Katerina Abruzzo moves back to Charming to live with her grandmother and reconnect with her father, Jimmy Cacuzza but when she begins working at Teller Morrow things get complicated. Will she be able to live this life and will she live it with a cer...
My mind wandered with thoughts of my childhood and the family I once had. All but two people in my life remained. My father and my grandmother. The most important people in my life. I tried to focus back on the road in front of me. I had driven for what felt like an eternity but was really just about 10 hours. Looking down to the odometer, I saw that it read 95 mph. I sighed slowing down as a familiar, passing sign said "Welcome to Charming".
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I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding in. I knew that the family reunion was coming and I didn't know what to expect. My father knew why I made the decision to leave this town 5 years ago, but I always felt like I had disappointed him by not continuing in the family business. Unlike him, my grandmother was happy that I chose to leave and was wary of my choice to come back now, but I had no choice. After the passing of my mother, I needed to be close to what was left of my family.
As I drove through the familiar city, I had to pull over at a gasoline station to fill up the tank of my car and I smiled at the guy behind the register. Still the same one that worked here before I left.
"Hey, I need $20 on number 4." I said as he recognized me and nodded.
"Wow, Katerina Abruzzo! Back in town."
"Yeah I am Tony. Hopefully for good this time." I said with a soft smile.
"I sure hope so, you still owe me that date!" He said with a wink of his eye.
"Not gonna happen." I said with a laugh as I walked out and back over to my car.
A few guys near me were admiring my car and I smiled to myself. It had been a present from my father on my 16th birthday. A black 1967 Chevy Impala. I had named him Ryder and he became my most prized possession. Once I had filled the tank, I drove through town, making my way to my grandmother's house.
Eventually I pulled up to her house and knocked on the door. After a few minutes, the familiar face opened the door and huge smiles spread across both our faces.
"Katerina! Mi tesoro! You made it." She exclaimed as she pulled me into a tight hug, and rubbed my back in the comforting way she used to when I was a little girl. I pulled away and smiled up at my nonna.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me into her home. I placed my keys on the table in the entryway and we walked over to the kitchen which was to the left and I sat down at the big, wooden dining table. I checked the time on my phone and saw that it was almost five in the afternoon. My father was expecting me to be in town by this time and knew where I would be stopping first. It wouldn't be long before he'd show up here. My thoughts were interrupted by the smell of focaccia filling the kitchen. At the smell, my stomach growled and I laughed, standing up and walking over to eat the bread my grandmother had made. She poured me soup to eat as well and sat down across from me at the table.
"Mi niña," she started, "you are welcome here as long as you need, but why exactly are you here?"
I swallowed the food that was in my mouth and forced myself to look up at her. I cleared my throat before speaking.
"I had to come back nonna," I said quietly," I don't want to be away the next time something happens to one of my family members."
She nodded and knew to not press the subject. We finished eating and as we were putting away our dishes, there was a knock at the door. I knew who it would be. I walked over to the door and opened it to see my father.
Jimmy Cacuzza.
He pulled me into a big hug and grabbed my face, placing a kiss on my cheek.
"Mi amore, I missed you!"
"I missed you too dad." I said after he let me go. I stepped aside to let him in but he shook his head.
"I wish I could stay, but I have a very important meeting I can't miss. You understand Katerina. It's business. I just wanted to see mi niña!"
I nodded, not surprised that he couldn't stay, but wishing I could spend more time with him. I knew that one day, they would be gone and I would be alone.
I pushed those thoughts out of my head as I walked out with him and saw him and his guys go on their way. I got my suitcases out and lugged them up the steps and into the house. After a while, I had everything put away and I sat on the edge of the bed. I looked around the room and it felt like I had never left. In the middle of the room was a big, white bed and to the right was a dark wooden dresser. To the left was a desk with a small plant and a lamp, just like there was five years ago. I got up and walked out of the room and across the hall, into the bathroom. I turned on the shower and set the water to the hottest temperature.
After grabbing my toiletries and removing my clothes, I stepped into the shower. The hot water hit my skin with a small sting at first before becoming comfortable and filling the room with steam. I scrubbed my skin clean and once I was done, I turned off the water, wrapping a towel around my body and another around my hair. While I waited for my hair to dry, I slipped on grey sleeping shorts and pulled over a black deep cut tank top. I took the towel off my head and brushed my hair before slipping into bed and turning off my the lamp beside the bed.
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I was half asleep when I saw the small screen of my phone light up and heard my phone get a text message. Reluctantly, I got out of bed and walked over to my phone to read the text. It was from my friend, Rebekah.
Hope this message doesn't wake you, just wanted to say I'll miss you and I hope Charming treats you well. Love you Katherine, take care xx
I smiled and got back into bed. I had to wake up early the next morning to look for a job. I remembered a sign at the gas station I stopped at that said Help Wanted at Teller Morrow Automotive Shop. I knew how to work on cars thanks to my grandfather teaching me when I was a little girl, so I decided to try my luck there first thing in the morning.
I knew of Teller Morrow and the Sons due to the business they did with my father but I hadn't seen them since I was 16. I remembered one Son in particular that I had always had my eye on.
