Stretching Bonds

Chapter 4

"Miss Laurence, we're just approaching the grounds now so you and your sister can remove your blindfolds." 

I look at Marco, the more talkative of the men who had picked us up, in the front seat with a small glare, not that he can see my eyes anyway but I hope that my scowl effectively conveyed grumpiness.  

"Are you sure this time and not just lying to get me to shut up again? And I told you, it's Alless and if you still insist on formalities then Miss Donatelli." 

I take off the blindfold just to see him grinning back, the complete opposite to the other guard who hasn't spoken or changed his stoic expression whatsoever over the last few hours, "If you really insist Miss Donatelli. And yes, we are actually here this time." 

Yep, they made us wear blindfolds so we didn't know the location of the estate residence of the Gerraci family. The second we were off the ferry from Rome to Sicily they insisted. I don't understand how disguising the location of this estate would be effective to keep the residence a secret, I mean how many huge estates could there Be on Sicily? If I really wanted to know where the house was I could use google maps! Long story short I didn't bother arguing with them anyway, as I said before you don't argue with the mafia and if I really wanted to know where we were with a bit of luck and good concentration I could access the new 'built in sat-nav' I had discovered earlier. To pass the time Marco had happily chatted away to me on the journey over here after the blindfold went on which I was silently grateful for as Molly fell asleep pretty quickly and is still asleep now, the blindfold really was wasted on her. He hasn't talked about anything in particular or anything useful but his voice had been comforting; the only thing of value to me whatsoever that he talked about was vague information about the Gerraci home but nothing he said prepared me for the sight that lay before me when I removed my blindfold.

This wasn't just a country estate, it was a high security palace! I may sound like I'm exaggerating but I'm not, this place had to be at least 200 acres and obviously I hadn't been allowed to take my blindfold off until we were near the mansion as a long long winding drive was fast disappearing behind us. And when I say mansion here it is obvious my first description of a palace is much more accurate: the sandstone walls of the building seem to absorb and reradiate the dimming afternoon sunlight which bathes the extensive green lands of the estate and the surprisingly lush deciduous forests surrounding it, the arches at the front of the building are held up by Romanesque pillars creating a sort of porch before the large dark wood double doors which is the same colour as the numerous window frames on the buildings. The building didn't look big from the front but it was unmistakably huge as you could tell it was as deep as it was wide. With a few large outbuildings that look to be garages and storage. Definitely not something you would miss on google maps.

The reason I say it was a high security palace is because everywhere you look the extensive paranoid security measures were apparent: I could see part of an 9ft brick wall which I assume surrounds the whole perimeter through some trees and everywhere you look a discrete black security camera seemed to be located, whether it be under marble lawn statue or hanging off a tree branch, and the lenses must have been motion sensitive or manually operated as the lenses seemed to follow our car as it continued closer to the house up the stone driveway.The prescence of these measures made it impossible to forget this was a mafia household and penetration of this fortress would ve near impossible. That just made me gulp unconciously as the car stops in front of the front door, if something were to happen not only would someone be unable to launch a rescue mission for me but I may very well be unable to escape as well. Let's just hope this week goes smoothly, they have no reason to hold me here and I'm near positive dad wouldn't want me nor Molly here in his life any longer than necessary. 

Marco got out and opened my door for more me as I bundled a still sleeping Molly into my arms, he holds his arms out in a silent offer to carry her for me but I ignore it and his arms fall to his side. She may be getting heavier but I can carry her and I don't mind in the slightest as her contact is still a comfort to me as the nerves gradually build. Our driver is nowhere to be seen but I see a woman in a a plain grey dress and a man in grey slacks and an open necked white shirt unload our luggage from the car. I make to go help them but realise I still have Molly in my arms and Mrco has taken no notice of them and is walking into the house calling for me to follow him so I settle for smiling gratefully at the man and woman who are obviously staff and hurry after him.

As we catch up to him Marco starts rattling on about the building, "The building was first built in the 17th century but most of the interior was majorly remodeled around 1850 and since then the owners have tried to maintain this design to as well an extent as possible with a few acceptions like the addition of electricity which was only installed in the entire house..."

I tune him out around that point as I gaze in awe at my surroundings. The inside of the house is just as elegant as the outside judging by the decor as the large enterance hall has sandy coloured italian marble floors polished to perfection, a large signature staircase and a spectacular over the top crystal chandelier whixh hangs from the ceiling and dusts the floor and walls with seemingly millions of shiny reflections.

"-You're dad and Il Capo are waiting through that door."

I snapped out of my reverie as Marco spoke those words, "Wait, what?"

He looked at me with an amused smirk, "I said you're dad is through that door with Il Capo and they want you to go see them."

"Oh OK then,  but who is Il Capo? My italian is very very basic."

His smirk grows, "The boss. Good luck."

Then he walks away just leaving me staring at the doors in a state of near panic. The boss? I'm meeting the Don of the Gerraci family. Please tell me this is a dream? I never expected to meet the boss, I figured my dad wasn't that important and the man wouldn't be that interested. Doesn't this man have better things to do? Ok ok, deep breaths. I can do this.

 After a final steadying breath I lean forward and knock on the large double doors with a silent prayer to anyone who might be listening.