Marlon Keitel was an alias, his real name was something completely different. But he didn’t tell anyone that, he was Marlon Keitel. He didn’t tell people why he had moved to Riverview. “I was looking for some fresh country-side air” was his explanation. And everyone believed him, Marlon was really good at convincing people. The real reason why he had left the city wasn’t one he was proud of.

Marlon came from a poor family and at an early age (14) he had joined the local criminal gang. Quite quickly he had advanced in ranks and came to know the leader and his closest men. Life was brilliant for young Marlon but one day when he was 17 he got caught by the police. The police intergatted him thouroghly and Marlon couldn’t hold it toghether. He told them everything and the gang’s leader and his closest men were arrested and sentenced to lifetime in prison. Marlon only spend three years in prison for his severe crimes. And when they let him out at the age of 20 he was certain that he was going to be killed. That’s the reason why he changed his name, he took Marlon Keitel intribute to his favorite actors, Marlon Brando and Harvey Keitel. And he fled to Riverview, the last place one would look for a criminal.

That’s the full story, Marlon was determinded to start a family here in Riverview and build a criminal imperium. That’s the reason why he bought the biggest lot avaliable. This was the foundation of his grand estate. But at the moment all he could afford was a bed, but after all it was a very nice bed!

Marlon knew that on his own he could never achieve greatness. There for he went to meet the local mob (it seems that every town had one). He rang the doorbell and man in Marlon’s age opened the door. Marlon told the young man that he would like to meet the boss. After a few minutes of waiting Marlon was allowed entrance. He quickly followed the man who let him in and soon entered a grand room with a huge desk. Behind it was a man in his late forties with black hair and a big smile on his face.

“So you want to join us”, he said with a deep voice.

“Very much so Sir”, Marlon answered trying to be as polite as possible.

“Why?”

“I am new to this town and I would very much like to help you, I have been in another mob for four years so I have experince, Sir”, Marlon said.

“What mob?”

“Ehhmm, sorry Sir I can’t tell you. I promised them that I wouldn’t tell anyone of their existence”, Marlon said hoping to sound convincing. Every word in that sentence was a lie. But the boss behind the desk seemed pleased.

“Welcome, my name is Sherman Bagley and you won’t disobey my orders, right?!”

“Of course not Mr Bagley”, Marlon said with relief. He was in now, he was part of the River Mob.

As time flew by Marlon worked hard for the mob. Mr Bagley seemed to care more and more about his new protogeé. He often said; “I really like you, you remind me of my younger brother”. Marlon would thank his boss and never ask about the brother. Marlon knew what could possibly had happened to him, either he was shot by the police or another mob or he spend time in prison. Never the less Marlon was pleased with the fact that Mr Bagley approved of him.

Marlon was on his way home when suddenly a police car stopped by him. A police officer went over to Marlon and said.

“Mr Keitel?”, the officer asked.

“Yes, who is asking?”

“My name is DI Skeleton and you will have to come with me to the station right away”

Marlon didn’t have much choice, he sat down in the car next to DI Skeleton. Marlon didn’t want to sit in the back as some common criminal, it brought back painful memories from his youth. As DI Skeleton drove the police car through Riverview they sat quite. When they finally arrived outside the station the rain had started to fall over the humdrum town.

They sat down in a small interrogation room with a small lamp and uncomfortable chairs.

“We know you know Sherman Bagley, tell us everything!”

“I won’t tell you anything ‘cos I don’t know this fella”, Marlon said hoping to convince the police officer.

“I ain’t stupid you know, I have pictures of you outside his house and of you performing petty crimes”, DI Skeleton said with the sound of triumph on his voice.

“Okay so I have meet him, but I don’t really know him”

“You know I could lock you up for your petty crimes, but I won’t if you tell me what I want to know”. In that moment Marlon made a choice, never rat on someone again!

“I will never tell you anything, copper!”

“To bad I have to arrest you in that case”

“So be it!”

Luckily for Marlon the DI’s threats were empty, two days Marlon spend in custody. He hated every minute of it and were thrilled to be released so quickly. He hurried to Mr Bagley’s house.

A knock on the door and Mr. Bagley opened the door with a grim look on his face.

“Where have you been?!” Marlon had never seen Mr. Bagley so angry, this wasn’t the time to tell him about the time at the police station.

“I visited my folks”, Marlon said. A millisecond later he laid on the front porches floor. Blood ran from his nose and he was surprised that Mr. Bagley had hit him.

“Don’t you lie! The police told me everything, go home and never return here again. I feel like killing you but I won’t. But mind you if I ever see you here again I will kill you!”

Marlon slept on a bench in the park that night. He was drunk and pissed of. “Who did Sherman think he was?! No one messes with Marlon Keitel!”

He was woken from his dreams and anger by a sweet voice.

“Are you okay?” Marlon opened his eyes and before stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had Black wonderful hair and was lovely in all possible ways.

“Yeah”, Marlon answered. It was a lie, his nose hurt and his head was going to explode soon from his head ache. Or at least it felt like it.

“Come with me” she said and gave him her hand, he took it and made his way to her car. He passed out in the car and when he finally woke up he laid on a nicely made bed with nothing but his underpants on.

“So you have woken up” she said and sat on the bed side. “Do you feel okay?”

“I do now”, Marlon answered and smiled.

“Good, I’ve most tell you something Marlon”, she said. “My name is Rhoda Bagley, I am Sherman’s sister-”

“His sister?! He will have me killed for this”, Marlon said and hurried out of the bed.

“Relax, he won’t kill you. But he will if you leave and I tell him of all the horrible things you have done to me”

“What thing?!”

“I will come up with something…”

“What do you want Rhoda?”

“I want you to make love with me tonight, I love you”. This sentence came quite as a chock to Marlon.

“You love me? You don’t even know me!”

“Love is blind, don’t they say?”

“I guess… Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“Okay I will be with you tonight”

As Marlon slept next to Rhoda he made a decision that would effect his entire life. He decided that he loved Rhoda, he didn’t really, but he would learn to. She was nice looking and loved him. When she woke up he would ask her to marry him. He was sure she would say yes, she would agree to marry him. And Sherman would change his mind and make Marlon a member of the Sunset Mob again. But was that what Marlon really wanted, Marlon wanted a gang of his own, not be some servant of Sherman. Marlon had made up his mind, he was going to marry Rhoda, but he wouldn’t rejoin the River Mob. He and Rhoda would live on the huge lot he had bought, they would become bigger and better than Sherman ever was and ever will be.

When Rhoda eventually got up and Marlon went down on one knee.

“Would you want to marry me?” He said and gave her the ring in his pocket (he didn’t really remember how it had ended up in his pocket, but an engagement ring could always come in handy).

“Oh My Gosh, finally love!” Rhoda took the ring and looked extremely happy.

“You know that we would live on my lot right, we wouldn’t demand anything of your brother. It would be just you and me, okay?” Marlon said to make things clear.

“Of course love, just you and me, forever”

“Yeah”, Marlon said trying to smile. He couldn’t fool himself, he didn’t love her but she seemed to love him. That’s always something.

The wedding were very small and innocent. The wedding wasn’t held in a church and it didn’t have any guest except Rhoda’s mother. The wedding took place at the city hall and wasn’t religious in anyway, this disturbed Sherman who was very religious. That’s the reason why he didn’t come. Sherman hadn’t forgiven Marlon but he didn’t plan to kill Marlon. This was comforting to know.

Just a few months after the wedding the couple had settled in in a small house. It was nothing like the mansion in which Rhoda grew up but at least they had a roof over their heads. Rhoda was very pregnant and Marlon was very happy. He work a lot and tried his best to make enough money to give the unborn baby a good life. But running your own mob isn’t easy, he didn’t have many associates and hardly any weapons or anything to be criminal with. But he knew that some day he would succeed and become the best. Rhoda’s mother took care of Rhoda during the pregnancy, Rhoda was very weak, she was always tired and hardly got up from bed.

Suddenly one day Rhoda was ready to deliver the baby, they hurried to the hospital and after 25 hours Rhoda gave birth to a baby boy. He was the most adorable little thing they had ever seen. He had grey eyes and brownish hair, and he smiled a lot. They named him Aaron Marlon Keitel, he was everything to Marlon. Finally he had a son, a baby boy.

Aaron was really an adorable baby, he was happy and the cutest thing alive. Marlon didn’t meet his son so much, he worked all the time. He only had one thing on his mind, money! He loved his son and he didn’t hate his wife, but he thought that work was more important. He had one goal with his life, to become the best mobster in the world. And he knew he had to work hard to become that.

Even though he could hardly feed his small family he was thrilled when Rhoda told him the big news.

“I am pregnant again, Aaron can’t even walk and I am pregnant”, she said and seemed happy.

“That’s wonderful darling!” Marlon replied. He had no idea how he would make the financial situation work but he would figure it out eventually. He hoped that he would have another son, he didn’t know why he wanted one more son. Perhaps it was the love of Aaron that made him hope that he would get an Aaron II.

Unfortunatly Rhodas pregnancy was as diffucled as the last one, she was ill every single day. Rhoda’s mother once again help out, Marlon worked hard and little Aaron needed to be looked after. His mother didn’t have the strenght to do so but his grandma took care of little Aaron.

The day Aaron became two years old the family had a small family birthday party. Sherman was invited, Marlon didn’t like that he came but Rhoda had already invited her brother. When Sherman arrived Marlon made sure that he knew what the rules was.

“This is my son’s party and if you ruin it, you will be sorry!” Marlon said with confidence, he knew that Sherman wouldn’t touch him as long as Rhoda was his wife.

“Relax, Aaron is my nephew I won’t ruin anything for him” Sherman said and smiled.

“Aaron ain’t nothing like you, he is my son and he will never become a lowlife like you!”

“Now think about who you are talking to. I might be your wife’’s brother but I could still mess you up quiet badly” Sherman said and once again smiled with a sense of power.

Marlon was about to answer him when he heard Rhoda scream. “I think the baby is coming!” This wasn’t good news, Rhoda wasn’t going to deliver now, it was way to early. Marlon ran outside and took Sherman’s car keys and drove quickly to the hospital. Rhoda screamed her lungs out and Marlon tried to think clearly. He had to keep focused.

Marlon couldn’t believe it, in his arms laid his newborn baby boy. On a hospital bed in front of Marlon and his son laid Rhoda. She wasn’t breathing and she never would again. She was gone forever. She hadn’t even seen her new born baby until she died, Marlon couldn’t believe it. But even though he was in chock his mind was clear. He knew what he had to do. He left his sons at the hospital and walked over to Sherman’s house. Sherman opened the door with a smile but when he saw Marlon’s sad face and exhausted look he knew something were wrong.

“Is the baby okay?”, Sherman said and Marlon was surprised by this sudden empathy.

“Yeah, we got a healthy baby boy”, Marlon said with a sad voice.

“What’s the problem then?”

“‘I am sorry but Rhoda… She didn’t make it”

“That’s okay I can visit her she don’t have to come here”

“No you don’t understand. She is dead”, Marlon said these words with tears in his eyes. Suddenly Sherman’s concerned face changed to an angry face.

“WHAT!? She is dead, you useless stupid- You killed her!”

“How could I have killed her?”

“If it wasn’t for you useless genes she wouldn’t have had to deliver that ugly stupid baby of yours”

“Don’t you call my son stupid!” Marlon had had enough and so had Sherman. Sherman punched Marlon over the cheek and Marlon fell to the ground. But he quickly stood on his feet and fought back. Kicks, punches and other fighting skills were used. Marlon didn’t feel the pain, he was chocked in every way possible. Unfortunately Sherman was stronger than Marlon and soon Marlon laid on the ground with blood over him. Sherman took out a gun from his belt and held it to Marlon’s head.

“I will kill you, I should have killed you long ago! Bastard!” Marlon was really scared now, he thought of his baby boys, he loved them and was afraid he would never meet them again. Marlon closed his eyes and hoped that he would leave this world without pain. He heard a loud bang, he knew that sound. It was a gun being fired. But instead of dying he felt the weight of Sherman being moved away. He could hear police sirens and male voices shouting. Marlon opened his eyes and what he saw wasn’t pleasant, Sherman laid passed out on the ground with blood all over his white shirt. Marlon backed of in chock. He looked at the police officers and didn’t know what to do. He thought about running but his legs wouldn’t do what he wanted to. A few officers carried Sherman away, Marlon had no idea if Sherman was dead, Marlon hoped he was.

Marlon was really happy he never loved Rhoda, but he wasn’t completely with out feelings. He cried over Rhoda and he knew he had a difficult task ahead. Sherman was locked up in prison for the next ten years or so, Rhoda’s mother had become depressed and nowadays lived at a home. And the hardest task yet to come laid ahead of him, to tell Aaron of his mother’s passing. How could he possibly ever understand? But Marlon knew he had to tell his son, now.

So he sat down with Aaron who had just learnt to talk. For some months now Marlon had told Aaron that his mother had travelled and would come home eventually. Marlon hadn’t had the guts to tell his son the truth. But now he was ready.

“Aaron I need to tell you something important, are you listening?”

“Yes!” Aaron answered and seemed to actually listen to his father.

“Your mother she will never ever come home, I am so sorry.” Aaron looked at his father with surprise.

“She lives up in the sky, in heaven. And she is just fine.” Aaron still looked at his father with confusion.

“Is she helping the stars at night?”

“She sure is, so every time you see a star, that’s your mother telling you that everything is okay. you understand?”, this conversation had gone more smoothly than Marlon had imagined. He understood of course that Aaron didn’t fully understand the truth in all this. Aaron had hardly understood that he had a brother, at night he used to call for his mother.

“Mummy? Mummy?! Cal is hungry! MUMMY?!”