family party

tredici

Die avond word ik naar de rest gebracht. Samen met het eten wat voor ons bedoeld is. Zodra Naldo me los heeft gelaten komt Sandro snel naar me toelopen. Hij trekt me weg van Naldo.

Naldo grinnikt. En zet het eten neer. 'Buone notte colombe' zegt hij nog voordat hij ons weer opsluit. -Goede nacht tortels-

We verdelen het eten met zijn allen en eten in stilte. 'Did they hurt you' vraagt Sandro.

'No, they didn't.'

'Why did they wanted to talk to you, Beca' vraagt Maddy.

'They wanted to know the story.'

'They know' vraagt Mario verbaasd.

'Sì' zegt Beca terwijl ze haar schouder ophaalt, 'I don't know how.'

'Did you tell them' vraagt Sandro aan mij.

'No, I didn't knew the story until she told me and them. And Silvano said something in his office. Remember?'

'O yeah, he did. But how did they know?'

Iedereen haalt zijn schouders op. 'I can ask tomorrow' zeg ik, 'if we want too.'

'I will not let them take you away from me anymore!'

'You know they will' zeg ik zuchtend, 'and I don't want them to hurt you. So I'll just contribuire.' -meewerken-

'Miele, you don't have to...'

'I have to, I am the boss' daughter, ain't I?'

'You are but...'

'But' onderbreek ik hem snel, 'they will take me anyway.'

'Così presuntuoso' zeggen Tito en Lucio tegelijk. -zo eigenwijs-

'Grazie' zeg ik. -bedankt-

'Let's go sleep' zegt Sandro.

'Does somebody stay awake' vraagt Mario.

'I will' zegt Sandro, 'we will take turns.'

'Let's say we change every hour and a half' zegt Lucio, 'then you can sleep too.'

Sandro knikt. We gaan op de matrassen liggen. Ik ga dicht tegen Sandro aanliggen. Maddy en Beca gaan dicht tegen Mario en Benigno aanliggen. En Donna gaat tussen Tito en Lucio in liggen. Al snel hoor ik het gesnurk van de jongens. De meisjes ademen rustig. Maar ik kan niet in slaap komen. 'Does my father have any slaves?'

'Your father? No, he doesn't have any.'

'Do you know somebody?'

'My father. One house full of slaves.'

'Only for him?'

'No, for all the men in his gang. Everyone can go there. But he owns the girls.'

'What will happen if he dies?'

'I will get them.'

'And what will you do with them?'

'I didn't think of that yet. But I think I will keep them. Not as slaves, but as house maids. The girls don't know how to behave in his world. They can't live without somebody who gives them food and everything.'

'How did the girls become slaves?'

'Some get kidnapped others are born out of slaves. The baby girls are given to a master and he begins to train them when they get their first period. After that they are slaves. But try to sleep Miele. We don't know when they will wake us.'

Ik geef een kus op zijn wang. 'Sleep well' fluister ik gapend.

'Sleep well, Miele.'