The Family

Past Mistakes...

"She isn't pathetic!" Nicolas firmly stated as he stood up tall and proud.

I looked at him and then my father.

My father had burst out laughing when Nicolas came through the door and I was getting kinda worried.

My father had become silent once more and took a puff of his cigar. The room was lost in the silence as the tension was so thick, I felt like I could cut it with a knife.

It was my father who broke the silence.

"I see what is going on here...Mr Cheuntreuil...would you care to take a walk with me." He said as he stood up and straightened his jacket.

"Umm...OK?" Nicolas hesitantly accepted.

"Valentine go to your room." My father said as he walked past me and led Nicolas out the room.

I just stood there dumbstruck. I stood for a few more moments before following my father's orders and moving along to my room.

Nicolas and Antonio had gone out to the garden. The roses were blooming as they sat on a nearby stone bench.

"How much do you know about my daughter, Nicolas." He began.

"Well...not much...she tends to keep her past a secret." He said as he recalled getting threatened everytime he brought it up.

"Do you love her?" He said calmly.

Nicolas smiled and nodded his head.

"Of course." He simply stated.

Antonio rubbed his temples.

"You know, love is a strong word. You should be careful when you use it." He said.

"My daughter ain't this innocent little diamond, Mr Cheuntreuil." He warned.

"And why is that?" Nicolas pondered thoughtfully.

Antonio took a deep breathe and got into a more comfortable position.

"It all started with her mother, Lynette. She was a real fireball I tell ya but I guess that's what I loved about her. We married against our parents wishes and had a twins together. Their names were Valentine and Amelia. Val was very snobbish and picky when she was a baby and Amelia was a shy little girl." Antonio recalled as he chuckled sadly to himself.

"I still loved them. We were a family.
Lynn didn't like me being a mobster, said I was gonna get killed and leave her behind. I simply shrugged her off. Then one night when Val and Amy were only eight years, a couple of my guys came over and we had a couple of drinks. Long story short I got drunk and one of my goons ended up knocking me out. So I was in no shape to fight. They stole my watches and all valuables. Val and Amy were on their way to their bedrooms when they peeked into my office and found me knocked out with my guys stealing our stuff. Val called for her mother while Amelia was trying to keep her sister quiet. The goons took notice of them and chuckled darkly to themselves. I was barely conscious at this point and my vision was blurry but I could still sort of make out what was happening. Lynette found them and scowled at the goons. She held a knife in her hand as she had the look of a lioness protecting her cubs. She lunged at one of them hit her target, unfortunately for her, there were about three other goons. They threw her to the ground and beat her to a bloody pulp. She cursed them as she struggled to breathe. She was bleeding everywhere as her children simply watched in horror at the scene before them. I stood up and lunged at one of the guys only to have them move out of the way and for me to collapse on top of Val. Amelia simply trembled as the guys took her by the arm and...and...and" Antonio took a minute to breathe as tears threatened to escape his eyes.

"They flung her into the fireplace...she...my little girl...I watched her burn. Valentine trembled as she fell to her knees. She cried in hysteria as she beat her fists into the ground. Until something broke within her. As if she just snapped. She stopped crying and stood up. She grabbed a nearby table ornament and slowly walked over to the group of men. They attempted to grab her but she was ten steps ahead as she plunged the ornament into one of their backs. She pulled it out just as fast as she had placed it their and searched for her next targets. After that night, I saw the potential she had. I had trained her and taught her about the way of the family. She became my own living weapon and I made her do the dirtiest jobs. She lost her innocence long ago." Antonio ended off...

"What about Danté?" Nicolas asked.

"Adopted." Antonio stated simply as he stood up.

"So that begs the question...do you still 'love' my daughter?" He asked but didn't give Nicolas a chance as he walked away.

Nicolas sat slumped as he stared into the sky. The birds chirped and the wind was nonexistent. He didn't expect an entire explanation like that from Antonio.

He stood up and straightened his collar as he walked across the garden to the fountain that sat in the center of the garden. He stared at his reflection and noticed something unfamiliar on his face.

He reached to his cheek and touched it. It felt wet. He had been crying.

Of course. He couldn't believe how someone could just live their lives after that. Is that why she lashes out sometimes?

He pondered to himself. At least now he knew. Now he knew why Val was so misunderstood. She felt alone.

He couldn't believe he had such little knowledge of her past. It was odd; to care about someone else.

He was so used to getting treated like a prince his entire life and now this woman turns up and completely throws him off. He chuckled softly and shook his head.

"She really is a precious trésor...my trésor."