I’m not so much worried about his dumb ass as I am about her reliving some of the shit that had been done to her. Not to mention having to listen to what had been done to her mother once again in the presence of the ones responsible. Last time she’d been a wreck.
GIANNA
You can do this; you can do this, you… I repeated that mantra in my head as I walked into my family home. I almost looked back, giving the fact that Gabe was here away. “Hi Ella, can you do me a favor? Can you make me those brownies I like?” I smiled when she looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
“Sure, sure. The turtle ones, with the caramel?”
“Yes, I’ve missed them.”
Not really, since Gabriel had browbeaten Sheila into making me some when I told him of my fondness for them, and now they’re an added staple in the Russo home since everyone else had fallen in love with them as well. It was Gabriel’s idea to get her out of the way, something I didn’t question, but I think it’s his way of protecting me from prying ears. Or maybe he knows I’d be more relaxed knowing that the woman couldn’t overhear the darker aspects of my past. Then again, Becky and Victoria don’t like witnesses to their bullshit, so he could be thinking of that.
She won’t be that careful with dad, not when it comes to making me look bad. It just goes to show how well she believes she’s poisoned my father’s mind against me, and that’s just what I want. I want her to be just the way she’s always been behind his back. I want him to fall for her lies like he always does so that when the truth is revealed, his pain will be doubled.
The deeper I walked into the house, the angrier I became, but I hid it well. Gabriel was right; I just have to pretend like this is a play, and I’m about to go onstage. “Where’s Victoria?” Only my dad and Becky were in the room when I walked in. I was almost surprised to see my mom’s portrait still hanging, having believed Becky would’ve tried her best to get rid of it as soon as she walked through the door. There’s hope for dad, yet I guess.
“She’s upstairs; why?” Dad turned to look at me. Did he always look that tired? That beaten? My heart almost hurt for him, for the forlorn look on his face. But I pushed it aside; this is his doing, not mine. It’s too late, too much water under the bridge. Forget everything he’d let them do to me; I won’t ever forgive him for marrying the woman who murdered my mother.
My mind tells me this, but my silly heart still felt that bond that had been forged between us before my world went to heck. I looked away from his gaze before he made me falter. This is the only time I’ll do this, it has taken a lot to shore myself up for the task, and I never want to deal with this mess again.
“I think she should be here for this; it concerns her as well.”
“Where’s that boy? Your new shadow? Has he caused enough trouble in this house? Do you know what he did to me? What both of you did? I can’t believe after everything I’ve done for you.….”
“Not now, Becky, come and sit down, Gianna. You have a tan; it looks good on you. I’ve watched your dance all week; I didn’t know you were that good.”
“Dance? What dance?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that? Didn’t you tell me that Gia was no longer interested in dance? You even convinced me that it was her idea to quit. You said she didn’t want to do it any longer because it was something her mother did, that she was mad at her mother for leaving. Don’t you remember? I do; it was the first time I hit her.”
“It’s what she said she wanted. Isn’t it Gia?” I ignored her, not even looking in her direction. “Felix, why do you keep bringing up things from before? I can hardly remember what I did yesterday. Gia, this is not a good time; I just got home after spending a week in jail, thanks to your boyfriend.”
“Dad, can you call Victoria down here, please?”
“Why? What do you plan to do to my daughter now? Haven’t you done enough?”
“I’m not talking to you, Becky, dad.”
“Excuse me? Who do you think you’re talking to?” I just gave her a look and waited for the fallout from dad, but there was none coming. He just got up from his chair and walked to the entryway to call up the stairs to Victoria.
I felt some of my unease leave me. I thought Gabriel was nuts when he told me to take this approach, believing my dad hadn’t changed one bit. But he was certain that my father wouldn’t react like the norm.
It wasn’t much, but just that little show of support stopped my heart racing as sickeningly as it had been since walking in here. I felt the glare of Becky’s gaze at the side of my head, and where before I would’ve cowered or done my best to escape it, this time I turned to look at her directly. Did you flinch, witch? Good, I’ve only just gotten started.
GIANNA
I waited for Victoria to flounce into the room once she saw me sitting there. “What’s she doing here? I thought she was away on some fancy vacation? Mom, when did you get home? You look like…heck. So, what are we all doing here?” She flopped down on a chair across from me so she could better glare at me, I guess.
“Gia wanted us all here. Go ahead, what is it you’d like to say?”
“Becky, you wanna sit? This might take a minute.” She looked at me with something approaching malice, but I fought not to look away like a scared little mouse.
“We’re waiting, Becky.” I eyed the glass in dad’s hand when he said that. I don’t know how I missed the amber-colored liquid and the bottle beside him at the foot of his chair. I don’t think I’d ever seen him drink, that’s why.
That makes a lot of sense. I was beginning to think Gabriel was a magician; he’d called dad’s moves almost to a tee. Now I know we just got lucky, and dad had chosen to tie one on, on this particular day. She dropped down beside her daughter after dad crossed his legs to keep her from sitting on his lap. Another one of her power moves deflected. Will wonders never cease.
This little sideshow almost sidetracked me from my reason for coming here. This is the first time I’d seen dad like this and the first I’d seen mother and daughter looking so put out. “Now that we’re all here, I only have one thing to say. Dad, I met with our old housekeeper, remember her? Greta?”
“Greta? Where on earth did you find her? I’ve been looking all over the place….”
“What? Why have you been looking for her? Felix, exactly what is going on? What’s with all these trips down memory lane and stuff? What lies have you been telling behind my back?” She turned her ire my way, but once again, I ignored her.
“Like I was saying, dad, I spoke to Greta, and she had something very interesting to say.”
Now I looked at Becky with all the hate I felt inside. I’d just signaled Gabriel that I was going with plan number two. I’d so wanted to bring up everything I’d endured at the hands of these two, but now I find myself weakening, or maybe it was just my aversion to spending more time than was necessary with these three.
So instead of rehashing things that no longer mattered like I’d wanted to, I’ll just go right to the most important issue. Out the side of my eye, I saw Becky move to the edge of her seat. No doubt she was trying to come up with some plausible reason why dad shouldn’t want to hear, but again, Gabriel had been right on point when he said just say what I needed to out loud, no beating around the bush.