SURRENDER - Mafia Romance

• CHAPTER 1 •

Talia

That day, I saw my father getting shot in front of me, but what pains me most is that I still don't know who killed him. Earlier that day, my father and I decided to take a trip together to get him away from his work and stress and to spend time with him. Little did I know that it wouldn't end with the happiness I painted for us.

My fear of the ocean was ephemeral as my love of it took place. I fell in love with the lacy waves that softly crashed as they danced closer to my feet, the sound of the water that echoed my heart and mixed with my heartbeat, creating a beautiful melody, and the breeze of air that took fronds of my hair and made them into lashes that beat my face and blew above my head. I loved everything the ocean had to offer. I wished I could stay here forever.

"Ready?" My father called from behind me.

I insisted on having one last glance at the water before leaving. My father told me I had a few minutes while he checked out the hotel suite we were staying in. He told me he would join me when he was done, and he did.

I nodded at him and followed him to the car.

"Wait, before we go," he said, holding my hand, reaching for his pocket, and revealing a box. I smiled.
"Is that a gift for me?" I clapped.

"Yes," He smiled warmly and handed me the box.
I opened the box. A silver necklace with "Lia" caught my eye, and my smile widened.

"It's beautiful, Dad." I put it on and played with it. I looked at him, and he was still smiling.

"Common, let's go, we're late."

The drive was filled with the sound of silence—comforting but still. It was hard to keep my eyes open, but I didn't want to sleep. I tried to stay awake. I never see my father, and whenever he plans a trip like this, I refuse to waste any part of it, even the drive back home.

"Sleep, honey, if you want to."

"No, I will stay with you," I blinked tight a couple of times, trying to force my body to stay awake. "I enjoyed the trip. I'm just sad that it ended."

"We'll do more. We can come here again next time I take a vacation from work."

"Your job sucks, you can never take vacations."
He chuckled, "I promise I will try to make the next vacation sooner than this time."

"We'll see," I told him. The car filled with silence again. I looked out the window and let the trees roll by like a movie scene. The wind hit my face, but I didn't want to close the window.

I was too focused on nature to realize that my eyes were watering.

"What's wrong?" He concernedly asked.

"Something got in my eye," I whined as I wiped it. I hissed, "damn it."

"Do you have tissues? Try to wipe it."

"I don't. Do you?" I started looking with one eye in the car to find anything to wipe my eye with. "Do you have tissues here?" I opened the glove box in front of me. I silently gasped. It was a picture of my dad with a woman. My heart dropped. Is that Mom?

"Talia! There is nothing here." He pushed it close. My brain was paralyzed. I didn't move. I couldn't move, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Was that Mom? Why did I never see that picture? Why didn't he want me to see that picture? We never talked about her. I knew talking about her saddened him. I hated seeing his widened eyes closed and the disappointment filling his gaze when I mentioned her. But I knew nothing about her.

"Was–was that...Mom?" It felt weird saying that out loud. His silence assured me it was her. That was Mom. That was my mother I saw for the first time as a twenty-one-year-old. I never met her. I never knew what she looked like or what she was like. Whenever I asked about her, he would change the subject. I never knew whether she was alive or dead. I grew up making myself believe that she died when she got me, and he was scared to tell me that. "Dad, I'm old enough now to know what happened to her."