Francesca Romano

Chapter 57 | Nine Years Old

Flash back

Francesca's point of view.

"Francesca? Wake up bambino." I felt my mothers hand run down my face as I woke up. My heart fluttered as I remembered today was my birthday. I sat up immediately and hugged her tight. "Happy Birthday beautiful." She hugged me back and kissed my forehead. "Did you get the cake?" I sat up or pushed off the bed as I walked to my bathroom. "Yin and Yang like you had asked. When you finish, go get your brother and change him for me okay?" I showed her a thumbs up. "Then I want you to go say hi to your father and uncle, their in his office. Knock before you go in."

She closed the door behind her. I started brushing my teeth and when I finished I grabbed a hard brush slicking my hair back into a tight bun, only leaving my ends curly. I walked out and went to Giovanni's room next door. He was awake watching tv and playing rock paper scissors by himself. Once he noticed me he opened his arms wide. I picked him up and he puckered up his lips to kiss my face all over.  I smiled and hugged him tight. "Happy birthday Frankie." He said as I sat him on his changing table. "Thank you Vanni, how did you sleep?" I changed him out of his pj's as he told me all about his nightmare and how he didn't cry. I told him I was proud and took him downstairs. I walked down the opposite hall from the kitchen and took a sharp left to knock on my dads office.

"Come in." I heard him say. I opened the door and saw my uncle sitting down on a chair facing my dad who was working behind his desk. Their eyes lit up when they saw us, my dad for Giovanni and my uncle for me. I passed Giovanni to dad and ran to my uncle with open arms. "Happy birthday my little girl." He hugged me tight and when I went to pull away he lifted me by my hips and sat me on his lip. "Gio buddy, how was your night?" He asked and he explained his nightmare all over. While my dad wasn't looking, my Uncle passed me 700 cash, I smiled and stuffed it into my pocket.

Our attention was pulled by the voice of my mom calling out to me. I went to run off to her but uncle Matt grabbed me and carried me out to her in the kitchen. I held on to his shirt making sure I didn't fall. My dad was right behind us holding Giovanni's hand as they walked into the kitchen. My cake was on the counter with lots of candles surrounding the words, "Happy Birthday, Bambino." I smiled. "It's time to cut the cake and sing happy birthday." She dimmed the lights and we surrounded the counter. "I want to stand up Uncle Matt." He chuckled and put me down.

As they started to sing happy birthday my smile faded when I noticed my dad not singing along. I tugged at the bottom of his shirt and slapped my hand away. I moved away from him and stood next to my mom. Giovanni followed as he sang more high pitched. I hesitantly smiled as mom rubbed my back. Once they all finished singing I picked up Giovanni and we blew out my candles together and I made my wish. "What'd you wish for Frankie?" He asked. "I can't tell you or it won't come true." Mom and Uncle Matt laughed.

"Vincent, why didn't you sing?" I walked away as soon as those words came out her mouth. I went upstairs and grabbed a book from my room before bringing Giovanni to his shower. He undressed himself and got in. I closed the see-through door and sat on the top of the counter reading my book as the yelling downstairs got louder. Uncle Matt was here so he tried to defuse it but honestly he knew there was no calming them down.

Once he finished in the shower I wrapped him in a towel and walked to his closet, getting him dressed. I put him in his bed with the tv on as I went to my room to go shower as well. First I put the money in my piggy bank then I got undressed and wrapped a towel around me as I turned on the water to get warm. I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it uncle Matt was smiling down at me. "Is dad mad at me?" I asked as he walked in and shut the door behind him. "No, no one can ever be mad at you. He's just stressed with work okay?" He put his hand on my shoulder and sat on the edge of my bed with me. "He doesn't like my birthday, I think he hates me." He chuckled.

"My brother is an idiot." He put his hand on my bare thigh. "But that's okay because I like you. No Francesca, I love you." I showed him a half smile  as I looked down and played with the rings on my hand. "Do you want to play a game?" He asked and I nodded. He started to pull his belt off and a frown grew on my face. "Am I in trouble?" I asked and he smiled. "Of course not Francesca. All you have to do is lay down on your stomach and close your eyes." I pulled away a bit. "What kind of game is that?" I asked, playing with the rings faster. "Don't worry. Don't you love Uncle Matt?" I told yes and explained how he was my favorite uncle because he was my only uncle.

Half an hour had passed and Uncle Matt was pulling his pants back up as I laid down on my bed crying. My stomach and legs hurt. My mom was still yelling but her voice grew closer. Before we knew it my door flung open and she stood with her eyes wide at Uncle Matt. "Vincent!" She screamed for my dad as I sat up against my bed frame. She called again and Uncle Matt ran into the bathroom locking the door. My dad came up and looked around the room confused. Mom ran to me and on the bed pulling me into her arms as I cried some more. "He touched our daughter." My mom whispered and for the first time I saw true fear in my dads eyes.

He lifted his shirt and as soon as I saw his gun I turned away and buried my face into my moms chest. I listened to him kicking at the bathroom door. "Bro she's lying, why would I do something like that to her? We both know you're married to a crazy bitch." It only took four kicks to get the door down. The water was still running and my mom kissed my head as she ran her hands through my hair. I looked up and noticed dad punching uncle Matt. Mom pulled out her phone and spoke into it immediately and started giving out our address. She picked me up wrapping my towel around me and I wrapped my arms around her. She ran over to Giovanni's room and locked the door behind us. She laid me next to him and sat staring at the door.

"Why are you crying, Frankie?" Giovanni asked, wiping my face. "I'm okay, Vanni, let's watch tv." Moments later the door was being pounded on. She stood up and carefully walked over to the door. "Vincent?" She asked, putting her ear up to the door. "It's me, my love open the door." He answered and my mom quickly unlocked the door. He walked over to me and bent down to looked me over. "I want you to tell me what happened okay?" Tears filled my eyes again and instead of talking I threw my arms around him. He put his hand behind my head pulling me closer and picked me up kissing my head.

"I am so sorry. Nothing will ever happen to you again my sweet girl."

That was the first time he ever said anything so kind. Why did it take tears for him to love me?