Rothstein then brings up the subject of their liquor arrangement, and Nucky assures him there's a shipment coming tonight. Rothstein's face turns sour, and he tells Nucky that their agreement was for delivery on the fourth, which is tomorrow. Nucky stops and acknowledges his mistake. It's quite telling that Rothstein would be so perturbed by a breach in protocol that would have given him his liquor a day early, but Nucky's just forgotten what day it is, is all, and Rothstein seems to intuit that it's due to him spending several days in the mists of Miss Kent's boudoir. (The Mists of Miss Kent's Bourdoir is my favorite speculative re-telling of the Aurthurian legend.) Nucky kind of rolls his eyes and says he's got people paying attention to these kinds of things for him.
Knowing he's been knocked down a peg, Nucky decides to even up the playing field by mentioning that the radiators in Arnold's 57th St. apartment building are leaking. "Are you looking to rent?" Rothstein asks him pointedly. "East of the park would suit you better." Nucky wants to know what he's implying with that remark. Rothstein only replies, "She's a charming and vivacious young woman." Then he hits a trick shot that bounces off three rails before knocking in the 8-ball in the near pocket.
At home, Margaret is reading the letter the diocese sent Nucky about the Order of St, Gregory prize. She calls to Prudence, the maid, and asks her to clean Nucky's suit -- he'll need it ready for when he is to meet the bishop. But Prudence tells her that Nucky has sent word that he won't be attending the ceremony. Margaret takes a moment to recover before telling Prudence to lay it out anyway, as Mr. Thompson is mistaken. This St. Gregory Medal is tearing them apart! ...Well, plus all the other stuff.
Eli's in his garage, going through some stuff, when he comes across a wrapped gift with an attached card addressed to Will. Aw. This would be a present for one of the birthdays Eli had to miss. It's a model airplane, and in the saddest thing you'll see all week, Eli proceeds to spend all night putting it together. The next morning, Eli sits alone with the completed plane at the breakfast table, when Will comes downstairs, bright and early. He's got to head to work, after all. Eli looks dismayed, not only that his son can't stick around to appreciate what his dad bought for him, but also that Will -- who looks all of sixteen -- has to go to work at all. He tells him that while it was a great thing he did for his family, his father's home now, and he should be in school, learning about science and math and social studies. Eli says even he learned Shakespeare, in the joint. Will doesn't seem to know how to talk to his father and is obviously anxious to get to work. He's saved when a car honks outside -- his boss come to pick him up. A surrogate father figure too, if I know my dramatic arcs. Eli quickly shows him the airplane he built, from two birthdays ago. Will acknowledges it, doesn't touch it, and heads out. Eli looks heartbroken as his son trots off to a prematurely responsible life.













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