ANGELS WEEP || bruce wayne

the eighth

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Blackgate Penitentiary was filthy. The glass between Stacey and her mother was thick and stained with fingerprints and scratches and God knows what else. Through the glass her mother stared at her, smiling, her brown eyes crinkling in the corners.

Maria Alicia Romano-Maroni had married into the family when she turned eighteen, and had had Stacey two years after. Her adult life had been devoted to dealing with the Maroni's finances, and attending to her daughter. The very same daughter which sat across from her now, ten years after testifying in court about her family's dealings, revealing trade secrets that ended up getting the family incarcerated.

Yet Maria couldn't find it in her heart to hate her for it.

"Stacey, gioia, it's so good to see you."

"Don't give me that, Mamma." Stacey held the phone connecting them in a tight fist, her knuckles white. Her grey Maroni eyes were cool steel, unwavering, steady. She couldn't fall for her mother's kindness, not after she had abadoned Stacey so many years ago.

"Oh, Stacey, you look so beautiful. You've grown into your face, finally." Maria smiled again, holding her hand up to the glass. "Don't worry, gioia, I forgive you for everything. I forgave you long ago."

"I don't want your forgiveness," Stacey spat, shifting in her seat. "I came here to ask about Falcone and what happened to our family's money."

"Oh, you know what happened to it, gioia. L'abbiamo depositato, così Falcone non avrebbe avuto accesso. Sapevamo che stava arrivando qualcosa, quindi ci siamo assicurati che il nostro informatore conoscesse le informazioni, così quando avrai compiuto diciotto anni avresti potuto accedervi." We deposited it, so Falcone wouldn't have access to it. We knew something was coming, so we made sure that our informant knew the information, so when you turned eighteen you could access it.

Maria looked at her daughter, surveying her wide eyes and gaping mouth. "You- you didn't know?"

Stacey's breaths grew short, and she put down the phone to bury her head in her hands.

After a minute, she took up the phone again.

"Quanto?" How much?

Her mother shrugged her shoulders. "With interest, a lot. It's the family fortune, after all." She paused, eyes narrowing. "Did you... Did you not take over the family business?"

Stacey shook her head, and it was her mother's turn to widen her eyes and open her mouth in surprise.

"What?!"

"I was never sworn in- I turned eighteen the day I was set to testify-"

"Non hai preso il posto della famiglia!?" You didn't take over for the family!? She shouted, but almost immediately calmed down as the guards around her surged forward. "That was the plan all along! You were to be Donna!" She finished her statement in a panicked whisper.

"Non voglio essere Donna!" I don't want to be Donna! Stacey whisper-yelled back, pushing her sweaty black curls out of her face. "I'm a doctor, Mamma! I help people, not hurt them."

"Doctor?" She asked, baffled. "But without the deposited money? How could you afford that?"

Stacey gulped. "Sono indebitato, un sacco di debiti. It's not good, Mamma. I'm a pediatrician during the day, and during the night I help people injured in dealings with the Batman. I... I don't sleep. Not anymore. Not since you left, not since Bruce left." I'm in debt, a lot of debt.

Maria looked at her daughter, took her in. Her dark undereyes, sorrowful posture, yet hardened eyes. She had been broken. She was the reason Maria was here.