VICTORIA
“What is this? Turn it off; I don’t want to see it.” This had to be another one of Gabe Russo’s sick twisted jokes.
“I’m sorry, Miss, but I’m afraid that’s not possible. If there is nothing else.” The stewardess bitch walked away like a drone leaving me seated next to this ass who kept going on and on about how he was going to make it up to me for being gone as if I care.
My body still shook with anger and humiliation at the way I’d been treated, but the kernel of fear I feel in my gut stems from the fact that my money was gone. After Gabe and Gia left, I held onto that one thing, knowing that no matter what, at least I had my little nest egg. It was more than a few thousand dollars and more than enough to get me started over somewhere until I got back in the game.
I’d learned from Becky that with money, you can do anything, no matter how bad everything else might be; with money in my pocket, I always stand a chance. I bet it was that bitch Ella who seemed to have just disappeared into thin air. If that wasn’t bad enough, those thugs the Russos had hanging around outside had literally dragged the bags I’d hurriedly packed off my shoulders and kept them. I could’ve sold some of those designer clothes and made good money.
But I wasn’t allowed to keep anything, nothing but the house clothes I was wearing, which was nothing more than an old pair of leggings, an oversized tee-shirt, and a pair of ratty old slippers. To add insult to injury, I couldn’t even enjoy my first ride on a private plane because the large screen in front of me was playing a repeat of Gia’s new life. Gia’s dance, Gia having fun on some island, Gia smiling, laughing, playing… the sound was turned up so that even if I went out onto the damn wing, I’d still hear it.
I covered my ears to block out the sound; not only of that, but Jimmy’s voice was starting to grate on my nerves. “Shut up, just shut the hell up. As soon as this plane lands, I’m getting as far away from you as possible.”
“Why are you acting like this? You used to love your old dad. Did that bitch turn you against me so she could live her fancy life? What all did she tell you?”
He recoiled from my glare and maybe the look of intent on my face. The only thing keeping me from lashing out at him is the fact that I have no idea where this is going, and this piece of shit might be the only thing standing between me and homelessness. Still, I found it almost impossible to keep my feelings bottled up inside a minute longer. It’s his job any damn way, seeing as how someone else has been raising his child for the past decade while he rotted in jail. So, I decided to release some of the anger that was about to choke me.
“Stop bringing up the stupid past like it was some great big deal. Do you know what I remember about the past? Living in a dump, eating soup out of those paper cups from the dollar store and rags.”
“But, it wasn’t all bad; we had some good days. Plenty of people grow up poor and….”
“It doesn’t matter what happened in the past; I don’t want to be around you. Can you give me the life I want? The one you just destroyed? Why didn’t you stay away anyway? Who asked you to come back? I hate you; I hate you, I ha…ouch, you bastard.” I covered my cheek where he’d slapped me and stared in disbelief.
“You’re not gonna talk to me like that. Now stop acting crazy. I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. I remember when you were little, you’d have these fits, and the only way to get you to stop was a little tap. It always seemed to shake you out of whatever was bothering you at the time.”
“You fucking hit me.” At least he had the decency to look contrite, but still. No one has hit me in a long time—that, more than anything, brought home the fact that my life had changed. I felt sick and wrestled the seatbelt off to rush to the bathroom in the back of the plane. The first thing I saw when I pushed through the door was a picture of Gabe and Gia on this very plane.
I didn’t see anything more as I started throwing up my guts. When there was nothing left, I broke down in tears as the severity of the situation set in. He must’ve known this was going to happen. Why else would his family’s private plane be decked out like this? The huge picture was innocent enough, just Gia with her head on his shoulder as she slept.
From the angle, it was obvious someone had stood over them to take it. It wasn’t even that good, but the fact that she rested on him while he looked down at her with such a look of adoration couldn’t be missed. I didn’t have the strength or energy to tear it off the wall and smash it into a million pieces, so I just sat there on the cold floor of the bathroom, feeling sorry for myself as tears poured from my eyes.
I pounded my fist on the floor, feeling defeated for the first time since mom and I had taken over Gia’s life. Mom had always been there to pick up the pieces, always the one to get us back on track whenever things got derailed. But now I don’t even know where she is. Maybe I should’ve answered when she tried calling me after Felix kicked her out.
But at the time, I thought I should stick close to Felix; I didn’t want to go down on the sinking ship with her, now I’ve been cast out just like she’d been, right back where I’d started, with that deadbeat out there. I can’t believe I’d ever missed him as a kid, had found it hard to let go of the memory of him. It just goes to show how stupid kids are because right now, I’d prefer that he never existed.
It sounded like someone turned a speaker on in the bathroom, and soon the same sounds that had chased me in here followed. The screams started in my head and made their way past my lips, and before I knew it, the sound was reverberating around the small bathroom. Someone knocked on the door, then it was being forced open, and I kept on screaming. Screaming felt good, like if I screamed long enough, this nightmare would end, and life would go back to normal.
I felt arms lifting me up from the floor, and when I struggled, another pair appeared, and I was being carried, dragged, between two of them.
“What’s wrong with her? Why is she acting like that?” Jimmy asked the stewardess, who strapped me back into my seat with the help of the silent guy who’d been there when we boarded.
“Sir, your daughter seems to be having a mental breakdown. Not to worry, we’ve been instructed to have someone meet us at landing to take care of her.” I heard that little exchange, but it didn’t register right away.
Jimmy kept talking as if he didn’t realize that he was the problem. That him being here was part of the reason my life was falling apart. The stewardess seemed to have a smirk on her face to me; that’s why I refused the juice she offered and knocked it from her hand instead. “Get away from me bitch.” Her passive voice when she replied that it was okay when Jimmy tried to intervene only made me look crazy. But I couldn’t help what was happening right now; I felt so trapped.
It seemed like no time at all had passed before the pilot announced we were landing, and by then, my screams had turned to grunts and groans. I wanted off this plane yesterday. How horrible that my first luxury flight had been plagued with memories of those two, and why am I even thinking about that now? I should be focusing on getting out of this mess.
Gabe had pretty much screwed me out of a dad and home with his little stunt, bringing Jimmy to the house. But even if he hadn’t, the fact that Gia now knew the house was hers I’m almost certain meant my days there were already numbered. I have no idea where my mother is and no way of contacting her since her phone seems to be turned off.