I didn’t see her that evening, and the twins weren’t talking to me, so I had no idea how she got home. Lancelot was pissed when we pulled through the gates to home together like Pop had ordered. “What’s eating you?” My words sounded off even to my ears. He gave me a scathing look that I knew only too well. He wanted to hit me, but his brotherly instinct won’t let him.
“Gia’s grandmother picked her up from school.”
“Oh, so that’s where she went.”
“It was before school was over. What the hell did you say to her at lunch? Why did she have to be walked out of the building like she was doubled over in pain?”
“What?”
“Where’re you going? Unc told us to be here.”
At his words, I stopped short on my way to the car, feeling torn. The only thing that kept me from going after her, though is the fact that it was for the best. My going there now would change nothing; there’s nothing to be done, no turning back. So, I took another deep breath and turned back to the house.
“I can see you’re upset, so I’m going to leave it alone, but you’ve got one day to tell me what the hell you did to her.” I hate when he goes into disappointed little brother mode, it really gets under my skin. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the twins came peeling down the driveway like bats outta hell and slammed out of their cars in anger.
No need to guess who they were pissed at since they didn’t even acknowledge my presence. Poor Lance got caught in the crosshairs because Anna called him a not-so-nice name when she passed by him. I didn’t need him looking at me like it was all my fault either, like I wasn’t hurting from the breakup as well. I guess because I was the one who initiated it, I get no sympathy. Meanwhile, I felt like someone had scooped out my insides with a rusty spoon.
Pop came down the steps at a jog, calling out a greeting to the two of us. “Let’s go, boys…what’s wrong with you?” He stopped in front of me and grabbed my shoulders while he studied my face.
“Nothing, Pop, where are we going?” He looked from me to Lance and back before letting it go, which I’m sure means he’s going to grill Lance later.
“We’re gonna see a guy about a thing.” Oh boy! Lance and I just followed him into the back of the Escalade with Tommy at the wheel. I was almost not surprised when we pulled into the police station twenty minutes later, but Lance looked like he was about to shit a brick. “Unc?”
“Don’t worry, Lancelot, you’re good. Let’s go show this asshole why he shouldn’t ever mess with the Russos.” This ought to be good.
GIANNA
I don’t think I’ve ever been this mad or this hurt in my life. Not even when dealing with Becky, Victoria, and my dad in the past. Maybe it’s because of all that had transpired in the last month or so that I was feeling such anger where normally I would’ve kept my head down and accepted my licks. Or maybe it’s because I’ve had days to come to terms with this eventuality.
I knew deep down inside that something like this was coming; I had talked myself through just such a scenario a time or two ever since I noticed him pulling away. But somehow, I’d still convinced myself that it wouldn’t happen; there was no reason for it to. Things were going great between us; even his sisters said so.
It was their encouragement, them always telling me how different Gabriel was with me than with anyone else, that had kept my hope alive. Now there was no more hope, no more anything. Just thinking about facing him again left me feeling anxious and afraid. And what about school? How could I ever face anyone there again? Wouldn’t they laugh at me? I can just hear them now; the ugly duckling turned swan had been cast aside by the school’s heartthrob.
I felt sick like I had to throw up sick. Grandma and the aunts had been trying to talk me into going back home with them now that dad was going to jail, but I’d been holding out, hoping that there was another solution that somehow, I’d be able to stay here. I’m old enough after all, and my inheritance from mom would be coming through in another few months once I turn eighteen; I could be on my own, as long as I had Gabriel.
Dad had even gone ahead and transferred most of his money and half of his business into my name, which his lawyer said is one of the reasons he was having trouble proving that dad hadn’t set out to commit premeditated murder, but that’s another story. The more I thought of facing everyone I knew, the more panic set in until I was imagining crazy things in my head.
That night after grandma went to bed, I stayed up thinking, and before I could stop myself, I was on the computer. The first thing I had to take care of was school. At least the one good thing to come out of the pandemic was online classes and the ease with which I could do that today. So, I went ahead and set that up, but I didn’t stop there. I was mad, like really incredibly mad, and I may have let that anger lead me to do something no rational person in my situation would’ve done.
It was spiteful and harsh, especially to the grandmother that I’d just been reunited with, but at that moment, I wanted nothing to do with my life, nothing at all. I didn’t take anything, just my birth certificate, social security card, and whatever paperwork I might need.
I was quiet when I walked down the stairs and left the note on the kitchen table. The note was misleading, but it couldn’t be helped. I needed to buy myself some time before she started looking for me. I had nothing but the backpack with some of my old clothes, the backpack where I’d found some kind of device that Gabriel had probably put there at some point without me knowing.
I tossed it down the toilet and flushed. I hope he was listening like in the movies, and I’d just deafened him. It took all my strength not to break the phone he’d given me into a million pieces, but I left it along with everything else he’d given me in the closet where I’m sure they’d be found later. The message was loud and clear. I wanted nothing of what he’d given me.
By the time I got into the Uber, which I’d had pick me up down the street away from the house, I was madder than I’ve ever been in my life. Mad and full of righteous indignation. It was the only way to keep the shakes at bay. The only way I could find to deal with the heartache and pain that threatened to devour me.
GABRIEL
I admit to blanking out on the way up the steps and into the building since I could pretty much guess where this was going, and my mind was rightfully still back in that little grove where I’d last spoken to her. Lance’s words were making me on edge a bit as well. Why did her grandmother have to come get her?
Of course, I expect her to be upset, I’m upset at the situation, but the thought of her hurting so much she had to leave school is making me feel like even more of an asshole than I already do. Whatever this is Pop’s about to do, I want over with, so I can get back to the house and have the twins go look after her.
Levi, the snake charmer, met us inside the doors, and that’s when my focus shifted. Why the heck is Pop bringing him in? Somebody’s feelings are about to get hurt and hurt real bad. “Gabe, Lance, you boys have grown.” Since when? He just saw us a few weeks ago at the twins’ sweet sixteen. I didn’t say a word, though, because he was wearing his yellow tie.