Lombardi family possesses everything they want - money, recognition, success, business. The only thing lacking for these people is happiness. Because when the reckoning for past sins ominously knocks on the door, you begin to appreciate things that...
That morning began not as dull and monotonous as usual. When I opened my eyes at 6:30 am to get ready for horseback riding practice, I unexpectedly found that all my belongings in my room were already packed in several suitcases. There was clearly an atmosphere of chaos and uncertainty in the house.
Moments after I got out of bed, Croker burst into my room - a colorful lorikeet who often managed to escape from his cage and wreak havoc everywhere just when it was least needed. And since no one attempted to catch the parrot, it meant that everyone was occupied with something really serious.
I looked at myself in the mirror. My short straight dark brown hair stuck out in different directions, as if I had been struck by an electric shock, and I didn't have time to tidy myself up - I needed to figure out as quickly as possible what the hell was going on here.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I won't go into detail about all the chaos that was going on on the ground floor - there's just too much to describe. It's better to get to the point quickly. This morning, as the sun began to rise, a letter was discovered affixed to the front door. I didn't have a chance to inquire about the contents of this message, but judging from everything, there was clearly some sort of threat.
I must note that currently only my parents and I reside in the house, as my grandparents and seven older siblings live separately. But that day, almost the entire family gathered in our house, and heated discussions were happening everywhere.
"Are we moving somewhere?" I asked in a half-asleep voice.
"Not we, they're just kicking you out of the house," Marcel joked.
"Very funny! Not until they kick you out of Harvard," I'll be honest - I loved exchanging sarcasm with my older brother.
But despite all the jokes, they really decided to temporarily evict me from home for an unknown period. Of course, not onto the streets. The situation was somewhat better - our relatives were already waiting for me in the small town of Timbercreek, one hundred twenty-three kilometers west of Miami. I wouldn't say I was thrilled about the idea, but my parents decided it was a good solution in case of threats. And this was exactly that case.
"Pack your things, Evia," Mom commanded sternly, "Get in the car quickly."
"But who will drive me? Our personal driver is on vacation, and you all have to be at work soon."
"Don't worry, Marcel will take care of everything. He'll be behind the wheel."
I almost slipped up by saying that Marcel as a driver was as qualified as I am in nuclear physics, but I managed to silence myself in time. My parents still don't know that my dear brother forged his driver's license, and he hardly showed up at driving school. That was definitely not the information they needed to know.
I've lived in Miami all my life and loved this city with all its incredible beaches, parks, entertainment centers, and, most importantly, the abundance of opportunities it offered. The vibrant energy of the city, the salty breeze from the ocean, and the pulsating rhythm of life on the streets were ingrained in my soul.
But there was no other choice - I had to leave, and as quickly as possible.
