SHE IS THE MAFIA (BOOK#2)

Chapter 3

We all sit awkwardly in the living room.
Cole.
Liv.
Julian.
And Malachi.

Apparently, they all came to visit.

"So... how have you been?" Cole asks, sitting next to me, "You're still as cute as the last time I saw you,"

"Cole," Liv scolds, "Don't be weird,"

I like how they are trying to clear the air. "I am doing well, Cole. Where did you travel off to while I was away?" I ask.

"Well, I was in Australia before you left, which made me sad to learn you left without saying goodbye to me," he pokes my arm, "But when I returned, Malachi wanted to join me the next time I went. So after he finished school, we went to Dubai, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, and our last trip was in Scotland,"

I nod, interested at how they basically spent their lives traveling to different places to see different cultures, with no worries for the future. I loved it. 

Malachi doesn't add anything to Cole's statements.
He isn't even focusing on the conversation.
He is staring off into space, eyes focused on the vase.

I turn to Liv, "and you? You canceled your visit... for what reason?"

"I didn't cancel... I postponed because I had something for school. You came at a good time because graduation is in barely two months," she smiles. Then her smile drops, "I didn't mean that... this was a good time, I was just saying that-"

I almost forgot the reason why I am here was because of my grandfather's death. As if the all-black outfits weren't a great reminder. I wave my hand to stop her, "No no, I understood what you meant, Liv. Don't stress about it,"

Everyone begins to look at each other.
The awkwardness begins to creep back into the room.

"Queen of hearts," Julian breaks the silence.

"Yes?" I reply, picking up my glass of water.

"How does it feel to know you are about to become a mafia boss?" he asks.

I feel the ice-cold drink make its way down my throat.
I see the slight shake of my hands as I place the glass onto the table.

"It feels... overwhelmingly empowering. It's something I wanted for a long time, and now it's finally here," I answer vaguely because I don't him to hear how nervous I am.

"Do you feel... bad that you weren't here for your grandpa?" Cole asks, "I mean I know college is important and all, but you didn't visit once in the past six years,"

Liv stares at him, slowly turning to a light shade of pink.
She didn't tell him.

Her head slowly turns to me.

I feel my hand grip my knee, and I respond, "I don't feel bad at all. Death isn't something new to me," I turn to face Cole, "It's not like I could have prevented it with a visit, you know. He was old and had a heart condition... his time was limited,"

"Yeah, I get that but... he was like the only family you had. I thought you would have wanted-"

"DON'T," I raise my voice and everyone flinches. I immediately regret it and soften my tone, "don't assume what I would want. There are many things about my "family" that you do not know. I make decisions based on what I think is right for me,"

Everyone seems afraid to breathe incorrectly.
They saw.
They saw that even after all these years, the fire was never put out.

I ruined a perfect reunion.

"Your tattoos are pretty cool," everyone turns their head to Malachi, "I didn't think you would get more,"

I am grateful for this effort.
This effort to keep the conversation going. to keep the gears rotating.