His for the Taking

Estefania looked around her father's restaurant. Business seemed to be doing terrible and she wondered why. It seemed as if there was a big sign over there restaurant saying 'BEWARE don't come in' or something around those lines. She was also worried about her father. He had two strokes in one month! Like her mother always told him, the business would kill him, it actually was.

At least ten customers came in a day and those were just really old people who took about a half of an hour to decide what they wanted to eat. She didn't mind though, some of the old people were actually nice to her so she didn't have a problem really. The only problem was the Moretti's. They would come in and sit there the whole day sometimes just harassing her father or accidentally breaking something.

The Moretti's were no people to play around with, and that's what scared her. She knew her dad owed them money from the restaurant and he had to pay them back. But how could they pay those men back when they were making less than five hundred a day? It was impossible and the Moretti's knew it.

Stef shivered a bit as she wondered what they would do to her father to get their point across. They were not the ones to deliver nice letters telling one how to pay them back. They were more of the beat up/ half kill and ask questions later. Her father was already bruised up enough, he couldnt afford a Moretti beating. That would surely killl him!

"Estefania vieni qui!" (Estefania come here!) She heard her mother yell from the kitchen. She quickly grabbed her spray bottle and towel and ran into the kitchen. Her mother was a well rounded lady with rosy cheeks and long dark hair, of course with streaks of gray from stressing so much.

"Si mamma?" She asked while setting down her cleaning products and begining to wash her hands. Once she was done with that she turned around and her mother was directly in her face. She had a spoon up to her lips and Stef quickly tasted it. "Whoa mamma. You outdone yourself!" She exclaimed while her mother blushed and clapped her hands together.

"You think Piccola?" Her mother asked her as she nodded profusely. "It's my new Puttanesca sauce," her mother said while pouring it over some dishes. "Do we have any customers yet?" She asked her changing the subject. Stef shook her head with a sad smile. Her mother sighed and started mixing the pot that the sauce was in. "You know I could have married that Fransesco fellow nineteen years ago and I would not have these grey hairs and plump figure," her mother complained to her.

"Yeah Mamma but would you have me?" She asked while her mother muttered something in italian. "Exactly. You love father so just stop it."

Her mother rolled her eyes and continued cooking. "Where is that man anyway? He said he was going to try and spread the word, that was about a half of an hour ago!" Stef shrugged while getting the broom and starting to sweep up bread crumbs and other things her mother spilled while cooking. Her mother was probably the most messiest cook, it would take them a few hours to clean up her mess after she cooked for a while. The only good thing that came out of her mother's cooking, was the food. It was delicious.

"Maybe you should call him," she suggested to her mother and she shook her head.

"Tried already. He would not pick up." Stef frowned. It was unusual for her father not to answer at least her mother's call. Her dad was still madly in love with her mom till this day and everytime she called or wanted something, he would make it a point to do it or answer it. Whatever it was, he did or tried to do.

Stef started to wonder if someone was out mugging him, or if he got hit by a car or some sorts. She didn't know what to think. She threw the broom down out of fright when she heard a huge crashing noise. Her and her mother looked at each other then ran into the dining area.

Stef gasped at what she saw. Her father was laying on a broken table in the front, bloodied and battered. "Papa!" Stef shouted while running over to him. A tall man stood in her way and she glared at him. "Please move," she pleaded with him as her mother was frozen in the doorway of the kitchen.

*****

First story on here! Hope you liked it. Please comment or vote! Also I have no editor so sorry for any grammar mistakes!