Caterina

Chapter 1

"Where's the money?" Asked Dante, in a cold tone.

"Listen, Laura, this is your last warning. You have a week to give us the money you owe us," Seth warned, handing her a red rectangular paper with the amount she owed them written on it.

Laura, nodding shakily took the paper, replied, "I know, I know, I'm working on it, you just have to give me some time, please."

"One week, Laura," Seth notified in a strict tone.

As they walked towards the door to leave, a little girl opened the door from the outside.

"Good afternoon, you must be friends of my-," She started to talk, only to be cut off by her mother.

"Caterina, go to your room, right now," Laura screamed in anger.

"Mother, I know I'm a little late, but my friend needed help-," Caterina desperately tried to reason.

"Go. To. Your. Room. NOW," Laura yelled on the top of her lungs, pointing towards the stairs.

Caterina yelped, trying to hold in her laughter as she walked up the stairs 'Her voice is so squeaky', she thought. She had grown used to her mom's yelling.

Dante and Seth looked at each other, each knowing what they were to do now.

"One week, Laura," Seth reminded as they left.

Laura, boiling in anger, marched upstairs.

"You ungrateful little bitch," Laura shouted, pulling Caterina out of her room by her hair.

Caterina, not saying a word, was about to cover herself with the book she had been reading but thought against it, knowing it was useless. Instead, she tried to keep her head closer to her mother's hands, hoping it would hurt less.

"Where's my lunch, huh? You fucker, is this why I gave birth to you," Laura questioned, slapping her daughter across the face.

"I'll make it now," Caterina spoke in a clear tone, knowing her mother would only get more aggressive if she had mumbled or cried.

Laura pushed Caterina away from herself, smiling, "Thank you, you're such a good daughter."

She patted her head, fixing her hair, "Let me know once you're done, I need to take my medicine. You know how I get without them."

'The medicine makes you worse,' thought Caterina, shaking her head.

After Caterina has prepared Lunch, she calls her mother to the dining table.

"Caterina, be a dear and get me a bottle from the fridge," Laura requested, politely.

Caterina handed her the alcoholic beverage, sighing while doing so.

"Mother, I have a lot of homework, please excuse me," Caterina said in a soft tone.

Caterina knew this was a long shot, any word heck any movement could stir the beast within, but she could feel the throbbing in her cheek getting worse, and she knew for a fact that her mother had pulled out one too many of her hair.

"Oh, don't let me stop you. you know your father was a smart man, always working. But don't be like him when you grow up, okay? He left us for his-,"

"Mother, here. You didn't have any vegetables, they're good for you, let me put some on your plate. Would that be okay?" Caterina questioned, holding her breath as she watched her mother shake her head.

'You've done it this time,' Caterina thought expecting her mother to blow up on her, but her mother just smiled, "Thank you, I would love that."

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