It's in Our Blood

Prologue IV: Andrea

28 years ago

Carina was laying in her bedroom wide awake. Her parents were downstairs arguing, her father yelling and throwing things. He often did that, whatever was in his path eventually met the ground. She heard another piece of glass shatter against the wall, and she winced at the sound. Eventually she heard her door creak open "Rina" she heard from her five-year-old brother. Her brother was four years younger than her and found herself to be extremely protective of him. She quickly blinked away her glossy eyes as she lifted the covers up and he came scurrying over to her bed and jumped in.

"It's okay Andrea, it's going to be okay. We are together." Carina desperately wanted to go out there and protect her mama, but last time she did that her mama wasn't too happy with her. She wasn't too sure why then, but as she got older, she realized it was because she would be there for Andrea if he was scared. Carina was a made a protector, someone who wanted to care for those around her.

---

Eventually as time went on, things never improved her father's mania and mood swings were not improving. He was struggling. One day when Vincenzo went to work in the lab, Lucia waited for her kids to come home from school. They loved afternoons when Vincenzo was at work, the three of them laughed, played, they were carefree.

"Mama we are home! Can we go play outside?" Carina and Andrew ran through the door excitedly. They were able to be kids in that moment. Lucia was sitting at the table looking down at the espresso she had in her hand fighting back tears. "Mama?" Carina said quietly as they approached her slowly. "What's wrong?" Lucia hesitantly looked toward her children exposing her black eye that had been forming since the morning. Carina's breath hitched. Her Papa did that? Not him. It couldn't be. He never laid a hand on them. It was always just hitting walls, yelling, and smashing things. Not this. Not physically laying a hand on her mother.

"Hi my loves." She said softly. "Did you guys have a nice day at school?" They both nodded, remaining silent and still.

"Papa... Did he...?" Carina didn't want to finish the words, she was hoping they weren't true, but the way her mother's eyes watered, she knew.

"We need to leave. The three of us need to go pack a bag and leave we are going to the United States." Lucia said as she waved her kids over to her as they both chose a side so that their mother could wrap her arms around them.

"...But Papa... Who's going to stay with him? He is sick." Andrea spoke. Clearly, he had to be sick Andrea thought, why would their father willingly hit their mother, yell all the time. Something was wrong with him, but he was too young to know his father would never recover. His eyes started to water. "We can't leave he needs us."

Carina looked at her brother, "I'll stay with him, I will make sure Papa is okay. I don't want to leave him either" Lucia looked at her daughter with wide eyes. Carina shook her head. "Mama. You and Andrea can go. You need to go. You guys need to be safe. I can make sure Papa is okay, he won't hurt me." As much as Vincenzo scared Carina when he was manic and angry, he was still her father and the thought of him being alone made her worried and upset.

---

Carina stood in front of her brother, tears forming in both of their eyes, and their mothers. She held her baby brother in her arms. "I love you so much Andrea, I promise I will see you soon." She knew that promise might not have been entirely true, but she wanted to make her brother feel better. They were always attached at the hip and both of them were struggling to find the strength to let go of one another.

"Alright kids." Lucia said to the kids which made them pull apart. Lucia then stood in front of Carina placing her hands on each side of her face. "I love you so much Carina and I am so proud of you. Don't forget to see Nonna. We will talk soon." Soon after, Carina was left facing a closed door, alone.