkled with mischief. "You got it, man. Leave it to me." He wiped his hands on a nearby towel and headed towards the back room, where Deborah was practicing.

Lorenzo took this opportunity to sneak in. He peeked through the slightly ajar door, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of her. Deborah stood in front of a large mirror, reciting lines from a script, her face contorting with emotion.

Lorenzo peeked through the crack in the door, his heart swelling with pride as he watched Deborah rehearse her lines. Fat Moe, true to his word, approached her, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"Deborah, can you come and help me in the deli?" he asked, feigning desperation.

Deborah turned away from the mirror, irritation written on her face. "Moe, I already helped you yesterday! Can't you see I'm practicing?"

"But Deborah..." Fat Moe whined, but she'd already returned to her lines.

This was Lorenzo's cue.

He slipped inside the room, his combat boots silent on the worn hardwood floor. Fat Moe gave him a conspiratorial wink before ducking out, leaving the two of them alone.

Lorenzo crept up behind her, his steps muffled by years of training.

As he stood behind her, he cleared his throat, lowering his voice to a menacing growl. "Do you know who I am?"

Deborah's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. "Who is this, Moe?" she demanded, her voice shinged with fear. "If you're setting me up for a prank, you're in big trouble when my man returns here from war!"

Fat Moe chuckled from his hiding spot, enjoying the show. He knew that the real surprise was yet to come.

Lorenzo couldn't help but chuckle at her bravado. "Your man, huh?" he teased, his voice low and playful.

Deborah's body went rigid, and sheer recognition dawned on her face. Sheer disbelief mingled with joy as she gripped Lorenzo's hand, her voice trembling. "L-Lorenzo?"

Slowly, he removed his hands from her eyes, revealing his smiling face. "In the flesh," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Deborah's scream of surprise was muffled by their colliding lips, their long-awaited reunion sealed with a passionate kiss. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer.

"I-I thought… I thought…" she stammered, unable to find the words.

Lorenzo stroked her hair, soaking in the feel of her in his arms. "Shh... I know. I'm sorry for the deception, but I couldn't resist surprising you." He pulled back, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "I've missed you so much, Deborah."

Deborah's eyes shone with tears as she studied his face, as if to reassure herself that he was real. "I missed you too, Lorenzo. So much has happened since you left."

"I know," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I wish I could have been here, but I'm stationed at Fort Dix now. I couldn't pass up the chance to surprise you."

Deborah threw her arms around him once more, this time with renewed vigor. "I don't care where you're stationed, as long as you're safe."

Lorenzo held her tightly, breathing in her familiar scent. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

Fat Moe cleared his throat, reminding them of his presence. "Ahem, you two lovebirds might want to get a room. I've got sandwiches to make."

Lorenzo chuckled, squeezing Deborah's hand. "He's right. We can catch up over dinner. So, how's everything been here?"

Deborah's eyes lit up as she spoke about the neighborhood gossip. "Well, you know how Adam is. He's been trying his best to keep your businesses afloat."

Lorenzo nodded, feigning ignorance, but he knew from the letters he'd received that the cafe and clothing store were struggling under Adam's watch. The only thing keeping them afloat was the profits from their illegitimate operations. "I'm sure he's doing his best," he said diplomatically.

"Speaking of which," he continued, changing the subject, "I was thinking we could swing by and see him after dinner. I want to see how my old partner-in-crime has been holding up."

Deborah nodded, her expression sobering slightly. "He could use some good news. Business hasn't been kind to him lately."

Lorenzo squeezed her hand reassuringly. "We'll figure it out, I promise."

Together after dinner, they left the deli, their arms intertwined, and made their way to the abandoned warehouse where Lorenzo had instructed his men to set up for their gang before his deployment.

As they neared the warehouse, members of the Lupo Gang, wide-eyed and surprised, took notice of their approach. One by one, they closed in on Lorenzo, their faces a mix of disbelief and respect.

"Boss Lupo!" The first one to recover from his shock said, saluting him.

Lorenzo chuckled, patting the young man's shoulder. "At ease, boys. I'm just one of you now."

The others followed suit, greeting him with equal parts awe and relief.

"Is Adam here?" Lorenzo asked, nodding at their salutes.

They nodded, parting ways to let him and Deborah through.

Lorenzo disappeared into the warehouse, leaving the young men to whisper among themselves.

"Who is that?" one of the newer recruits asked.

"The real Lupo, idiot! The true leader of our gang!" an older member scoffed.

"Really? I thought it was Boss Adam!"

"Nah, man. He's just keeping the seat warm until the boss returned."

As Lorenzo and Deborah entered the warehouse, his gaze fell on Adam, deep in conversation with a familiar face. It was Tiffany, the prostitute he'd introduced to him two years ago. Their eyes met, and Adam's surprise quickly turned to delight.

Adam's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted them, a grin spreading across his face. "Lorenzo!" He stood up immediately, and the two men embraced warmly.

Lorenzo smiled back, embracing his friend warmly. "Look at you... quite the distinguished gentleman now, eh?" He couldn't help but tease, gesturing at Adam's suit.

"Had to," Adam said with a chuckle. "Gotta earn some respect in our line of work, you know?" His happiness at seeing his friend again was palpable. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece."

"Well, I did alright for myself," Lorenzo replied, straightening his uniform. "I made it to brigadier general," Lorenzo said, pride tinginging his voice. "But my rank doesn't mean much now that I've retired."

"I've been waiting for this day," Adam said, clapping him on the back. "Where are Max and Patrick?"

Philip, who had been hovering nearby, stepped closer, curious about the reunion.

"They're just back from the war too," Lorenzo explained. "Stationed at Fort Dix for a week before they're off duty. Their contracts ended at the same time as mine."

Adam nodded, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Shame I couldn't throw you a proper welcome party."

Lorenzo patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, brother. It's good to be back." His eyes drifted to Tiffany, who watched them with interest, "I see your relationship is going well."

Tiffany bowed elegantly, her eyes lighting up as she looked at the handsome Lorenzo. However, she noticed Deborah's cautious gaze on her and quickly averted her eyes.

Adam smiled at Lorenzo's comment. "Haha, your relationship seems to be going well too, I see." He glanced at Deborah.

Later that evening, the gang members threw a welcome party for their returned comrades. Dressed in a suit, Lorenzo enjoyed the festivities with Deborah by his side, who looked stunning in a beautiful dress. The other gang members paid their respects and congratulated them on their safe return from the war.

As they were mingling with the guests, Philip pulled Lorenzo aside. "Tom Hagen from the Corleone family is here to see you. He's outside, boss."

Lorenzo nodded, not surprised that the powerful Corleone family had already heard of his arrival. He excused himself from Deborah and stepped outside to meet Tom Hagen.

"It's good to see you again, Tom," he said, shaking the man's hand.

Tom Hagen smiled warmly. "It's been a long time, Lorenzo. You've become quite the man since we last met." He eyed Lorenzo's muscular frame, a product of his time at war.

"Thanks," Lorenzo replied modestly. "What can I do for you?"

Tom Hagen handed him an invitation envelope. "Don Corleone would like to invite you to his daughter's wedding."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow, surprised by the invitation. "A Corleone wedding, huh? I'm honored. Thank you, Tom. I'll be there."

Tom Hagen smiled and tipped his hat before leaving.

Lorenzo returned to the party, his mind swirling with thoughts about the invitation. The Corleone family was one of the most powerful mafia families in the city, and an invitation from Don Corleone himself was not something to be taken lightly. He knew it would be a chance to for him and his friends to make connections and strengthen their own gang's position.